An article you need to read !

[wvrevy]

This article, despite its title, spares nobody involved with the fiasco of the Katrina response. It also does a much better job of explaining what my personal problem is with the president and the federal response than I have managed.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9288079/site/newsweek/

 

[barbeml]

Thanks for posting that. What a mess.

 

[septbride2002]

I like that article.
~amanda

 

[Goofyzgurl]

I really like that article too. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Virgo10]

Wow, thanks for posting that. Reminded me of what happened to Elvis.

 

[CEDmom]

Thanks for posting this. It was really interesting. Part of me can't help feeling sorry for Bush that he's allowed himself to live in a vacuum thus cutting himself off from everything that's going on except "the war on terror". However, for the most part I just think his staff and he are pathetic. The LA governor also needs to grow a back bone. As much as Bush's constant smick irritates me her deer in headlights look is downright frightening.

 

[snappy]

I just heard a "rumor" on local talk radio that Ms. Blanco will resign in January.
God help us if we end up with our Lt. Gov Mitch Landrieu.

 

[septbride2002]

Wow, thanks for posting that. Reminded me of what happened to Elvis.

If you have any information to disprove any part of the article then I encourage you to share it. Your statement really proves nothing except you know how to be witty.

~Amanda

 

[Christine]

I just sent this article to someone. They said that "it was better than the Michael Moore stuff but the write was 'ignorant' to state that this was the worst natural disaster of the century."

Anyone got any refuting evidence for this. I'm toooooo tired to Google today as I was out late for back to school night!

 

[Bichon Barb]

Wow! What a mess. Thanks for posting that article.

 

[ThAnswr]

I just sent this article to someone. They said that "it was better than the Michael Moore stuff but the write was 'ignorant' to state that this was the worst natural disaster of the century."

Anyone got any refuting evidence for this. I'm toooooo tired to Google today as I was out late for back to school night!

It's the worst natural disaster, of the century, in the US. But the tsunami disaster earlier is by far the worst and may just remain the worst natural disaster until the next century.

 

[Laz]

It's the worst natural disaster, of the century, in the US. But the tsunami disaster earlier is by far the worst and may just remain the worst natural disaster until the next century.

There were some natural diasters that I have been involved in that could still surpass Katrina in some respects. I found a list at

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/09/04/MNG9KEI88C1.DTL&type=printable

The two I would like to mention are:

"Great Midwest Flood," May 9, 1993: Seventeen hundred square miles were flooded in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin and Illinois after record rainfall caused hundreds of breaches in levees along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Until Hurricane Katrina, this flood was considered the costliest in U.S. history with estimated damage of $20 billion. Fifty people were killed


Twisters, South/Midwest, April 3, 1974: In a period of 16 hours, 148 twisters touched down in 13 states (Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia), killing 330 people and injuring 5,484 in a path covering 2,500 miles. More than 27,500 buildings were destroyed. Total property damage was estimated at $600 million..

In both cases, many (including myself) felt federal help was to slow and preperation was inadequate

 

[Virgo10]

Originally Posted by Virgo10
Wow, thanks for posting that. Reminded me of what happened to Elvis.

If you have any information to disprove any part of the article then I encourage you to share it. Your statement really proves nothing except you know how to be witty.

~Amanda

See this is what's wrong with the internet. It so happens I agree with that article. The reference to Elvis was not an attempt to be witty, it was a fact that towards the end of his life, he surrounded himself with people who were yes men. Need more food... Yes, Elvis. Want another pill. Yes, Elvis. I imagine this is a problem that people who have a lot of power experience. The only solution is to have one or two devil's advocates in your camp to keep things from spiraling into the twilight zone.

So, bottom line, ITA with the article. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

 

[ThAnswr]

Originally Posted by Virgo10
Wow, thanks for posting that. Reminded me of what happened to Elvis.



