I don't think that placing blame and and letting anger and emotion get in the way of the facts is very helpful. There were massive failures here of the emergency plans that were in place and I am guessing there will be ultimately be a Congressional investigation. But to say it's Bush's fault--or the fault of any one person for that matter--is not accurate. Also, much of the things that you complain about are wrong, Catwoman. Eg, federal disaster assistance was underway before the storm hit; emergency assistance was in place before the storm hit but was blocked by the massive flooding; Bush asked Congress to appropriate funds before the entertainers got their fundraisers together (Congress must approve the appropriation--and they were on vacation and had to come back into session on an emergency basis); many countries around the world, including Russia, Japan, Israel and other and Middle Eastern countries, have offered billions in aid and the state department is now coordinating the acceptance of that aid.
Appalled With How Federal Government Handled Katrina Disaster
- Thread starter catwoman
- Start date
RE: Appalled With How Federal Government Handled Katrin...
>
>
>Have you watched some of the media in the past 24 hours?? Did
>you see Bush in New Orleans feeding an infant so his/her
>mother could get a sandwich and water??
>
>>
>
Ok, now come on! Do you really think that was not a staged event?? Of COURSE Bush fed an infant so his/her mother could get something to eat. It's like kissing babies during a presidential race. Meaningless.
I think you can blame, feel angry and disgusted and STILL do what you can to help. There is nothing wrong with having and voicing those strong feelings and opinions, as long as you are also doing something to make the situation better. Our opinions on who is to blame can differ, and we can be separated in that area, while we are united in our efforts to help the victims of both Katrina and of Bush and his adminsistration (or whomever you want to "blame" for the lack of relief)!
>
>
>Have you watched some of the media in the past 24 hours?? Did
>you see Bush in New Orleans feeding an infant so his/her
>mother could get a sandwich and water??
>
>>
>
Ok, now come on! Do you really think that was not a staged event?? Of COURSE Bush fed an infant so his/her mother could get something to eat. It's like kissing babies during a presidential race. Meaningless.
I think you can blame, feel angry and disgusted and STILL do what you can to help. There is nothing wrong with having and voicing those strong feelings and opinions, as long as you are also doing something to make the situation better. Our opinions on who is to blame can differ, and we can be separated in that area, while we are united in our efforts to help the victims of both Katrina and of Bush and his adminsistration (or whomever you want to "blame" for the lack of relief)!
Jennifer V
Cathlete
Our Canadian Prime Minister has offered financial relief and military aid this past week. I don't know why it takes this long to accept help or coordinate it. *#@! (Bleep) politics.
Carol_is_fit
Cathlete
This is the website of the Times-Picayune - the New Orleans paper. There are lots of heartwarming stories if you search around. Since this is their local paper, I'm trying to keep up with the stories in here as well.
http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakingtp/index.ssf?/mtlogs/nola_Times-Picayune/archives/2005_09.html
Carol
http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakingtp/index.ssf?/mtlogs/nola_Times-Picayune/archives/2005_09.html
Carol
dani21496
Cathlete
RE: Appalled With How Federal Government Handled Katrin...
I agree! Someone dropped the ball here!
Anyway, I'm not a big Michael Moore fan or anything. But I found this letter very interesting and agree with what he says here.
I'm Republican but I'm seriously thinking of swithcing over to the other side after this.
Here's the letter:
Friday, September 2nd, 2005
Dear Mr. Bush:
Any idea where all our helicopters are? It's Day 5 of Hurricane Katrina and thousands remain stranded in New Orleans and need to be airlifted. Where on earth could you have misplaced all our military choppers? Do you need help finding them? I once lost my car in a Sears parking lot. Man, was that a drag.
Also, any idea where all our national guard soldiers are? We could really use them right now for the type of thing they signed up to do like helping with national disasters. How come they weren't there to begin with?
