Anyone else upset about gov't response

[lizanne]

I am not a political person so I'm not getting involved in a Bush debate, but I cannot believe how some of these people in this tragic situation still do not have the basic needs for survival.

How could we not have a plan in place for a catastrophe like this, especially in view of 911.

I don't know what could have been done sooner but I had faith in those who run this country that they did know what to do. At the very least how to get food and water to stranded survivors.

Some people are dying, not because of injuries resulting immediately from Katrina, but because it's as if they've been abandoned.

I guess I've been naive but I thought we, as a country, would be more organized.

And how could we let the criminals take over certain areas. Where is the National Guard. Aren't they suppossed to protect us if the police are overwhelmed.

 

[drgnfly30]

We must be reading each other's minds (or are in the same naive boat!)
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=901378

 

[NHAnn]

Where is the National Guard. Aren't they suppossed to protect us is the police are overwhelmed.

They're in Iraq.
Fighting the war that is costing us billions.
I wish some the money could have gone toward engineering inproved levees.
I wish some of it could now go toward the disaster relief here at home.

I know you don't want this to be political...but sadly, it is.

 

[Free4Life11]

And you know what? I honestly think we at The DIS knew more about what was going on!

The main Hurricane Katrina thread was moving so fast it was hard to keep up.....I was glued to the TV all day!

 

[gottaluvPluto]

The local government dropped the ball and messed up big time. They did not prepare for this hurricane and the local government has not communicated affectively.

 

[gottaluvPluto]

They're in Iraq.
Fighting the war that is costing us billions.
I wish some the money could have gone toward engineering inproved levees.
I wish some of it could now go toward the disaster relief here at home.

I know you don't want this to be political...but sadly, it is.

The local government should have done something about the levees; not the federal government.

LA could have asked for help from other states to send their national guard; Florida asked for help and we had national guardsmen from other states.

 

[kellyf2626]

Even after the terrible tsunami, you saw pictures of people getting bottled water and food the next day. And that horrible event was not predicted!!! Now we are dealing with a disaster which was predicted at least 24 hours in advance, and there are still people with no food or water. It is so sad....

 

[staci]

I am not a political person so I'm not getting involved in a Bush debate, but I cannot believe how some of these people in this tragic situation still do not have the basic needs for survival.

How could we not have a plan in place for a catastrophe like this, especially in view of 911.

I don't know what could have been done sooner but I had faith in those who run this country that they did know what to do. At the very least how to get food and water to stranded survivors.

Some people are dying, not because of injuries resulting immediately from Katrina, but because it's as if they've been abandoned.

I guess I've been naive but I thought we, as a country, would be more organized.

And how could we let the criminals take over certain areas. Where is the National Guard. Aren't they suppossed to protect us if the police are overwhelmed.

Im right with you on this one. This is AMERICA. I was never worried that I would be taken care of in this country. Even post 9/11, it seemed like everything happened so quickly. Rescue crews, cleanup, etc. I know this is an entirely different situation, but I never would have thought that in this country we could have convention centers full of people left for 4 days, people sleeping day and night on bridge overpasses, getting their photo taken but no help..... the list goes on and on and on. It feels like a very bad movie, but I know it is all real. Its too hard to even comprehend. I cant believe that this is the best we can do for these people..... yet I am unable to do anything but give money and pray.

 

[PixieDust32]

 

[christineann]

There are snipers shooting at the rescue helicopters and relief workers. Who would have thought that would happen?

 

[auntpolly]

It is so sad....

It's beyond sad, it's criminal. This is not the country that Bush claims to be president of. This is not what I pay taxes for. This is the absolute worst thing I have ever seen in my life and I am more brokenhearted and depressed about our government than I have ever been.

 

[ADisneygirl]

What I can't seem to understand is how this country, my country, who rushes to the aid of EVERYONE else in the world whether they want the help or not, is unable after four days to get food and water to stranded Americans. It is unfathomable to me.

