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Did Bush and the Federal Govt Fail New Orleans


monsoon

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Why should the federal govt. keep paying for a city that continues to sink??? Why should the American people pay for stupidity of a city built that far below sea level?Everyone that blames Bush is just saying that due to their political bias! Also everyone talks about how good clinton was! He had a chance to kill Bin Ladden and dropped the ball! Just like I hear everyone screaming racist crap and it makes me sick! They had trouble getting people out of OBX when Isabelle hit us so give me a break. It was entirely to dangerous to send people in there at the time. The mayor and the governor should have bused those people out before the storm hit. Most of those people didn't want to go cause they where scared people where going to steal their stuff after the hurricane! Liberals pick the darnest times to attack. This is a disaster and yet this is always when they pick to use to their agenda!

Let me reinterate this, I'm not liberal or conservative so you can't group me with nobody or have an agenda. And just as somebody said above, there are some people who just can't see that Bush has did any wrong, and I guess you're one of them. The sad part is that you won't look at the entire picture, but instead a small tunnel view of it. I just disgust me that people would just place the blame on local government when the federal government were the one who had control of the flood control program.

If you want to be political I'll say this, I wished that John McCain not George W. Bush would have won the RNC nomination for president back in 2000. I would definitely voted Republican. At least he is for responsible government (anti-pork barreling and pro-military), unlike his irresponsible conterpart.

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Why should the federal govt. keep paying for a city that continues to sink??? Why should the American people pay for stupidity of a city built that far below sea level?Everyone that blames Bush is just saying that due to their political bias! Also everyone talks about how good clinton was! He had a chance to kill Bin Ladden and dropped the ball! Just like I hear everyone screaming racist crap and it makes me sick! They had trouble getting people out of OBX when Isabelle hit us so give me a break. It was entirely to dangerous to send people in there at the time. The mayor and the governor should have bused those people out before the storm hit. Most of those people didn't want to go cause they where scared people where going to steal their stuff after the hurricane! Liberals pick the darnest times to attack. This is a disaster and yet this is always when they pick to use to their agenda!

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so are you saying that we shouldn't try to save our history? oh, well it's going to be tough, let's give up on it. that's just ridiculous thinking. and you can't help but think about race being an issue here. when you turn on the news, what do you see? i bet it's going to be poor blacks stuck in new orleans. i do agree though, the mayor and governor should have bused them out. they, along with bush, should be held somewhat accountable. and please don't talk about liberals picking times of disaster to use their agenda, because i do recall that the republicans did the same (and still are) when 9/11 happened.

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Why should the federal govt. keep paying for a city that continues to sink??? Why should the American people pay for stupidity of a city built that far below sea level?Everyone that blames Bush is just saying that due to their political bias! Also everyone talks about how good clinton was! He had a chance to kill Bin Ladden and dropped the ball! Just like I hear everyone screaming racist crap and it makes me sick! They had trouble getting people out of OBX when Isabelle hit us so give me a break. It was entirely to dangerous to send people in there at the time. The mayor and the governor should have bused those people out before the storm hit. Most of those people didn't want to go cause they where scared people where going to steal their stuff after the hurricane! Liberals pick the darnest times to attack. This is a disaster and yet this is always when they pick to use to their agenda!

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Republican conservatives and Democrat liberals alike are criticizing the Bush administration's reaction to this disaster.

This article refers to a hospital on the westbank area of New Orleans. That area has had dry roads since Monday afternoon. Monday afternoon, the hospital asked FEMA for another generator. On Friday, the hospital said a FEMA man has been there twice to see about the generator problem. They never saw him or a generator again.

They've talked to Washington about help--nothing. Private individuals have been bringing driving supplies to the hospital from as far as 60 miles away.

Why can't FEMA?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9179702/site/newsweek/

About race/class--at the Superdome yesterday, the folks who had been staying at the Hyatt went to the head of the line and got bussed out without waiting. Folks waiting at the Dome had been in line for 2 days.

That story can also be found at msnbc.com

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Personally, I'm saddened, embarrassed, and disgusted with the response of hte federal government.

This is what I hear from the conservatives on this forum: "The governor is responsible for the disaster. She should have gotten the people out." Well, in case you didn't know, Louisiana, a proud red state, doesn't have money. They don't have the resources necessary to get the job done. Hence, it feels like you're driving into rock bed when you enter the state.. the infrastructure is so neglected in the name of low taxes and backwards politics.

So go ahead, blame the governor for not pulling resources out of her @$$ and helping the desparate people.

