Nugget from Scottie press conference - what was THIS all about?

[FormerRepublican]

The question was:

Q Did the administration seek to federalize control of assets --

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/09/20050906-5.html#

That's a little chilling. Federalize control of ASSETS? What might THAT be all about? Scottie didn't really answer the question. In fact, he didn't really answer ANY of the questions, but that's what I've come to expect from this administration.

But that one question made me wonder - what ASSETS are in LA that Bush might have wanted to take control of? And why?

(And I did notice those words mysteriously highlighted in the WH transcript to try to subliminally influence those reading it - "Katrina response efforts" and "terror attack". What was THAT all about, since they're the only words highlighted in the whole thing?)

[Bluebear]

1. Simple. ASSETS = Gulf of Mexico OIL! n/t

[bettyellen]

2. it sould be the superdome, or a whole neighborhood they'll

knock down and give away to a friend.
bush is just here to grab stuff and give it to his cronies. not suprising at all.

[teach1st]

3. Assets and profits?

I picked this up using a few different posts on other forums. This might have been posted at DU already. I haven't seen it.

Just a few months ago, the Louisiana legislature passed a constitutional amendment requiring any new offshore oil and gas revenue to be put in a trust fund dedicated to coastal erosion, and this was kind of rubbed in the Bush administration's face:

Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, NOAA and other federal and state agencies along with university experts agree that nowhere in the world is a coastal region losing wetlands and protective barrier islands faster than Louisiana. About this there is no doubt. It is predicted that by 2050, one third of coastal Louisiana will have vanished into the Gulf of Mexico. Our coast and its wetlands is a system on the verge of collapse. Without wetlands to buffer storms, our people and property and the nation's energy supply are at risk. Oil and gas pipelines and facilities, which provide 25% of the Nation's energy needs, are more vulnerable with each storm. Oil and gas activities and federal actions to control the Mississippi River for navigation and flood control are largely responsible for the drastic loss of our coastal. PACE believes we are completely within our right to ask the federal government to share money generated from offshore oil and gas revenues with the coastal states that bear a disproportionate burden in supporting this nation's energy needs.

Louisiana's congressional delegation has urged Congress for more than a decade to return to the state a fair share of the revenue from the production of offshore oil and gas both because of the impact of offshore production on Louisiana and because interior states get 50% of revenues from oil and gas production on federal lands.

The president has supported the concept, but has backed off when it comes to funding the restoration effort. PACE believes Louisiana can no longer afford to wait. Louisiana urgently needs guaranteed resources to thwart a catastrophe that is not being given the sense of urgency that it demands.

We believe the case has been made. Louisiana's wetlands - America's WETLAND - is crucial to the nations oil and gas production, commercial fisheries, navigation and commerce and national security. Restoring the damage hastened by years of inland and offshore drilling is clearly a national responsibility.

The President, in this Policy Statement, has failed us. To sidestep this as a key issue would be a serious deficiency, in the Energy Bill, and the entire nation will suffer as a consequence.

Our Louisiana legislature this month passed a constitutional amendment requiring any new offshore oil and gas revenue to be put in a trust fund dedicated to coastal erosion.

Louisiana has made a commitment. Now, it's time for the President to step up to the plate and support funding to prevent the untold damage to the ecology, economy and potential loss of life in large numbers.

I'm sure this made the Bush administration a bit upset. In addition, Governor Blanco's oppositon to offshore liquefied natural gas terminals couldn't have made her a favorite among the Bush administration.

[Spazito]

4. Here is what that was referencing:

Behind the scenes, a power struggle emerged, as federal officials tried to wrest authority from Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (D). Shortly before midnight Friday, the Bush administration sent her a proposed legal memorandum asking her to request a federal takeover of the evacuation of New Orleans, a source within the state's emergency operations center said Saturday.

The administration sought unified control over all local police and state National Guard units reporting to the governor. Louisiana officials rejected the request after talks throughout the night, concerned that such a move would be comparable to a federal declaration of martial law. Some officials in the state suspected a political motive behind the request. "Quite frankly, if they'd been able to pull off taking it away from the locals, they then could have blamed everything on the locals," said the source, who does not have the authority to speak publicly.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/03/AR2005090301680.html

[Peachhead22]

5. Assets=

Sometimes people (i.e. military and emergency service workers) and military and emergency equiptment are referred to as "assets". Giving them the benefit of a doubt, something I'm loathe to do, I think he meant it in that sense. I.e.-federalizing the troops and rescue efforts.

"Assests" don't necessarily mean a person's money or property. I hope we can avoid the real tin-foil hat stuff. It doesn't reflect on us well.

[Lerkfish]

8. ya know, I get REAL suspicious every time someone tells me

we need to stop with the tinfoil hat stuff because it doesn't reflect on "us" well.

who are you, and why does what we say get to be controlled by you because you're uncomfortable with where it is heading?

[peacetalksforall]

9. I think people who aren't open enough to explore all possibilities in

a Cheney agenda should have their own 'protected' forum where tin foil exploration is not allowed.

I prefer to read and write on a forum where contributors practice an internet exchange of thought that can be said to be a form of internet brainstorming. In a business, brainstorming welcomes disparate and random thinking that then gets funneled down. The same thing happens here unless someone call for a stop to the brainstorming by reference to tin.

[TankLV]

11. And which "us" are you referring to? I doubt you are one of "us".

But thanks for your phoney repuke talking points "concern" for "us"!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

6. he wanted to federlize NOLA's police, fire, and national gaurd....

and there by nuetering LA's dem leaders and dem control...he is practicing dictatorship

[liberal43110]

7. Yep...

It was referring to nationalizing the National Guard. Not the oil industry assets.

[JPK]

10. Scottie's Press Conferences......

All he ever says in any of his PC's is that he can't talk about matters under investigation or there will be a full investigation at a later date. He never answers a question directly with any substance. He says the same shit everytime. Always vague generalities. Reporters need to pin him down. Shit, if this kind of bullshit response to something this huge is their way of handling it, why even have a PC and WH press corp at all. He should be getting grilled like burger on the 4th of July. I've seen high school girls softball pitchers throw harder that those WH press corp reporters do. Thank you Scott, did we upset you Scott, were we to hard on you Scott, Aw lets go have a drink afterwards....hey Scott, am I still invited to the WH BBQ?