Last Thursday I was in south Florida and sat outside while the eye of Hurricane Katrina passed over my head. It was only a Category 1 then but it was pretty nasty. Eleven people died and, as of today, there were still homes without power. That night the weatherman said this storm was on its way to New Orleans. That was Thursday! Did anybody tell you? I know you didn't want to interrupt your vacation and I know how you don't like to get bad news. Plus, you had fundraisers to go to and mothers of dead soldiers to ignore and smear. You sure showed her!
I especially like how, the day after the hurricane, instead of flying to Louisiana, you flew to San Diego to party with your business peeps. Don't let people criticize you for this -- after all, the hurricane was over and what the heck could you do, put your finger in the dike?
And don't listen to those who, in the coming days, will reveal how you specifically reduced the Army Corps of Engineers' budget for New Orleans this summer for the third year in a row. You just tell them that even if you hadn't cut the money to fix those levees, there weren't going to be any Army engineers to fix them anyway because you had a much more important construction job for them -- BUILDING DEMOCRACY IN IRAQ!
On Day 3, when you finally left your vacation home, I have to say I was moved by how you had your Air Force One pilot descend from the clouds as you flew over New Orleans so you could catch a quick look of the disaster. Hey, I know you couldn't stop and grab a bullhorn and stand on some rubble and act like a commander in chief. Been there done that.
There will be those who will try to politicize this tragedy and try to use it against you. Just have your people keep pointing that out. Respond to nothing. Even those pesky scientists who predicted this would happen because the water in the Gulf of Mexico is getting hotter and hotter making a storm like this inevitable. Ignore them and all their global warming Chicken Littles. There is nothing unusual about a hurricane that was so wide it would be like having one F-4 tornado that stretched from New York to Cleveland.
No, Mr. Bush, you just stay the course. It's not your fault that 30 percent of New Orleans lives in poverty or that tens of thousands had no transportation to get out of town. C'mon, they're black! I mean, it's not like this happened to Kennebunkport. Can you imagine leaving white people on their roofs for five days? Don't make me laugh! Race has nothing -- NOTHING -- to do with this!
You hang in there, Mr. Bush. Just try to find a few of our Army helicopters and send them there. Pretend the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast are near Tikrit.
Yours,
Michael Moore
[email protected]
www.MichaelMoore.com
P.S. That annoying mother, Cindy Sheehan, is no longer at your ranch. She and dozens of other relatives of the Iraqi War dead are now driving across the country, stopping in many cities along the way. Maybe you can catch up with them before they get to DC on September 21st.
I agree! Someone dropped the ball here!
Anyway, I'm not a big Michael Moore fan or anything. But I found this letter very interesting and agree with what he says here.
I'm Republican but I'm seriously thinking of swithcing over to the other side after this.
Here's the letter:
Friday, September 2nd, 2005
Dear Mr. Bush:
Any idea where all our helicopters are? It's Day 5 of Hurricane Katrina and thousands remain stranded in New Orleans and need to be airlifted. Where on earth could you have misplaced all our military choppers? Do you need help finding them? I once lost my car in a Sears parking lot. Man, was that a drag.
Also, any idea where all our national guard soldiers are? We could really use them right now for the type of thing they signed up to do like helping with national disasters. How come they weren't there to begin with?
Last Thursday I was in south Florida and sat outside while the eye of Hurricane Katrina passed over my head. It was only a Category 1 then but it was pretty nasty. Eleven people died and, as of today, there were still homes without power. That night the weatherman said this storm was on its way to New Orleans. That was Thursday! Did anybody tell you? I know you didn't want to interrupt your vacation and I know how you don't like to get bad news. Plus, you had fundraisers to go to and mothers of dead soldiers to ignore and smear. You sure showed her!
I especially like how, the day after the hurricane, instead of flying to Louisiana, you flew to San Diego to party with your business peeps. Don't let people criticize you for this -- after all, the hurricane was over and what the heck could you do, put your finger in the dike?
And don't listen to those who, in the coming days, will reveal how you specifically reduced the Army Corps of Engineers' budget for New Orleans this summer for the third year in a row. You just tell them that even if you hadn't cut the money to fix those levees, there weren't going to be any Army engineers to fix them anyway because you had a much more important construction job for them -- BUILDING DEMOCRACY IN IRAQ!
On Day 3, when you finally left your vacation home, I have to say I was moved by how you had your Air Force One pilot descend from the clouds as you flew over New Orleans so you could catch a quick look of the disaster. Hey, I know you couldn't stop and grab a bullhorn and stand on some rubble and act like a commander in chief. Been there done that.
There will be those who will try to politicize this tragedy and try to use it against you. Just have your people keep pointing that out. Respond to nothing. Even those pesky scientists who predicted this would happen because the water in the Gulf of Mexico is getting hotter and hotter making a storm like this inevitable. Ignore them and all their global warming Chicken Littles. There is nothing unusual about a hurricane that was so wide it would be like having one F-4 tornado that stretched from New York to Cleveland.
No, Mr. Bush, you just stay the course. It's not your fault that 30 percent of New Orleans lives in poverty or that tens of thousands had no transportation to get out of town. C'mon, they're black! I mean, it's not like this happened to Kennebunkport. Can you imagine leaving white people on their roofs for five days? Don't make me laugh! Race has nothing -- NOTHING -- to do with this!
You hang in there, Mr. Bush. Just try to find a few of our Army helicopters and send them there. Pretend the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast are near Tikrit.
Yours,
Michael Moore
[email protected]
www.MichaelMoore.com
P.S. That annoying mother, Cindy Sheehan, is no longer at your ranch. She and dozens of other relatives of the Iraqi War dead are now driving across the country, stopping in many cities along the way. Maybe you can catch up with them before they get to DC on September 21st.
JeanneMarie
Cathlete
RE: Appalled With How Federal Government Handled Katrin...
>
>Ok, now come on! Do you really think that was not a staged
>event?? Of COURSE Bush fed an infant so his/her mother could
>get something to eat. It's like kissing babies during a
>presidential race. Meaningless.
It wouldn't matter what Bush did as far as "public relations", he'd be blasted. He flies over the area, so he's blasted for not landing. He goes into the thick of the devastation, interacts with the people, and he's accused of staging a photo op. He gives a speech, it isn't "compassionate enough". Sheesh!
What I can't understand is why so many people can take the time and energy to blast "Bush and the administration", yet haven't done anything THEMSELVES to help. I'm not saying things were handled as they should have been regarding getting aid to these people, but I'm so tired of hearing how it's Bush's fault. Okay, so it's his fault, or maybe it's not.... handing out fault and blame are doing NOTHING to help these people. Lay off and do something constructive.
For what it's worth, I didn't read the original post either. Too long, and too predictable!
>
>Ok, now come on! Do you really think that was not a staged
>event?? Of COURSE Bush fed an infant so his/her mother could
>get something to eat. It's like kissing babies during a
>presidential race. Meaningless.
It wouldn't matter what Bush did as far as "public relations", he'd be blasted. He flies over the area, so he's blasted for not landing. He goes into the thick of the devastation, interacts with the people, and he's accused of staging a photo op. He gives a speech, it isn't "compassionate enough". Sheesh!
What I can't understand is why so many people can take the time and energy to blast "Bush and the administration", yet haven't done anything THEMSELVES to help. I'm not saying things were handled as they should have been regarding getting aid to these people, but I'm so tired of hearing how it's Bush's fault. Okay, so it's his fault, or maybe it's not.... handing out fault and blame are doing NOTHING to help these people. Lay off and do something constructive.
