I live in Louisiana as some of you know. I have always held a bit of distain for the government here because politics here are still a bit more accustomed to the good ole boy network. In the time I have been here I have seen some very dirty things take place.
I have seen the son of a local sheriff more or less walk away from an investigation into the execution style murder of three people at a convenience store. I lived right around the corner from this store and bought quite a bit from them. I knew all of the people there and I knew people who knew them. The information that could have brought someone to justice was suppressed by people who were too afraid to talk.
I know these sorts of things go on other places but it is clear that here, in the state of Louisiana, it is always easier to buy your way out of a problem rather than do the right thing. I am sure someone here will take the fall for this whole Katrina debacle but I doubt it will be the ones who were truly responsible.
So many of you think that simply providing funding for levee improvement would have solved this situation. You're wrong! Let's just imagine for a moment the money came here in 2001. What would have really been done? You see, the money would have to be passed around several times so that everyone could get a little hand in the kitty. We might be seeing the first signs of progress right now. That is, if the money were here.
We don't do anything in Louisiana the right way. This state is dirty. We have a former governor in the pokey for taking gaming bribes. Politicians here intend to get a good choke hold on the system. They choke and choke until just enough change falls out. It is only when someone gets a little too greedy that they actually get caught. It is an embarrassment.
We have a huge gaming industry here. We draw in those Texas and Arkansas dollars to play at our boats. They drop quarter after quarter in. (side note: These boats are a major portion of the reason for poverty in New Orleans. Doubt me? Have you ever been? I have several times. 75% locals 25% tourist. In New Orleans anyway. Tourist go for Bourbon St. not the boats.) Out of that quarter I would bet at least three cents go to government. We take in millions of dollars from this disease, yet we refuse to pay our teachers what they are worth. Why? There just isn't enough money after everyone gets their share. Sorry teachers, I guess you'll just have to go teach somewhere else.
We really don't need them teachers anyway. It's so much easier for the govment to fuck the undereducated. Ain't ignorance bliss?
Nothing is ever going to happen to protect New Orleans. Once the big project is set in motion, somebody will work three days and then say that it's going to cost more. Well our politicians will fire that person and hire someone else who can't possibly fix all that was already done wrong for the same price. If they actually get to complete the project it will be held up several years for financial reasons. It has taken six years to build a convention center here in Shreveport. There will be law suits for years over who was really supposed to get what pay off. Yes, they will settle this in court, but not with words like payoff or bribe.
I am embarrassed to be from this state. I don't think it bothered me so much until it was in the world view. Now, I have a hard time taking pride in the culture I have grown so fond of throughout my life. I can only hope that one day this state will remove the great source of corruption that is gaming. I know it won't solve all of our corruption issues but at least there will be less money thrown around to feed the politicians.