Inspiring….
….to see our nation’s chief executive cutting his vacation short to fly to New Orleans, land in Air Force One and stroll to a waiting helicopter WHILE CARRYING HIS DOG.
…while, on the split screen, we’re seeing literally dozens of stranded folks waving from apartment windows near Napoleon and S. Claiborne, including one family on the roof with a handmade sign that says, “Help Us.”
Put the animal down, my man — you got work to do. Doesn’t he have someone hired to handle this kinda thing? But I won’t get political — we’ll hear what he has to say later in the afternoon.
Mayor Nagin says “hundreds, maybe thousands” are dead. While water flow seems to have stabilized a bit, the flow still hasn’t been cut off. And the chief of Acadian Ambulance goes on CNN to plead for federal troops to deal with the looters and other scum who have turned Hot New Orleans nights into the New Mogadishu.
Help is beginning to flow in. I’m just hoping it’s fast enough.
Related posts:
Hey, Bush got the ball rolling before the storm even hit to release money for aid. Don’t knock the guy because he’s holding his dog. I’ve seen pictures of people waist deep in wather holding their pets, so what’s the big deal?
The Oklahoma National Guard’s 45th Infantry Division has been activated and is being sent to the Gulf Coast. That’s 4,000 men and women, fresh back from Iraq. But they’re on the way.
In the immortal words of Homer Simpson:
“Wrong again, liberal media.”
Air Force One flew at low altitude over NOLA and the other states but there is no report of actually landing there. The dog-carrying must have taken place at Andrews.
Anyway, that would have been a really really bad idea. Local officials would have their hands full with rescue operations and should be distracted by their obligations to protect your Dear Leader.
” One of the hardest-hit areas of the New Orleans district’s budget is the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project,..”
New Orleans district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers faces (cuts).
Deon Roberts
In fiscal year 2006, the New Orleans district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is bracing for a record $71.2 million reduction in federal funding.
It would be the largest single-year funding loss ever for the New Orleans district, Corps officials said.
I’ve been here over 30 years and I’ve never seen this level of reduction, said Al Naomi, project manager for the New Orleans district. I think part of the problem is it’s not so much the reduction, it’s the drastic reduction in one fiscal year. It’s the immediacy of the reduction that I think is the hardest thing to adapt to.
There is an economic ripple effect, too. The cuts mean major hurricane and flood protection projects will not be awarded to local engineering firms. Also, a study to determine ways to protect the region from a Category 5 hurricane has been shelved for now.
Money is so tight the New Orleans district, which employs 1,300 people, instituted a hiring freeze last month on all positions. The freeze is the first of its kind in about 10 years, said Marcia Demma, chief of the Corps’ Programs Management Branch.
Stephen Jeselink, interim commander of the New Orleans Corps district, told employees in an internal e-mail dated May 25 that the district is experiencing financial challenges. Execution of our available funds must be dealt with through prudent districtwide management decisions. In addition to a hiring freeze, Jeselink canceled the annual Corps picnic held every June.
Congress is setting the Corps budget.
The House of Representatives wants to cut the New Orleans district budget 21 percent to $272.4 million in 2006, down from $343.5 million in 2005. The House figure is about $20 million lower than the president’s suggested $290.7 million budget.
It’s now up to the Senate. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-New Orleans, is making no promises.
It’s going to be very tough, Landrieu said. The House was not able to add back this money … but hopefully we can rally in the Senate and get some of this money back.
Landrieu said the Bush administration is not making Corps of Engineers funding a priority.
I think it’s extremely shortsighted, Landrieu said. When the Corps of Engineers’ budget is cut, Louisiana bleeds. These projects are literally life-and-death projects to the people of south Louisiana and they are (of) vital economic interest to the entire nation.
The Corps’ budget could still be beefed up, as it is every year, through congressional additions. Last year, Congress added $20 million to the overall budget of the New Orleans district but a similar increase this year would still leave a $50 million shortfall.
