The clock is ticking away to September 18th and so far neither Republican Presidential candidate John McCain nor Democratic Presidential candidate Barrack Obama have answered the petition to hold a presidential debate in New Orleans.
Signed by Pearl jam, Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor, R.E.M., My Morning Jacket, 311 and Jackson Brown along with NOLA musicians Dr. John and the Neville Brothers, the purpose of the debate will be to discuss federal funding to rebuild the city and its neighboring Gulf Coast communities still struggling after hurricane Katrina. The Gulf Restoration Network and Voice of the Wetlands drew up the petition, and New Orleans universities, Google and YouTube plan on sponsoring the event, scheduled for September 18th. This would be one hell of a way to kick off the three months leading to the presidential election.
To sign the petition head here. The petition reads as follows:
Dear Presidential Candidates,
In the almost three years since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, significant steps have been taken to restore the health of the Gulf of Mexico and our coastal communities. But in order for these efforts to succeed, they will require an ongoing commitment from our nation's leaders. I am writing you to support Gulf Restoration Network's request that the future President of the United States direct the resources and attention necessary to restore coastal Louisiana and secure the future of Louisiana's effected communities. Please demonstrate your support for the Gulf coast by taking three steps:
1. Pledging to support the funding and resources necessary to restore Louisiana's coastal wetlands, currently disappearing at a rate of a football field every 45 minutes, and supporting the protection of our coastal lines of defense.
2. Making the elimination of the Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone a national priority and funding tangible strategies to clean up agricultural run-off and sewage pollution that flows into the Mississippi River and fuels this massive threat to our fisheries
3. Supporting and attending a presidential debate in New Orleans that includes a spotlight on environmental issues affecting the coast.
The health of the Gulf of Mexico and the five states which directly rely on its resources are vital to our nation's energy, fishing, and culture. Unfortunately, the future of the Gulf coast will be in jeopardy until serious action has been taken to secure healthy water and wetlands. The time to act is now.
My Trusted MOGs
REM.............political? say it ain't so! :)
My Trusted MOGs
Yes, it is a total joke that recovery for the federal levee failure rests on an inept, corrupt and racist institutional culture of state and local government in Louisiana! Did you know that the State department lists the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement as a guideline for persons displaced in foreign disasters, but FEMA and other federal administrative agencies have not even come close to getting some of the poor people of NOLA the assistance to return to home, despite being bound to do certain things when giving aid in places like Sudan and Indonesia. It is a joke.
My Trusted MOGs
Oatmeal, you've got my vote.
I personally think holding the debate in NOLA is a perfect way to see if these presidential candidates actually want to do something about our coutry in stead of just saying they want to do something. the petition was started by the people and is for the people of NOLA. Image the hot water they'd get themselves into if they went to these debates and promised all this reform for NOLA and it never happened? they'd have to oblige to the ideas/promises talked about in the debate.