Some of you blame the people that stayed for not leaving before hand: I won't even get into the details about how some of them couldn't leave. But this is what I hear when people say that: "It's there fault they didn't leave, so they should endure the suffering and if they die, it's still their fault." It's repulsive. You better hope a hurricane doesn't blow through your neighborhood if I ever become president. Luckily I try to be a compassionate person and deal with the reality of things.. I don't simply react and blame the victims.

Some people say the city shouldn't be rebuilt, and that the people that live there are stupid for living below sea-level. These people should be solely responsible for building the city again. It is clear from their commentary that they are the smartest, richest Americans living on the highest hills in the least vulnerable areas of the country. They're surely hte most fit to rebuild the city!

I see nothing but two agendas here: One to blame it all on the President, and the other to attack liberals for being disgusted with the response. It's clear that the conservatives in the room have no respect for life here. Because they are content with the response and choose to praise the ones who aren't doing enough when people are still dying and people are still stuck in the city.

I"ve donated to teh Red Cross (which, by the way, has been blocked from entering the city of New Orleans in many places by the federal government to give out food and water, in fear that people won't evacuate if they have food and water.. so basically, the feds are starving hte people out of hte city... disgraceful, disgusting.. someone needs to come up with a better word to describe the repulsive idiots that are in charge of this relief effort.)

I've also contacted all of my congressmen and women and told them to "get up off their asses" like the mayor and get relief to these people.

My state is also opening up shelters for 5,000 refugees and most of our Universities have opened up emergency enrollment for college students displaced because of the disaster... and we're 1200 miles away!

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The head of FEMA, the organization in charge of emergency management and relief operations, is black.

Perhaps if people stopped shooting at the helicopters, they may get more help in those areas.

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What are the poor aged, hospitalized, and and just plain innocent but suffering people to do then? It is the government's job to provide protection against people like this. Yesterday I saw the image of a 90 year old man laying on a sidewalk, confused, unable to figure out what was happening, and begging for some water to drink. Should we leave him there on the sidewalk because a thug is taking pot shots at a helecopter. Hell no.

It is a very sad day in America when we choose to abandon our fellow citizens, especially those who need our help the most, because our military can't deal with a few bullets being fired at them. Of course this isn't the problem, as our military can deal with anything. The real problem is with the commander of our military who refused to provide any help until it became a political problem for him on television.

Geroge Bush is the head of the US Military and the only person that can command troops in there to help. On the day after the storm he was enjoying himself on vacation at a golf course resort, playing golf and making speaches about Iraq. This while people were drowning in New Orleans. The failure to move adequate protection in there, is his fault and his alone since nobody else can command the military. And as the BBC commentator said about his recent visit to the sticken, "He is very good at this" in referring to spin and damage control of his political career that is taking all of Bush's time now.

People drowning, Bush plays golf. That sums it up.

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The head of FEMA, the organization in charge of emergency management and relief operations, is black.

Perhaps if people stopped shooting at the helicopters, they may get more help in those areas.

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It doesn't make any difference, but he's white:

http://pptkids.org/index-20040910.php

scroll down, pic on the left.

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There is plenty of blame to go around, but the fact is that Bush is President of the United States; he is the one that can marshall all of our resources and the buck stops THERE. The local and state governments should have had school and city buses ready to bus people out of New Orleans and the rest of the coast, but I saw no such effort. Maybe they were available and people just didn't want to leave their homes, but I doubt it. The biggest problem has been, why did it take so long for the National Guard to get to New Orleans? 4 days for the bulk to get there? That is utterly ridiculous and that lies with the federal government. Bush will see the results in the 2006 midterm elections.

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Waay too much misinformation in this thread for a legitimate argument/discussion. I hope the people of these fine areas are resourceful enough to know when their own local governments have failed them and take the appropriate actions. And I don't mean every last official down there failed, but it's easy to figure out who did.

I believe there should be a law or something set up where the federal government can take over a situation like this when it is obviously out of the hands of the local government. But as it stands right now local government has the authority and the responsibility to request federal aid and for the feds to completely take over an operation(martial law, etc.)

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Waay too much misinformation in this thread for a legitimate argument/discussion.  I hope the people of these fine areas are resourceful enough to know when their own local governments have failed them and take the appropriate actions.  And I don't mean every last official down there failed, but it's easy to figure out who did.

I believe there should be a law or something set up where the federal government can take over a situation like this when it is obviously out of the hands of the local government.  But as it stands right now local government has the authority and the responsibility to request federal aid and for the feds to completely take over an operation(martial law, etc.)

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Its amazing to me that so many see our system of government this way...as if the president is some wizard of oz controlling everything that happens in the country.

