Katrina I of V: The Politics

Politics

We must all be feeling so many different things right now - facing what is likely the largest natural disaster in our history. I know I'm getting pulled into political discussions and reports I'd prefer to ignore in some ways, yet can't in others.

In the end, I'm beginning to think that politically speaking, everyone is to blame and no one is to blame. Everything seems to depend upon where you stand. As time goes by, with credible reports I'm receiving suggesting we've yet to begin to appreciate or be made aware of the full impact of Katrina ... my thoughts get cloudy and easy to avoid.

From the ground I'm hearing likely death tolls of from 15 - 20,000 for Louisiana, alone. Also, the tragedy in Mississippi may be being over-looked. I've had reports of thousands dead there, as well. In one conversation with one ex-Military source, we went from talking of the 5,000 total of deaths from 9/11, Afghanistan and Iraq combined - to talking of the 58,000 we lost in Viet Nam. Nothing being said to me tells me we'll approach the second number - but it is at least possible it will become relevant as a macabre benchmark, of sorts.

There's a quality discussion going on here as regards the whys and wherefores of talking politics just now - please check it out.

Parts II - V: Posers, Money, Reason and Reflection to follow here.

This post is also available at Blogger News Network.

Comments

[frenchymom]

Good link with more interesting info. My husband is Retired USCG, 25 years. Our active duty friends are saying the same thing. They moved ships and helicopters around for safety and then had the helicopters back in play immediately following the storm. Some of them did not get back home to check on their residence and families until yesterday.

Very scary all in all and as you said, no one is to blame and everyone is to blame. Fortunately, we will learn some valuable lessons as hindsight is always 20/20.

GOD bless those LE agents, civilians, military and reservist who are working tirelessly to restore order, rescue people and pets and begin the clean up.

[clintcarter]

"Quality discussion"?
Given it's arrogant tone, I assume you're being tongue-in-cheek?

[!]

Since many have wondered about snowball the little dog we saw snatched from the little boys arms on TV, I thought I would post the latest info I found about him. Now we must find the boy. Hopefully if he is found maybe someone will take him & his dog and family into their home and help them.
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Petfinder.com Forum Index -> Public Forums -> Lost and Found -> SNOWBALL may be found Hunting for boy who owns him
Texasgal
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Total posts: 1
Gender: Unknown Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2005 8:52 pm
Post subject: SNOWBALL may be found Hunting for boy who owns him
-------------------------------
Hi-I am sure lots of people have seen the photos of the small boy being evacuated by bus from the superdome in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina and having his dog SNOWBALL taken from him and after the buses door closed the small dog pawing at the closed door, the boy cried so hard he was sick and still calling for his SNOWBALL. I am leaving this message in the hopes that someone who knows where the little boy who owns him is at. We do not know which shelter the boy is in. But the United Animal Nations and the LA SPCA say that they have found his precious SNOWBALL. The contact points for information are Karen Brown PH: 916-429-2457 or uan.org or bestfriends.com.
Anyone with any information on this boy's whereabouts please contact the above agencies. Let's try and help get SNOWBALL home and reunited with his owner. Thanks for any help.

[!]

If you just have to have someone to blame, then Blame mother Nature. Blame the French for building the city of New Orleans on below sea level land all the way back to 1701.
New Orleans has been there waiting for the big one to come just like California awaits the Big one there !!
To start blasting our goverment at any level is disgusting. Its over and done with. It happened, now is the time to help the victims. Its not the time to blast anyone. Not anyone. AND.....if you do you are worse than whomever it is you want to blast !! So stop it and grown up and move on. HELP ALL THESE PEOPLE ANY WAY YOU CAN NO MATTER HOW SMALL OR HOW LARGE, IT ALL ADDS UP ! SO PUT UP OR SHUT UP.!!
God bless all the people who were the victims of this and God bless all the people who are trying to help. !! All of them.!!

[farmgirl]

i said that I would give Snow Ball a home for as long as he needs one..Guess if I do that I have to admit he needs his owner..

so find the boy, the dog and his family and send them here to me.

We will manage...and snow ball will be safe.

Dan knows how to locate me.

Oh, happy happy day for an old woman.

[*flo*]

Goodness Daniel! I'm will need to start my hehaw about FEMA/State vs Federal Stafford Act, not forgetting the Insurregent Act....well your last topic "Sunday Reading" took me to alot of places then back to RWV to get answers, my mind is too twisted right now, sigh :{ ... well thanks to RWV and its links, allowing me to aquire necessary knowledge to understand the somewhat, why?...having a Federal Judge around would help... I'm sure this topic will be around tomorrow, good night , peace

[just an observer]

While it is commendable to help the welfare poor folk of New Orleans one questions why is the Government placing these displaced on CRUISE SHIPS when there are plenty of base closings that would be the perfect answer for large numbers of evacuees long term.

And will the government really give those people the kind of victims compensation, over 300,000 people the kind of money they gave the 3,000 victims of 911?

Our tax dollars at work? Than ask wait a minute why aren't they doing that for MS poor and needy hurting families??

Why haven't they given FL poor and needy after floods and hurricanes the RED CARPET royal treatment they are giving to the N.O. crowd?

There are more economical ways to get these families help why go overboard and place them in the most expensive of solutions? How CONSERVATIVE is that??

[GrannyToad]

I'm astounded at "base closing" comments by folks who'd apparently never served their country - first heard from Jesse Jackson. Anyone who had served would know.

