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President Joe Biden has selected former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu to become his “infrastructure czar” in charge of overseeing the massive $1.2 trillion spending measure he is set to sign into law on Monday, though it’s not a selection that is earning him plaudits.
Landrieu, a Democrat, was mayor of the Crescent City from 2010 to 2018; his sister, Mary Landrieu, served as a U.S. senator for Louisiana from 1996-2014 when she was defeated by GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy. Prior to his stint as New Orleans mayor, Mitch Landrieu served as Louisiana’s lieutenant governor.
Fox News reported that the White House chose Landrieu due to his experience leading New Orleans as well as his relationships with state and municipal leaders around the country. He will work through the National Economic Council to coordinate the infrastructure measure.
“In this role, Landrieu will oversee the most significant and comprehensive investments in American infrastructure in generations—work that independent experts verify will create millions of high-paying, union jobs while boosting our economic competitiveness in the world, strengthening our supply chains, and acting against inflation for the long term,” the White House noted in a statement.
“Appointing someone with the background and experience of having been a mayor and a state official responsible for infrastructure projects sends an important signal that the administration is focused on delivering on the promises and the opportunities that this bill presents,” said Neil Bradley, the chief policy officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, according to The Wall Street Journal.
But other observers aren’t so sure that Landrieu is the right choice.
For instance, Pro Publica reported earlier this month that Hurricane Ida knocked out New Orleans’ power grid, leaving some to speculate that it’s not a power company issue but more like “neglect.”
The power company failed to build a stronger system after hurricanes repeatedly pummeled Louisiana. Then Ida knocked out power for more than a week. “I don’t think it’s just Mother Nature,” said one resident. “This is neglect.” https://t.co/mDJOVnKR1o
— ProPublica (@propublica) November 8, 2021
Others were more direct in their criticism of Landrieu’s stewardship of New Orleans while he was mayor, including from some who appear to be aligned with him politically.
Wtf is the fascination amongst national democrats with Mitch landrieu about? Are they really into shitty roads, not having drinking water, random flooding and free for all murdering?
— john r stanton (@dcbigjohn) November 20, 2018
It will never cease to amaze me that Mitch Landrieu rightfully made the politically hard decision to tear down all those racist statues but was so bad at every other part of his job he forgot to build a road to the goddamn new airport.
— john r stanton (@dcbigjohn) October 26, 2019
Maybe Harvard can also have Mitch Landrieu do a talk on How To Not Spend Millions of Federal Dollars For Flood Pump Repair And Then Chill In Aspen When Your City Floods.
— john r stanton (@dcbigjohn) August 28, 2018
Add another name to the 2024 roster
Not 10 mins after this pops, a Dem* texts: “Mitch succeeds at this job and he becomes a strong player down the field.”
*And not one w a 504 area code https://t.co/9NTwqzcHaD
— Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) November 15, 2021
Others recalled Biden’s own shortcomings as the ‘czar’ of the 2009 Obama-era “stimulus” spending that wound up falling far short of its lofty objectives.
Biden was in charge of the stimulus in 2009 but Harris doesn’t get the infrastructure assignmenthttps://t.co/YXg2VL5jZQ
— Nick Field (@nick_field90) November 15, 2021
Joe Biden today praising his own infrastructure spending program, claims he was nicknamed “Sheriff Joe” as overseer of Obama’s 2010 spending bill. That was the ineffective stimulus that made “shovel-ready jobs” a national punchline. pic.twitter.com/1CAnQcGhr3
— Andrew Malcolm (@AHMalcolm) November 12, 2021
It's fun watching these guys dance around the obvious narrative and the current worst kept secret: Biden will not be in for 2024 whether he thinks he is or not. None of them are coming out directly to say it but they all drop things like this. https://t.co/arKWEIan6Q
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 15, 2021
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