Eponymic Posted September 3, 2005 Share Posted September 3, 2005 A co-worker of mine brought up a very poignant observation today. He noticed how we have to have these bloody disaster relief fund raisers, where the money goes to helping for what the government should be providing for. They're using taxpayers money to fund the war in Iraq. We don't need any bloody bake sales & concerts for Iraq. And yet they can set up a temporary city over there in a day & a half. Here, they can't even figure out a game plan until 3 days after a disaster happens. ANd we have to come up with the funds for it. Talk about a lack of priorities. How does Bush look now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japedo Posted September 3, 2005 Share Posted September 3, 2005 Talk about a lack of priorities. How does Bush look now? Like he's always looked, Incompetent. Vacations, Fund raising and War support is all that freakin matter! As pissed as I am, It's not just Bush all be it his new Merging Agencies together for better more efficient response has just been proven to be a dismal failure! Billions of Dollars spent for what???? Fema is under the direction of the New Homeland, more government bureaucracy and the people suffer and government officals pat themselves on the back. Bush does his PR Tour yesterday for the sheep instead of kicking serious ass for the horrific lack of response going on! There is less organization now in a post 911 America, Where security and disaster relief are suppose to be one of our primary focus. Had a terrorist Blown the levy's or a dam, what then? The people wouldn't have gotten any warning and the keystone Kops sit on their collective asses and have the deer in the head light look. Seriously, what's that say for the billions they are charging Tax payers? We have incompetent people on all levels, they are politicians and are no use to citizens when reality hits! They have Zero job skills and Zero leadership skills. Leaders on every level need to be held accountable and criminally charged for this atrocity IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted September 3, 2005 Share Posted September 3, 2005 How does Bush look now? It's not only him who looks stupid, but a lot of the govt. in general. Disasters like this certainly expose the serious flaws in American govt. I hope they learn from it, but I'm pessimistic about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted September 3, 2005 Share Posted September 3, 2005 Leaders on every level need to be held accountable and criminally charged for this atrocity IMO. I am not sure this would ever happen, but at a minum the people in charge should be immediately dismissed from their positions after this poor demonstration of their leadership and crisis management skills. Terrorists usually kick people when they are down right? Well what if a month from now they set off a dirty bomb in a city in one of the states where the hurricane hit? Does anyone really want this same team of people managing another crisis? Not me.... in fact the Red Cross has done a better job managing and coordinating the distribution of food and supplies and they aren't even part of homeland security. That's scary... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japedo Posted September 3, 2005 Share Posted September 3, 2005 I actually fear that the powers that be are enjoying this disaster. It gets people back into the state of high-anxiety that makes them compliant and willing to go along with anything as long as the gov't promises "safety". Sometimes I wonder if there was an ulterior motive behind the slow response. People are already sweating it right now, "what if this had been a terrorist attack" and the gov't can say, "see, see we need more money for Homeland security and we need more patriot acts." My $0.02; That's exactly why I don't think it wont get support. When the DHS was created, governments on all levels, more the half the country and the press were understanding and supporting it due to 911. Politics is dangerous waters in a time of disasters. What we as a country and the world have been witnessing with this disaster is completely unacceptable from people who have been pressing lame ass color charts and what not and collecting a billion+ of our money. Before the storm even came emergencies were declared and things were suppose to be in place. The homeland directors got on TV and made several statements about the Emergencies in place... well WTF? When Harry Connick JR and various members of the press can reach the victims and it's been day's since any aid of any kind has been sent to the official designated Shelters, you know the people aren't going to buy the sorry lame ass excuse bullshit. People being raped, shot at, stranded, surrounded by 100's of dead bodies and dying people, In the Government Assigned Designated areas, ZERO police, Zero Supplies, anarchy and the host of other atrocities. Then to pile on the Bullshit you have Laura Bush go somewhere on the outskirts and publicly say, "It's not nearly as bad as it looks on TV" when she's not even in the FKN Vicinity of the stuff being shot you know they are in deep shit!.. The Press is doing anything but being kind to anyone in a place of power right now and in fact are also promoting the race card to get public opinion to sway. Honestly, I never thought I'd see the day where American journalists were so blunt, Harsh and crass to government officials and representatives on Live TV. There has been times my jaw has literally dropped out of shock of I can't believe they said that! I see this as a good sign. It's simply unacceptable, the slow ass response... give them more money so they can line their pockets so they can fail MORE the next time? FK that! Bush SR. was practically worshiped after Desert storm. Not 6 months later his re-run for office his "no new taxes" and all that hero worship disappeared, and that wasn't even on something like this scale of horrors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onyx Posted September 3, 2005 Share Posted September 3, 2005 WEll... every prez seemed to be average till Nixon. That stayed for a while till Clinton which happens to like a woman... and got impeached. But Bush's up there with Nixon as the one of the worst performing US prezs. I mean, he wastes billions on a war that is a lie! Oh, if he had diverted that.... Then we might not have oil price rising in NZ, anarchy in New Orleans,looting, poor people stranded, certain fundies blaming gays for Katrina and people using the hurricane to kill or rape people. Where's aid? Where's the statement "Right, we're helping YOU!"? The sad truth is this: Bush is a moron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 Almost kind of makes you wish that Katrina had hit before the last presidental election. I doubt Bush would be in office right now. I'm sure he wouldn't be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spamandham Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 Disasters like this certainly expose the serious flaws in American govt. ...or do they expose the flaws in the very concept of the state? The government was charged with protecting New Orleans (the levee system first and emergency response second) from a disaster like this, but no-one had much incentive to actually make it happen. Preventing such a disaster rewarded a few local politicians, but the same reward could be had by a half-ass job as a full-ass job. None of the people involved in protecting the city through the levee system is likely to suffer at all. They might fire a few scapegoats, but more likely, everyone will have adequate excuses as to why their hands were tied and no-one in government will suffer at all. We will end up with years worth of studies showing why we need even greater levels of taxation and regulation. Some grand new reorganization of governmanet agencies will be promoted as the new holy grail that will protect us all, just like what happened with the Department of Homeland Bureaucracy. Compare that to the response from the Red Cross, which has been exemplary. Even though it is a charitable organization, those involved stand to suffer across the board if they fail to deliver. An ineffective Red Cross would be forced to close up shop because people will not volunteer money and time for a cause that doesn't accomplish much. Conversely, a highly effective Red Cross results in higher levels of donations and higher prestige for all involved. ...with photo ops and soundbites for all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vixentrox Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 And the government gets the money where then? Oh yes, by raising your taxes. So, you can give voluntarily, or you can have Uncle Sam come and take a bigger chunk of your paycheck to pay for everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panther Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 Almost kind of makes you wish that Katrina had hit before the last presidental election. I doubt Bush would be in office right now. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> You know, I see what you're saying....but I sincerely wonder.... It seems the "christians" are still in total support of Bush....I visisted my old christian forum just to see what the opinions there looked like.... You'd think the man was a saint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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