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Friday, September 02, 2005
Disgraceful: No Words
There really are no words adequate to describe it: aerial shots from WWL-TV, New Orleans. Satellite and aerial shots from Yahoo.
But Mayor Nagin does have words -- for Bush and FEMA. Mayor to feds: 'Get off your asses'
My words: Have you seen or heard a more pathetic spinner, liar and apologist than national FEMA head Michael Brown during this coverage? Have you seen him look even mildly anguished or dismayed over what is taking place on his watch? Those scenes of misery at the convention center yesterday: disgraceful. Those pathetic calls from hospitals where patients were dying of dehydration? Disgraceful. Not one helicopter or plane or truck or boat could bring these people a pallet of food or water almost 4 days after the hurricane? Disgraceful.
Sorry, I can't believe that the response would be this poor if this were unfolding in some area of the nation mostly populated by the wealthy. And the white.
The words of Terry Ebbert, Director of Homeland Security for the City of New Orleans:
“This is a national disgrace. FEMA has been here three days, yet there is no command and control. We can send massive amounts of aid to tsunami victims, but we can’t bail out the city of New Orleans.”
The Bayou Buzz has lots of words about the dismal performance of the feds that helped create this mess, and that continues to abet a worst case scenario. Excerpts:
Even before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, the actions of the federal government toward the State of Louisiana and the City of New Orleans were nothing less than disgraceful. For years, local and state leaders in Louisiana pleaded for more federal assistance for coastal restoration in Louisiana and upgraded levee protection and flood control in New Orleans. The response for the city that has produced some of the finest literary, musical and artistic talent in the world was indifference. Politicians enjoyed going to conventions in New Orleans, partying in the city for Mardi Gras, but refused to allocate mere pennies that may have saved thousands of lives, thousands of homes, thousands of businesses and careers. It is a national disgrace.
. . . Last year, the Army Corps of Engineers asked for a meager $105 million for New Orleans flood control and hurricane protection projects, but was given only $42 million, after the White House and Congress drastically cut the request. If the Army Corps of Engineers had been given proper resources for the past decade, we would not be witnessing the destruction of the country’s most unique, historic and beautiful city.
. . . We are spending billions on Iraq protecting their citizens and oil fields, but did not want to spend a mere $105 million to protect a national treasure and a region that is vital for our own energy production.
Again, no words:
September 2, 2005 at 11:20 AM in Current Affairs | Permalink
Comments
There are not words to describe this. It weaves all the issues of our fight togther. The f'in politicos dont give a shit. How did we get to this place, maybe because they have theirs...they have their dinners they have their health insurance, they have their homes. All of our tax dollars are going over to Iraq for this liar war, which all our dem leaders are all in support of.
Like the head of FEMA said, the good ones are sitting quiet dying of thirst and hunger, the bad ones are acting up, acting up because they are thirsty and their babies are thirsty. Yeah that is right -- I am gonna act up if i am in that situation. Which is one paycheck away -- get it, one f'in paycheck. And now after working within the dem party for many months i see they really dont give a shit either...all lip service. Giving money to their cronies.
As tracy chapman sings - "poor people gonna rise up and take what's theirs." I am tired of the injustice. Many of us have nothing to lose -- get it. Where are our leaders? ANYONE? This is showing clearly we have no leaders on either side anywhere in this country. How pitiful. How f'in pitiful.
Posted by: mary ellen | Sep 2, 2005 2:00:24 PM
There are a few good Dems. Unfortunately most of the fat cat Dems are against them openly or behind the scenes because they aren't corrupt enough for the fat cats' taste (and those who give them money).
Even though even many Republicans like Gingrich are bagging Bush's response to the hurricane, Dems like Bingaman are silent or worse. I see in the paper this morning Jeff wrote a letter going on about how this isn't the time to point fingers. He doesn't seem to get that the "relief" efforts have FINALLY picked up only because of loud and direct criticism. The criticism isn't finger pointing-it is a DEMAND for action. Big difference. But we wouldn't want to rock the boat!
Posted by: Pissed Off Voter | Sep 3, 2005 11:30:19 AM
Good rant. Did you hear how they put the guests from the Hyatt Hotel to the front of the line to get on buses and helped them with their luggage? The stopped the evacuation to the buses of all the poor people for more than an hour so the wealthy white people could get on special school buses for them. How American.
Posted by: Lydia | Sep 3, 2005 11:34:06 AM
Get off Jeff Bingaman, put on your thinking cap, get educated and focus your mind on who really is responsible and accountable for this tragedy. BIngaman was the first Senator to call for the President on Monday, no less, to take several key steps to stabilize the energy system. If that's not being on top of the crisis, I don't know what is.
The Senate also passed an emergency aid package on Thursday night.