One of the hardest-hit areas of the New Orleans district’s budget is the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project, which was created after the May 1995 flood to improve drainage in Jefferson, Orleans and St. Tammany parishes. SELA’s budget is being drained from $36.5 million awarded in 2005 to $10.4 million suggested for 2006 by the House of Representatives and the president.
The project manager said there would be no contracts awarded with this $10.4 million, Demma said.
The construction portion of the Corps’ budget would suffer if Congress doesn’t add money. In 2005, the district received $94.3 million in federal dollars dedicated to construction. In 2006, the proposal is for $56 million.
It would be critical to this city if we had a $50 million construction budget compared with the past years, Demma said. It would be horrible for the city, it would be horrible for contractors and for flood protection if this were the final number compared to recent years and what the city needs.
Construction generally has been on the decline for several years and focus has been on other projects in the Corps.
The district has identified $35 million in projects to build and improve levees, floodwalls and pumping stations in St. Bernard, Orleans, Jefferson and St. Charles parishes. Those projects are included in a Corps line item called Lake Pontchartrain, where funding is scheduled to be cut from $5.7 million this year to $2.9 million in 2006. Naomi said it’s enough to pay salaries but little else.
We’ll do some design work. We’ll design the contracts and get them ready to go if we get the money. But we don’t have the money to put the work in the field, and that’s the problem, Naomi said.
The Appropriations Committee in Congress will ultimately decide how much the New Orleans district will receive, he said.
Obviously, the decisions are being made up there that are not beneficial to the state, in my opinion, Naomi said. Let’s put it this way: When (former Rep.) Bob Livingston (R-Metairie) was chairman of the Appropriations Committee, we didn’t have a monetary problem. Our problem was how do we spend all the money we were getting.
Copyright 2005 Dolan Media Newswires
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.
Y’know….
I apologize. I really do. I was wrong. I seriously misunderstood what I was seeing on the TV. That’s what I get for splitting my attention trying to carry on two conversations at once.
….but I’d still put down the dog.
I have a blog about the hurricane I’m desperately trying to promote as much as I can. I have tid bits of news from local/national news and also from locals witnessing the aftermath first hand. I’m part of several communities but I feel this isn’t enough. Are you interested in exchanging links? That would so helpful. Thanks for your time. I hope your respond. My email is attached.
Yeah, put the dog down and maybe, more importantly, not take so many vacations…..but there will be plenty of time for the ensuing political fall out of this disaster (and there will be one). For now at least the Federal Government has stepped up to the plate, or at least they are trying to.
I can not imagine what it is like for NO residents (or residents of the entire Katrina affected area) to contemplate their futures or even, for that matter, their “here and nows”. My thoughts are with you.
You all might be too close to the problem and really processing issues not yet relevant.. Do the math, talk to an engineer, and think of science. The ‘big easy’ is going to become ‘waterworld’.. people need to leave now on their own if they can. The Lake and the River will become sea level..no stopping. To fix the problem the force of the water needs to slow/stop. When will this happen..equilibrium..where is that? when Lake joins River. People have already died, their graves are their homes, we need to get everyone to above sea level/now with bullhorns even if they walk through 3 feet of water. Ever played in the sand when the tide comes in…. a breech stresses the entire system.. time cannot be measured! Ask yourself this question, How big is the area of N’O under water..do the math for qubic feet of h2o. Think of the pumps, garbage debrie, clogging… how long to fill, how long to pump out. Think of damage to the dyke system.. how long to repair… house to house search for the dead. You are asking the sea to give back what it has taken..she might not want to co-operate. I think you live there.. and this is your home and community. I live in Washington State, not far for Mt. St. Helens I know how you feel, sometimes nature takes and never wants to return what you loved. The government, business, everyone wants.. don’t blame, grieve and if you can help one another .. because death has come and everyone is sad, lost, and hurt.. everyone.. I am so sorry for your state..two new family members are from LA (Baton Rouge and Ammityville) they are so upset. My prayers are with you.
