A Failure of Government in These United States

I can solve all the above problems, throw away the Constitution and get a dictator. Then ask yourself the question: How can anyone be so stupid as to build a city surrounded by a wall of water?

 

Jonathon,

Of course not. But, it seems to me that at least for the time being, it is a facility that is ready to take them, is nearby, has electricity, food, clean water, showers, beds. It is a temporary solution until they can figure out something better. It is certainly better than where they are right now.

But, again I repeat my question: Which abandoned military base would you suggest in that area. I guess the closest one that I can think of would be Kansas Coty, Missouri where I was born. Any other suggestions?

Joseph Botwinick

 

I agree Joseph, it is a great temporary solution, I am simply baffled at what a long term solution would be, I wouldn't want to be a government official trying to figure it after the fact either.

I was reading on another post I made about the possible airport closures that even if they get the refineries back open and the oil from the reserves to them, the employees' homes were destroyed so they don't have a way of running them till they find a housing solution.

It looks like this is going to be a mess for at least one or two months!

 

Could be longer. I am thinking that once they could get Richards-Gebauer Air Force Base set up in Kansas City, that might be a good option.

Joseph Botwinick

 

Well, I don't know because I don't have a list of closed military bases. But what I did see was a man who did evacuate and drove all the way to the Astrodome with his family because that is where they were told to go - only to be turned away because he was told it was only for the evacuees from the Super Dome. He was really angry, having made the trip. Where are they supposed to go? Everyone is being turned away unless they come directly from the Super Dome, they just reported on CNN. The motels and hotels in Houston are filled up.

Well is the city of Houston trying to help, or was this decision made by FEMA? We're told those children will be going to Texas schools. Won't that put a burden on the Houston tax base?

Don't take my comments too seriously, am just so appalled at what seems to be an extreme lack of planning. Kind of like post war Iraq planning. (Sorry, had to get that in....)

Aren't elected officials supposed to make plans and think of "what if" scenarios?

Meanwhile, the NOLA hospitals STILL haven't been evacuated and have no power.

 

There are probably lots of places where anyone can point the finger of blame after any major natural disaster.

 

I gave a pint of blood for the effort.

 

Everyone has a right to their opinions about what could or should have been done. And venting is healthy. But frankly I do not find it constructive in a time like this. It is the last thing our country needs right now. There will be plenty of time to blame whomever we choose later. People are the number one focus, saving lives and helping the survivors. As Christians and Americans I think we can find a better way to demonstrate the Love of Christ at a time like this. I pray that our hearts can be moved into one accord that exhibits the attitude that we ourselves would value if we were in their shoes. Fervently praying!!!

 

True. But if he was told of the problem and chose to cut the funding for the solution to the problem, that's not Bush bashing. That's incompetence. </font>[/QUOTE]Everything is Bush's fault.


It just has to be his fault also that no refineries have been built in the USA in over twenty years.

Let's not let the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana off the hook if we're going to play the blame game. They, above all others, should have known what the possibilities were.

 

There is nothing wrong with demanding accountability from government officials who are paid by our tax dollars. I would expect, as I'm sure the people expect, who are now homeless, dying, without food and water, medication, and shelter, government officials would have had advance planning for these catastrophes. Just the fact that two major hospitals downtown have YET to be evacuated and are without power is proof that no one is really in charge and there was no plan.

Requiring accountability from elected officials in charge of local, state, and federal governments, who are paid with our tax dollars, is what all Americans need to do and should be doing. That doesn't reflect apathy for suffering people - just the opposite, IMO. Because any one of us could be subjected to the same kind devastation by a natural catastrophe or terrorist attack anywhere in this country. The tax base is the payroll department for our government, and to expect governments to employ prevention as well as intervention to act in our best interests is only fair.

Much of the death and carnage and devastation you see in the flooded areas in NOLA is not due to the hurricane, but to the levees being breeched. After authorities have been warned about the possible scenario for decades and did little to nothing.

If you think for one minute there aren't corporate lawyers already putting together future lawsuits, especially with all the investment property that has been destroyed by the flooding in NOLA, you will probably be hearing about it soon. I have no doubt.

[ September 01, 2005, 11:02 AM: Message edited by: LadyEagle ]

 

That's all Old 33 does. Well, that and trumpeting the glorious, righteous work the ACLU does.

 

Well, this is unbelievable.

Anarchy is becoming common place in downtown New Orleans. Things are spiraling out of control!

There are people there in dry places with infants and babies downtown with NO FOOD and NO WATER for 4 days!!! Why are the Military/Authorities not Dropping Food and water from helicopters for these people? The people have been told to get out and yet have not told them where to go! What's wrong with an old fashioned bull horn?

Sick people on overpasses are being bypassed by National Guard and told to get off the bypasses, but no one tells them where to go.

Camera crews for MSNBC are planning to leave downtown tonight because the situation is out of hand. Thugs are on the loose threatening survivors with guns. There is no presence of law and order anywhere there.