Congressional dems are doing what they can, but they don't serve as commander-in-chief, don't direct FEMA in emergency times, and don't run the Corps of Engineers. Dems are kicking and screaming all over the place (did you watch the Black Caucus press conference??). I think the PResident right now is doing a fine job of making the case for how he screwed up this thing all on his own.
This is the President's and, if anything, the Republicans in Congress' doing. They were the ones who voted for the tax cuts and the budget cuts that drained FEMA and other agencies. They are the ones who should answer questions when all is said and done. Dems are not the problem. Steve Pearce, Heather Wilson and Pete Domenici's blind support for this President is the problem.
Posted by: Tim | Sep 3, 2005 12:11:37 PM
Why didn't the Governor of Louisianna, or the Mayor of New Orleans do their job in the first place and evacuate these people? The President was on the TV Sunday before the storm urging people to get out. The Louisianna State and local governments failed to protect their own people, and they are trying to shift the blame on the President. What is really sad is the attitude that the Federal government is supposed to fix everything for everybody, every time. What happened to the States? Thank God for Texas, at least they are willing to pitch in instead of complain about how poorly everyone is doing.
It is also disgraceful that they are probably going to let them rebuild in a flood prone area, and the next time it floods, they will expect the Federal government to pay for it. I personally am getting tired of financing persons who rebuild in flood, hurricane, or mudslide prone areas.
Another thing, Jesse Jackson??? Carcinogens in the air??? What is this guys malfunction. He doesn't even know what he is saying, he just stirs the hype to keep Black people angry so we can't all settle our differences and act like human beings.
Posted by: Eric in New Mexico | Sep 3, 2005 5:52:25 PM
I see Eric is one of the Republican apologists who doesn't even understand the responsibility or accountability of FEMA or the federal government in cases like this so there's nothing anyone can really say to someone like that. Except maybe to move on to the Rush Limbaugh style blogs.
As to Tim, of course Republicans bear the brunt of the blame. They have been cutting everything for years and giving the booty to the wealthy and/or to their corporate friends via sweetheart "privatization" contracts. However, as you will hear all over America, people are tired of Dems staying silent and refusing to be a real opposition party. In a matter of life and death for people, Bingaman's comment that now is not the time to "point fingers" is beyond irresponsible. It's about saving lives, and to do so, you must speak truth to power.
And yes, the Black Caucus did so. As usual, they make up one of the few blocs within the Dem party who are willing to speak up and make demands on behalf of justice. Besides the Black Caucus, what Dems were speaking up on the unnecessary parts of this tragedy? Can you name me a few, Tim?
Posted by: El Norte | Sep 3, 2005 11:24:52 PM
Someone sent me this link. To me, it is what every Dem should be out there explaining, daily, loudly, passionately, from this point on:
https://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/9/2/20401/46134
Posted by: Annie | Sep 3, 2005 11:52:11 PM
El Norte, I'm glad to name a few. I think you saw Sen. landrieu's comments postend above. She should, and is, rightfully leading the democrats in the Senate on this issue. Did you watch the floor debate in the House on Friday over the Emergency Hurricane Funding Bil and watch Rep. Obey's remarks (D-WI), or watch the remarks of other democratic house members? Probably not. Just because it wasn't covered by the news media doesn't mean it didn't happen.
Politicians can't win with you guys. At one point you want them out of the media and don't want them to be political, then at the next you want them trying to score political points off a tragedy like this. This is why people like you aren't participating in winning campaigns.
Posted by: TIm | Sep 4, 2005 8:59:06 AM
Hey Tim: Who said anything about wanting politicians out of the media? Could you point that out to me? It's not a matter of "being political" or not. It's a matter of speaking the truth with passion and some fire in the belly. When thousands of people's lives are in a danger, a letter to Bush just doesn't cut it as a rallying cry and a demand for action that still is inexcusably slow.
I notice Rep. Udall was very out front and critical. Sen. Bingaman, as usual, was unseen and unheard, except to claim "pointing fingers" wasn't in order. Yeah, politeness and protocol is what's important in the face of extreme neglect resulting in people unnecessary deaths.
You point out Landrieu and Obey. Of course Landrieu would be out there. She's being blatantly and rudely lied to. She EXPERIENCING the realities of the situation. And Obey is one of the few Dems who DOES speak out, regularly. What I want to see are some so-called "moderate" or "centrist" or "DLC Dems in Name Only" speak out -- the ones constantly hiding out so as not to offend their big donors.
As to "people like me" not participating in winning campaigns, do you mean the dismal campaign of the annointed "electable" presidential candidate Kerry? Or the annointed candidate for Congress, Richard Romero? Sorry, we didn't have any say in those campaigns, run by the same old faces in the same old losing way by DC Beltway insiders who wouldn't know their way around the real world if it hit them in the face.
Posted by: El Norte | Sep 4, 2005 12:04:40 PM
Amen.
Posted by: Pissed Off Voter | Sep 4, 2005 1:13:52 PM
