Cliff's Voting Agenda

Election day in this state is October 20th. We will be electing a new governor. There will also be races for State Representatives, judges, an at large city council seat in New Orleans and all kinds of other things to confuse you in the voting booth. This blog will not be officially endorsing anyone in any race except for Joseph S. Clark’s own Tommie Vassel as councilman at large for New Orleans. We also will refrain from telling anyone who not to vote for except for Jackie Clarkson. I would sign the register and walk out before I vote for her. Honestly this race is so confusing from the standpoint of knowing the candidates that I am not sure who I am voting for in most cases. I don’t want to sit here and give someone props then find out they were running a prostitution ring a few years ago and all the girls called Senator Vitter “Bishop David Magic Juan”. I would feel pretty bad endorsing that person. With that in mind, let’s focus on the things I can and cannot support in this year’s election. I have to admit that before Katrina I pretty much voted along regular African American lines. I usually voted for the person who was closest to my skin tone or as far to the left as possible. Something about making grits on a BBQ grill in Mississippi with no electricity will make you look at things differently. Yeah, I know George Bush appointed Michael Brown but Kathleen Blanco is as Democrat as it gets and she spent a few days worrying about what shirt she had on before she did anything. These days I need to make sure that whoever is in office is going to support what my community needs regardless of where they are politically. Now, here is my agenda.

• I will not support any candidate who’s name can be tied to a specific indictment or scandal.


• I will support any candidate who advocates for renters assistance as well as the rebuilding of affordable housing in the city of New Orleans. Please note, opening up a few housing project buildings does not count. We need real affordable housing for working class families.


• I will not support any candidate who’s plan for reducing crime is built on more jails and more police on the street. Prison does nothing to solve the root problems of crime. Plus, when more prisons are built, more brothers have to be arrested to keep that industry moving. The key is education, parental involvement , community development, and job opportunities.


• I want to know which candidate has the guts to stand up to Entergy New Orleans and fight these monthly increases in our energy bills.


• I will support any candidate that understands the need for more medical facilities in New Orleans. We don’t have enough clinics and medical facilities in residential areas.
• I will not support any candidate who thought it was a good idea to put trailers in the parks where kids are supposed to play. This was only done under the idea that those neighborhoods were not repopulating and to keep the trailers off of the golf courses……..Jackie Clarkson!


• I will support any candidate who’s in favor or tax breaks for local businesses in order to help them get back on their feet since Katrina. Stop traveling to Asia and South America to beg for business that ain‘t coming. Economic development here is going to start at a grass roots level.


• I refuse to vote for anybody who hasn’t mentioned funding for new school facilities in New Orleans.


• I won’t support anyone endorsed by Ray Nagin. I am sorry Mayor Nagin but you seem to be so out of touch sometimes it’s hard to believe you know what’s best these days.


• I will vote for anybody in favor of closing the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet.


• I will campaign against anybody who doesn’t believe in the cultural diversity of New Orleans and the importance of it’s local traditions.


• I will support any candidate committed to rebuilding all neighborhoods of the city because it wasn’t any of those neighborhoods’ fault they were flooded in the first place.
  I will not support anyone who could have done anything about the situation in Jena and did nothing until after the march.


• Finally, if someone can just guarantee me that the lights on the lakefront will be turned back on at night they can run for mayor and get my support. This may not seem big to anyone else but would do wonders for me. Quality of life without leaving the city limits is important.

That's my agenda. Make your own decisions.......except for Tommie Vassel.