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What are the poor aged, hospitalized, and and just plain innocent but suffering people to do then?  It is the government's job to provide protection against people like this.  Yesterday I saw the image of a 90 year old man laying on a sidewalk, confused, unable to figure out what was happening, and begging for some water to drink.  Should we leave him there on the sidewalk because a thug is taking pot shots at a helecopter.  Hell no. 

It is a very sad day in America when we choose to abandon our fellow citizens, especially those who need our help the most, because our military can't deal with a few bullets being fired at them.  Of course this isn't the problem, as our military can deal with anything.  The real problem is with the commander of our military who refused to provide any help until it became a political problem for him on television.

Geroge Bush is the head of the US Military and the only person that can command troops in there to help.  On the day after the storm he was enjoying himself on vacation at a golf course resort, playing golf and making speaches about Iraq.  This while people were drowning in New Orleans.  The failure to move adequate protection in there, is his fault and his alone since nobody else can command the military.  And as the BBC commentator said about his recent visit to the sticken, "He is very good at this" in referring to spin and damage control of his political career that is taking all of Bush's time now. 

People drowning, Bush plays golf.  That sums it up.

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Pardon me but I never said we shouldn't rescue them or anyone at all. I'm just pointing out that several copters were shot at.

The failure to move adequate protection in there, is his fault and his alone since nobody else can command the military.
Not exactly true as governors can call in national guard troops themselves. Also, why did LA gov wait 2 days after the disaster before submitting fed help requests...thats standard policy. The president is also not the only one who can issue orders.

Sorry about the race of FEMA head, an article I read was incorrect then. I'll be addressing them with the inaccuracy now

EDIT: They already removed the article.

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Somebody also told me yesterday that the governor of Louisiana was a republican.

UGH.. the ignorance amazes me!

Do a simple search on Google before you spout false information.

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Check this out then:

Kathleen Blanco on Wikipedia

Kathleen Blanco is a member of the Democratic Party. She was formerly Louisiana's lieutenant governor, having served two terms in that office, starting 1996.

It does not say, however, if she was a Democrat-in-name-only (Republican who runs as a Democrat.

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I have no political alligence to either liberal or conservative interests because I'm moderate.  However, for some reason or another, I have a disheartening feeling race & politics are factors for such a huge delay. 

In 2004, less than 36 hours after Hurricane Ivan had past through Florida panhandle and Southern Alabama, there were rescue crews and FEMA all over in each and every community affected.  If you can argue that something is not fishy about the comparsions of these two similar situations but with different responses, then you are either ignorant or deeply in denial and God have mercy on your soul. 

I say let this catastrophe be a warning to those in government who love to play politics, Karma is going to be a beotch for you down the road.  -_-

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Amen

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I posted something along these lines on another forum. There is a lot of brash statements being made out of emotion. Much of it driven by pictures and images we see on TV and stories we hear. So much misinformation, so many assumptions. To both sides of the political spectrum: living caring about people is a lot more effective than talking about it.

It amazes me the number of people who like to talk about what others aren't doing when they have done nothing themselves. A lot of people who are trying to compare the ability to delver help to these areas being compared to 9/11 or Ivan. I recommend taking a drive down there. See what you can't see on TV. You will have a completely different impression.

I'm not saying there isn't a lot wrong with what is going on. It is concerning. But if you know anyone who has even tried to go down there to help or tried to go down there yourselves you would have a much better understanding.

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Republican conservatives and Democrat liberals alike are criticizing the Bush administration's reaction to this disaster.

This article refers to a hospital on the westbank area of New Orleans.  That area has had dry roads since Monday afternoon.  Monday afternoon, the hospital asked FEMA for another generator.  On Friday, the hospital said a FEMA man has been there twice to see about the generator problem.  They never saw him or a generator again.

They've talked to Washington about help--nothing.  Private individuals have been bringing driving supplies to the hospital from as far as 60 miles away. 

Why can't FEMA?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9179702/site/newsweek/

About race/class--at the Superdome yesterday, the folks who had been staying at the Hyatt went to the head of the line and got bussed out without waiting.  Folks waiting at the Dome had been in line for 2 days.

