Utah Repuke telling NOLA what to do and Mary's response

[RB TexLa]

I don't know if this has been posted yet, I guess if an avalanche whips out a Utah town he'll call them stupid for building near a mountain?




For Immediate Release
Sen. Landrieu Responds to Sen. Bob Bennett's Remarks



WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu issued the following
statement today in response to comments made by Sen. Bob Bennett,
R-Utah, during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing yesterday.



During the hearing, Sen. Bennett said, "If we're going to appropriate
money and then rebuild in a place that the laws of physics say doesn't
make sense for people to live in -- Building a city 10 feet below sea
level does not strike me as inherently, basically a good idea... if
somebody makes a really stupid decision in the name of nostalgia that we
want to rebuild this neighborhood just like it was, maybe Katrina said
to us, you don't want a neighborhood there."



Sen. Landrieu said:



"Senator Bennett's statement reflects a gross misunderstanding of the
causes and consequences of the current disaster facing New Orleans and
the entire Gulf Coast region.



"People in South Louisiana, have lived safely in flood plains for many
years. Yet, due to federal mismanagement and inattention, the levees
around New Orleans breached the day after Hurricane Katrina first made
landfall, washing away tens of thousands of homes, businesses, schools,
churches, synagogues, and dreams. There is a national responsibility to
fix these levees and to rebuild these communities.



"It is not nostalgia that motivates us to rebuild. It is common sense
and in our nation's best interest to revitalize this great city. Its
seaport, trade gateway, and hub for the energy resources necessary to
keep Americans from freezing this winter are all essential to our
nation.



"As Sen. Bennett serves as Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on
Agriculture, I would expect him to know that 70 percent of all grain
exported from the U.S. goes through the Port of New Orleans. And as a
member of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water, I would expect him to
also know that our state provides nearly a quarter of the oil and gas
consumed in this country. But, as his statements indicate, perhaps Sen.
Bennett had forgotten some of these facts.



"Sen. Bennett owes the people of New Orleans a visit and an apology.
And he owes it to himself to recognize the contributions New Orleans
makes to the entire nation as we find cost-effective ways to rebuild a
great American city together."

[El Supremo]

1. Fantastic Response!

:spank: :spank: :spank:

:woohoo:

[Janice325]

2. Aw right, Senator Landrieu

:bounce:

[SeattleGirl]

3. Excellent!

Careful, there, Sen. Bennett -- your ignorance is showing!

[CottonBear]

4. Good for Sen. Mary L. Landrieu n/t