Did NBC news slam MS last night?

[upstate29650]

Not sure if there's a link to this, but on the NBC Nightly News last night, reporter Tom Savage (?) reported that MS is receiving more fed funding for rebuilding than New Orleans (by just under a billion dollars). The story eluded that because MS is "favored" more by the current administration than LA, more funding is going to the MS coast, despite the fact that dollar for dollar, more damage was caused in New Orleans.

I presume NBC is trying to draw a parallel to the fact that the former chairman of the RNC is the Governor of MS, and there's also powerful Republican representation on Capitol Hill from MS (Trent Lott).

NBC also did mention, however, than MS does have more of a plan to rebuild than does NO, and LA as a whole.

Just wondering if anyone saw this last night, and what purpose did NBC hope to achieve by this somewhat slanted story?

[johnatl]

Yeah upstate, I saw it too. I came away with about the same impression. BUT, at the very end of the piece, they did make it sound like MS has it's act way more together then NOLA or LA did.

[upstate29650]

Seems to me the people of MS are more self reliant, and less apt to want or wait for federal help.

To me, this speaks very highly of the people on the MS coast, as compared to the pervasive "welfare mentality" that seems almost a way of life in New Orleans (and Lousiana).

Here's the story:

story

[tombarnes]

A related article from the Sun Herald......

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/13696759.htm

It's unfortunate that the two states can't remember the 3 DCs..

Don't Criticize

Don't Complain

Don't Compare

Money always makes just about everything uglier than it really has to be. Both states are shouldering the weight of misery that many will never imagine.

[Spartan]

MS definately has its stuff together. That has been apparant since day 1. Gov Barbour gives a much better impression, and is clearly more organized in its efforts. Louisiana's government comes off as a bumbling entity that can't get its act together. New Orleans is the same way with Mayor Nagin. That just my opinion though.

[NCB]

Mississippi has it's elected leaders on the same page, Louisiana does not. Mississippi is not slamming the Bush administration on things like the Iraq war, Louisiana is. Mississippi has a governor that knows what he is doing, Louisiana definately does not. Mississippi has tried to put a serious rebuilding plan into place, Louisiana has tried, but the only thing that came of it was more political arguing in New Orleans.

Overall, Mississippi just has its stuff together, and Louisiana does not, especially New Orleans.

[tombarnes]

I would imagine that this will be the end of both Blanco and Nagin. Or will they both manage to eke out a victory?

[upstate29650]

Blanco is gone.

Nagin may eek out a victory...with God's help.

[monsoon]

Let's see. Mississippi governed by a pro-Bush Republican who used to be part of Reagan's staff, ran the Republican party for years, and was partially responsible for Bush's campaign in 2000 where Bush was appointed president.

I would say Barbour is owed a few favors by Bush. Favors that are not headed in the direction of Nagen (I agree he is a horrible politician) and Blanco. Regardless of the locals in the office, the Federal government should be in there to make the hard decisions about the levy system. But nothing is happening and that means nothing is going to get done to fix it or turn it down. Bush & co are quite happy to stand by and do nothing in hopes the democrats are going to take the fall for Bush's inactions.

In regards to Mississippi being a well run state, that is only so if you are a rich property owner on the coast. The rest of the state is so bad off that it actually lost an electoral vote which is remarkable for a Southern state.

[jcestes4]

MSNBC Article

Here is the article from msnbc.com.

And by the way Metro, please do not make broad generalizations like that about my state. I am far from being a wealthy landowner from the coast but I am far from not being well off.

Your comment:

In regards to Mississippi being a well run state, that is only so if you are a rich property owner on the coast. The rest of the state is so bad off that it actually lost an electoral vote which is remarkable for a Southern state.

would imply that Mississippi lost population and therefore lost a congressional seat. In fact between 1990 and 2000 we did gain population but not at the same pace as other states who gained seats. I will be more than happy to look up the numbers for you if you like (of course being a consultant I would have to bill you).

In my opinion (and that of many others) we are in fact a well run state. Irregardless of his ties to the White House, Barbour is doing an outstanding job and showed remarkable leadership in the face of a disaster unlike any seen on US soil in our lifetimes.