Bases that will be closed some time in the future that have housing filled with military families and a waiting list to get into housing. Surely nobody would throw military families out into the streets to house refugees. Think.
~~~~~

Did I read somewhere that France has offered to send tents, food and water? Was that supposed to be taken as a serious gesture? What can France be thinking or do I not want to know?

And then there are the global mondaymorn quarterbacks that think MREs & water should have been dropped onto NO. AS IF it were Afghanistan - little rain, FLAT roofs. AS IF people should get off their pitched roofs that shed rain to swim out to get supplies?

[tk]

Two points. First there were two disasters. A natural one called a hurricane and second a flood which was man made.

Second, what went wrong is no one person or organization was incharge. And that is because we are a republic where states are in control. The major of New Orleans asked the feds. for help but he needed, by law, to ask the governor who in turn can turn over control to the feds. who can then take charge. The governor refused and still refuses to take that step.

The major says he is charge of the city but plans to send his police and fire fighters on vacation to Las Vagas and wants the military to save people, clean the city and start the rebuilding. He still doesn't understand the military legally can only support the national guard, which is controlled by the governor.

This is going have to change. If the country wants the feds. to have final responsibility, as it should, then laws have to put in place for that to happen.

As for now things will only get worse. The state of LA is totally corrupt and all the leaders will be looking for a way to make money for this disaster.

Mississippi turned legal control to the feds. and they are very pleased with FEMA.

[Scottie]

Here is your chance to let the government know how you feel:

http://www.complainaboutlife.com/complainogram.aspx?theme=gov.bmp

There you can send a Complaint to anyone you feel has acted poorly in
this whole Katrina disaster. All that's required is you know
the email address. Please use this tool in a responsible manner to get
your point across directly to the people you feel need to hear your
comments.

[GOPDixieChick]

Good piece on the vast LEFT-WING conspiracy against Bush:

http://www.washtimes.com/national/pruden.htm

I have my own take on the blame game...maybe, sometimes, shit just happens. New Orleans got what has been predicted for years, and it was a mess, just like everyone said it would be. A lot of nice, clean places got hit, too, and a lot of people who actually worked for what they ended up losing, lost everything. In the end, I think the people involved acted as was expected (even subconsciously) of them.

[Hubbie Mc Grady]

A man that is from a Parish
south of New Orleans was on the news yesterday, and what he said summed
up things quite well to me. He stated "I'm not sure what the situation
in Iraq is exactly, our troops are there supposedly liberating and
saving the people there. Louisiana needs to be saved, and last I
checked, Iraq wasn't a part of the United States."This may come off as
ignorant to some, but the man's home was destroyed, and his brother
killed, and the way he said it with such passion really moved me, it
struck a nerve.

[deedee]

after going back and looking at the new orleans news papers, various timelines of actions taken, by the locals state and feds, it looks like people were trying to do their jobs (i'll get blasted for that, lol). i have changed my opinions on all three levels of government actions or lack of, after going back and reading what was going on a week ago. whats striking to me was how all three levels were telling people over and over to get the heck out. the old, sick and the young have my heart, the rest do not. the evacution plan for n.o. appears not to have been followed by the local government. the governer appears to have been late calling in help, but perhaps not quite as bad as i once thought. the feds did have their people there (which is just now coming out), but rescue attempts appeared to drag. i'm sure we will hear about it for months to come and congress will have another investigation. it was heart breaking to see people suffer at the dome, but i don't see it as one person or one branch of the governments fault. on top of that, they still have people that won't leave. gut wrenching, but hardly one person's fault. and oh yes, mother nature is a bitch. i think for now, i will just blame her.

[#1: Fire the FEMA director]

*********************************************
FEMA Press release on advance preparations for Hurricane Frances (September 4, 2004)

http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease_print.fema?id=13745
*********************************************

[Jolie_Brun]

While it would be stupid to drop food on pitched roofs, supplies were not even dropped to HOSPITALS for 3 DAYS! Also, many south Louisiana residents went over to New Orleans as early as Tuesday with boats and supplies, but were turned away!! I don't know why this happened but it is simply unacceptable.

My state has been known to be controlled by "Good Ole Boy politics" in the past, but I certianly do not think that is the case now and personally take offense the the comment "The state of LA is totally corrupt and all the leaders will be looking for a way to make money for this disaster".

[GrannyToad]

While it would be stupid to drop food on pitched roofs, supplies were not even dropped to HOSPITALS for 3 DAYS!
Posted by: Jolie_Brun | Sep 6, 2005 6:11:33 PM

Aircraft flew out, were allowed to begin returning in 2? days, first priority being immediate saving of lives. The next, my guess they were trying desperately to get people out, so letting civilians in was counter-productive.

As you say though, I don't half understand many of the strategies that seem to have been fubar.

Any city 1/4 (1/10?) that large that hasn't got an emergency evacuation plan TODAY needs immediate public oversight. I'm absolutely heartened though by the effectiveness of efforts outside the tragic areas of accepting the hurricane's refugees, housing, feeding, clothing, medical care. Americans are awesome!

[clintcarter]

Another great American thing about all this is the assimilation of people into our neighborhoods. An entire generation of Delta and Bayou survivors spread out, many to stay where they are or travel further on. A culture that will be introduced in force to many areas.
The making of America.