This one will probably go straight into that stack of invitations that President Obama has no intention of responding to, right alongside the invites from crazy old classmates and fringe advocacy groups, but Lt. Gov. Scott Angelle has extended the offer nonetheless.
Angelle has posted an open letter to the president on the lieutenant governor's website inviting him to the 75th annual Shrimp and Petroleum Festival, scheduled for Sept. 2-6 in Morgan City. Last month, Angelle MC'd the "Rally for Economic Survival" at the Cajundome, where attendees touted the state's oil industry and decried the presdient's moratorium on deepwater drilling. In his letter, Angelle says the president's attendance at the Shrimp and Petroleum Festival would be a "tremendous show of support for the hard-working Americans who are honored by this festival and would go a long way in restoring consumer confidence in the region." Here's the full letter:
Dear Mr. President:
In light of the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig on April 20, 2010 and the subsequent effects on the people, environment and economy of Louisiana, I formally request the honor of your presence at the 75th Annual Shrimp and Petroleum Festival on September 2 - 6, 2010 in Morgan City, Louisiana.
The festival is a celebration of the resilient people who work along our coast, not the industries in its title. Regardless of our individual thoughts on how to best move forward from this tragedy, we all agree that the Americans who sacrifice to feed and fuel this nation and who have been most affected by the oil spill should be recognized and honored for their efforts—which has been the purpose of this festival for more than 70 years. As you know, the reality for many of our citizens is that their very way of life has been drastically altered, and most are gravely concerned by the uncertainty of the future.
Hosted in an area known as the “Cajun Coast,” this historic event features the region’s unique culture and heritage. One such time-honored tradition is the Blessing of the Fleet, a centuries old practice where the local priest blesses the boats as they make their journey to sea to ensure a safe and bountiful season.
As Louisiana’s oldest chartered festival, it began in 1936 when the first boatload of jumbo shrimp, fresh from the deepest waters ever fished by a small boat, entered the Port of Morgan City. Held appropriately on Labor Day, it marked the first of many commemorations to come. Thirty-one years later, when the oil industry had become deeply rooted in the local economy, the festival was given its present name. Ever since, the celebration has honored the hard-working men and women of both industries. In fact, for generations most families in the region have had some relatives working in the seafood industry and others working in the petroleum industry. The oil spill has hit these families especially hard on many fronts.
In addition, the state’s tourism industry, which contributes approximately $9.4 billion to the state’s economy and is related to one out of every twelve jobs, has also been severely damaged. The oil spill has spawned widespread misperceptions that are negatively affecting the industry. Some of the most damaging falsehoods are that the state’s seafood is unsafe and that our environment is wholly spoiled. These are
categorically false. Nonetheless, recent studies commissioned by the Louisiana Office of Tourism show that 26% of travelers who had plans to visit the state prior to the crisis have since cancelled. The oil spill’s collateral impact on the tourism industry and the state’s economy could prove disastrous. According to analysis conducted by Oxford Economics for the U.S. Travel Association, the effects of the oil spill could last up to three years and cost up to $22.7 billion.
Your attendance would be a tremendous show of support for the hard-working Americans who are honored by this festival and would go a long way in restoring consumer confidence in the region. I hope you will join us and experience all the unique treasures that Louisiana continues to provide.
Very truly yours,
Scott A. Angelle
Lieutenant Governor
MAY 23 Here's a story in the Picayune about some statistics that must come as a blow to folks who believe that any private school can do a better job of educating kids than any public school: Danielle Dreilinger reports that only 30 percent of the voucher kids are passing. That's less than half of the state wide average, she says. It's an interesting statistic because most of the schools (if not all) taking voucher kids have never had their students' standardized test scores released to the public before.
MAY 23 Stephen Sabludowsky blogs on Bayou Buzz about auditor requests here. Recently the state GOP started crowing about a request from the Legislative Auditor, claiming they were being targeted because of their anti-tax stance. (Uh, your what?) Denial and hyperbole aside, the state Democratic party blew holes in that theory with an email announcing they'd received the same request, Sabludowsky writes here.
MAY 23 Jim Brown blogs about the senate race in this post. He says that, given Bobby Jindal's "lack of traction" on the national stage, it might make more sense for the governor to consider running against Mary Landrieu for the senate seat. Since Tim Teeple left the Cassidy team, it makes sense he might land on a Jindal for Senate team, Brown opines.
MAY 23 In this Louisiana Voice post, blogger Tom Aswell writes of rumors that his nemesis, state Superintendent of Education John White, may be soon departing Louisiana for a federal post. It's hard to believe, given his performance, Aswell says, but stranger things have happened. An anti-White BESE member says that, if true, White is quitting before he can be fired.
MAY 23 In this post on American Zombie, blogger Jason Berry writes about the Mother's Day shooting. Mayor Landrieu said that "this is not who we are," but the fact is, this is New Orleans, Berry writes. The violence infused in the city is the result of a culture created by "sins of omission or sins of commission," Berry writes. It's not a problem that can be solved by legislating, policing, praying or publicizing, he says: Someone's got to understand what's happening first.
MAY 23 This post in the Westside Journal tells us what Port Allen Mayor Deedy has been up to lately: vetoing ordinances, apparently. This story is most interesting, however, when it delves into a petition that has been circulating around the city lately. It accuses the former mayor of a lot of nasty things; the former mayor says it is full of lies and "broken syntax" which may be a larger offense in his eyes.
MAY 23 This editorial posted in The Advocate is a bit confusing. The writing is poor - definitely not up to the usual editorial writing standard there - and the point is hard to grasp. Apparently, the writer is saying that privatization of state efforts is OK, as long as there is oversight and transparency, but Jindal's not good at that, and the legislature shouldn't over-react. Okey Dokey. Can't they get one of them Pulitzer-winning people to write an editorial?
MAY 23 This post on The Lens gives you links to a new Google Earth tool that allows you to see any spot on earth transform over the past 30 years. Bob Marshall, who covers the coast for the paper, says that in the case of Louisiana's coastline, it's possibly something you don't want to see, because it's not a pretty picture. There are several clips here, showing critical areas erode away. For Marshall, it was vindication for all those times he was met with eye-rolling when he talked about erosion.
Most Read
in case you missed it
Subscribe to this comment's feed
-If Obama would anyting, he'd do it for a democrat and do nothing for a republican.
-Obama did not win Louisiana in his election...that is why he did the drilling moratorium, and "keeping his boot on our necks".
-There is NO WAY Obama will come to a "Petroleum Festival"...he hates the industry and those in it.