For what it's worth, I didn't read the original post either. Too long, and too predictable!
nancy324
Cathlete
Whether there was fault, and where it may lie, Bush certainly was lax in providing the nation with the leadership that it needed in a time of crisis. An excerpt from a NY Times editorial on Sept. 1 stated that:
"George W. Bush gave one of the worst speeches of his life yesterday, especially given the level of national distress and the need for words of consolation and wisdom. In what seems to be a ritual in this administration, the president appeared a day later than he was needed. He then read an address of a quality more appropriate for an Arbor Day celebration: a long laundry list of pounds of ice, generators and blankets delivered to the stricken Gulf Coast. He advised the public that anybody who wanted to help should send cash, grinned, and promised that everything would work out in the end....
Sacrifices may be necessary to make sure that all these things happen in an orderly, efficient way. But this administration has never been one to counsel sacrifice. And nothing about the president's demeanor yesterday - which seemed casual to the point of carelessness - suggested that he understood the depth of the current crisis.
While our attention must now be on the Gulf Coast's most immediate needs, the nation will soon ask why New Orleans's levees remained so inadequate. Publications from the local newspaper to National Geographic have fulminated about the bad state of flood protection in this beloved city, which is below sea level. Why were developers permitted to destroy wetlands and barrier islands that could have held back the hurricane's surge? Why was Congress, before it wandered off to vacation, engaged in slashing the budget for correcting some of the gaping holes in the area's flood protection?
It would be some comfort to think that, as Mr. Bush cheerily announced, America "will be a stronger place" for enduring this crisis. Complacency will no longer suffice, especially if experts are right in warning that global warming may increase the intensity of future hurricanes. But since this administration won't acknowledge that global warming exists, the chances of leadership seem minimal."
"George W. Bush gave one of the worst speeches of his life yesterday, especially given the level of national distress and the need for words of consolation and wisdom. In what seems to be a ritual in this administration, the president appeared a day later than he was needed. He then read an address of a quality more appropriate for an Arbor Day celebration: a long laundry list of pounds of ice, generators and blankets delivered to the stricken Gulf Coast. He advised the public that anybody who wanted to help should send cash, grinned, and promised that everything would work out in the end....
Sacrifices may be necessary to make sure that all these things happen in an orderly, efficient way. But this administration has never been one to counsel sacrifice. And nothing about the president's demeanor yesterday - which seemed casual to the point of carelessness - suggested that he understood the depth of the current crisis.
While our attention must now be on the Gulf Coast's most immediate needs, the nation will soon ask why New Orleans's levees remained so inadequate. Publications from the local newspaper to National Geographic have fulminated about the bad state of flood protection in this beloved city, which is below sea level. Why were developers permitted to destroy wetlands and barrier islands that could have held back the hurricane's surge? Why was Congress, before it wandered off to vacation, engaged in slashing the budget for correcting some of the gaping holes in the area's flood protection?
It would be some comfort to think that, as Mr. Bush cheerily announced, America "will be a stronger place" for enduring this crisis. Complacency will no longer suffice, especially if experts are right in warning that global warming may increase the intensity of future hurricanes. But since this administration won't acknowledge that global warming exists, the chances of leadership seem minimal."
RE: Appalled With How Federal Government Handled Katrin...
Dani, I am so glad your dh family is all right.
Yes, I agree, a lot of heads are going to roll after this.
BUT
1. Some blame has to go on the City of New Orleans. I know thousands did not have the recources, but this was a mandatory evacuation. Anybody in their right mind knows that a category 5 will cause total destruction. If it were me, I would load up my stroller and start walking--SERIOUSLY. On the other hand, it is human nature, to want to stay in the comfort of your home. They have been evacuated so many times before, and they were fine. Obviously this time it wasn't the case.
2. I don't think the Bush administration, was saying "ha, ha, let them die of thirst." It was not intentional. I do agree the Bush admin. acted too slowly. The city, the state, and the federal government were ill prepared for this storm.
3. I agree that the situation at the Convention Center is outrageous and unacceptable. There could of been chopper drops of food and water from the first day.
4. This is not about racism. It is about poor people. Poor people always get the raw deal. This would not happen to wealthy people.
