Dem leader who lost home is organizing relief efforts in Dallas...

[madfloridian]

He lost his home and everything in LA, and he is setting up operations in Texas.

Be sure to keep up with the latest at the DNC blog. He is in TX setting up operations there. The blog has great updates all day.

http://www.democrats.org/blog.html

Louis Rainey, the Political Director for Louisiana's Democratic Party, and his family are safe but they have lost everything. Their house is gone. He is now in Dallas, Texas and he is in recovery mode. He has set up a command post in The Marriot Courtyard in Dallas Texas.

He has got the hotel to cut prices in half and is himself paying for rooms for dislocated people. The shelters are full and can't accept any more people. He has taken it upon himself to contact everyone he knows to try and get these people help. He is asking us to send gas and food vouchers, gift cards to the Marriott, anything that can be spared to help these people.

Please give what you can. You can send gift cards or even write a check to the Marriott to subsidize the cost of rooms that the Marriot is providing at a discounted rate.

Hotel information:
Marriot Courtyard
2383 Stemmons Road
Dallas, Texas 75220
Attn: Louis Rainey

[calimary]

1. Kick this!

And recommended. This should stay up near the top.

[MaineDem]

2. Stores near the hotel:

Walgreens, Walmart, Sams Club, Kroger Grocery Store and all of the major gas stations.

Gift cards are especially welcome.

Thanks for posting this, Mad. I got an email about this and was going to post it. I didn't realize it was on the website.

[calimary]

3. Kick AGAIN.

The gift card idea is great, too!

[madfloridian]

4. Kick again. This is courageous.

The guy lost all he had, he and his family...and they are working to help others.

[FreedomAngel82]

6. What an angel

Aw. I also hope the party helps him. If not the national at least the local.

[babyk]

5. Is the national Dem party helping him

any?

[madfloridian]

8. Yes.

The DNC is very busy.

[gulfcoastliberal]

7. Taylor (D - MS) Grateful for Assistance, Urges Continued Generosity

Gene taylor, DEM rep of South MS lost his home in bay St Louis. He rode th storm out in Bay St Louis, MS - not DC. He is still in south MS and if anyone heads that way, please bring needed items.

Water, Fuel, Food Still in Short Supply

WASHINGTON, DC (September 4) - U.S. Congressman Gene Taylor today issued this statement today from the Regional Operations Command Center at Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Mississippi:

“On behalf of the people of South Mississippi, I am grateful for the tremendous outpouring of support for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

“For those who have provided us assistance, please know that your contributions are appreciated, and that they are making a difference in people’s lives. The level of destruction that has resulted along the central Gulf Coast is unimaginable, and the road to recovery will be long and difficult for the hundreds of thousands of people affected by this devastating natural disaster.

“While South Mississippi is grateful for what’s been done so far, more help is needed. Please continue to be as generous as you can.

“In these days following the storm, our stricken region has been visited by politicians and various government officials. While I appreciate their interest, for future visits, don’t show up empty-handed. If you’re coming to South Mississippi, show up with something that will assist in the relief and recovery effort. Food, water, ice, medical supplies, fuel and other critical items are desperately needed."

http://www.house.gov/genetaylor/Katrina.rls0904.htm

http://www.house.gov/genetaylor/

[madfloridian]

19. I am wondering how many lost their home and lost family.

God bless them for organizing so unselfishly.

[madfloridian]

9. Dean said get "them" out of the way so we can accomplish something.

From Randi Rhodes today.

"try to get them out of our way so we can actually accomplish something."

Thanks to this blog for the transcript:

http://shadowbfa.blogspot.com/

Howard: That's the way the Bush administration works. It's incompetence from the top to the bottom, and they just can't get out of their own way. And it's not just this, it's Iraq, it's the economy, it's everything else. So, I think Americans have to take things into their own hands. We can't rely on the Federal government as long as we've got these guys running the place. And what we've got to do is we've got to support the Red Cross, we've got to thank the corporations--I've had my big battles with Walmart, but I think what they did was terrific, which was send water.

Thank God somebody had the brains to know that if you have thirsty people and babies dying of dehydration, they probably ought to have water! And if Walmart recognized that, then I say hats off to Walmart.

Howard: Look, it's an international embarrassment, it's a national embarrassment, but if you build your administration based on things that aren't true, eventually it catches up with you. We've got the war, we've got this disaster, we've got the economy-- Before this happened to us, it was announced that the average income for most working people--about 80% of them--went down about $1700 in the years this president has been in office. So this is not an administration that's going to do much for most Americans. But from a political point of view it's my job to get rid of Republicans, and we will, but the truth is, this is a real urgent situation for a lot of people in Louisiana and Mississippi and Alabama, and I think we ought to focus on the positive things that one American can do for another, and leave the federal government out of it. Just try to get them out of our way so we can actually accomplish something.

We have for example 18 kids from the DNC who are going to go down Thursday after some training to help out. Now if every company in America did that, that would really make a difference in people's lives."

[MelissaB]

10. I didn't know Dean was on AAR

Dang it!


:kick:

[Andromeda]

12. It always makes me feel better...

when I read stuff like this.

God bless Dean, Rainey and all their merry little helpers. :)

[Andromeda]

11. Kick!

:kick:

[mzmolly]

13. Perfect example of "them vs. us" where is Trent Lott?

Whining about his house, that's where.

[MinneapolisMatt]

14. I actually...

...just mailed them all some gift cards.

xoxo Matt

[madfloridian]

16. We plan to do so tomorrow.

Not sure what kind yet.

[moc]

15. Louis Rainey Rocks!

I've talked to him, and I've e-mailed him a couple of times. He's a man of action.

[MH1]

17. Keeping it kicked - this is the stuff we need to see!

:kick:

[quiet.american]

18. Kick

:kick: