Gorbachev vows revolution if levees don't improve

[babylonsister]

It sure is nice to know someone cares.

Gorbachev vows revolution if levees don't improve
Saturday, October 06, 2007
By John Pope

Mikhail Gorbachev drew loud cheers in New Orleans Friday when he promised to lead a local revolution if the Army Corps of Engineers doesn't keep its promise to improve levees by 2011.

"We will be coming back," the Soviet Union's last leader said, through an interpreter, during a ceremony in the Lower Garden District. "If this pledge is not fulfilled, we will start a new revolution in New Orleans."

After the applause died down, Gorbachev said that action should be a last resort, even though, he added, most Americans apparently have forgotten that their country is the result of a revolution.

more...

http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/index.ssf?/base/news-9/119165226043420.xml&coll=1

[Richard Steele]

1. What in the HELL? OK, which one of us is stoned?

It's me again, isn't it?

[babylonsister]

It's not Gorbachev!

This obviously caught my eye! I wonder how the dimson reacted to this?!

[Fovea]

2. Mikhail!!!!

You think maybe he could be our next Sec. of the Interior?
Run OMB? HHS?

Mr. Gorbachev is a better American than any candidate with an (R) after their name, or a Reich wing talk show.

[monktonman]

3. Huh? I'm confused and maybe a bit angry.

Ok NOLA is screwed up, I'll give him that.
Gorby seems like a good guy, I'll give him that.
I guess its the right side of me that feels this way but who the fuck is he
to talk about coming back to "start a new revolution" in the US?
How about going back to your own fucking country and getting rid of
the devil Vladdy Putin?

Ok....backwards from ten......like I said, I guess thats the righty in me.
phew.

[Truth2Tell]

20. Really!

It's our job to start revolutions in other countries, not vice versa! Who is this Gorby character anyway? Must be some kind of commie.

[monktonman]

23. Bit cranky first thing in the morning

A pot of coffee has solved that problem.

[Cirque du So-What]

4. Mr. *, build up this levee!

Overlooking the surreality of this statement, Gorbachev makes a valid point that will likely resonate with N.O. residents in the face of continued neglect on the part of the * administration.

[marions ghost]

9. LOL that's funny --I can hear it now

"Mr. B***, build...up...this...levee!" (with Reagan phony dramatic pauses)

What a switch--you know how American politicians are always visiting other parts of the world and righteously telling other countries what they should be doing...

I'd like the rest of the world to be doing more of this--addressing humanitarian issues within the US as well as how our policies around the world negatively impact other countries.

We need stronger criticism from outside since we can't seem to get it together ourselves anymore.

[malaise]

22. Great Duzy!

:applause:

[rucky]

5. He said the "R" word?!

that which can't be mentioned here, aside from quoting Tracy Chapman?!

to a cheering crowd?!

Jaw-dropping.

[blogslut]

6. good

n/t

[xchrom]

7. somebody had to fuckin say it -- and i'm fine with it being gorbachev!

:applause:

[AspenRose]

8. Wow

The world has been watching for two years....shame on this administration; shame, shame, shame.

"Unfortunately, money is easily found for war," he said. "It takes just a few days. I have to say that that's not the first time that money is easily found for wars but not for this kind of trauma, not for this kind of tragedy."

When asked whether he would deliver this message to Bush, Gorbachev replied, "If there is an occasion, I certainly will volunteer my opinion."

Hoo, boy.

[NYVet]

10. Ok....

I have to echo the sentiments of another poster and ask if he should be critizing this country when Putin is causing the problems that he is in his home country.


Also, the Levee problems of NO are more than just the result of the federal government, the state of La and the city have just as much blame in this matter.

[babylonsister]

14. I don't agree; had the levee been built in the timeframe it should have

been (years BEFORE Katrina hit), the death and destruction would not have been nearly as great. And here we are, two years later, and they're far from accomplishing what should be done by now, through ineptness or design I don't know.

[NYVet]

16. If, as you say, they should have been completed years ago, then why

do the state and city not bear some of the blame?
The governor and the mayor both had the duty to their constituants to ensure that they were protected and the city of NO has sat below sea level since it was founded.

[babylonsister]

17. The state tried to get funding passed; Bush vetoed it.

Factcheck via BBSNews 2005-09-02 -- Some critics are suggesting President Bush was as least partly responsible for the flooding in New Orleans. In a widely quoted opinion piece, former Clinton aide Sidney Blumenthal says that "the damage wrought by the hurricane may not entirely be the result of an act of nature," and cites years of reduced funding for federal flood-control projects around New Orleans.

Our fact-checking confirms that Bush indeed cut funding for projects specifically designed to strengthen levees. Indeed, local officials had been complaining about that for years.

http://bbsnews.net/article.php/20050902214313554

And PS, I realize he's not the only president who deferred funding, I'm just in no mood to defend him or his lame admin.

[pitohui]

19. army corps of engineers is federal

most of the wealth of louisiana has flowed north, where you guys benefit from our resources, primarily oil and gas, and then don't want to give back

it gets old and you should be ashamed to yell at us for being poor, when the reason we are poor is because you have robbed us

[lateo]

11. My how the times have changed.

This is almost too surreal to be true.

[democrat2thecore]

15. You are right, good word for this is ---- surreal. -nt

[backscatter712]

12. Where do I sign up?

You know what, I know the R word isn't supposed to be brought up here, but I'm sorry. The government's so badly broken in this country that we're in desperate need of an R-word.

Where's the Rebel Alliance when we need it?

[rug]

13. "Mr. Bush, build up that wall!"

[Bum Whisperer]

18. Any attempt at a revolution would quickly

fizzle down to a mere riot after being contained by local authorities and/or National Guard call out. I'm certain there's not too many people willing to go to jail over a levee.

[pitohui]

21. he ain't leading any revolution, it was social noise, like tide is revolution in laundry detergent

he says "IF" nothing is done by 2011, well, that's pretty cheap talk, considering it's 2007

heck, gorbachev could be out of the construction industry by 2011, or he could even be deceased, the old boy ain't getting any younger

he doesn't intend to lead any revolutions, nor does anyone think he intended it, it's just a turn of phrase like "wow, our revolutionary new taco, think outside the bun!" he knows the word revolution doesn't mean anything in the usa

he meant it in the sense of a building/construction industry revolution, which believe you me, nobody is holding their breath