That story can also be found at msnbc.com

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Is this the same superdome that women were getting raped in and guns were being fired on. I guess you got a excuse for this. I'm not sticking up for Bush and that crap you guys are talking about is B.S. about tunnel vision. Is it not the city and the states responsiblilty to take care of its tax paying citizens.? The locals didn't ask for buses and such before the hurricane! I'm not saying there isn't bs going on there but I don't think its race related cause its taking them a while for them to get everywhere that was hit by the hurricane! That includes white people too. I'm so sick and tired of the race crap :sick::sick:

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And, let's face it, New Orleans government (and all government really) is horrendously inept even on a good day.  And, while I love the city, it is not far away from Third World status in the best of times.  The lawlessness we are seeing is a proximate result of weak responses to criminality in the past.  The flooding is the proximate result of inadequate investment in infrastructure by the local officials.  The Feds do bear some responsibility, but only because we have unwisely allowed the federal government to become involved in local affairs.  I really dont see how Bush is at fault.  I doubt he had anything to do with the disaster planning or the federal levee budget.  The bottom line is natural disasters happen.  This could have happened any time in the past 40 years.  But, I somehow doubt that if Clinton was in office, you liberals would be blaming him for the same damage that exists today.  Be honest instead of emotional.

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I realize am a bit late. Sorry.

Third World Status?, I think that is a bit too exagerated.

And also, to the many who were bashing against those who critiziced the gov. By reading the earlier posts of the topic, I found out that they were using the catastrophe to blame the evil liberals and their tree-hugging tendencies. Unfortuantely, politics get involved everywhere. :sick::ph34r:

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Is this the same superdome that women were getting raped in and guns were being fired on. I guess you got a excuse for this. I'm not sticking up for Bush and that crap you guys are talking about is B.S. about tunnel vision. Is it not the city and the states responsiblilty to take care of its tax paying citizens.? The locals didn't ask for buses and such before the hurricane! I'm not saying there isn't bs going on there but I don't think its race related cause its taking them a while for them to get everywhere that was hit by the hurricane! That includes white people too. I'm so sick and tired of the race crap :sick:  :sick:

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Well, it's really difficult to have a rational discussion with someone who trots out some straw man argument about how I must be making excuses for those in the Superdome who were raping people.

It's actually impossible.

It's the federal government's responsibility to take care of its taxpaying citizens as well, particularly when FEMA and the federal government have assumed a long standing responsibility for disaster relief which is beyond the ability of state and local governments to cope with.

That's why Gov. Blanco asked the federal govt. to declare Louisiana a federal disaster area two days before the storm hit.

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There is plenty of blame to go around, but the fact is that Bush is President of the United States; he is the one that can marshall all of our resources and the buck stops THERE. The local and state governments should have had school and city buses ready to bus people out of New Orleans and the rest of the coast, but I saw no such effort. Maybe they were available and people just didn't want to leave their homes, but I doubt it. The biggest problem has been, why did it take so long for the National Guard to get to New Orleans? 4 days for the bulk to get there? That is utterly ridiculous and that lies with the federal government. Bush will see the results in the 2006 midterm elections.

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All day Sunday, New Orleans city buses were picking up anyone who wanted to go to the Dome. That option was available and widely known. People there foolishly decided to ride it out. I never left for a hurricane in the 25 yr. I lived there.

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The flooding is the proximate result of inadequate investment in infrastructure by the local officials.  The Feds do bear some responsibility, but only because we have unwisely allowed the federal government to become involved in local affairs.

The Harbors and Rivers Act of 1899 made the Federal government, specifically the corps of engineers, the primary authority for levees, etc.

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There has been a great VACUUM of leadership throughout this entire ordeal. When 9-11 happened, all you saw were Guiliani and Patacki, coordinating every last detail, even though it was a Federal issue. I still don't know the names of the Louisiana Governor or the New Orleans Mayor (they should be household names by now), and I consume the news. And Bush, even though I have been a supporter, is talking about rebuilding New Orleans, while people are still stuck in their attics and on their rooftops. Kind of like talking about rebuilding the White Star Line WHILE the Titanic is still taking on water. <_<

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...The locals didn't ask for buses and such before the hurricane! I'm not saying there isn't bs going on there but I don't think its race related cause its taking them a while for them to get everywhere that was hit by the hurricane! That includes white people too. I'm so sick and tired of the race crap :sick:  :sick:

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I find the "it takes a while to get there" argument hard to believe when every major media outlet in the country had people and equipment all over the city hours after the storm hit. Do you mean to tell me that newsvans can get there in four hours, yet it takes the vast assets of the federal government four days to accomplish the same thing?

I don't think this is a race issue as much as it is a socioeconomic one. Sure, there are a few white people there, but virtually all the refugees, white and black, are poor. If this had happened to an affluent community, do you really think that Bush and Cheney would be on vacation and Condi would be shoe-shopping a day after the storm? Do you think it would have taken four days for the government to get food and water to the victims? I don't think so.

Thank you, Sleepy, for vindicating my earlier statement. Once again, the "liberal agenda" proves to be nothing more than a "reality-based" look at the situation.

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