[Topped Out]

I saw that last night as well. It looks as if Mississippi really does have a plan of action for rebuilding as some of the other posts here have pointed out. New Orleans is so politically corrupt and run by the ignoramous "chocolate city" mayor Nagin that despite the fact that New Orleans has received slightly more monetary aid than Mississippi, it has not been well managed.

Mississippi has utilized temporary trailer homes in the rebuilding process. New Orleans has trailer homes as well but the residents (those left in the liveable portions of New Orleans) don't want them set up in their neighborhoods because they fear increases in crime.

As a result, Mississippi and its coast will be rebuilt and revitalized much more quickly than NO.

[tombarnes]

I'm not the moderator of this forum, but I would caution all about making statements which could be construed negatively. Debate is strongly encouraged, but I really don't want this thread to take a Mississippi vs Louisiana tinge. I think there are fundamental differences in the way the disaster was handled in both states. There are undeniably certain advantages which the Mississippi leaders were quick to exploit. Louisiana's leaders had the misfortune to make questionable statements which have been trumpeted about by a national press anxious to stir up anything they can about a region they hold in contempt. The lack of a national spotlight may have actually helped Mississippi in some ways. Time will tell.

[monsoon]

MSNBC Article

Here is the article from msnbc.com.

And by the way Metro, please do not make broad generalizations like that about my state. I am far from being a wealthy landowner from the coast but I am far from not being well off.

Your comment:

would imply that Mississippi lost population and therefore lost a congressional seat. In fact between 1990 and 2000 we did gain population but not at the same pace as other states who gained seats. I will be more than happy to look up the numbers for you if you like (of course being a consultant I would have to bill you).

In my opinion (and that of many others) we are in fact a well run state. Irregardless of his ties to the White House, Barbour is doing an outstanding job and showed remarkable leadership in the face of a disaster unlike any seen on US soil in our lifetimes.

It's my opinion that every state in the USA could be run better and I don't think Mississippi is any exception. However I do stand by my comments that the current government there caters to the well off in that state and gives lip service to anyone not in that category. I don't need to pay you as a consultant because anyone can go to the census.gov and look the numbers up for themselves. Mississippi's growth rate is 2% which is significantly lower than the USA average, and very low when compared to the more successful Southern states.

The comparisons to Louisiana are not exactly apples to apples as there are no cities of the size of NO in Mississippi and the number of people affected by the storm are a lot less and spread over a much less densly populated area. The issues from the storm that each state is facing are a lot different when the comparisons are to urban NO to rural Mississippi. BTW, I am not defending Louisiana as the government there has demonstrated that it is complacent, corrupt, and just about as bad as it gets in this country.

[NCB]

New Orleans has trailer homes as well but the residents (those left in the liveable portions of New Orleans) don't want them set up in their neighborhoods because they fear increases in crime.

As a result, Mississippi and its coast will be rebuilt and revitalized much more quickly than NO.

Well that is soon going to stop. The problem was mostly white residents afraid of having black residents moving into their neighborhoods in FEMA trailers, because they thought it would add to the "neighborhood danger level" as many residents called it. We now have federal judges stepping in and simply over-rulling city council decisions to veto planned locations of FEMA trailers, and the FEMA trailers are starting to get set up all over the city.

And I still think it is way to early to tell if the Mississippi coast will be rebuilt much more quickly than New Orleans. Most of the rebuilding for the MS coast and SE Louisiana is still ahead of us, and many things could happen in this time.

[richyb83]

I am from Louisiana . Katrina just brought to light what has been going on all along ! Louisiana got what it asked for, Blanco. She won the NOLA vote,edging(now Congressman)Bobby Jindal . A young,sharp,innovative mind ! Who happened to be of India(n) descent. Race,and young age,and leaving the so called "comfort zone" played a part in his defeat ! He would have won, but Blanco made sure the buses in NOLA were made available to go out and vote for her. Something(buses) they could not think of in time before the storm.Louisiana is sleeping in the bed it made. I love Louisiana;but I get tired of some of it's backwards ways.

[NCB]

^I'm counting down the days until Blanco is gone...