There was an article on MSNBC.com today that Bushies approval rating has fallen to historic lows, and the survey was conducted before Katrina hit. Imagine what his rating will be next week…
To all of NOLA and the other affected areas, keep on keepin’ on, our thoughts and prayers are with you all…
Help spread the word about a new blog
http://whosdonating.blogspot.com
Please post on your blog and encourage your readers to help.
We need to track the Forbes 500 and make sure they are paying back the customers that made them rich!
Missing Someone from Hurricane Katrina??email to: hurricanevictims@cnn.com
I don’t like Bush one bit, but I’m not in any rush to criticize him over this catastrophe. Not on the symbolic issues (playing a guitar, holding a dog) or the more substantive criticisms (cut spending on FEMA, cut spending on levee repairs, etc.). Those are important but pale in comparison to the challenge facing New Orleans. The issue now is rescuing people, evacuating survivors, repairing the levees, pumping out the water, and then rebuilding. Let’s leave the political recriminations for later.
hey! I noticed u said that u lived in mid city. I just moved to california a couple of months ago, but my ex is still in our apartment in mid city. It is on north beranadotte…in between bienville and canal..only a few doors away from mics nics(the bar)…is it flooded there? I am so worried as i can not get through to him by phone. please let me know if ya know anything about the condition of that neighborhood. Thanks! ~ heidi crazycricketlove@aol.com
Does it truly matter that Bush was carrying his dog? He can’t think and carry his beloved pet at the same time? Just because he has the worry of the world on his shoulders does not mean that he can’t care for his dog at the same time.
Judge not, lest you be judged.
Listen, it’s very easy to say not to criticize Bush when you are alive and safe. But remember, Bush had the opportunity to save lives here by not playing golf on Monday. It took him 3 days to comment on the disaster and 3 days to order the military ships to the Gulf. Why were they not on their way before the storm hit? It’s going to take 5 days to get there! And why are we only seeing Coast Guard helicopters rescuing people? That’s the National Guard’s job. Oh, wait, the Guard is in Iraq with all of it’s amphibious equipment. Gee, who’s fault is that. And who was it that cut the funding for the levees in N.O.? I guess Homeland Security doesn’t apply to the actual homeland.
I have been watching the coverage of this event since last Sunday. I think President Bush acted quickly to set in motion federal aid before the storm ever hit…however, since Tuesday morning, I think the rescue and relief operations are pretty much without leadership. I cannot understand why we have not sent more troops into the area and air dropped more aid to all of the affected area.
I know it is easy to point fingers and place blame…that is not what I am doing here. I believe that our government leaders, both federal and state, are dealing with a situation like they have never before experienced. It is time for somebody to step up and be a leader! Get food and water into all areas! Do it with choppers. Get a few troops and some equipment into all areas. Do it with choppers. Set up a communication system using our military capabilities. People are certain to die without food and water. If the news media can get into these areas to report that nobody has been there, then why can’t the troops of the greatest and most powerful nation on earth get in there. It has to be because there is no leadership.
What would we do at this moment if another natural disaster struck us? Or worse yet, if a terrorist group struck within our borders? Let what we see be a lesson on how well our government can really take care of us in time of disaster.
Before leaving my thoughts, let me express one other…I am a supporter of President Bush, our military, and our way of life in this great country. It is just that now is the time for some great leaders to step forward and get control of this life saving effort that is underway. May God bless everyone affected by this tragic event…..
Oh, fer chrissake. My family’s been living in NO for more than 150 years. And they’ve been living on borrowed time. They realized it. In fact, everyone in the city realized it. It was the big joke. The arrival of this day was a question of time. But they partied on and they kept their fingers crossed.
And built an iffy levee. And iffy pumps. And had an iffy plan. With nonexistent follow-through. And they continued to pave over the wetlands. If the Army Corps of Engineers is currently at a loss, it’s not because they haven’t had enough time to devise a clever plan. All they’ve had is time to prepare. How much effing time do they need? When the final reckoning comes, they have much to answer for. This was something that should have been solved years ago.
