Now more than ever...

[remaxrealtor]

Here ya go Vrai:

http://stophillarypac.com/index.shtml

 

[BuddyLee]

This is one of the reasons I dislike Bush - he's a roll-over liberal in disguise. But instead of championing the RIGHT liberal causes, like gay marriage and letting heinous women kill their Future Felons of America, he takes up the causes of "we must do something", like some hormonal soccer mom while he lets every illegal immigrant in the world come waltzing into our country like they own it.

But he's a 'compassionate' conservative.

 

[2ndAmendment]

But he's a 'compassionate' conservative.

Ah. One of your jokes.

 

[Steve]

Katrina is simply another case of "damned if you do, damned if you don't" for all levels of government. We have all these tools at our disposal to detect and disseminate warnings of impending doom, and yet when people choose to stick around, the "government" failed to protect the people. (Remember when folks asked why the government didn't do anything to prevent 9/11?) As a nation, we have given up all sense of self-reliance. That much is evidenced by all that happened in the last week. There is only one group at fault in all this, in my opinion, and that's the N.O board responsible for maintaining those levies, because they knew that the levies were inadequate and the board had the money to increase their strength and didn't.

 

[2ndAmendment]

Katrina is simply another case of "damned if you do, damned if you don't" for all levels of government. We have all these tools at our disposal to detect and disseminate warnings of impending doom, and yet when people choose to stick around, the "government" failed to protect the people. (Remember when folks asked why the government didn't do anything to prevent 9/11?) As a nation, we have given up all sense of self-reliance. That much is evidenced by all that happened in the last week. There is only one group at fault in all this, in my opinion, and that's the N.O board responsible for maintaining those levies, because they knew that the levies were inadequate and the board had the money to increase their strength and didn't.

I think there is one more group to lay some fault on, the folks that stayed despite the evacuation order. If they could walk out after the storm, they could have walked out before the storm.

 

[Steve]

I think there is one more group to lay some fault on, the folks that stayed despite the evacuation order. If they could walk out after the storm, they could have walked out before the storm.

The blame there is obvious. If you refuse to take care of yourself when you have been warned repeatedly and continually until the power went out, then you have no one but yourself to blame. The sick and infirm had no choice but to stay, but even they should have made some preparations to stick it out. Except for the very few, everyone knows someone who could have helped them prepare in the days before the storm. These families that you see - sometimes with 6 and 7 kids in tow - knew that shelter awaited them on higher ground. They had ample time to make it there and decided to stay.

 

[2ndAmendment]

The blame there is obvious. If you refuse to take care of yourself when you have been warned repeatedly and continually until the power went out, then you have no one but yourself to blame. The sick and infirm had no choice but to stay, but even they should have made some preparations to stick it out. Except for the very few, everyone knows someone who could have helped them prepare in the days before the storm. These families that you see - sometimes with 6 and 7 kids in tow - knew that shelter awaited them on higher ground. They had ample time to make it there and decided to stay.

There were people willing to help take others to shelter too. Even give people shelter.

Our church is sending a substantial contribution to a large church in Mississippi that took in and is housing/supporting 600 families. I don't know what that equates to in people but probably better than 1800.

 

[FromTexas]

There were people willing to help take others to shelter too. Even give people shelter.

Our church is sending a substantial contribution to a large church in Mississippi that took in and is housing/supporting 600 families. I don't know what that equates to in people but probably better than 1800.

And Red Cross internally mandates that shelter be provided to any disaster victim that comes to them, even if that chapters coffers are running dry. They give help first, and then ask questions later. The only qualifier is that you suffered disaster (whether it is your house burning down or a hurricane that ripped your city a new one). They will always have a way to get you somewhere.

 

[FromTexas]

Tell it like it is, brother!

The drumbeat of partisan ingratitude continues even after the president flooded the city with National Guardsmen from a dozen states, paratroopers from Fort Bragg and Marines from the Atlantic and the Pacific. The flutter and chatter of the helicopters above the ghostly abandoned city, some of them from as far away as Singapore and averaging 240 missions a day, is eerily reminiscent of the last days of Saigon. Nevertheless, Sen. Mary Landrieu, who seems to think she's cute when she's mad, even threatened on national television to punch out the president -- a felony, by the way, even as a threat. Mayor Nagin, who you might think would be looking for a place to hide, and Gov. Blanco, nursing a bigtime snit, can't find the right word of thanks to a nation pouring out its heart and emptying its pockets. Maybe the senator should consider punching out the governor, only a misdemeanor.
The race hustlers waited for three days to inflame a tense situation, but then set to work with their usual dedication. The Revs. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, our self-appointed twin ambassadors of ill will, made the scene as soon as they could, taking up the coded cry that Katrina was the work of white folks, that a shortage of white looters and snipers made looting and sniping look like black crime, that calling the refugees "refugees" was an act of linguistic racism. A "civil rights activist" on Arianna Huffington's celebrity blog even floated the rumor that the starving folks abandoned in New Orleans had been forced to eat their dead -- after only four days. New Orleans has a reputation for its unusual cuisine, but this tale was so tall that nobody paid it much attention. Neither did anyone tell the tale-bearer to put a dirty sock in it.

See, the moment Bush had to go and think he was stopping them cold by saying it himself, he opened it up. As I said before, it was blood in the water. You got Hollywood leftists pouring out of the woodwork to condemn Bush and his actions, along with higher Democrats. Even thought it is just a little over a week since the hurricane, and abotu everything that could be done, has and is being done, it is a cosmic failure... and all because of Bush?

That is the part I love even more. The President, who should not be in the habit of stopping in and running federal agencies first hand, is to blame. The President, who is about 10 layers of bureacracy from even the top levels of FEMA, is the one who runs a government that should be condemned for getting out over 30,000 people(but, they didn't get out all those pesky people who are refusing, shame on them), repairing the broken levee, and placing thousands of National Guard with helicopters, ships, hospital units, and other large amounts of useful equipment along with food, medical supplies, and water... in a week. One week! Along with the countless rescues by helicopter, the teaming with Entergy and others to get the pipelines and refinieries moving again, and the list goes on... in a week!

But, in a perfect world, roads and levees get built and repaired in a day, food/water just automatically arrive, and the federal government can be there in a state on moments notice because they don't have to wait for the state to ask.

 

[FromTexas]

Oh and to those brilliant people who throw out the tsunami as an example. It was two weeks before any basic infrastructure was in place for getting basic supplies to a few regions and providing direct assistance. Two weeks! That was just the start of getting the infrastructure in place, too, that does not mean the population was getting food, water, or medical help. Do you know who got there on the scene to put that infrastructure in place while the aid organizations were sitting on the beach wondering how they were going to do it? The Navy!

Now, our version of the tsunami and one week later... the people are rescued who want to be, 30,000+ people have been moved (including the air transport of hundreds of patients from hospitals), the people are being fed, order has been restored, and all because of that catastrophicaly minimal amount of help provided by the federal government. Someone on the right needs to put their balls back on and shame these complainers. Where is the old Newt when you need him?

 

[soul4sale]

In its brief tenure, The Department of Homeland Security has doubtless been spending most, if not all, of its energies on airport and port security vis-a-vis terrorists, and it wouldn't surprise me if readiness for weather disasters has been rather far down their list of priorities because of public pressures regarding terrorism.

I'd argue that it's been a more comprehensive approach. Since 9/11, the Office of Domestic Preparedness has been dumping hundreds of millions into grants (not even matching grants) for fire and rescue personnel - trucks, radios, SCUBA gear, heat vision cameras, you name it. There is a ton of money put up each year, and states like Maryland are walking away with a large part of it, because we have grant writers and on-the-ball volunteers that put together proposals.

Many Southern states could just about get the money by scrawling something on the back of used sheet of notebook paper and sending it second-class mail, but, for some reason (I'm not going to be the one to suggest possibilities.), they aren't claiming the money.

If anything, I'd say Homeland Security is backing off airport security (already talking about giving it back to the airports) and totally dropping the ball on immigration.

 

[czygvtwkr]

I saw a news snippet where a reporter gave a woman a MRE cause she said she was starving, she took a taste of it said she dont eat dog #### and threw it down on the ground, the reporter's jaw dropped and he didnt quite know what to do. She didn't want help she wanted attention.

 

[ylexot]

I saw a news snippet where a reporter gave a woman a MRE cause she said she was starving, she took a taste of it said she dont eat dog #### and threw it down on the ground, the reporter's jaw dropped and he didnt quite know what to do. She didn't want help she wanted attention.

I wish it had been a military person that gave the MRE to her. It would have been great to see the reaction.

 

[kom526]

M.R.E.=Meals Ready to Eat
Three lies for the price of one. thanks to Tom Clancy for that one

All of this outcry against the Gov't is just a manifestation of the entitlement mentality that is eroding the very principles on which this country was built.

 

[Larry Gude]

Yes...

All of this outcry against the Gov't is just a manifestation of the entitlement mentality that is eroding the very principles on which this country was built.

YES, YES!

Chris Core is a long time local radio voice and he is no partisan either or any way. On his show last night he asked his listeners;

Do you think the government should be able to force you out of your home in an emergency?

A well spoken younger guy comes on and says, flat out, yes. That he would have left (which was not the question) that anyone in their right mind would have left (which was not the question) that he would have made plans as to where he would go and what he would do in an emergency (which was not the question) that if you stayed you shouldn't be counting on being rescued right away (which was not the question).

So, Chris asked him again;

If you chose not to leave, should the government be able to force you out of your home?

Yes.

Now, there is NO room for opinion here; in a free country, in the US of A, YOUR home is YOUR castle. Unless you have commited a serious crime no one, not the government, not anyone may enter your home without your permisssion and certainly may not remove you without your permission.

This is simple. This is fundamental. This is as basic as it gets. If you may not choose to stay in your home, emergency or not, because the GOVERNMENT says you must leave, you, we, are NO LONGER FREE. We then live at the pleasure of the government.

How in the hell is there a right to privacy (abortion) a right to die, a right to free speech, a right against unreasonable search and seizure, how is there ANY inalienable rights if you can't even choose to just stay in your home?

 

[Lenny]

Quick Send the United States National Guard units. You have been warned!

...and you have about 14 hours to place all your heavy equipment directly in the path of this storm.

 

[Ken King]

Now, there is NO room for opinion here; in a free country, in the US of A, YOUR home is YOUR castle. Unless you have commited a serious crime no one, not the government, not anyone may enter your home without your permisssion and certainly may not remove you without your permission.

This is simple. This is fundamental. This is as basic as it gets. If you may not choose to stay in your home, emergency or not, because the GOVERNMENT says you must leave, you, we, are NO LONGER FREE. We then live at the pleasure of the government.

I have two words for you Larry and they were recently upheld by the SCOTUS - "imminent domain".

But that is off topic, doesn't mandatory evacuation mean that if you choose to stay don't expect help anytime soon if you need it as those services won't be there.

 

[vraiblonde]

But that is off topic, doesn't mandatory evacuation mean that if you choose to stay don't expect help anytime soon if you need it as those services won't be there.

Apparently not:

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050907/D8CFD6IO0.html

To the estimated 10,000 residents still believed to be holed up in this ruined city, the mayor had a blunt new warning: Get out now - or risk being taken out by force.

As floodwaters began to slowly recede with the first of the city's pumps returning to operation, Mayor C. Ray Nagin authorized law enforcement officers and the U.S. military to force the evacuation of all residents who refuse to heed orders to leave.

 

[bresamil]

Apparently not:

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050907/D8CFD6IO0.html

I had recently read about several people in the antebellum mansion area - that wasn't flooded - staying behind to protect their property. They had stored up enough food for weeks and had a generator and their own gas. I can't see making them leave. They were prepared and don't expect any help. They are just protecting their property and that of the neighbors.

 

[kom526]

Apparently not:

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050907/D8CFD6IO0.html

Hold the phone there vrai. There seems to be apower struggle looming on the "forced evacuation" front. The mayor says to pull the people out regardless of their wishes, but the Gov. says NO! I will not allow that! I guess someone will find a way to blame Bush for the deaths and illnesses resulting from this little spat.