There’s a climate of anger and anxiety in New Orleans these days, and amongst displaced New Orleanians wherever they are. There’s also a heightened level of political awareness. People are paying more attention to their government, and they’re pissed off at every level of government: local, state, federal, you name it.
In our supposed democracy, that should be a recipe for a changing of the guard. Many of us feel our so-called leaders have failed us. We want new leaders.
We were supposed to have an election here in February, for mayor and city council and I’m not sure what else. But the elections have been postponed indefinitely (by the state of Lousiana), a decision which is now being disputed in court.
I think that’s terrible. We need to have the elections on schedule. Yes, plenty of people will have to vote absentee. Yes, there are many logistical challenges given the flood damage here.
But the big headline of the day is how there’s been a strong turnout for the elections in Iraq.
If we can sponsor elections in Iraq, why can’t we do it in Louisiana?
What–Louisiana govt is corrupt, backwards, and inept? When did this happen? I’m shocked. Shocked.
Did anyone else note the irony that the US has polling stations IN THE US for the Iraqi elections but that we are told that the logistics of setting up polling stations in other cities for New Orleanians is beyond our capacity?
Geoff:
It’s called federalism, not irony. (But I know what you’re sayin’…)