BUSH FIDDLES WHILE NEW ORLEANS SINKS
We can send troops around the world to remove a non-threat and "change regimes," but where is our mighty federal government when help is needed at home?
Facing the greatest natural disaster in U.S. history--the flooding of New orleans--President Bush plans to visit the area on Friday.
Friday!
Why the fuck isn't the president there now, directing all our military resources to evacuate people as floodwaters rise. The tens of thousands trapped in NO have no food, no water, no electricity, and no way out--plus there are snakes and alligators circling through the city....
But Bush is on his ranch, and is scheduling a visit FRIDAY? By then thousands could be dead.
The response of authorities to Katrina has been woefully inadequate. Yes, hindsight is 20-20 but lots of thing should have been anticipated.
First of all, the mayor of NO did not issue an evacuation order until late morning Sun--when forecasters on Fri. were predicting Katrina might hit NO. He should have ordered an evacuation Sat. while there was still time to get out for more people.
The city and FEMA had no good plan on where to shelter people. It's a damn good thing the hurricane veered off at the last minute; if it had hit the city directly, the Superdome might have been destroyed, killing thousands inside it.
Airlines cancelled flights out of town Sun. morning. The federal government should have (a) forced the airlines to keep flying and (b) brought in military transports to help get people out.
But of course our troops and National Guard are already stretched thin trying to stay alive in Iraq and impose our will on that country.
FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers and Homeland Security: too little, too late. Late Tues. night I heard the Corps was planning to sink grain barges to block the breached levees. But don't you think someone at some point should have done a disaster exercise that included how to respond to levee breaks? I mean, the levees are the only thing keeping NO from flooding every day, storm or no storm. And there is NO plan to repair them?
(ANY hurricane coming from the south would push the storm surge of sea water into Lake Pontchartrain from east winds and then, if it passed to the east, would then push the lake south toward the city.)
The military can do amazing things in war--where the fuck is the response to a disaster at home? Why weren't planes and ships deployed immediately? The situation in New Orleans is desperate now--floodwaters are rising and tens of thousands of people need to be rescued.
And where is Bush--still clearing brush on his ranch?
MEDIA LOOTING
Meanwhile the cable news channels keep focusing on people looting...I mean, there is no food and water and tens of thousands of folks are stranded..wouldn't you expect some to help themselves?
People are drowning in their attacks, and entire city is being destroyed, and we're concerned about looters??
We can send troops around the world to remove a non-threat and "change regimes," but where is our mighty federal government when help is needed at home?
Facing the greatest natural disaster in U.S. history--the flooding of New orleans--President Bush plans to visit the area on Friday.
Friday!
Why the fuck isn't the president there now, directing all our military resources to evacuate people as floodwaters rise. The tens of thousands trapped in NO have no food, no water, no electricity, and no way out--plus there are snakes and alligators circling through the city....
But Bush is on his ranch, and is scheduling a visit FRIDAY? By then thousands could be dead.
The response of authorities to Katrina has been woefully inadequate. Yes, hindsight is 20-20 but lots of thing should have been anticipated.
First of all, the mayor of NO did not issue an evacuation order until late morning Sun--when forecasters on Fri. were predicting Katrina might hit NO. He should have ordered an evacuation Sat. while there was still time to get out for more people.
The city and FEMA had no good plan on where to shelter people. It's a damn good thing the hurricane veered off at the last minute; if it had hit the city directly, the Superdome might have been destroyed, killing thousands inside it.
Airlines cancelled flights out of town Sun. morning. The federal government should have (a) forced the airlines to keep flying and (b) brought in military transports to help get people out.
But of course our troops and National Guard are already stretched thin trying to stay alive in Iraq and impose our will on that country.
FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers and Homeland Security: too little, too late. Late Tues. night I heard the Corps was planning to sink grain barges to block the breached levees. But don't you think someone at some point should have done a disaster exercise that included how to respond to levee breaks? I mean, the levees are the only thing keeping NO from flooding every day, storm or no storm. And there is NO plan to repair them?
(ANY hurricane coming from the south would push the storm surge of sea water into Lake Pontchartrain from east winds and then, if it passed to the east, would then push the lake south toward the city.)
The military can do amazing things in war--where the fuck is the response to a disaster at home? Why weren't planes and ships deployed immediately? The situation in New Orleans is desperate now--floodwaters are rising and tens of thousands of people need to be rescued.
And where is Bush--still clearing brush on his ranch?
MEDIA LOOTING
Meanwhile the cable news channels keep focusing on people looting...I mean, there is no food and water and tens of thousands of folks are stranded..wouldn't you expect some to help themselves?
People are drowning in their attacks, and entire city is being destroyed, and we're concerned about looters??
clio:
'Pretty Ballerina' is my favorite song. x