Wow! I'm not really the best one to write about our New York Senator. First of all I believe the Democrats and Republicans are no different from each other. Yes..I know some of you just can't believe it, but when you get down to it..THEY ARE!
Ok, so I went to the forum and listened to John Edwards first. Nice guy..too bad he won't win. Maybe they will make him VP. Next up was...Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton! (I silently groaned) She walked to the podium in a stylish navy blue suit, hair perfect, make up flawless and began to follow in her husbands foot steps by rallying up all the black support. I gave her performance an A+. She has a way of capturing the audience (especially ::cough:: minorities ::cough:: blacks) Of course she came out in support the Opportunity Compact presented to them by our fearless leader Marc Morial. Politically suicide if she didn't at least say she did. What politician would do that? We will know how much she supports it if she wins the election. (God, I'm praying to you today to send us a leader to save us from the candidates who are running.)
One thing she briefly spoke about was Katrina (when asked about what she would do to improve the efforts in the gulf coast region) and her 10 point plan. So i took the initiative to go find it on her website.(I did a brave thing; but I just wanted a copy so when I go home to New Orleans where I was born and raised. I will do an assessment on how things are going) Its below for all to read. My question to the candidates is this: All of you have a enough power and money, why wait to do anything? Why not use some of that campaign money to make a difference before you are in office? If you see the problem now FIX IT!
Although I am not a Clinton supporter, they have been a family that has intrigued me. I believe Hillary is the brains and Bill has been used as the figure head. They can definitely talk a good game and if she does become our new president..i have a written list of the promises she has made since running for president and I will be keeping tally of how many things she actually accomplishes
http://www.nationalreview.com/interrogatory/klein200506200754.asp
Today, Hillary Clinton announced an agenda that she would pursue as president to cut through the red tape, deliver the promised federal assistance, and get services running and infrastructure built in New Orleans and across the Gulf Coast. Hillary believes that it is unacceptable that 20 months after the storms, New Orleans is still coping with vulnerable levees, closed hospitals, dilapidated schools, rising crime, halting economic development, and a shocking lack of affordable housing. Hillary also believes that the people of New Orleans and the region – with real federal commitment and meaningful federal aid – can overcome these challenges. Here is what she would do to help them:
As president, Senator Clinton would take the federal rebuilding coordinator out of the Department of Homeland Security bureaucracy and put him in the West Wing, reporting directly to the president. She would meet with the Director weekly and grant him full authority to lead all federal participation in Gulf Coast recovery. The Director’s first order of business would be to conduct a Katrina/Rita Recovery Census –canvassing all federal assistance needs of Gulf Coast communities.
Senator Clinton would take a series of immediate, concrete steps to move federal dollars to where they belong. She would eliminate the local match requirement for FEMA recovery funds. She would streamline and simplify the “project worksheet” process of securing FEMA public infrastructure grants, and deploy sufficient staff to clear backlogs. For priority projects, she would provide upfront seed funding to jumpstart rebuilding while applications and claims are processed. And she would direct FEMA to give the maximum flexibility allowed by law to schools, fire stations, and other critical institutions for creative rebuilding and renovation. She would also convene a state-local-federal summit to resolve challenges confronting Louisiana’s “Road Home” program, with the goal of removing the remaining federal obstacles.
As president, Hillary would create a Gulf Coast Corps, governed by a joint federal-state-local board. The Corps would have two tracks: (1) it would provide financial incentives to skilled professionals – teachers, doctors, nurses, etc. – to serve in high-need areas as identified by state and local officials; and (2) it would directly hire thousands of workers and apprentices – especially locals and those who left but want to return – to complete priority public works projects, as identified by the states. The first track would fill shortages of key personnel who perform essential services. The second track would provide well-paying jobs to restore and upgrade core infrastructure – fire stations, parks, hospitals, roads, sewer and water systems – so that businesses can function effectively and residents can reestablish their communities and reclaim their culture.
There are still clear gaps and deficiencies in the city’s hurricane defenses. Senator Clinton would immediately order an independent, stem-to-stern review of the Army Corps of Engineers’ plans and progress thus far. She would fully fund and expedite construction to ensure the city has reliable defenses this hurricane season, and would order the Corps to achieve Category 5 protection over time. And, because every 2 to 4 miles of wetlands reduces storm surges by a foot, she would require the Army Corps and other federal agencies to integrate a wetlands restoration plan as a vital component of hurricane protection efforts.
In addition to addressing Road Home, Senator Clinton would pursue two specific policy initiatives. First, she would address the skyrocketing cost of insurance by: investigating insurance pricing and claims adjustment practices in the Gulf region; reforming the National Flood Insurance Program; reviewing the insurance industry’s antitrust exemption; and working with states to support their insurance programs. Second, she would expand the stock of affordable rental housing by: partnering with states and localities; funding new public housing developments; offering incentives to builders and developers; and providing direct assistance to residents who have lost their units, including those living in transitional housing.
The murder rate in New Orleans has spiked, while the police ranks have dwindled. Senator Clinton would provide sufficient COPS and Byrne Grant funding to put two hundred new police officers back on the beat in New Orleans, to fill vacancies in prosecutors’ offices, and to help the city deploy new crime-fighting technologies and methods in partnership with local community leaders. Senator Clinton would also confront the challenge of interoperability by setting national communications standards and providing funds for equipment upgrades.
The schools in New Orleans suffered hundreds of millions in damage, and remain in various states of disrepair. Senator Clinton would renovate and modernize school facilities through the Gulf Coast Corps. The Corps would also fill the large teacher shortage – officials are anticipating 650 vacancies alone in the Recovery School District. In addition, Senator Clinton would direct the EPA to provide technical assistance through its “Tools for Schools” program to help New Orleans build modern school facilities that are energy efficient, free of lead, mold and other pollutants, and designed to maximize fresh air and sunlight.
A recent survey reported that more than a third of greater New Orleans residents reported less access to quality health care than before the storm. As president, Senator Clinton would deploy the Gulf Coast Corps to rebuild hospitals and clinics, especially those that serve the under- and uninsured. She would recruit health care workers – doctors, nurses, mental health professionals – through the Corps. And she would provide Community Mental Health Block Grants to address a growing mental health care crisis.
In addition to supporting and extending federal incentives to stimulate a thriving Gulf Opportunity Zone and to support small businesses, Senator Clinton would direct federal agencies to provide technical assistance to help individuals and communities build energy-efficient “green” homes and buildings, environmentally friendly public transit systems, and modern parks and recreation areas.
To avoid a repeat of the catastrophic failures of the Bush Administration, Hillary would immediately pursue two proposals she has offered in the Senate: elevate FEMA to cabinet-level status; and establish a Katrina/Rita Commission – modeled on the 9/11 Commission – to review what went wrong and what changes are necessary. She would modify the Stafford Act to add a Catastrophic Annex and would direct FEMA to work with folks on the ground to develop preparedness and response plans and lines of authority. As president, she will be ready to respond the moment a disaster strikes.
~A black woman tired of our people being pulled on a string like puppets~
Troi Russell
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