5. This is a very hard lesson to learn. Now, after all of these years of warning, and KNOWING that the levee would break, it will finally be repaired.
6. I have great faith in the human spirit. We will get through this tragedy. Do your part to help financially if you can. That is the best we can do. I filled in my application to train for Disaster Relief. I sent it in the mail yesterday. We can help our own communities if there is a crisis.
7. I am a registered Republican also. I think it is our duty and right to question and critisize when blatant errors were made. Hopefully something good will come of this, and we will learn something.
Lori
Dani, I am so glad your dh family is all right.
Yes, I agree, a lot of heads are going to roll after this.
BUT
1. Some blame has to go on the City of New Orleans. I know thousands did not have the recources, but this was a mandatory evacuation. Anybody in their right mind knows that a category 5 will cause total destruction. If it were me, I would load up my stroller and start walking--SERIOUSLY. On the other hand, it is human nature, to want to stay in the comfort of your home. They have been evacuated so many times before, and they were fine. Obviously this time it wasn't the case.
2. I don't think the Bush administration, was saying "ha, ha, let them die of thirst." It was not intentional. I do agree the Bush admin. acted too slowly. The city, the state, and the federal government were ill prepared for this storm.
3. I agree that the situation at the Convention Center is outrageous and unacceptable. There could of been chopper drops of food and water from the first day.
4. This is not about racism. It is about poor people. Poor people always get the raw deal. This would not happen to wealthy people.
5. This is a very hard lesson to learn. Now, after all of these years of warning, and KNOWING that the levee would break, it will finally be repaired.
6. I have great faith in the human spirit. We will get through this tragedy. Do your part to help financially if you can. That is the best we can do. I filled in my application to train for Disaster Relief. I sent it in the mail yesterday. We can help our own communities if there is a crisis.
7. I am a registered Republican also. I think it is our duty and right to question and critisize when blatant errors were made. Hopefully something good will come of this, and we will learn something.
Lori
I agree Nancy, the wetland destruction is so sad. This is protection, and we mow it down and fill it in.
I agree that Bush's demeanor was too light and casual at times. I think this is his personality. I don't think he is intentionally being cheerful, it's just him. I will say, I think he is out of touch a lot of times.
It's sickening that money was not budgeted to repair this levee. They just hoped it would never happen. I think 10% of the moneys needed were given. This is shameful.
Lori
I agree that Bush's demeanor was too light and casual at times. I think this is his personality. I don't think he is intentionally being cheerful, it's just him. I will say, I think he is out of touch a lot of times.
It's sickening that money was not budgeted to repair this levee. They just hoped it would never happen. I think 10% of the moneys needed were given. This is shameful.
Lori
pink_fortitude
Banned
I am so tired of all of the finger pointing. There are so many people who have screwed up during this relief effort and to blame it all on one person is rediculous and petty. I am tired of all this "republican" "democrat" bullsh#t. We are all AMERICANS and we all need to pull together to help each other out and, I am sorry to say this, we need to just shut our mouths. There is a time for looking back and saying "he/she coulda, shoulda, woulda" but now is not it. There are people who are starving and living in unimaginable conditions and we need to focus all of our energies on making sure that everyone is safe. Do whatever you can to help, contribute your time, money, efforts, whatever you can and if you can't do that then pray. We can't rely on the government body (or anyone for that matter) to do things that we can do ourselves and we shouldn't and if you do SHAME ON YOU. Anyways, do you really think that any politian cares anything about anyone who doesn't fund their campaigns: republican, democrat or liberatarian???? I am sorry, I rarely go off like this but it makes me so mad that something that needs the best of this country is getting the worst.
Missy
Missy
eminenz2
Cathlete
"4. This is not about racism. It is about poor people. Poor people always get the raw deal. This would not happen to wealthy people."
Poverty is definitely about racism. The poorest people in this country are people of color.
Of course there are poor whites but poor blacks always get the rawest deal in America.
