The bouquets for Donald Powell have been flowing since the White House Recovery Czar for the Gulf Coast announced that he would be stepping down from the position. I have to say I don’t get the love-fest of the last two weeks. From Senators to Media outlets, the constant kissing of Mr. Powell’s ass is sickening.This is not about Mr. Powell being a nice guy. It’s not about him waking up one morning and finally understanding that the Worst President Ever was and has been a complete fraud when it comes to his desire to help New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region. I will allow that the Grinch did grow a heart after being down here and seeing the way that the United States government has mis-handled the situation from day one. But that does not give Mr. Powell a pass on his inability to get things moving forward from a federal standpoint.
With all of the accolades flowing in op-ed pieces and press releases, no one seemed willing to point out the obvious. The banker from Texas was nothing more than a White House mouthpiece, spouting Republican talking point after Republican talking point. The radio station had Mr. Powell on as a guest many times in the early stages of the “recovery”. We finally called an end to it when all he could do is keep saying how important the recovery of New Orleans was to the President, when those of us with our feet on the ground here knew that was a flat out lie to the citizens of New Orleans.
If Mr. Powell was such a wonderful recovery czar, where is the FEMA money to START rebuilding the infrastructure of this city, two and a half years after the fact? Why is the city of New Orleans still bickering with FEMA about what potholes they will or will not pay to fix? If Mr. Powell was such an advocate for this city, why were people living in formaldehyde laced trailers for the last year, when everyone knew something was wrong with them? Why is this city still fighting about the Stafford Act if Mr. Powell had the ear of the Worst President Ever? Why hasn’t Mr. Powell ever stood up and said that the Feds need to get off their ass and get some crap done here?
I know the answer to those questions. If you live here or if you even pay attention from afar, the answer is pretty clear. Mr. Powell didn’t have New Orleans and the Gulf Coast back; he was covering the Worst President Ever backside before he ever thought of the Gulf Coast and New Orleans.
