Governor Warner's leadership needed now
This past weekend I drove from Atlanta to Baton Rouge. As I got closer to Gulfport, MS. I started to see the remnants of Hurricane Katrina. I traveled Interstate 10 and 12 along the gulf coast.
First I saw the trees, some were bent towards the west while others were twisted or broken in half. Next was the debris; clothes, garbage, linens, stuffed animals, you name it strewn across the countryside and in the trees. Then I saw the billboard signs that had collapsed and a big fishing trawler beached near a bridge at least a half mile from the waterway.
The saddest part was still to come....I saw hundreds of homes in various stages of disrepair just from the freeway. The upper scale homes had temporary tarps on the roofs that were obviously professionally done. The smaller, older homes in other neighborhoods had makeshift repairs from plywood and plastic on the roofs and 2x4’s wedged into porches to keep them from collapsing.
I cannot imagine what life must be like in New Orleans. Five months have gone by. There is no excuse for this. We hear talk all the time about people pulling themselves up by their bootstraps. You can’t do that if you do not have a pair of boots. All these people want is a pair of boots, so they can pull themselves up. They are not looking for hand-outs, they need a hand up.
Our government is failing it people. We need leadership right now. Not in 2007 or 2008 heading into the presidential elections. Governor Warner has been through hurricanes and recently Virginia was recognized at the most prepared state concerning emergency preparedness.
Millions of people want direction. A leader that will stand up, be accountable and move us forward, together. Not divisive rhetoric and finger-pointing. No more partisan bickering and gotcha politics. The kind of leadership Warner has provided in Virginia by reaching across the aisle and getting things done in a bipartisan manner without compromising his core democratic principles of fairness, opportunity and hope for all Virginians.
Governor Warner has stated he wants to be part of the national debate. That is not good enough. He must lead the national debate. He has the integrity, honesty and decisiveness to lead us out of this mess. I have had the privilege of living in Virginia while he was Governor and watched him grow as a leader. I have seen the his jaw tighten and his eyes narrow when he faces a tough challenge. I have heard of his eyes misting over as he comforted those who lost everything and his determination when he faced an uphill battle. Screaming and shouting at the administration is not the answer. Steady, confident leadership is what we need.
Governor Warner, if by some chance you are reading this... I am ready, we are ready. Step up, lead. Show America what genuine leadership is about. Stewardship of our planet, tools for our children to compete globally, respect and integrity again with our international allies and confidence in our economy. Challenge us, the American people, to reach higher, to learn more, to do better.
First I saw the trees, some were bent towards the west while others were twisted or broken in half. Next was the debris; clothes, garbage, linens, stuffed animals, you name it strewn across the countryside and in the trees. Then I saw the billboard signs that had collapsed and a big fishing trawler beached near a bridge at least a half mile from the waterway.
The saddest part was still to come....I saw hundreds of homes in various stages of disrepair just from the freeway. The upper scale homes had temporary tarps on the roofs that were obviously professionally done. The smaller, older homes in other neighborhoods had makeshift repairs from plywood and plastic on the roofs and 2x4’s wedged into porches to keep them from collapsing.
I cannot imagine what life must be like in New Orleans. Five months have gone by. There is no excuse for this. We hear talk all the time about people pulling themselves up by their bootstraps. You can’t do that if you do not have a pair of boots. All these people want is a pair of boots, so they can pull themselves up. They are not looking for hand-outs, they need a hand up.
Our government is failing it people. We need leadership right now. Not in 2007 or 2008 heading into the presidential elections. Governor Warner has been through hurricanes and recently Virginia was recognized at the most prepared state concerning emergency preparedness.
Millions of people want direction. A leader that will stand up, be accountable and move us forward, together. Not divisive rhetoric and finger-pointing. No more partisan bickering and gotcha politics. The kind of leadership Warner has provided in Virginia by reaching across the aisle and getting things done in a bipartisan manner without compromising his core democratic principles of fairness, opportunity and hope for all Virginians.
Governor Warner has stated he wants to be part of the national debate. That is not good enough. He must lead the national debate. He has the integrity, honesty and decisiveness to lead us out of this mess. I have had the privilege of living in Virginia while he was Governor and watched him grow as a leader. I have seen the his jaw tighten and his eyes narrow when he faces a tough challenge. I have heard of his eyes misting over as he comforted those who lost everything and his determination when he faced an uphill battle. Screaming and shouting at the administration is not the answer. Steady, confident leadership is what we need.
Governor Warner, if by some chance you are reading this... I am ready, we are ready. Step up, lead. Show America what genuine leadership is about. Stewardship of our planet, tools for our children to compete globally, respect and integrity again with our international allies and confidence in our economy. Challenge us, the American people, to reach higher, to learn more, to do better.