Poverty and racism are linked together in this country like nothing else is.
Poverty is definitely about racism. The poorest people in this country are people of color.
Of course there are poor whites but poor blacks always get the rawest deal in America.
Poverty and racism are linked together in this country like nothing else is.
Miss Lee
Cathlete
This is my last post in this thread. I apologize if any of my remarks contributed to this divisiveness. I would like to remind all of you lest you forget--this is the beginning of hurricane season. God only knows how much more devastation we will be faced with. We need to pull together as a nation and help each other.
Please, those of you on the gulf coast--if you're asked to evacuate DO IT! Plot a course of action NOW just in case you need it. Don't wait until the last minute then be left scrambling around trying to find a safe haven. Be ready.
Michele
Please, those of you on the gulf coast--if you're asked to evacuate DO IT! Plot a course of action NOW just in case you need it. Don't wait until the last minute then be left scrambling around trying to find a safe haven. Be ready.
Michele
This is my last post on the subject also. I want to say how impressed and proud I am of our military, rescue workers, volunteers who are risking their lives, and are away from their families to help in this tragedy.
AND
I do try to avoid political discussions also, but they are elected officials. We elect people to lead us in crisis. We elect people to have our best interests at heart, and to protect the people. It's okay to question and "blame". That's our right as voters. Should we all just shut up because we aren't there on the front lines?
Lori
AND
I do try to avoid political discussions also, but they are elected officials. We elect people to lead us in crisis. We elect people to have our best interests at heart, and to protect the people. It's okay to question and "blame". That's our right as voters. Should we all just shut up because we aren't there on the front lines?
Lori
Agree with you. Bush has gone down MANY notches in my book. The whole treatment was abismal Absolutely HORRIBLE.
I was not a Bush fan re his treatment of the environment, war, but no where to the point of how poorly this tragedy was handled.
May some good come out of this. Americans hopefully will now realize a change is needed.
I was not a Bush fan re his treatment of the environment, war, but no where to the point of how poorly this tragedy was handled.
May some good come out of this. Americans hopefully will now realize a change is needed.
I am speechless regarding this situation. Based on what the news is reporting, there are questions and concerns for all levels of government not just the federal level. Although I agree the focus needs to be helping the victims of Katrina and not pointing fingers, there are serious questions, concerns, and deficits that must be addressed for the safety and security of all Americans so history does not repeat itself.
RE: Appalled With How Federal Government Handled Katrin...
As someone who used to work in the disaster preparedness field and continues to volunteer, I just want to make a few points because of things that have been said.
Any orgainization, big (city/nation) or small (company, personal home and family) is responsible for its own disaster preparedness plan. These plans filter upwards with some coordination as the levels increase : town to state, state to federal, etc. as well as some money, coordination and authority filtering down.
Basically, you look at your most likely challenges considering your population, geography, industry, etc. and figure out the best way to handle worst case scenarios. This is pretty standard stuff for most areas. States, cities, towns, etc. usually have these things on file and are responsible for keeping them up to date and for implementing them. There are ususally plans for off-site command and control, communication, supplies on 'emergency order' (brought in from another location when needed, and in some/most cases involve pre-payment) like fuel, water, food and necessities and the specific needs of your population (elderly, poor, physically disabled, etc).
I live in a very small town and work in a larger city. I know we have plans for nuclear disasters, chemical spills/contamination, fire and flooding (our most likely disasters). I'm on the disaster prep team at work (not as a planner, just another set of hands) and we go over our plans twice a year for our highrise building and coordinate with the city planners annually to make sure we all have matching plans. We know the people who will need the help the most and have special arrangements to accomodate them.
So what happened with Katrina (I am particularly distressed about NO...)? I have no idea, but would be interested in the investigation into where all the disaster prep money went for the past 25 years (and there are funds: local, state, and federal)! If you know you have a high risk of flooding, you get the equipment necessary for evacuations...I'm not pointing any fingers, just adding a professional perspective to add to the depth of the debate.