And let not the local and state government be overlooked. They, too, deserve a big share of the credit. I see no leadership a la Guiliani from the so-called mayor. And I see no leadership from the state governor–who is clearly beyond her depth. And I see the police helplessly letting the crazies in the crowd endanger all the good, innocent citizens they ought to be fighting to protect. So the local forces who have supposedly been training for the front line for years have completely crapped out. They were fooling themselves.
48 hours into the disaster that ineptitude becomes crystal clear to the rest of us, and it becomes obvious that after years of running off at the mouth — after decades of talking about the Preparation and the Pumps and the Plan — that the city authorities are absolutely full of shit.
George Bush is the very last guest to a party that’s been carrying on for the last century. Only a moron would blame him for the loss of a single life. Only a complete, utter, f-ing moron.
Ahem, on behalf of some folks who have lost everything and don’t really need the name calling at a time like this, go f–k yourself. President Bush is fully responsible for cutting the funding for the levees. The local and state government cannot manage without that funding. The Army Corps of Engineers have been petitioning this administration to reinstate the funding for years as a matter of Homeland Security. Even though the hurricane was inevitable, the flooding after didn’t have to happen. And as a New Yorker with family in N.O., I know a little about crisis and tragedy. Your example of Guiliani as a leader is bogus–ask a NYC firefighter if he has the radios and equipment he needs for the next attack. And, btw, we here in NYC still haven’t gotten the money Bush promised us for Homeland Security. Responsibility starts at the top, and that’s Bush. If you can’t understand that, you’re the complete f-ing moron.
As I suggested, complete and utter.
The Corps has been petitioning more than just this administration, Lily. This has been a problem a lot longer than Mr. Bush has been in charge. Why didn’t any of the previous administrations identify this as a priority and throw lots of resources at it?
Question all involved, past and present, instead of going for the easy target.
That’s okay, Ahrem. I guess what I’m saying might be a little too difficult for you to grasp with your limited intellect. Facts actually don’t matter much to you, obviously. Much easier for you to blame the people who live there–after all, I’m sure everyone who died thought it was a big joke, just like your family. I’m an NICU nurse. Why don’t you go tell those parents at the NICU at Mercy Hospital who might lose their babies how funny it all is? And ask them who they blame. And for all those waiting for that hospital ship to arrive in 5 days while they go without medical care, ask them if Bush should have sent the ship on day one. In the meantime, keep up the name calling. It helps. I’ll go to work in the morning and take care of my babies–you can sit on your ass and call me a moron if that makes you feel better. And let me guess, you’re not only a Bush fan, but a kind and loving Christian as well?
Lily,
Right on. I don’t understand why we have so many Bush apologists. While I understand that this may not be the most appropriate time to make this issue political I am well aware that in the following weeks it most definitely will be. As an outside observer (I’m in NYC) who has been following the news coverage I can safely say that CNN managed to get it right while the federal government seemed to be sleeping. It is sad when people rely on CNN and MSNBC for guidance and their elected officials are on vacation.
Point taken, RH. I agree that other administrations should have done more. Not going for the easy target, just the one that’s currently in office. Bush is not an especially easy target anyway since he never admits mistakes or takes responsibility. Have you ever heard the phrase, “The buck stops here”?
Lily ! You go, girl! You are one fellow New Yorker I want to know. (email me)
Couldn’t have said it better.
This is just another example of why you don’t want to have an idiot for a president:
Lesson number 435:
Although he should have learned that spending 40% of our time on vacation, and that when people say “there is a clear and present danger”, it means that you should mobilize your ass, and not just party up at the ranch,
STILL,
this guy JUST DOESN’T GET IT !!!
I guess all the booze and coke blew out too much of his grey matter long ago, although that has been obvious for quite some time.
No, Lily, there are too many like that guy, feeding on the Fox propaganda machine, who are just laughing it up.
And as for Bush, with all his power, he will come out of this smelling like a rose, now that he has BOTH Fox “News” and CNN falling in line.
cigognedemailatyahoodotfr
Lily is my new hero! First of all she is my hero for being a NICU nurse and then she is woman enough to tell it like it is! You go girl! I have to agree with you whole heartedly!
