Progressive Breakfast: Katrina and Conservative Failure, Ten Years Later

MORNING MESSAGE

Katrina represents both conservatism’s most devastating failure and its most catastrophic success. Conservatism promises small government, widespread prosperity, irreproachable morality, increased liberty and security. Conservatism fails to fulfill these promises, because it cannot. Nor does it intend to. Even now, some conservatives cheer Katrina and its aftermath as a catastrophic success to be exploited as an opportunity to implement conservative policies ... former Rep. Richard Baker (R, Louisiana) was overheard telling lobbyists, “We finally cleaned out public housing in New Orleans. We couldn’t do it, but God did.”

Dem Race Tightens

Bernie Sanders moves up in CNN national poll: “Overall, 47% of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters say they support Clinton for the party’s nomination. That’s down 9 points since July … Sanders has climbed 10 points since July and holds second place in the race with 29%. Biden follows at 14% … With Biden’s backers re-allocated to their second choice, Clinton holds 56%, Sanders 33%.”
Hillary targets CEO pay in new ad. Time quotes: “When you see that you’ve got CEOs making 300 times what the average worker’s making, you know the deck is stacked in favor of those at the top … I’m going to be doing everything I can to try to get that deck reshuffled so being middle class means something again.”
Clinton and Sanders aim for union support in Nevada. W. Post: “Several labor organizers suggested that the AFL-CIO and its member organizations have an incentive to hold off on endorsements because doing so gives them more leverage to get the candidate they endorse to buy into their ideas. But other unions have seen an opportunity to make a point with early endorsements.”
Martin O’Malley angles for more debates. Time: “Martin O’Malley’s campaign has reached out privately to Bernie Sanders about arranging debates outside the six contests allowed by the Democratic National Committee, risking the ire of the Democratic party in a bid to gain traction for his candidacy.”

Trump Roils GOP Over Immigration

GOP leaders worry Trump is ruining Latino outreach. NYT: “…his hard line on immigration has driven rivals to match his biting anti-immigrant language and positions long considered extreme. It risks another general election cycle in which Hispanics view the party as unfriendly no matter who the nominee is, Republican strategists warned.”
Latino Republicans aggrieved. WSJ: “‘Basically, they are saying, “We don’t want you. Get out,”‘ said [Republican National Hispanic Assembly chair Gonzalo] Ferrer.”
Republican field divides over birthright citizenship. Bloomberg: “Some of Trump’s rivals for the GOP nomination have suggested they also support a repeal of the 14th Amendment, or at least say it’s worth considering. Other candidates trailing the front-runner have condemned his proposal.”

Hillary Dings Obama On Oil Drilling

Hillary opposes Arctic drilling. NYT: “… Clinton on Tuesday came out against drilling for oil and gas in the Arctic Ocean, one day after the White House granted approval for exploration off the coast of Alaska … she has remained silent on whether she would support the Keystone XL oil pipeline … Arctic drilling was an opportunity for her to accommodate the progressive wing …”
“Tepid praise” from enviros for new EPA methane regs. NYT: “Many faulted the administration for focusing the proposals on only new wells … Jack N. Gerard, the president of the American Petroleum Institute … said Tuesday’s proposals were unnecessary because the industry was reducing methane emissions on its own.”

HUD To Change Policy On "Over-Income" Tenants

HUD to push for eviction of “over-income” families from public housing. W. Post: “‘It may be legally acceptable, but it is morally unacceptable for people who could pay market-rate rents to be in public housing,’ a senior HUD official said of the disclosure that more than 25,000 tenants earn more than the maximum income … housing advocates are furious … Public housing authorities have to balance opposing goals. They want economic diversity in old, often-crumbling projects. And they want to make room for millions of poor people who linger on long waiting lists.”
Maryland housing secretary accuses poor families of poisoning children to get housing. Baltimore Sun: “Gov. Larry Hogan’s housing secretary will stay in the job despite calls for his ouster over remarks suggesting that mothers might deliberately poison their children with lead to obtain free housing. Hogan gave Housing Secretary Kenneth C. Holt a stern talking-to on Monday but will not ask him to leave…”

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