Louisiana Republican parts ways with TFG on infrastructure bill after devastation of Hurricane Ida

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy is parting ways with the likes of former President Donald Trump to back President Joe Biden's $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan after Hurricane Ida devastated parts of his home state of Louisiana. “According to an internal senior leadership briefing I obtained, 1 million people in Louisiana are without power,” Politico reporter Erin Banco tweeted on Monday. “Four hospitals have been damaged. 39 facilities are on generator power. Two levees overtopped.” Soon after Ida made landfall on Sunday as a Category 4 hurricane, it left downed power lines in its path, trapped New Orleans residents in their French Quarter homes, and blocked roads in areas throughout the state, CNN reported.

“Lafourche Parish re-entry will be delayed for up to a week, maybe longer, due to conditions created by Hurricane IDA,” the parish said in a news release.“Lafourche Parish roads are currently unpassable and will be for some time.”

Link to tweet

While Trump has threatened to pull endorsements from any legislator who supported the infrastructure bill that is the result of bipartisan work between the president and legislators, Cassidy told CNBC's Squawk Box on Monday that "if we're going to make our country more resilient to natural disasters wherever they are, we have to start preparing now."

Link to tweet

Passed by the Senate in a 69-30 vote on Aug. 10, the infrastructure bill is slated to come before House lawmakers on Sept. 27, Cassidy said. “Again $50 billion is in there for resiliency, $65 billion in there to harden the grid, things that certainly would help here,” Cassidy said. "And so, now where Republicans are, I don't know yet. But I'm sure hoping that Republicans look around my state, see this damage and say, 'If there's money for resiliency, money to harden the grid, money to help sewer and water, then maybe this is something we should be for.'"

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/8/30/2049164/-Louisiana-Republican-parts-ways-with-Trump-on-infrastructure-bill-after-devastation-of-Hurricane-Ida

[malaise]

1. Expect more folks to jump ship on infrastructure

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/mississippi-highway-collapses-killed-10-injured-79740741

Robertson told The Associated Press that some of the vehicles ended up stacked on top of each other as they crashed into the abyss, which opened up in a rural area without street lights. Ida dumped as much as 13 inches (33 centimeters) of rain as it blew through Mississippi, the National Weather Service said.

“You can imagine driving at night with heavy rain coming down,” Robertson said. “It’s just nothing but a wall of water, your headlights kind of reflecting back on you.”

State troopers, emergency workers and rescue teams responded to Highway 26 west of Lucedale, about 60 miles (96 kilometers) northeast of Biloxi, to find both the east and westbound lanes collapsed. Robertson said the hole is around 50 to 60 feet (15 to 18 meters) long and 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 meters) deep.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. What we have here is the rarest of beasts: A Thinking Republican!

I don't know anything about this man, but at first look, he may not have sold his soul just yet.

I hope there are more Republicans out there with his outlook.

[azureblue]

9. what we have here

Is a guy from south Louisiana, that knows all to well if doesn't get help for the state, he could wind up as gator bait. He knows if hew doesn't back the bill, he better not go back home..

[tulipsandroses]

4. Well, would you look at that. Who would have thought that, hey people of the state

Sent you to DC to represent their interests? Strange thing eh? He knows he would get clobbered if he’s blocking much needed help. Sad that it took disaster for him to do what he was elected to do.

[FakeNoose]

5. Volunteers from many eastern states including PA, NJ and NY

... are already in Louisiana helping to restore power and clean up some of the devastation.

The same thing happened after Katrina, but it wasn't as well coordinated, and we don't need to ask why.

This is what good Americans do, we help wherever and whenever we can. The Infrastructure Bill is another example of Americans helping each other and getting the job done. We need to tune out the ramblings of those who sit on their rear ends and do NOTHING, while Americans are hurting and in need. Thank you Senator Bill Cassidy!

[Luz]

6. Typical repug. Against it until it gets personal.

[Wounded Bear]

7. At least he's for something that will help his own state...

and not screwing his own people based on some worn out conservative "principle."

[ConstanceCee]

8. I Have Started to Admire Him Some

I remember when Cassidy voted for impeachment, and when asked by a reporter why he voted this way, he answered, "Because he was guilty." Then I remember his upset over realizing that he had constituents who truly did not believe that Covid is real. This isn't the first time that Sen. Cassidy has sounded like a thinking individual. I don't think this is just because Louisiana experienced Hurricane Ida.