I haven't read many of the other posts on this board about Katrina, yet, and I haven't followed all the coverage, because to be honest, who can? With so many heart-breaking stories coming out of New Orleans, it's hard to keep up with it all.
But, one thing that has got me feeling very ticked off is how Bush and his administration has handled the tragedy. I voted for Bush in the first election, but I couldn't bring myself to do it this time, and with each passing incident, I'm more glad I didn't. Where do I begin???
Funny that Bush administration could appropriate overnight a billion dollars to rebuild Iraq, but in a week's time, that same administration couldn't get out from in front of the camera long enough to actually DO anything to lessen the suffering in New Orleans. They seemed more interested in holding press conferences to get "good media coverage" for saying "all the right things". To bad they weren't doing anything. All talk - no action. Meanwhile, people are dying by the hundreds and the situation in New Orleans is only getting worse.
What's more, it was reported on the local radio news this morning that one of Bush's press conference speakers (I didn't catch the name) actually said that we should think long and hard before appropriating money to rebuild New Orleans until we can devise a plan to rebuild the city above sea level. Hello, nimrod! So much is wrong with this statement, but for starters: Talk about rebuilding later! Let's get some food and water down there first, mm-kay!
This administration acts like they didn't know a big Cat-5 hurricane was coming! Even if it didn't hit New Orleans, it was going to hit SOMEWHERE! And history tells us that when a Cat-5 hurricane hits, it usually leaves a pretty bad disaster area that always gets declared a Federal Disaster Area and receives Federal aid. Did this administration lose IQ points since the past hurricane season when Florida was decimated by 4 strong hurricanes (none of which was a Cat-5 if I recollect correctly).
So, nearly a whole week since Katrina destroyed New Orleans, Bush FINALLY holds a press conference today and says that help is on the way! Woo-hoo! A little late, don't ya think? I can't help but wonder if it wasn't the scathing remarks the New Orleans mayor was making about how Bush was handling the situation that motivated Bush to actually step up and say, "Oh, maybe we need to get food and water down there." Maybe Bush needs to stop focusing so much on "rebuilding Iraq" to actually see that we've got some areas here in the States that need to be rebuilt -- and those areas actually WANT Bush's help, I don't think Iraq does.
A comment was made to our local newspaper this week in a column called "Let it Out". Someone brought up a point, wondering how many countries are going to step in and help us rebuild New Orleans. The point is, we're so busy "helping" everyone else, but when it comes right down to it, no one helps us. I don't see Middle Eastern countries, or Russia, or Asian countries saying, "Here, United States, here's a billion dollars to help rebuild your World Trade Center. Here's a million dollars to rebuild an entire city that was lost to a hurricane." But yet, we give billions of dollars to these countries all the time, sending our military away from their families to "help" them (sometimes I wonder if we're actually helping or causing more harm, though).
The Red Cross organized an entire televised concert to benefit Katrina victims before Bush could even appropriate any funds. Numerous professional sports teams all around the country pitched in over $500,000+ a piece (The Colts' Peyton Manning is rumored to have contributed $1,000,000 himself to this fund drive)...all before Bush could "send help." A local radio station in Indianapolis organized a fund drive in just a couple of days and raised money and collected items to send to New Orleans, all before our Federal Government had committed any help to the stricken area. I think we need to cut some red tape out of Washington. I'm about action, not talk. All the talk in the world about what you're "going to do" doesn't help unless you ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING!
People have been committing suicide down there because they've lost everything, can't get their medicine, are miserable with thirst, hunger,and heat exhaustion...and members of Bush's administration want to think "long and hard" before sending any money their way. It actually seems that more people have died SINCE the hurricane hit than from the hurricane's impact itself...and that's just sad....very very sad. I guess I expected more from our elected officials than this. I expected them to actually CARE about the people who elected them to office...but to dicker about whether or not to send money and how much to send while people are dying??????? What kind of morons do we have running this country?!?! It absolutely disgusts and appalls me! If I were the President, I would have been the one to call on all professional athletes and Hollywood millionaires to fork over the cash. I would have been challenging every money-loaded millionaire in this country to fork over for the cause. I would have been on the phone myself to the Bill Gates, Paris Hiltons, and Peyton Mannings of the country, personally imploring them to give what they could (and if the number they gave was too low, I would have said, "Oh, come on, Mr. Gates, you can surely give $500,000 more. Paris, your dad could surely open up one of his hotels to give the now-homeless victims a place to stay free of charge until they can make other living arrangements. Your help sure is appreciated." What did Bush do for the past 5 days while New Orleans continued to be destroyed? He talked about how we needed to stay in Iraq........oh, and then today he finally decided it might be a good idea to spend a little money on New Orleans, long after Katrina blew back out to sea.
I never thought I'd see the day when I'd vote against a Republican, but Bush's actions have repeatedly persuaded me to do just that.