See this is what's wrong with the internet. It so happens I agree with that article. The reference to Elvis was not an attempt to be witty, it was a fact that towards the end of his life, he surrounded himself with people who were yes men. Need more food... Yes, Elvis. Want another pill. Yes, Elvis. I imagine this is a problem that people who have a lot of power experience. The only solution is to have one or two devil's advocates in your camp to keep things from spiraling into the twilight zone.

So, bottom line, ITA with the article. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

It was still witty.

 

[LandscapePro_318]

Here's another article that needs to be read as well. I think this one will prove to be a more correct account of the events as they occurred.

http://www.northsidejournal.com/special2.htm


Mike--Louisiana Resident

 

[ThAnswr]

This article, despite its title, spares nobody involved with the fiasco of the Katrina response. It also does a much better job of explaining what my personal problem is with the president and the federal response than I have managed.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9288079/site/newsweek/

After reading the article, I remembered a story about Casey Stengel, manager of the 1962 (?) NY Mets. They had to be the worst team on God's green earth. At one point, during a game, Casey Stengel shouted in the dugout: "Does anybody know how to play this game?"

In the case of Nagin, Blanco, and Bush, the answer is: NO. They all love their political roles, but haven't the foggiest idea what it all really means.

Some people rise to the occasion and some people aren't even sure what the occasion is. Anybody can make mistakes, but that wasn't the problem. The problem was these people didn't even understand what the hell was happening.

No, it wouldn't have happened if Nagin had been Giuliani.

No, it wouldn't have happened if Blanco had been Jeb Bush, and I'm no Bush fan. But, I can't imagine Jeb Bush having his thumb up his butt wondering what to do.

And definitely, if George Bush had been Bill Clinton or Dwight Eisenhower, this wouldn't have happened.

 

[barbeml]

Wouldn't it be nice if "competence" had anything to do with winning elected office? The ability to wage and win a campaign doesn't make one qualified to lead anything.

 

[snappy]

Here's another article that needs to be read as well. I think this one will prove to be a more correct account of the events as they occurred.

http://www.northsidejournal.com/special2.htm


Mike--Louisiana Resident

I can't help but wonder how different things would have been had Bobby Jindal been elected instead of Blanco.

I know he has been critical of the fed response but I doubt he would have dragged his feet like Blanco did both in requesting federal assistance and in ordering the mandatory evacuation.

The delay in calling for mandatory evacuation was due primarily to one reason, she did not want to face disgruntled constituents if there was another evacuation for a storm that turned away at the last minute. She played the ultimate craps game and lost.

She and "Coach" need to return to Lafayette.

 

[Laura]

I don't know why Nagin didn't call for a mandatory evacuation sooner; he certainly should have and done a better job of getting people out.


Blanco declared a state emergency on 8/26:

Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco today issued Proclamation No. 48 KBB 2005, declaring a state of emergency for the state Louisiana as Hurricane Katrina poses an imminent threat, carrying severe storms, high winds, and torrential rain that may cause flooding and damage to private property and public facilities, and threaten the safety and security of the citizens of the state of Louisiana The state of emergency extends from Friday, August 26, 2005, through Sunday, September 25, 2005, unless terminated sooner.

http://www.gov.state.la.us/Press_Release_detail.asp?id=973
This is 3 days before Katrina hit.


Blanco requested federal assistance on 8/27:

I request Direct Federal assistance for work and services to save lives and protect property.

http://www.gov.state.la.us/Press_Release_detail.asp?id=976




http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/releases/katrinacrsreportpr91305.pdf

 

[ThAnswr]

Wouldn't it be nice if "competence" had anything to do with winning elected office? The ability to wage and win a campaign doesn't make one qualified to lead anything.

We get the government we deserve. Instead of demanding open, honest debates, we let the 2 parties "negotiate" until the debates are nothing more than presentations. We don't demand truth in advertising. We don't demand campaign finance and format reform.

We get what we deserve. And then when disaster strikes, we wonder where these incompetents came from. Simple..........they were voted in.

OTOH, maybe we're the incompetents when it comes to government.