CNN: Landrieu threatens to block (Bush executive) appointments over levees

[DeepModem Mom]

Landrieu threatens to block appointments over levees
Tuesday, April 4, 2006

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Frustrated by a lack of progress in rebuilding the state's levees, a Louisiana Democrat threatened Wednesday to block President Bush's appointments requiring Senate confirmation until "significant progress" is made toward restoring the flood protection damaged by Hurricane Katrina in August....

***

She is demanding that the Bush administration develop a comprehensive levee, flood control and coastal restoration program, and dole out the funds to pay for it.

"For me, this used to be a major policy issue," she said. "Now, it's an issue of life and death."

The senator said she sent a letter to Bush on Tuesday and "urged him specifically to request of Congress $6 billion that his administration says that we need in order for our region to be safe."

If the White House fails to meet her demands, "I will be compelled to use the power of my office as a senator to hold all executive nominations until we can get a response from the administration."...

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/04/04/landrieu.appointments/index.html

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Good for her!

I think if Bush or the rw spin machine tries to bluster past this one with who knows what kind of lies, Landrieu simply needs to hold up a photo of one of the bloated bodies floating in the stinking water in New Orleans, captioned by the words "NEVER AGAIN".

[DemInDistress]

2. If Mary Mary quite contrary gets her 6 billion dollars for the levee's

will she withdraw her position and allow scumbag bush's appointments? H'm NY-ers would like to know...sounds like she's not for the Democrats at all but for MONEY !!!

[Bluzmann57]

3. She's in Lousiana so why in the hell should she care about NY?

Like she said, now it's life and death for her and the people down there. She was elected by the people of Lousiana, not by the people of NY. There may be some give and take involved. It's unfortunate but true.

[BlueManDude]

14. or Supreme Court justices for that matter? n/t

[Vidar]

4. Good for her.

[tanyev]

5. Somebody please explain how this would work.

I love the idea, but HOW does she do it? Can one senator hold an executive nomination all by themselves? Does she need a specific number of Dems backing her up???

[DeepModem Mom]

18. I'd like some additional info on this, too, tanyev. Anybody? nt

[madaboutharry]

6. She is so unprincipled.

She never stands up for something because it is right. All she cares about is what she is going to get out of a deal.

[fujiyama]

7. I don't trust her

Her voting record is awful and is hardly in favor of the poor or working class people that put her in office.

It's nice that she's saying something, but my guess is these are empty threats. She's going to have an extremely difficult race in '08.

[MasonJar]

8. She has clearly said that she will block the nominations until the

money is provided. So I am assuming that anyone can fathom from that that she will not block nominees after the money appears. If NY needs to block money, then its senators should do the job. Good for Mary!

[BlueManDude]

15. why not help block Alito? n/t

[NJ Democrats]

9. Good for Mary

This is a step in the right direction.

[av8tor05]

12. Although I agree with her anger it is not right.

What if each senator did the same? Do we really want a system where each senator holds the President (Dem or Repub) hostage for their own state's pet projects? THis will bankrupt the nation faster than its going now. Not smart!

[Swamp Rat]

16. PET PROJECTS?!?! I guess you aren't from New Orleans are you?

Well I am. What she is doing is not only smart but necessary. Our lives depend upon levees that HAVE NOT BEEN REBUILT! :grr:

Anyway, Bushler is the one bankrupting the nation.

[Bridget Burke]

19. I'm not from New Orleans & I agree with you.

The whole country needs your city (& the whole area). If the Feds don't help you, they can't be trusted to help anyone. (Not that I'm all that trusting.)

They'd prefer to waste all our tax dollars in Iraq. And Afghanistan. And Iran...

[rodeodance]

10. yes, good for her. Keep the Katrina mess on the map!

[saltpoint]

11. I want so badly to find cause for praise for Mary Landrieu and

today she earns it richly.

She's right. Even more, Bush has no clue in hell whether the levees are secure or if you add nutmeg to butterscotch pie. He's completely vacated the premises of his own presidency. Senator Landrieu has been intuitive and energetic in making sure Bush/Brown/Chertoff/etc. remain scrutinized in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, inasmuch as Bush/Brown/chertoff/etc. were uniformly ABSENT in the days leading up to landfall and in complete denial after the storm wiped out the 9th ward.

CNN and is it NBC? both opened news bureaus in New Orleans after the storm struck; I say good for them, too. Continued follow-up coverage on Anderson Cooper has kept a lot of Bush officials "alerted" to specific and urgent needs.

Now let's have more of Mary Landrieu's righteous anger at a bad president. I want to root for her, and I want her influence in DC to help her disenfranchised citizens.

[Swamp Rat]

17. Thank you n/t

[rfkrfk]

13. Orleans Levee District {state}, owns the levees

Orleans Levee District, a Louisiana state agency, owns the levees.

the incompetent feds, should butt out