Louisiana The Victim: James Carville Rants

And, he has a point, in today's rant.


For too long, the federal government and industry alike has simultaneously abused and neglected, patronized and plundered, and now polluted the people of Louisiana. And our plight is now a national emergency.

For decades, massive engineering projects across the country have made us more vulnerable. We lose a football field of land every 38 minutes. Since World War II, we've lost wetlands the size of the state of Delaware. I bet Joe Biden would be screaming on national television too if it was happening on his turf. Or if the Hamptons lost 16,000 acres a year, you bet there'd be a Million Hedge Fund Managers march on Washington to demand action.

Well yes, James, this is true. But look in the mirror, bro'! You have spent your life as a professional attack dog in the service of Democrat politicians, no matter how venal (Bill and Hilary come immediately to mind..), vilifying anyone--happily attempting to destroy anyone--who dared object to the venality and dishonesty of your clients. Since the end of Reconstruction until very recent times, Louisiana has been ruled by...Democrats, state house and legislature, US House members and Senators.

Your guys! Can you say Huey (Kingfish) Long? I knew you could! Here's just one little factoid about a Louisiana politcal hero:

Once in office as governor Long moved quickly to consolidate his power, firing hundreds of opponents in the state bureaucracy, at all ranks from cabinet-level heads of departments and board members to rank-and-file civil servants and state road workers. Like previous governors, he filled the vacancies with patronage appointments from his own network of political supporters. Every state employee who depended on Long for a job was expected to pay a portion of his or her salary directly into Long’s political war-chest. These funds were kept in a famous locked “deduct box” to be used at Long's discretion for political purposes.

Mr. Carville, you spent your entire career working for this day: A left-wing Democrat in the White House, with both houses controlled by the left wing of the Democrat party.

Wow, it really sucks, doesn't it?

So, James: Perhaps you might reconsider your 1992 advice to Bill Clinton--It's the economy, stupid!

No, James, it's not. It's the culture, the one you see now eroding away under your feet after decades of rule by the very people you have spent your life advising. And shilling for. You couldn't get Louisiana's case heard in Washington, because your boss was too busy chasing skirts. You loved the power too much to step back and consider there might really be bad consequences down the road. You enjoyed your role as the Clintons' pit bull, you reveled in it. You were the Ragin' Cajun.

It's gonna take years to undo this mess. But, at least, man up enough to admit your role in it. After all, these are the words that ended your rant today:

And in this, the most critical hour in our region's long, tortured, and yet glorious history, let's remind ourselves that Louisiana expects every person to do their duty.

This is a struggle for the preservation of our culture, way of life and the land we love.

It is, indeed. You have a country full of people willing to help, but uninterested in perpetuating the disastrous governance that led to this tragedy.