John Edwards on HUD in NOLA

John Edwards weighs in on the HANO demolitions:

Senator John Edwards today called on HUD to reverse its plan to begin demolishing public housing in New Orleans this week and urged the New Orleans City Council to stand strong in defending housing for city residents. Edwards said in a statement:

There is a housing crisis in New Orleans today – the result of government policies that have failed the people of the Gulf since Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.  Rents have doubled, families are being evicted from FEMA trailers and now the current administration is now trying to make a bad situation worse.

"I am calling on HUD to postpone its plans to destroy affordable public housing until replacement housing is ready.  Knocking down historic and livable housing today that withstood the winds of Katrina with the bulldozers of Bush is counterproductive to the goal of giving residents a home to which to return.  Decentralizing poverty by encouraging new mixed-income income makes a lot of sense – I’ve proposed creating 1 million new housing vouchers to do exactly that.  But eliminating housing where people could live in a city where a desperate shortage of shelter exists makes no sense at all.

“I urge the City Council to reject the demolition permits HUD needs for its plan to destroy hope for current and displaced New Orleans residents.”

Mr Edwards assumes that things are done in New Orleans based upon "making sense".  Neo.

And once again, I'll consider voting for someone besides Edwards when someone besides Edwards says something about New Orleans outside of New Orleans.

He's the only candidate running that gives a flying fuck about us.  The only one.  Word.

Comments

[Charlotte]

Well I keep leaving links (on blogs & listserves) to Hillary's Gulf Coast Recovery Plan but apparently no one who's a Edwards supporter is interested. She has been speaking out about it as long as Edwards has.

But I don't want to spoil the fun of "Edwards is the only one that cares" so carry on. :)

[fofalex]

I don't understand the point of postponing demolition. Where are they supposed to build all of this affordable housing? Should they wait until all of these Rode Home parcels are repackaged and processed? Are they supposed to start eminent domaining all over the place for a new location?

Has anyone thought about finishing Abundance Square?
It's not looking very abundant anymore.

[Aaron]

Hillary has a Gulf Coast Recovery Program but she is not anywhere near as vocal as Edwards is about the situation - which is not to say I criticize her for that, but Ashley has a point. As for her reasons, you have to get elected before you can do anything about any problems, so more power to her to get into the office if she does indeed have a strong cohesive vision for saving the coast.

[Charlotte]

Yes, you're right, Aaron, she hasn't been as vocal.
My main point is everyone saying Edwards is the *only* candidate with a plan in place is just wrong. She has spoken on this "outside New Orleans".

[ashley]

A while back, Ray went through every candidates website showing what they had on recovery. Clinton and Obama both fared well.

My point is, they all talk a big game when they're here. Edwards is, AFAIK, the only one who brings up NOLA outside of NOLA.

[Charlotte]

Yeah I read Ray's post and props to him for being thorough.

[pistolette]

Hmm, I think I'd rather no help than incompetent help. Edwards will always be a pandering trial lawyer to me. If he really cared about Nola he'd be talking about levees, instead of baiting voters from the public housing crowd.

[YatPundit]

I got similar comments as to what you're receiving when I said something similar a couple of days ago. You hit the nail on the head when you say that Edwards actually *says* things about New Orleans. Clinton and Obama have position papers and such on their websites, but have little to say about the city of their own volition. So far, the most vocal incumbent CongressCritter in either house on New Orleans is Maxine Waters.

If either Clinton or Obama gave a shit about New Orleans, they'd use the power of incumbency to actually do something for the city rather than merely hire an intern to do a term paper for their website.

[Charlotte]

YatPundit said:
"If either Clinton or Obama gave a shit about New Orleans, they'd use the power of incumbency to actually do something for the city rather than merely hire an intern to do a term paper for their website."

Doncha like term papers? And is that why you didn't publish the link I sent on your post? AFter all, you did put the challenge out there. :)

[Ray]

Edwards is the fucking man.

[Charlotte]

Yeah, yeah Ray....and Hillary is da fucken WOMAN!!!!

[Sophmom]

When the rest of the country was talking about "Katrina fatigue" he was calling the city's abandonment our "national shame".

[D-BB]

I like Perot. He's rich and I think he would keep the projects and then I don't have to worry about who moves next door to me.

[ashley]

Rather than discuss whether or not the US is ready to have a female president or a Black president, I'd rather have a president whose priorities and ideals reflect mine.

Sorry, Charlotte, if you find that Mr Edwards is chromosomally challenged. At least he talks about my hot button issue whenever given the chance.

[doctorj]

He has my vote. Here is a portion of a speech he gave in Ameritus, GA on New Orleans.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3LoHGeR37Ko

[Charlotte]

Aww sweetie, I'm just havin' fun with all you excitable boys. :)

I really haven't made up my mind....it's too soon.

[Auth]

I have a half a plan and sad to say, most of it is in my head. Not good. We did buy some extra dry goods this weekend, just in case, since we're on the FL west coast.Always sad to hear about the toll seerve weather has on people but it's so much more poignant when I realize that someone I know has been affected.

[Nola]

This is so AMAZING! But I have a question, I tried to take the biidnng from another album and I cant get it to come out. How did you get the biidnng piece out of the old album? What special tools did you use? Thanks! This album is one of the BEST!

[Zilda]

If you'd like to drop me a line with the connection trbluoe you have I'd be happy to shoot back with some suggestions. Right now I'm fighting to get wireless working on my new machine and I understand there is nothing more frustrating than not being able to connect when you need!

[Josh]

Hello, Rev. Carol!We are humbled and hornoed that you have accepted the call to be our priest in-charge.Mabuhay! God bless you,Blessings,BernadetteHoly Child Filipino Ministries

[Amir]

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[Jennifer]

An interesting boloket is Asahel Nettleton Forgotten Revivalist. The reason that I recommend it is that he was a Calvinist who, I think ,was contemporary with Finney; which would also put him as probably related to the Edwardsean tradition.