Sincerely,
Jennie Smith
Fairfield, Ca.
gojennngo@aol.com
PS Is your family in N.O. alright?
Thanks for asking, Jenn. My family members are okay–they made it to my uncle’s place in Conyers, Ga. They lost everything but the car they drove out in. Not complaining, though, because they were the lucky ones.
Peace to y’all. And keep paying attention.
Just listen to the anger and hate in some of these voices…
From an article in the Philadelphia Daily News :
In early 2004, as the cost of the conflict in Iraq soared, President Bush proposed spending less than 20 percent of what the Corps said was needed for Lake Pontchartrain, according to a Feb. 16, 2004, article, in New Orleans CityBusiness.
On June 8, 2004, Walter Maestri, emergency management chief for Jefferson Parish, Louisiana; told the Times-Picayune: “It appears that the money has been moved in the president’s budget to handle homeland security and the war in Iraq, and I suppose that’s the price we pay. Nobody locally is happy that the levees can’t be finished, and we are doing everything we can to make the case that this is a security issue for us.”
It just boggles my mind how the president has reacted to the hurricane. you would think that right after the storm hit to government would get in there and dont say you cant… while the hurricane was taking place he was making jokes are a retirment home…not cool! they should have had transportaion to get out of the city before it hit. maybe it is just me but if there is a hurricane the size of the gulf, i would have figured it would cause some harm. come on! If i saw the president right now i would tell him to go to new orleans and sit stuck on your roof. God help them all!
All the government has to do is drop food and water from the chopper or plane and instructions for people on what to do. They can do that in places where it’s hard to operate rescue missions. Heck they do that all the time during WAR!
but so far i haven’t seen any of it. and i see people wandering around in the street hungry and thirsty and no idea of what to do.
Just to put it in perspective, right now people are putting their dogs to sleep in New Orleans because their loved pets cannot be rescued.
Christine said, “they should have had transportaion to get out of the city before it hit”
The mayor of NO called for an evacuation, and 80% of the citizens followed that advice. The mayor and the president have no authority to order an evacuation until after an emergency is declared. A lot of people, for whatever reason, decided not to evacuate. That was their choice, and it was a bad one.
Preparations were done in NO beforehand - like the Superdome - which turned out to be completely inadaquate. Further preparations were being done outside the affected area, like the massive amounts of relief aid and teams that were prepositioned in Knoxville, where they could respond quickly once it was determined where they were most needed.
As for the levees and dikes, NO had a plan on the drawing boards to survive a CAT5 hurricane, it was scheduled to be completed in 2050. The preliminary work to improve their chances against a CAT2-3 storm were derailed in the early 90’s when several environmental groups sued over plans to strengthen and improve the outer islands, which might’ve taken the brunt of the initial hit. Of course, Katrina was bigger than even that plan accounted for.
It’s a big, complex issue with many sides and facets. Besides, this isn’t the time for name calling and finger pointing. Channel that energy into doing something productive, Lord knows there’s plenty of help that needs doing.
And so it continues…our souless leader refers to this disaster as a “temporary disturbance” and the scenes from New Orleans resemble a third world
village - his cronies have already said the government shouldn’t help in the rebuilding of New Orleans and homeland security says there’s too much water to provide help - I was in the flood of 1972 in Northeastern PA with two feet of water on the second floor of my house and the National Guard was there with trucks as large as my home plowing through the water to bring us help- that was 33 years ago!! This adminstration has been pathetic-no- apathetic in it’s response - does it really matter that this was a timebomb - hindsight is always 20-20 - the point is it has happened, and this administration has failed on all counts - but remember there was a vacation to be had in Crawford - and Nero played while Rome burned……… Karen, RN - Tampa Bay
Look it
We each have a choice, to send prayers or hatred out into the world. As Dante said, we stand at the doorway of hell and its up to each of us individually to decide whether we let darkness or light come through that door. It has been proven that when we focus our emotional energy at an object, animate or inanimate, we empower that object with the energy we send. It is an immutable fact. So why focus negative energy angrily hating the man whose political position symbolically places him at the head of our country — and each of us as individual Americans? The negative energy filters down the food chain. It’s like biting our own tail. Or worse. And as for the looters, walk a mile in their shoes - wet,cardboard or non-existent, before you decide to shoot them. When you know that you have lost everything, don’t you grasp for straws? As for me, I would steal to feed a starving child, or a thirsty elder. And I would be willing to suffer the consequences for that action. Let’s choose to look for the good in our fellow man, and if we can’t find it, perhaps the failure is ours.
