It must be nice to be Mayor LaToya Cantrell. Despite a record of utter failure, she regularly receives accolades on social media from her supporters for “keeping the city safe.” This refers to the strict COVID restrictions that the Mayor has enforced during the past year of the pandemic.
Unfortunately, these supporters seem oblivious to the massive crime and economic problems that have not been addressed by the Mayor. Last year, citizens experienced a massive increase in violent crimes such as murder, armed robbery, and carjackings. While crime was increasing, the police force was decreasing as officers fled the department for nearby agencies such as the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.
With her lockdown policies, the economy has been on life support. New Orleans festivals and conventions have been canceled and the once thriving hospitality and tourism industry is in shambles. Statewide, the Governor just announced a lessening of COVID restrictions as Phase 3 will begin. As usual, New Orleans will lag behind the rest of the state and remain in Phase 2, in an economic depression.
This decision was not announced by the Mayor because she is not in New Orleans. This week, the Mayor will be enjoying an Aspen Institute vacation in the British Virgin Islands. This is another expensive Aspen Institute junket for the Mayor to hobnob with her fellow liberal elitists.
As the Mayor luxuriates at a resort, her poor constituents will be figuring out how to survive. Clearly, the Mayor is more interested in learning the latest progressive policies that the Aspen Institute is promoting than actually doing anything of substance for her impoverished citizens.
While the Mayor is away, more businesses will close, and more taxpayers will leave New Orleans. Surrounding parishes and states are opening up their economies, so it is difficult to understand how any New Orleans business can remain in the city if it has the ability to move.
Another reason it is so difficult to do business in New Orleans is the out-of-control crime situation. Last weekend, there was another array of senseless shootings, stabbings and other crimes scattered around the city. Instead of displaying proactive measures to address the crime situation, the Mayor decided to focus on the NFL. She made a public plea for Seattle Seahawks Quarter Russell Wilson to move to New Orleans.
If Wilson had any sense, he would not move to a city that is in the midst of an economic and public safety catastrophe. In recent days, there has been much discussion on which names of New Orleans streets and parks will be changed. A “woke” committee of so-called experts fashioned an extensive list of names that must be changed due to historic ties to racism or the confederacy. While New Orleans leaders are fighting the battles of the 1860’s, other areas are actually trying to make a livable area for their residents.
Creating a truly livable and functioning city is of no concern to Mayor Cantrell. She is more interested in virtue signaling and giving the right support to leftist causes and organizations.
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She is remarkably similar to her predecessor, Mitch Landrieu, who was also closely tied to the Aspen Institute. In fact, Landrieu was given an award by the Aspen Institute because he decided to destroy monuments in a foolhardy effort to attack history and create a national political profile. He failed in his quest to win the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. In fact, he only garnered a low-profile gig on CNN, not even a position in the left-wing cabinet of President Joe Biden.
Landrieu spent his eight years as Mayor gallivanting around the country and the world attending workshops, junkets, conferences, and Aspen Institute gatherings. During the horrific floods of August 5-6, 2017, Landrieu was in Aspen Institute social and political events and refused to return to New Orleans to deal with a brewing crisis. The city flooded and he was nowhere around to provide leadership to his constituents. Obviously, he did not want to be confronted about his poor management of the Sewerage and Water Board.
In the Cantrell administration, nothing has improved. The Sewerage Water Board is still a disaster and the formidable infrastructure problems have only gotten worse.
At least Cantrell will be able to enjoy the week in the British Virgin Islands. This gives her a chance to escape from her multiple failures in New Orleans.
This fall, New Orleans voters should remember this junket when they flock to the polls to elect a Mayor. Cantrell gets an “A” for following Aspen Institute policies and attending their workshops and trips. As far as doing the job as Mayor of New Orleans, voters would be crazy to award her with another term. Unfortunately, these same voters incredibly voted for her initially, so there is only a slight hope that sanity will prevail in the next election.
Jeff Crouere is a native New Orleanian and his award winning program, “Ringside Politics,” airs nationally on Real America’s Voice Network, AmericasVoice.News weekdays at 7 a.m. CT and from 7-11 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990-AM & Wgso.com. He is a political columnist, the author of America’s Last Chance and provides regular commentaries on the Jeff Crouere YouTube channel and on Crouere.net. For more information, email him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com
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