The Grand Tour

Governor Blanco, charged with rebuilding a state that is still devastated from the twin shocks of Katrina and Rita, is doing what the elite have been doing for years when things were tough at home and everyone needed a break.

Going to Europe.

Today, Senator Mary Landrieu and Governor Kathleen Blanco will be leading a delegation of officials from Louisiana to the Netherlands on a fact finding mission. This trip is being described as a mission crucial to the future of Louisiana.

This trip demonstrates how out of touch she is with the people of the state.

If the trip is funded solely by private parties, she should have stayed her ass in Baton Rouge and gotten something done. It's not even the second week of January, and she is galivanting off on a junket?

If the trip is paid for by tax dollars, it is a waste of precious taxpayer resources. Either way, she should have stayed home.

The trip is billed as a way to learn about the flood control model that the Neterlands use. Great! Ever heard of the telephone? The fax machine? The teleconference? I bet the Dutch would be happy to put together a presentation for you. It seems that the decision-makers aren't going on the trip, so the Governor and senior Senator are taking a bunch of second-level administators to see a levee in Europe?

Hey, Governor. We got levees right here that work great. Ya gotta build them tall and maintain them. It ain't rocket science, and you don't have to go to Europe to see one.

Jeez.