What will be the political repercussions of this tragedy?

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[tedoll78]

1. Hmm..

1) Democrats are immediately at a disadvantage in statewide races in Louisiana. Their base was always centered in New Orleans, and now their voters are scattering to the wind, so to speak. Louisiana will now begin to resemble Alabama or Mississippi, with no heavily blue area to efficiently counter-balance the redneck red areas of the state. Say goodbye to Senator Landrieu and Governor Blanco.

2) The GOP nationwide will no longer be able to claim superiority over Democrats in handling domestic security issues. Democrats - if they have the gonadal fortitude - will have the Katrina aftermath to point to as Exhibit A when speaking of the GOP's gross incompetence in running the federal govt in these scenarios.

3) Gas prices will climb. This will affect the prices of many goods and services. It will also cut peoples' spending, as they will have less disposable income. Whomever is in power nationally (the GOP) will suffer greatly for this.

4) Other economic political implications. These include building materials rising in cost (which is tied to housing costs), includes insurance policies, inflationary pressure, etc. Any and all of these could upset the national economy, again hurting the national party in power.

[shraby]

2. Medals for Chertoff and Brown.

[JackDragna]

4. Don't be too sure about the disadvantage.

Even with the significant loss of life, the vast majority of people in New Orleans lived. Those people will remember, believe me. Not only that, many people in this state who were sympathetic to current entrenched powers are white-hot furious about how poor the response has been.

What I hope is the main political repercussion is simple, but critical: the nation cannot ignore the mass numbers of poor it produces anymore. Period.

[Prodemsouth]

11. But they will not be back there by 06, is my guess. This expalins

Bush's inaction. He can get an extra Senate seat. Rove is always thinking politics, how can they get more power is constantly on their mind. And what do we do- Bill Clinton goes out to help. Mary Landrieu falls all over herself with praise for the monkey instead of just saying the truth. If she said the truth it would be:they want my Senate seat so they are killing off people who will likely vote for me. Why not go out telling the truth Mary? But the truth is not polite and for the Democratic Party being polite is the most important thing. Kerry's run in 04 confirms that notion. Be polite always so they aviod the truth. Gawd, what a bunch of pink tutu defeatist elitist. We could make up the seats if we went after New England and Northern Republicans the same way the Repugs do in the south..but nooo.. Olympia is a woman- she is pro choice..she is great on women's issues.. never mind that whe will vote for Roberts.. never mind that she screws the poor by backing the Bush economic agenda.. I am so ashamed of most of the elected Democrats. Look at the condition of this party post Clinton- why do so many here like him?

[JackDragna]

12. No argument here about Landrieu

I'm more than a little underwhelmed by her response, although, to her credit, it's been reported locally she's been going nuts trying to get Congress to meet to get money to the affected areas.

[Prodemsouth]

6. This is why Bush does not care- it is one more Senate seat for him.

He wants New Orleans destroyed. One more Governorship. Rove advised him to do nothing.

[punpirate]

3. Major, I hope...

... although it depends a lot upon the ways in which the media, particularly television, spins it.

If the media reports it as it is--that the degree of misery, death, lawlessness, etc., is a direct result of Bush policy, people will get pissed at the Bushies. If, on the other hand, they portray it all as the hopelessness of expecting government to solve problems, the people will get pissed at the government in general, even though this has been Bush's aim all along--to make government work badly. That's intentional, I think, and has been for the past several years.

[RBHam]

5. A police state, and permanent martial law.

No sense going through the motions of a fixed election, eh?

That just costs money better spent by fat, rich white guys with small penises.

[wli]

7. widespread outrage ...

Bushler et al will cancel elections and unleash nationwide martial law to kill, brutalize, and/or imprison anyone and everyone who speaks out against the genocide he's just committed. The elections are shams anyway, so very little of substance will have changed, apart from dropping pretenses in order to retain the stranglehold of the corporatists on power.

[Pallas180]

16. No no, you guys are being defeatist. Even people not on DU

are calling up their local radio and tv stations upset by what they see in New Orleans, the people not getting help or getting out of there.

And what are the hosts telling them: to contribute to Red Cross is the way they can help.

asses.

[Warren DeMontague]

8. Environmentalists will be blamed for gas prices

Gays will be blamed for the hurricane

and the violence will be blamed on the teaching of evolution in schools.

Just watch.

[brentspeak]

9. Besides greater calls for Bush's impeachment

I think it's safe to say that the political careers of both Blanco and Nagin are over, fair or unfair. Possibly and hopefully, Barbour, but I'm not sure about that.

[BlueManDude]

10. Bush will skate - the looters and lawless punks are now the story

Not the gov't incompetence, slow response and suffereing.


People see pictures of black folks rummaging thru the local Rite-Aid and their attitudes do a 180. Sad but true.

[Disturbed]

13. GW and the RW will...

be fine. The facts are that it was parially this Admin.'s fault because they cut funds for flood control, the Admin is incompetent and unfeeling, there was a slow response and that caused much suffering. All of these facts will be obscured by the Corp. Media.

[Pallas180]

15. No that's happening less..Media is letting it out mostly except

for the ones who cant think for themselves, like the current early morning dummy on CNN. She can't figure out what to ask or what to connect. Damn. especially since the Mayor's interview was on in her segment. Her comment...he's upset.

[NuttyFluffers]

14. in a just world, humanist auto de fey...

hell, i'd settle for just a public politician crucifixion or two... with a scourge at the pillar to send the message home.

but, alas, we don't live in a just world. just waiting for the americans to get angry enough to peel their collective asses off the couch and away from the boob tube.