Our military air dropped food and water in Beruit. But not in NOLA!

WHO'S IN CHARGE???

This could happen in ANY major American City, Folks! That's my point! Government has failed us and continues to fail!

We are witnessing a failure of our local, state, and federal government via cable news - if it weren't for them broadcasting, we wouldn't even know what is going on. Some of them have been threatened and are pulling out.

This chaos in NOLA could happen in any major city after a terrorist attack or other major natural disaster, folks. Accountability of our governments IS in order.

 

This thread is disgusting, from the first post.

All I can say is read John 16:33.

 

It is height of human arrogance to think we could have done something to prevent this. The authorities warned numerous times that NOLA had narrowly missed several disasters. But people stayed, relying on a man-made barricade.

If God wants NOLA underwater, which he apparantly does, how are we to stop this ?

Police have tried to establish order, only to be shot at.

People have driven their own buses there, to remove hospital patients, only to have them hijacked by thugs.

Companies have opened their surplus to help, and they get looted.

Good grief, people. It is not our government's job to protecte from natural disasters. It cannot be done.

My prayers go out to Tater Tot, and Granny Gumbo, and the others who I haven't heard from.

And I'm glad that the folks who post here from Alabama, and other states hard hit, have been spared.

 

1) They were told to go to the superdome.
2) Since many did not obey, they have to be rescued one-by-one.
3) Those at the superdome were being rescued by helicopter... until the helicopters came under small-arms fire.

Now lets see. You're one of many pilots trying to help these people and you get shot at. I would say "see ya".

 

FYI, there were many more "Natural disasters" years ago that killed people that have been prevented by wise building practices and sound engineering. A fewe years ago I was in a new building and friend of mine and I were building when a huge earthquake hit(6.5). There was not one crack in that building afterward. But a few miles away were those who were killed in buildings that fell and other had homes that ripped apart. Yet because the home we were building was well engineered it just rocked and rolled without any trouble.

God gives wisdom and He gave people a brain to use. So many times warnings had been ignored and it came to bite those who ignored the warnings. Much like the boy who cried, "Wolf." Seems to me there is a story in scripture that talks about that.

 

I agree! I'm very turned off by the "blame game" that's already started. Let the critics, if they're so smart and able, predict the next natural disaster and plan all that needs to be done before it happens. Let them have all the people, equipment, supplies, etc. needed for an instant response wherever the next problem occurs. May God help all those caught up in this disaster including all those helping work through the very difficult problems now being faced. A lot of great people - in government and outside of it - are working very hard to figure out how to solve the problems. It takes time to moblize resources and to know when and where to send them. I pray for their rapid success and hope to be able to help in some way very soon. A lot was done in advance being with prediction and evacuation. Some listened and heeded warnings while others didn't or couldn't. A lot of preventative measures have been taken over many years in and around New Orleans which, let's not forget, is build in a former swap and surrounded by higher water levels in part because of all the flood protection, navigation enhancements, etc. that have provided for safe commerce and living up and down the river. Life on the coast involves the risk of wind and water just as it brings the benefits of sun and fun and commercial enterprise. If we want to do something constructive to help I'm all for it. If, when it's over, we want to conduct a constructive lessons learned exercise so we can improve our responses in the future, I'm all for that as well. But, right now, is not the time to find fault with what should've, would've, or could've been done.

 

Will we learn from this storm?

Before the modern era, cities and especially harbors were located in areas with protection from storms. When a city was destroyed by a storm, they usually had the good sense to abandon the location or at least it was greatly diminished.

This could have been and might in the future be even worse.

The blame game is opportunistic at best and downright deceptive at worst. The most ridiculous charges are those that Bush and conservatives are responsible for the storm due to their daring to disagree with liberal opinions on the reality of global warming and propositions to deal with it if real. Kyoto was definitely not the solution. The US cannot be expected to bear the burden that Kyoto called for while developing countries like China increase even more than we are expected to decrease. The net effect would be nothing but the destruction of the US economy/standard of living.

I know this won't be popular but...

The federal government should not pay to rebuild NO nor force insurance companies to keep rates low there. Assistance should be given to move residents and businesses to higher ground or further inland.

Building a major, economically critical city below sea level in a hurricane zone is simply not rational... in fact, it is absolutely stupid.

 

I wouldn't go so far as stupid. But I do think it's fair to say that when one builds his house there, understand that there are risks.

I live in earthquake country. We get earthquakes on a daily bases somewhere in the region (I last felt one about a month ago). If/when a quake significant enough to do property damage strikes this area, I'll of course ask for prayers and support. But I won't blame the government, the media, the book of revelation, the president, or certain political parties. I knew the risk when I shelled out 300k for my 2001-buiit meterranian-style crackerbox. That's the price I pay for mild summers and cool winters.

I don't think there's any place that is immune from occaisional weather, geologic, or topographical conitions from time to time. Expect them, and plan for them. It may only affect you one every 50-100 years or so, but it will affect you.