Displaying items by tag: Mitch Landrieu

It seems that Lusher High School in New Orleans has a celebrity teacher this year, former Mayor Mitch Landrieu. He will be teaching an Advanced Placement American Government course to a select group of students.

Not surprisingly, his emphasis will be on local government, which makes sense since Landrieu was Mayor of New Orleans for eight years. While it might be interesting to hear from Landrieu’s liberal perspective, will the high school be offering an alternative ideological viewpoint? Will there be balance in the classroom?

It has been over two years since the self-centered former Mayor of New Orleans, Mitch Landrieu, removed four historic monuments without a vote of the people. In a bid to garner national attention and praise from liberal media outlets, Landrieu labeled the monuments “racist” and symbols of the “Cult of the Lost Cause.” His cynical campaign was an attempt to minimize the importance and significance of monuments that had stood in the city of New Orleans for over 100 years.

Remember the echo can chamber? Way back, before Al Gore invented the Internet, one way that kids would talk to one another would be by stringing two cans together. The words would go out of the mouth of the speaker, hit the back of the can, vibrate along the string, hit the other can's end and within micro-seconds, and somewhat miraculously, enters the ear of the other guy holding up the can. 

Things have changed. 

Nowadays, one can say something and before one can look for a string, the words are dissiminated around the world, via email, twitter, facebook post and yes, even by cell phone and snail mail.

Does Mitch have the itch?

Former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, that is.

Is he itching to put his name in the Democratic Party pool of wannabees who are launching presidential campaigns, it appears, now by the droves.  Over the past two weeks, starting with Elizabeth Warren, the names of presidential campaign “expectees” are jumping in or making it known that their respective campaigns are under serious consideration.

In the aftermath of Kenner Mayor Ben Zahn’s decision to ban city booster clubs using municipal playgrounds from spending tax dollars to purchase Nike products there has been a torrent of criticism. He was bashed online as a racist and bigot, while others said his actions were typical of so-called intolerance from Republicans.

In his response on Monday, Zahn said he did not want Kenner citizens to be used as pawns in Nike’s “political campaign.” This characterization is totally accurate for Nike’s decision to highlight unemployed quarterback Colin Kaepernick as the “face” of their new advertising campaign is clearly political.

The new Mayor of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell, has been saddled with many problems, courtesy of Mitch Landrieu, her self-serving predecessor. There is the ongoing crime crisis, highlighted by this morning’s double murder in the Desire neighborhood. Cantrell is also facing a Sewerage and Water Board debacle which became much worse during the Landrieu years. In addition, she faces the ongoing problems of potholes, homelessness, blight, drugs, poverty and the high unemployment rate, especially among African American males.

I know that in some communities and in some circles, it is not politically-correct to say anything positive about now ex-New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu.

Ever since he fought the battle of the confederate monuments, to a large block of Louisiana voters, he has crossed the wrong side of the proverbial Mason Dixon line.  Even worse, he spent time at the Aspen Institute the weekend that the water pumps failed, causing significant damage to innocent people who entrusted him and city government to protect their properties from the wet.

Former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu finally has no political office to hold for the first time in three decades. Look for him to want to change that as soon as possible.

It all begins with a run for president in 2020, now that today he turned over the reins of city government. Keep in mind that Landrieu has worked outside of government for just a few years, right out of law school, and knows nothing else but politics, especially growing up in the household of a former legislator, mayor, U.S. Cabinet member, and state judge.