We are a nation in which too many people have no God, have turned away from God, or believe that they are God. The truth of this reveals itself everywhere. Accordingly, the rest of us should pray for those persons in hopes that they might see God’s reason for allowing such a disaster to occur.
http://www.hurricanehousing.org
http://www.raynagin4president.com
even though the situation is dire, people are getting help. i wish the media would report that too. here in Houma (50 mi s. of NO) there are countless shelters. our civic center has too many volunteers. too many. there is great need, but we are reaching out to help our neighbors. everyone i have worked w/has been so thankful and appreciative, these are wonderful resilliant people. i can’t imagine being in their situation. where’s the media to report that?
enough of the mudslinging and talk of events prior to the wrath of Katrina.There are still so many wandering aimlessly in shock not knowing where their loved ones are or what to do or where to go.Let’s focus our efforts on brain-storming as to how best to help the victims still waiting,wandering and wondering.My heart goes out to all those affected.There will be plenty of time to point fingers once these families have been rehoused,reunited and community living restored.
I’m a Nyer - I get to criticise Nush all I want. He screwed us and he’ll screw you…all the while playing golf or holding his dog.
THe latest here is he’s cut funds to first repsonders…you know the guys and the families that dug what was left of the dead on 9/11. First responders - you know the heros, the good guys, the predominantly republican cops and fireman who are still suffereing lung problems PTSD… and he’s doing the same to the vets…
yeah yeah — the spineless dems are nhelping.
I’m bi partisan. SCREW THEM ALL.
Sad to say, but eventually the scales will be riped form your eyes..if you still think the man is worth the skin god wasted on him.
Bush= NUSH
I can’t type. My apologies.
Sorry, Bush apologists, up here in Michigan we have a new nickname for Bush and it isn’t very nice or ladylike…George Cluster F**k Bush.
This was from a group of conservative, 50ish women. No one with eyeballs could excuse what happened this week.
Yes, the planning has been bad for decades and underfunded and all. The Mayor and Governor appeared weak and ineffectual. But when push came to shove and a leader was needed….Nothing from the leader of our country.
No excuses this time, George CF Bush. All he had to do was pick up the phone and make a decision.
By the way, we are getting 1500 refugees in our town in 2 days. We will treat them royally.
Janet
Interesting, my previous post has been removed. Apparently, you can post the stereotypical liberal or conservative diatribes here. However, if you suggest that it makes more sense to take practical action in a situation like this, rather than hope that some invisible superheroes in the sky will take care of it, then you get censored.
I see this board is designed to foster ideology not common sense. My apologies, I won’t post anything here anymore… I wouldn’t want to interfere with anyone’s brain washing by offering practical advice.
It sounds as though many would like to blame President Bush for the lack of leadership abilities on the part of the local and state government in Louisiana. It seems many would like to blame him for criminal minds of certain people in the city of New Orleans. There are quite a few who think he should be held responsible because so many refused to evacuate. It is clear that many think he is at fault for the levees breaking. And I am certain there are some who think he could have actually controlled the magnitude of this hurricane.
