Last night, MSNBC (the least watched cable news channel, by the way) hosted a "debate" for the top seven candidates for Mayor of New Orleans. As a native New Orleanian, I obviously have an interest. But all Americans are indirectly affected because the federal government will be financing New Orleans for a long time, in some way or another, given the extent of the catastrophe. I recently visited the city and found it to be in terrible shape, except for those parts usually visited by tourists--and this was about seven months after the flood. From news reports, it appears that things are still as bad, even now. But the nation needs to understand why New Orleans and the rest of Louisiana is so endemically backward and perversely self-destructive: the politics of the personality cult.
Traditionally, elections in New Orleans are about personal career and ambition, not about fundamental reform. With no strong entrepreneurial tradition, the entrepreneurial instinct is channeled into politics, which becomes a combination of a family business and a patronage network. You see the same phenomenon in Latin America and even in Italy. Politics becomes personal and family enrichment by another name. The prime exemplar last night was the candidate of the Landrieu family, Mitch Landrieu, who sincerely plays the traditional role of the Louisiana politician as personality cult. In contrast, Ron Forman, who as a non-profit executive has overseen the best run projects in a city not known for anything serious that is well run, is the anti-personality-cult candidate. Forman offers a refreshing maturity and doggedness in thinking outside the box. The Landrieu approach is more feel-good slogans, Clinton/Kennedy style, with the plea to trust him.
With Landrieu, you will get the same that New Orleans has known before: slogans (here are some old, now-forgotten examples from New Orleans history: "Pride Builds New Orleans," "Keep the Drive Alive"), expansion of a family political machine focused on one state and city, and, hopefully, higher office for the new mayor. With Ron Forman, New Orleans gets a chance to go in the opposite direction, reject the personality cult style of its politics, and focus on serious change. Forman has no local political family machine to advance. So, if you hear that Landrieu is the new mayor later this year, you can expect nothing fundamentally new out of New Orleans, except some new, nice slogans. But if you hear that Forman the solid executive is the new mayor, you should be hopeful. A lot of U.S. taxpayer money will be affected by the result.
The Catholic perspective looks for a politics that goes beyond patronage, beyond self-glorification and the pursuit of celebrity status (a la Kennedy), and beyond family political machines so unfortunately focused on one state and city. The Catholic perspective looks to fundamental change and opportunity for those mired in hopeless social structures. Ironically--or maybe, not so ironically--the best hope for that lies in Ron Forman, who, by the way, would be, as I understand it, the first Jewish mayor of New Orleans, if elected. Maybe, that's what it takes finally to think outside the box in New Orleans. This Catholic would be happy to see it. For more information on Forman, see his website.
2 comments:
As bad as that is - the real situation is more complicated than that.
Nagin was a strong businessman with no history in politics. He was doing a pretty good job at cleaning up corruption and improving the image of the city - in truth - things were starting to look up a bit around here. Then Katrina hit. Since, time and time again, he has proven himself incapable of playing the "game" of politics. His actions have not hurt us nearly as much as his words.
I worry about falling into the same trap with Forman. Right now, success in the boardroom is not the same thing as success in Washington and in the public eye. No one can tell me he won't fall into some of the same traps – he has never been in the spotlight so we just don’t know. I also worry about his close ties to the Morial's. He helped get him elected in the first place and was one of the big forces behind Marc's bid to eliminate term limits to remain in office. If ever there was a corrupt administration it was that one and Forman had very close ties there. Frankly, that frightens me to no end!
I never thought I could consider voting for a Landrieu. I also have problems with the family business of politics. It is just not right. I did not like his father and I don’t like his sister much more. BUT I know he won't make the same type of amateur mistakes that Nagin has made with the cameras on. He was raised in the public eye and was trained from an early age not to embarrass his father. Having a sister in the senate can't hurt us either (I did not vote for her but neverless she is there). I know he will be good at the political game and essentially that is what we are playing right now in Washington, a really important political game.
I will vote for one of them but I don't have a clue as to which one it will be. Yet again – the election booth is going to be a Pandora’s box, GREAT!
Response to above comment:
I think Forman is way above Nagin in ability and competence. Forman seems to me to be an example of someone who in the past had to support others who were less able than he was. Now, Forman himself is stepping up to take the primary leadership role. Landrieu is what we have already had for decades. Let's not waste the havoc of Katrina by sticking with the same old political approach exemplified by Landrieu.
Post a Comment