Vent over...coming down off of soapbox now for those who stayed with me all the way through.
But, one thing that has got me feeling very ticked off is how Bush and his administration has handled the tragedy. I voted for Bush in the first election, but I couldn't bring myself to do it this time, and with each passing incident, I'm more glad I didn't. Where do I begin???
Funny that Bush administration could appropriate overnight a billion dollars to rebuild Iraq, but in a week's time, that same administration couldn't get out from in front of the camera long enough to actually DO anything to lessen the suffering in New Orleans. They seemed more interested in holding press conferences to get "good media coverage" for saying "all the right things". To bad they weren't doing anything. All talk - no action. Meanwhile, people are dying by the hundreds and the situation in New Orleans is only getting worse.
What's more, it was reported on the local radio news this morning that one of Bush's press conference speakers (I didn't catch the name) actually said that we should think long and hard before appropriating money to rebuild New Orleans until we can devise a plan to rebuild the city above sea level. Hello, nimrod! So much is wrong with this statement, but for starters: Talk about rebuilding later! Let's get some food and water down there first, mm-kay!
This administration acts like they didn't know a big Cat-5 hurricane was coming! Even if it didn't hit New Orleans, it was going to hit SOMEWHERE! And history tells us that when a Cat-5 hurricane hits, it usually leaves a pretty bad disaster area that always gets declared a Federal Disaster Area and receives Federal aid. Did this administration lose IQ points since the past hurricane season when Florida was decimated by 4 strong hurricanes (none of which was a Cat-5 if I recollect correctly).
So, nearly a whole week since Katrina destroyed New Orleans, Bush FINALLY holds a press conference today and says that help is on the way! Woo-hoo! A little late, don't ya think? I can't help but wonder if it wasn't the scathing remarks the New Orleans mayor was making about how Bush was handling the situation that motivated Bush to actually step up and say, "Oh, maybe we need to get food and water down there." Maybe Bush needs to stop focusing so much on "rebuilding Iraq" to actually see that we've got some areas here in the States that need to be rebuilt -- and those areas actually WANT Bush's help, I don't think Iraq does.
A comment was made to our local newspaper this week in a column called "Let it Out". Someone brought up a point, wondering how many countries are going to step in and help us rebuild New Orleans. The point is, we're so busy "helping" everyone else, but when it comes right down to it, no one helps us. I don't see Middle Eastern countries, or Russia, or Asian countries saying, "Here, United States, here's a billion dollars to help rebuild your World Trade Center. Here's a million dollars to rebuild an entire city that was lost to a hurricane." But yet, we give billions of dollars to these countries all the time, sending our military away from their families to "help" them (sometimes I wonder if we're actually helping or causing more harm, though).
The Red Cross organized an entire televised concert to benefit Katrina victims before Bush could even appropriate any funds. Numerous professional sports teams all around the country pitched in over $500,000+ a piece (The Colts' Peyton Manning is rumored to have contributed $1,000,000 himself to this fund drive)...all before Bush could "send help." A local radio station in Indianapolis organized a fund drive in just a couple of days and raised money and collected items to send to New Orleans, all before our Federal Government had committed any help to the stricken area. I think we need to cut some red tape out of Washington. I'm about action, not talk. All the talk in the world about what you're "going to do" doesn't help unless you ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING!
People have been committing suicide down there because they've lost everything, can't get their medicine, are miserable with thirst, hunger,and heat exhaustion...and members of Bush's administration want to think "long and hard" before sending any money their way. It actually seems that more people have died SINCE the hurricane hit than from the hurricane's impact itself...and that's just sad....very very sad. I guess I expected more from our elected officials than this. I expected them to actually CARE about the people who elected them to office...but to dicker about whether or not to send money and how much to send while people are dying??????? What kind of morons do we have running this country?!?! It absolutely disgusts and appalls me! If I were the President, I would have been the one to call on all professional athletes and Hollywood millionaires to fork over the cash. I would have been challenging every money-loaded millionaire in this country to fork over for the cause. I would have been on the phone myself to the Bill Gates, Paris Hiltons, and Peyton Mannings of the country, personally imploring them to give what they could (and if the number they gave was too low, I would have said, "Oh, come on, Mr. Gates, you can surely give $500,000 more. Paris, your dad could surely open up one of his hotels to give the now-homeless victims a place to stay free of charge until they can make other living arrangements. Your help sure is appreciated." What did Bush do for the past 5 days while New Orleans continued to be destroyed? He talked about how we needed to stay in Iraq........oh, and then today he finally decided it might be a good idea to spend a little money on New Orleans, long after Katrina blew back out to sea.
I never thought I'd see the day when I'd vote against a Republican, but Bush's actions have repeatedly persuaded me to do just that.
Vent over...coming down off of soapbox now for those who stayed with me all the way through.
