Day: June 5, 2013

Local politicians grandstanding NFIP rate hikes: The BS is getting deep

So yesterday all the local politicos that voted to drastically raise your flood insurance rates took turns grandstanding on twitter pretending to represent the people that elected them. Senator Mary Landrieu was particularly disgusting IMHO

Fact is insurance companies dumped their wind coverage obligations on the NFIP and our elected leaders opted to stick the bill for such on the little people. Now that reality is sinking in every last one of them would rather forget their original votes. Slabbed has not. Did Mary Landrieu vote to drastically raise your flood insurance rates? You betcha she did. They all did in fact.

File this one under not snookered again.

Jim Brown’s weekly column: Why Young Voters are Disengaged from Politics

Wednesday, June 5th, 2013
Las Vegas, Nevada

WHY YOUNG VOTERS ARE DISENGAGED FROM POLITICS!

Do young voters really care about who runs their local, state and federal government?  Whatever buzz inspired younger voters to support Barack Osama in 2008 has been severely diminished by the gridlock in Washington.  Voters under thirty (and the rest of us, for that matter) have witnessed nothing but conflict and partisan politics while the economy languishes and major problems go unresolved.  The idealism of youth, many would argue, is being replaced by a cynicism towards those in charge, and this includes the President right down to the local level.

Recently, I sat down with a number of young people in New Orleans who are living in an upbeat, revitalized part of the city called the Warehouse District.  Some of the Crescent City’s more famous restaurants along with new upscale shops and warehouses that have been turned into apartments and condos are located in this area. Similar neighborhoods, filled with young people, can be found in cities across the country.

These young people told me that they are just not that interested in politics at any level.  In the 2012 election, the turnout among registered voters below 30 was a bit less than 50%.  But half of all young voters have not registered.  So that means a turnout of less than 25%.  This was a slight drop from the 2008 election.  But many young voters tell pollsters, “yes I vote, but it really won’t make much of a difference.” As one 28 year old told me in New Orleans, “Government is just not relevant to what I’m trying to do.  You hear all these promises, but nothing really changes.  I don’t think any politician can make a difference in my life.” Continue reading…………