Nagin's "Bold Leadership" To Further Impoverish The Poor
"Now is the time for us to think out of the box. Now is the time for some bold leadership, some decisive leadership," says New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, regarding efforts to jump-start the New Orleans economy.
And just what is Nagin's proposed "out of the box" solution to help some 500,000 impoverished, jobless, homeless and desperate New Orleans residents?
Casinos.
That's right. Nagin's solution to poverty in New Orleans is to offer what has recently become a half-million strong population of third-world American citizens the opportunity to blow all the aid money they've received at a casino, in a desperate attempt to come up with enough cash to rebuild their lives.
Of course, the only ones who could conceivably benefit from this solution are the casino operators and the New Orleans government, which would enjoy enormous tax revenue from such a plan. That kind of economic recovery would make Mayor Nagin a real hero, according to the way that politicians gauge "success".
For many years now, incompetent politicians have relied on state lotteries and casino gambling to "jump-start" local economies, and the results have always been the same: casino operators grow incredibly rich, increasing the gap between rich and poor even further, while desperate wage-earning human beings lose what little savings they have left.
Casinos are a microcosm of the "Trickle Down Theory", which has consistently proven since World War II to trickle wealth upward, where it becomes concentrated in the hands of a few while the masses generally become poorer and burdened with debt. Like the massive multinational corporations that arose from trickle-down economics, casinos have the appearance of luxury and busy activity, but nothing truly productive is ever accomplished--except for more appearance of luxury and activity, while the rich get richer and poor get poorer.
Wake up, Mayor Nagin. Hurricane Katrina was not a dream or a television show; it was a real live natural disaster. And New Orleans' residents need a mayor who can conceive of a real solution that addresses their real needs.
Update: Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco has refused to put New Orleans casino gambling on the legislative agenda for Hurricane Katrina recovery discussions, on the principle that gambling should not be the basis of economic development in New Orleans. Kudos to Gov. Blanco for recognizing the obvious, and for seeking to provide New Orleans residents with an economy that will make them money, rather than take their money.
All the best,
Paul
And just what is Nagin's proposed "out of the box" solution to help some 500,000 impoverished, jobless, homeless and desperate New Orleans residents?
Casinos.
That's right. Nagin's solution to poverty in New Orleans is to offer what has recently become a half-million strong population of third-world American citizens the opportunity to blow all the aid money they've received at a casino, in a desperate attempt to come up with enough cash to rebuild their lives.
Of course, the only ones who could conceivably benefit from this solution are the casino operators and the New Orleans government, which would enjoy enormous tax revenue from such a plan. That kind of economic recovery would make Mayor Nagin a real hero, according to the way that politicians gauge "success".
For many years now, incompetent politicians have relied on state lotteries and casino gambling to "jump-start" local economies, and the results have always been the same: casino operators grow incredibly rich, increasing the gap between rich and poor even further, while desperate wage-earning human beings lose what little savings they have left.
Casinos are a microcosm of the "Trickle Down Theory", which has consistently proven since World War II to trickle wealth upward, where it becomes concentrated in the hands of a few while the masses generally become poorer and burdened with debt. Like the massive multinational corporations that arose from trickle-down economics, casinos have the appearance of luxury and busy activity, but nothing truly productive is ever accomplished--except for more appearance of luxury and activity, while the rich get richer and poor get poorer.
Wake up, Mayor Nagin. Hurricane Katrina was not a dream or a television show; it was a real live natural disaster. And New Orleans' residents need a mayor who can conceive of a real solution that addresses their real needs.
Update: Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco has refused to put New Orleans casino gambling on the legislative agenda for Hurricane Katrina recovery discussions, on the principle that gambling should not be the basis of economic development in New Orleans. Kudos to Gov. Blanco for recognizing the obvious, and for seeking to provide New Orleans residents with an economy that will make them money, rather than take their money.
All the best,
Paul
posted by Paul at 6:44 AM
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