Presidential response to Gulf Coast tragedy

I want to know the same thing and I have always mostly supported our President. Why?! It doesn't make sense to me. I just posted in another thread if they weren't mostly poor and black would that have made a difference?

 

Roger, please see my penultimate post on the 'Failure of government' thread in the Politics Forum - you will see that I'm wondering the same thing; how can the richest nation on earth be producing scenes and a response more reminiscent of the Third World???

[ETA - interesting:-

Letter in today's Guardian, from an American woman:

"Why should hundreds die, mostly African-Americans, in a predicted disaster in the richest nation on earth? Did city, state or federal government make any efforts at all to transport these people to safety? They had days in which to do it, but only now are they erecting tent cities.

The poor in the US are, at best, unconsidered, unthought of, mostly invisible. Too often they are despised as lazy parasites: an ugly blemish on America's self-image. Obviously, nobody gave them much thought in this disaster. The whole country should do some rigorous soul searching - not least those evangelical Christians so quick in their condemnation of others. I am, incidentally, American-born and bred.
Anne Williams
London"]

 

As a member of the Armed Forces, I can tell you it does take some time to mobilize relief.

That being said, prior to landfall, President Bush declared Louisina and surrounding areas a disaster area which released money and resources for the area. A move that was applauded by all. Unfortunately, many of the early response teams were trapped because of the devastation and were not able to get to where they needed to be.

The response teams, as most of you know, are now being hindered by gunfire, fire, open hostility, etc. Fox News is now reporting New Orleans policemen are turning in their badges and quitting because what they are now doing is more dangerous than their regular police work and they fear for their lives.

I find it interesting that our military sometimes feel the same way, often in fear for their lives, yet the call of duty is stronger than the fear.

Relief is coming, but it takes time.

 

There are several things many of you are missing.

1. The news that is being reported is selective and worst case scenarios. Just like Iraq, the Good News and the Best News is not being reported.

2. Much of it is being chosen to put on the airwaves because it sheds a bad light on the Bush Administration. ABC's special last night was a prime example. The ABC Reporter did her best to get Sen. Landreau (d) of La. to blame this on the Bush Administration.

3. The situation in Mississippi is vastly different and more positive than the situation in New Orleans and this is directly attributable to the BETTER GOVERNMENT in that STATE and in those AFFECTED CITIES.

4. Having lived in New Orleans I can testify to this fact. New Orleans has always been a violent city. The city government of New Orleans and the Police Department has for as long as I can remember had a reputation for being corrupt. They have long tolerated behavior and crime that other cities would have deemed unacceptable. The Violent element in N.O. only needed a push to explode into anarchy. Katrina provided that push.

5. Regardless of the Evacuation Order there was no way to get everyone out of New Orleans before the storm hit. It was a physical impossibility. There are limited escape routes (essentially three) This has been known for decades.

6. The Blame for the escalating disaster after the Hurricane Hit rests solely on the shoulders of the Mayor and officials of N.O. and the Governor of Louisiana. It was their unpreparedness and their lack of leadership that caused this fiasco. The Federal Government is not there to take over but to assist and you cannot assist something that is broken.

[ September 02, 2005, 07:50 AM: Message edited by: Hardsheller ]

 

New Orleans has been killing itself for years and offending all sense of moral propriety. Consider the following event schedule in the French Quarter for this week.

The Original & ONLY Official Southern Decadence Website
Southern Decadence XXXIV in New Orleans
A Celebration of Gay Life, Music & Culture!
Wed., Aug. 31st - Mon., Sept 5th, 2005

 

1. What good news? It's chaos in NO!

2. Perhaps. Maybe, however, it's justified--and I'm a faithful Republican saying this.

3. I think it's directly attributed to the geography. MS is better because it isn't an isolated bowl full of water.

4. Agreed. I think the lack of restraint shows how depraved humanity is.

5. True.

6. I don't think we can tag the Mayor and Governor with all this. They simply don't have the resources needed.

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I've been a faithful supporter of Bush, but I'm starting to wonder about how the Administration is handling this.

 

Nobody is saying N.O. shouldn't be helped. It is being helped. You could not get into or out of N.O. for the first 48 hours after the Storm.

The magnitude of this situation is causing people to have unrealistic reactions!

But then I guess that's normal for an instant gratification society.

 

1. What good news? It's chaos in NO!

2. Perhaps. Maybe, however, it's justified--and I'm a faithful Republican saying this.

3. I think it's directly attributed to the geography. MS is better because it isn't an isolated bowl full of water.

4. Agreed. I think the lack of restraint shows how depraved humanity is.

5. True.

6. I don't think we can tag the Mayor and Governor with all this. They simply don't have the resources needed.

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I've been a faithful supporter of Bush, but I'm starting to wonder about how the Administration is handling this. </font>[/QUOTE]GOOD NEWS abounds in N.O. Lives are being saved. People are still being rescued. N.O. Citizens are stepping up and helping their neighbors. There is Good. We're just not being told about it because you know the TV CREED - "If It Bleeds, It Leads".

As far as the Mayor and Governor not having the resources necessary - they have the same resources that every city and every state has - All they can politick and get or all they can tax.

What they do with those resources is another matter.

Lay this at Bush's feet if you must but you will be wrong.

 

It is being reported on TV that people are dying of thirst and exposure. Bodies are being placed on streets and people are forming into gangs, arming themselves with firearms stolen from sportsgoods shops, people are being bashed, raped and even murdered, or so TV reports would have you believe.

Australia and Canada have both offered financial and material aid, yet no response from authorities is forthcomming.

What troubles me about this whole thing, is what would happen if a terrorist did happen to detonate a dirty nuclear bomb in a major city? Would people act in the same manner and turn against one another as is being played out here? Would law and order be able to be established after that event. Going on recent events I would say it is unlikely, and I worry that a terrorist sees the same thing and gloats over it.

 

It is my opinion that our federal government is run by incompetent idiots - and that cuts clear across party lines, by the way.

And that incompetence extends down through all levels of government.

It is clear that President Bush is overwhelmed by this disaster. I guess he shot his wad with those great speeches after the 9/11/2001 attacks. It is clear that the governor of Louisiana, even though she did declare a day of prayer, is overwhelmed by this disaster.

The only government official who I think understood the enormity of what was about to happen was Mayor Nagin of New Orleans. Unfortunately, he didn't and still doesn't have the logistical resources to deal with this.

 

We are hearing in Indiana that the relief effort was stalled by the lack of law and order. The Indiana National Guard has been called up in some numbers and is being sent to help. Until law and order is restored, it would be impossible to help.

 

I don't know. The Indiana Guard was mobolized yesterday. Indiana should not have been involved if the city had not been flooded. Teams who specialize in restoring electrical power left right away because they already have a structure to respond. It is very hard to get accurate information about what is happening. There is little communication left standing. Some people who did not obey the order to leave said that they did not have the means. I don't know.

 

Ken,

The mayor may not have the resources he needs to deal with the magnitude of this crisis but he could have organized what he had a lot better than he did.

 

Once again, the federal government fumbles the ball. Bush is once again shown to be a weak leader.