I am particularly frustrated with how it seems the poor, sick and helpless have been affected by this disaster to a much higher degree - if you know you have a poor community that is at particular risk, you should have something in place to deal with that.
As someone who used to work in the disaster preparedness field and continues to volunteer, I just want to make a few points because of things that have been said.
Any orgainization, big (city/nation) or small (company, personal home and family) is responsible for its own disaster preparedness plan. These plans filter upwards with some coordination as the levels increase : town to state, state to federal, etc. as well as some money, coordination and authority filtering down.
Basically, you look at your most likely challenges considering your population, geography, industry, etc. and figure out the best way to handle worst case scenarios. This is pretty standard stuff for most areas. States, cities, towns, etc. usually have these things on file and are responsible for keeping them up to date and for implementing them. There are ususally plans for off-site command and control, communication, supplies on 'emergency order' (brought in from another location when needed, and in some/most cases involve pre-payment) like fuel, water, food and necessities and the specific needs of your population (elderly, poor, physically disabled, etc).
I live in a very small town and work in a larger city. I know we have plans for nuclear disasters, chemical spills/contamination, fire and flooding (our most likely disasters). I'm on the disaster prep team at work (not as a planner, just another set of hands) and we go over our plans twice a year for our highrise building and coordinate with the city planners annually to make sure we all have matching plans. We know the people who will need the help the most and have special arrangements to accomodate them.
So what happened with Katrina (I am particularly distressed about NO...)? I have no idea, but would be interested in the investigation into where all the disaster prep money went for the past 25 years (and there are funds: local, state, and federal)! If you know you have a high risk of flooding, you get the equipment necessary for evacuations...I'm not pointing any fingers, just adding a professional perspective to add to the depth of the debate.
I am particularly frustrated with how it seems the poor, sick and helpless have been affected by this disaster to a much higher degree - if you know you have a poor community that is at particular risk, you should have something in place to deal with that.
garance
Cathlete
RE: Appalled With How Federal Government Handled Katrin...
I just read an editorial by Maureen Dowd: "The United States of Shame." Whether or not you agree with her political perspective, there are some important facts and figures that she makes available. The one that bothers me the most is that the Army Corps of Engineers asked for 105 million to deal with hurricanes and floods, and the Bush administration cut it to 40 million, at the same time approving a pork-filled highway bill (286.4 billion dollars) that had 231 million dollars approved for a bridge to an uninhabited Alaskan island. She also notes that Congress is poised to cut medicaid and other antipoverty programs while also planning to repeal the estate tax and make tax cuts for our most wealthy citizens permanent. There's more, but I would recommend a reading (NY Times today). On the issue of blame and fingerpointing, I think for me, the issue is one of accountability. We pay a lot in taxes, and I would like our politicians to be held accountable for how they spend it. I would also like vacations cut short for our public servants when there is an emergency of this magnitude--and this includes Cheney, Rice, Card, as well as Bush.
I just read an editorial by Maureen Dowd: "The United States of Shame." Whether or not you agree with her political perspective, there are some important facts and figures that she makes available. The one that bothers me the most is that the Army Corps of Engineers asked for 105 million to deal with hurricanes and floods, and the Bush administration cut it to 40 million, at the same time approving a pork-filled highway bill (286.4 billion dollars) that had 231 million dollars approved for a bridge to an uninhabited Alaskan island. She also notes that Congress is poised to cut medicaid and other antipoverty programs while also planning to repeal the estate tax and make tax cuts for our most wealthy citizens permanent. There's more, but I would recommend a reading (NY Times today). On the issue of blame and fingerpointing, I think for me, the issue is one of accountability. We pay a lot in taxes, and I would like our politicians to be held accountable for how they spend it. I would also like vacations cut short for our public servants when there is an emergency of this magnitude--and this includes Cheney, Rice, Card, as well as Bush.