Anyone wanna dis on Governor Blanco at this point? (2 Viewers)

[jimwnola]

Ayn Rand is brilliant.

As for the complaints about complaining, I'm not sure if you all understand.
The 11 billion is a done deal. It was already paid for out of our federal budget. Whether it does any good is how it is administered. If it takes forever and doesn't accomplish its goal, it is waste. You have 2 choices now. 11 billion trickling out over years with no accountablity as to what it accomplishes, or that 11 billion going to what it was suppose to do in a timely fashion. It's not like you have the option of hoping that a pathetically run state program already paid for by the feds will somehow save you tax dollars.

 

[Rugger]

Ayn Rand is brilliant.

As for the complaints about complaining, I'm not sure if you all understand.
The 11 billion is a done deal. It was already paid for out of our federal budget. Whether it does any good is how it is administered. If it takes forever and doesn't accomplish its goal, it is waste. You have 2 choices now. 11 billion trickling out over years with no accountablity as to what it accomplishes, or that 11 billion going to what it was suppose to do in a timely fashion. It's not like you have the option of hoping that a pathetically run state program already paid for by the feds will somehow save you tax dollars.

Not to jump in late on this one and I am not calling you out Jim because I think you are one of the best on the boards, but I do think you hold Blanco to a no win standard.

I like the fact that they are being diligent. How often do we hear that money has disappeared, is unaccounted for, went to the wrong people. I am not saying the precess should/could go faster, but I am also encouraged that they seem to be taking the time to get it right...for once. If they shelled out fast cash to everyone that got in line you could still be waiting and never see a dime because they gave out this money like FEMA cards.

Again could this process go faster? I sure sounds like it, but coming from a person who recently got their masters in a Louisiana institution and moved his family to a different state because I was so discouraged by the local politicians, I am encouraged that there seems to be some lessons learned from previous blunders.

 

[jimwnola]

Again, it is pretty specific aspects of program that I have addressed, rather than some sort of general whine that it should have been faster. I believe the structure could have been more in place prior to the full funding, I believe the system could have been set up to not require duplication of efforts, I believe other methods could have been used to address collateral payments, and I believe the there has been a failure to fully communicate the details of the program along the way.

 

[jimwnola]

Also, I would add my comments might be better in a thread entitled, “What are the problems with the Road Home Program.” However, to the extent Blanco tries to get credit for the program, than she has to get the criticism. What annoyed me in particular is the way she recently made some grandstanding statement that the system must go faster (as if that alone does anything), then blames others for the delay, and gets credit by some for appearing to speed things up. The only change they have made is to now give people option to apply by phone, which simply encourages more applications rather does anything for the thousands in the system already.

If you haven’t applied by now, I can’t say I’m that sympathetic to why you haven’t. It seems they are more concerned about getting the numbers up in the applications, than getting the money to the applicants. That smells of either some sort bureaucratic, governmental reason (to do with percentage of low income applicants requirements of feds), or, perhaps, politics. I’m also guessing at the present numbers and methods for distribution, there might be a concern over using up the whole 11 billion, which would then make the delay waiting for the extra 4 billion seem silly. Don't know, just speculating.

Another topic, here, which is also unrelated, in how poor our local press is in covering these stories. For example, they did promise the money getting to the people by now, and then they went out and contracted a private company to administer the program. The obvious question that I have never heard from the press would be, “what provisions were placed into the contract to make sure they administered the claims within a certain time frame?” In fairness to that company, the problem might be more to do with the requirements being imposed on the program than what they are, or are not, doing. Of course, who knows, because a story on the road home program now simply involves a reporter repeating a homeowner complaint that it is too slow, just like before it only involved a reporter repeating an LRA representative saying how everything is going great. I personally think attorneys might make better reporters than journalism majors from what I’ve seen over the years.

 

[threexcharm]

I thought I heard that the company that is administering the Road Home Program is being paid 750 million.

Is this figure correct? That seems like a lot.....

Maybe it was the mushrooms....

Joe

 

[Jacob]

Name calling is so cool.


/coool.

 

[threexcharm]

I also heard on WWL Radio yesterday that the state has purchased a large section of land in North Tangipahoa, just south of Kentwood.

Rumor has it that it is to be used as part of a large manufacturing complex.

Anybody have any details on this?

Joe

 

[Random Fan]

I think Blanco tries hard and means well but I just think Jindal is a lot smarter, creative, and would do a better job. Unless someone finds some major skeleton in his closest I don't see any way that Jindal can lose. Of course he could always decide he wants Landrieu's senate seat.