WaPost: Storms Alter Louisiana Politics, Reduce Influence of Black Voters

[rbajai]

Ah, so THAT'S the reason * waited FIVE DAYS before calling in the cavalry...

<snip>
The massive population shift caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita holds seismic political implications for Louisiana, which faces a near-certain reduction of its congressional delegation and a likely loss in black-voter clout that could severely affect the state's elected Democrats.

In political circles last month, "there was talk that the Democrats' margin of victory was living in the Astrodome in Houston," said Ronald D. Utt, a senior researcher at the Heritage Foundation.

"We are concerned that there are both a land grab and a power grab going on," said Theodore M. Shaw, president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. "If there is not a significant return of black residents to New Orleans in the near future, at what time will there be an attempt to redistrict?"

Link to full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/13/AR2005101301729.html?referrer=email

[AX10]

1. Blanco may win a second term but Landrieu is done with.

Not for sure but most likely her seat is gone in 2008. This will work out quite nicely for DAS GOP. :grr:

[...of J.Temperance]

9. I wouldn't count Landrieu out just yet...nor her brother

I'd be willing to bet that the Landrieu's have a plan. Those displaced people, I bet just enough of them will vote in 2007 and 2008, EVEN if they don't know that they've voted in 2007 and 2008...and your Louis Armstrong's, Marie Laveau's, Jim Garrison's and Leadbellie's will STILL be voting...even if they're voting in a different Parish this time.

There are people in Louisiana that died in 1926 that are STILL voting. I met an evacuee in Ft. Worth, she was at LSU in 2002, she and her fellow students weren't old enough to vote OR registered to vote, but she told me that they ALL voted for Senator Landrieu.

Not forgetting a Spot Jackson that voted in 2002, he was registered to vote and he voted and he was somebody's family dog :)

So, don't count the Landrieu's out, as there are many different types of votes out there...if you catch my drift. I support all of this, I think it's both okay and as a bonus it's entertaining.

[AX10]

11. Fine with me!

;-)

[...of J.Temperance]

14. Fab!

It's fine with me too :) There's a saying in Louisiana "vote early and vote often" I LOVE Louisiana politics and I've studied it for quite some time and it's hugely entertaining, it's a bloodsport and I pity WHOEVER is chosen to get in the 2008 race with Senator Landrieu because she's pretty much a Rottweiler during an election.

Go get the bastards Senator!

[LisaM]

2. Can't the residents vote in absentia?

I'm glad they are at least aware of this issue.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[central scrutinizer]

4. mission accomplished!

nfm

[intheflow]

5. But on the other hand,

Texas and other red states that took in refugees may have increased the blue voters in those states.

[...of J.Temperance]

6. The mediawhores are en masse ejaculating over this

They're SO excited about what has happened and how it's going to help their fucking Nazi lovers in the GOP.

Thing about Louisiana politics, is that it never turns out the way people are expecting...and so I'm hoping that Louisiana remains true to form. Whatever you expect from Louisiana politics, the opposite usually happens and has done since the days of Huey Long.

[bluestateguy]

7. If there must be a re-districting then do it now

A precedent has been set by Texas that re-redistricting mid-decade is permissible. Right now Democrats control the process, so they would be wise to get it done before the 2007 gubernatorial/legislative elections

The conservative white southern male vote must be suppressed and diluted as much as possible. I make no bones about this.

[...of J.Temperance]

10. The Democrats control the Louisiana State Legislature

And they're loyal to Governor Blanco, so if they did redistrict, it would be on the side of their fellow Democrats.

I'd redistrict that motherfucker Richard Baker and Bobby Jindal for a start.

[AX10]

12. I agree 100% with this statement.

"The conservative white southern male vote must be suppressed and diluted as much as possible. I make no bones about this."

As a Blue State Patriot, we must do what is needed to save our Country.

[Dora]

8. Now, how much control do they have over our coastal regions?

Where can I look this up?

[SoCalDem]

13. I called it on Day One.. and again when the buses showed up

to start 'removing' the black people of new orleans..

NO ONE IS GOING TO REBUILD DILAPIDATED RENTAL PROPERTIES, OR OLD WOODEN HOUSES.

These people are very much like the fauna in exurbs.. Their habitat is destroyed all around them, and they must either move or perish..or both.

The New orleans that will emerge will have NO ROOM for them..

[bluestateguy]

15. Like it or not, we have to make it profitable to build affordable housing

Some of you may not like this, but in the interest of maintaining affordable housing, we may have to look at lucrative, giveaway contracts to developers to build them. Just pay these developers shitloads of money to build low income housing. I'm sorry if it makes the developers even richer than they already are, but the fact of the matter is that that is the only realistic way that any affordable housing will be built--in this political environment anyway. It would be nice if our society and our leaders valued affordable housing as a civil value, but unless there is a profit motive, they won't. Sorry, but this is just the pragmatic Generation Xer in me speaking out again.

If Ray Nagins or Kathy Blanco can't make that happen by standing up tot he feds then they do not deserve our support.