It’s quite clear who has brought about the change in the rescue and evacuation operations; President George W. Bush. How did he do that? He realized somebody had to assert themselves as the leader in the management of this crisis. He is a proven leader. He doesn’t sit on his behind complaining and whining about every little thing that doesn’t go his way. He doesn’t go outside the White House and stick his finger in the air to see which way the wind is blowing. He doesn’t run and hide every time his critics start bashing him. His actions are not determined by the color of a person’s skin. He isn
From a New Yorker: Not sure how Bush “led this nation in the 9/11 tragedy”. Oh, almost forgot, he created a new Department, “Home Land Security”, proving to be inefficient and started a war. Great leadership…
An it’s really a blasphemy to put mention God and Bush in the same sentence. A little bit of decency people…
I realize for some that it is difficult to see President Bush as a leader. And it may very well be more difficult to see him doing God’s will. But “blasphemy” hardly fits this occasion. God has chosen many leaders over the years. Some early ones were Noah, Moses, Joshua, David, and Paul. Each of those men led in times of battle. So I find it difficult to see how one can be insulting God by proclaiming President Bush to be a blessing sent to us.
As for his leadership on 9/11, it speaks for itself. He was not the only leader; however, he was the leader. He placed himself upon the rubble of the World Trade Center and clearly stated, “the people responsible for this will hear from all of us soon.” And that they did. And as for Homeland Security and the war; the battle is not being fought on our turf and the enemy is being defeated. While some who live may not appreciate this effort, the President has stood by his vow that those who died did not die in vain.
It is amazing how many Americans keep going back to the same old arguments. They use times of tragedy to continue pushing their agenda about our President and the direction of our country. They have all the answers but never take a positive step towards implementing them. They just never put any better ideas forward. They, in many instances, are people who would not want their children serving in the military, but complain about the lack of troops. They just continue to cry and cry and cry, drowning in their tears of self-pity. They resort to name calling and profanity to express their points of view. They show their lack of intellect by what they speak and write. And, for these and many other reasons, they themselves will never be leaders, but will always require being led.
There is a saying that you have the leaders that you deserve.Quod eram demonstratum
I still don’t understand why there were no buses to get the 100,000 people out of New Orleans who (everyone seemed to know) had no way to evacuate before the hurricane. If the plan was always to place them in the Dome and the Centre why weren’t these facilities capable of operating through a flood?
His demonstration of leadership has once again been proven….
Here is a link worth reading….http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/9/4/124905.shtml
This is non-essential information. I merely want to share something. I’m from down there and live in NYC now. I practically grew up in N.O., making it my weekend escape from oppressive Mississippi. I can’t stop reading anything and everything about what’s happening there now (I can’t watch the news; it’s too disgusting, the dumbing-down of something so monumental and disastrous). Please take a look at this very brief piece. It’s inconsequential to the horror and the mass victimization, but it’s a nice, quick respite, pretty evocative of what I remember of that beautiful city: ‘Kirkus’ Looks Back at the New Orleans of a Million Ignatius Reillys
Great article about New Orleans!
Just to respond to several issues raised on this site.
Buses were available, but were not used for evacuation! Hundred’s were found staged, under water, never used. Maybe you can ask the Mayor, why??
Just so you know, it’s the Mayor and Govenor that is responsible for taking care of there state, not the President! Once they determine they can not handle the situation, they can call a State of Emergency and the Federal Govenment will step in. Don’t think that happened for about 3 days!!!!
Bush has not been the first President to propose cuts to funding the levees. This has been going on for years, even centuries!!! Besides that, Congress has the hammer on funding. President just submits a budget. And that is correct, the Congress did cut the President’s proposed budget by 20 Milliom. Hmmmm!!!!
There has even been the suggestion that the President should have mobilized ships before the hurricane ever hit. Just can’t remember when that was ever done. Just deploy something that would cost millions of dollars because you have a hunch that something might happen. Oh yeh, have the president mobilize the guard, wow, not sure what National Guard unit works for the President. Last I knew, they worked for the Govenor just for these types of situations. Maybe he should have mobilized them!!!!
State government and FEMA dropped the ball here! Nothing more than that!!! Just look at Mississippi, they don’t have hardly any of the problems that is going on here.
Besides that, it’s just coming to bare, that many of the people who we have seen floating face down refused to leave when to do so. Approx. 20 elderly people in a retirement home refused to leave their home when people came to rescue them. Now all 20 have been found drowned. And even today they are still those who refuse to leave.
Please get your facts right if you want to hammer someone and it would be nice if you hammer the right people. Not just someone you hate!!!!!!!!