[Nolug] Nighmare before Christmas- happy ending

Breaking Business News -- December 16, 2005 - Updated 9:55 AM
****** 'Nightmare Before Christmas' has happy ending ******
CityBusiness EDITORIAL
December 16, 2005 6:30 AM
?Twas the nightmare before Christmas when all through the House (Senate,
too)
Not a federal creature was stirring, not FEMA mouse or Bush (Boo!);
The requests were all given to Congress with care,
In hopes promised help soon would be there;
Few children were nestled back home snug in their beds,
While visions of true levees danced in parent heads;
Displaced New Orleanians who survived Katrina?s slap,
Seemed resigned to settle down for a long winter?s nap,
When out in D.C. there arose such a clatter,
We sprang from our stupor to attend to the matter.
Away to the hearings reps flew like a flash,
To endure rank words that tasted like ash.
When what to our wondering eyes should appear,
But a strong vision among eight tiny leaders.
With a vital new mission and a lively newsmaker,
We knew in a moment it was our own Richard Baker.
Congress rushed to recess as his coursers they came,
And we whistled and shouted and called them by name;
Now Landrieu! Now Vitter! Now Jindal and Nagin!
On Blanco! On Foti! On Wooley and Jefferson!
To the top of the levee! To the top of the floodwall!
Now dashed away! Dashed away! Dashed away all!
As dry leaves before the wild hurricane fly,
We have met with an obstacle mount to the sky,
So up to D.C., our coursers they flew,
With no sleigh full of toys and sore need so true.
And then, barely winking, we heard on blue roofs,
The prancing and pawing of mean little woofs.
As dazed and confused we are all and how,
We need to stay focused and do it all now.
We?ve pitched bundles of ideas to our patrons,
All received by Congress like elderly matrons.
Most have broad faces and an overstuffed belly,
Which shakes up and down like a bowlful of jelly.
But a wink of Baker?s eye and a twist of his head,
Let homeowners know they had nothing to dread;
He spoke many words as he went straight to work,
Filled empty stockings and left with a smirk,
And laying a finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, back home he rose;
He sprang to Baton Rouge, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But we heard him exclaim ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy rebuild to all and to all a good night."

--
Christopher Johnston
5044161596 mobile
Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving
through traffic in a car that you are still paying for - in order to get to
the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and the house you leave
vacant all day so you can afford to live in it.
  - Ellen Goodman
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