Why not get one of those big military planes and load it up with supplies like water and MRE's and basic medicine and diapers and simply drop it out using little parachutes over the afflicted areas. They could have done this a few hours after the storm passed. How can nothing be seeming to be done?? What I am seeing on tv is like something out of a third world country, not the great United States of America. I am at a loss for words and quite frankly I am ashamed of this country and its' response to this. Better know now that come a natural disaster, we are basically all alone to fend for ourselves.

 

[lizanne]

This is the absolute worst thing I have ever seen in my life and I am more brokenhearted and depressed about our government than I have ever been.

This is how I feel too, and I'm just watching from my airconditioned family room getting ready to go to sleep in my own bed. I can't imagine how it must feel to be living it.

 

[Aidensmom]

I am utterly amazed this is happening in this country, and I think there are a lot of things combined are what is making the situation the way it is:

The local, state, and federal governments all seem to be slacking. They are getting people out, and they are making an effort, but there needs to be more resources dedicated to doing so, and faster.

Some people in this situation themselves are shooting at those trying to help them, and many are engaging in other lawlessness. This doesn't exactly make it easy for anyone to help.

There was no real advance plan of what to do in case of such a catastrophe. Odds were that this would one day occur, and it didn't take a genius to know what the results would be in a city below sea level. The levees were only built to endure a level 3 storm, there was no kind of emergency evacuation plan, etc.

 

[ThAnswr]

I am not a political person so I'm not getting involved in a Bush debate, but I cannot believe how some of these people in this tragic situation still do not have the basic needs for survival.

How could we not have a plan in place for a catastrophe like this, especially in view of 911.

I don't know what could have been done sooner but I had faith in those who run this country that they did know what to do. At the very least how to get food and water to stranded survivors.

Some people are dying, not because of injuries resulting immediately from Katrina, but because it's as if they've been abandoned.

I guess I've been naive but I thought we, as a country, would be more organized.

And how could we let the criminals take over certain areas. Where is the National Guard. Aren't they suppossed to protect us if the police are overwhelmed.

In answer to the thread question: "Anyone else upset about gov't response", the answer is you, me, and tens of millions of our fellow citizens.

 

[staci]

I think they are doing a great job, Katrina hit Monday morning today is only Thursday is not like weeks ago, ......QUOTE]

4 days is a really long time without water, especially for the babies and small children. If it takes even a week, I fear they will be gone....................

 

[drgnfly30]

I think they are doing a great job, Katrina hit Monday morning today is only Thursday is not like weeks ago, ......QUOTE]

4 days is a really long time without water, especially for the babies and small children. If it takes even a week, I fear they will be gone....................

 

[Geoff_M]

I find this sudden welling up of "our Gov't failed them" posts to be very premature and shortsighted. For starters, plans are just that... plans. Disaster relief plans are a lot like war plans. There's an old saying that "war plans are good up until the first shot is fired". No emergency preparation exercise is large enough to test such plans as the ones we had for "the big one" in NO. This is new territory for everyone. No doubt people in Venice and the Netherlands will be taking serious notes on all of this.

There's been a lot of evidence that the "tipping point" for recover may have occurred today, or will occur tomorrow. Federal troops (yes, they ALL aren't in Iraq) are pouring into the affected states. Tomorrow the numbers will triple to 24,000. NO will get 1,300 MPs alone. Today the NO airport became functional as runways dried and the Air Force has set up shop. They expect the runways to be in use 24/7 for relief flights. The levee repairs have been reported as going better than expected.

It's not easy to watch, but help can't just "materialize"... not for a number of reasons. You can't just park troops and supplies outside the city limits beforehand with a Cat 4/5 hurricane. Hospital ships take time to sail from other ports. Troops can't just be parachuted in the next day.

When the dust settles, there will be plenty of analysis as to what when right and what went wrong in the wake of Katrina.... Things that could have been done that weren't and things that were done but done ineffectively. There will be lots of governmental entities that will be examined and asked questions of... The City, the state, the Army Corp of Engineers, FEMA, DHS, and the US Government as a whole. But in the mean time, all people can do is watch on the TV and be arm chair relief experts.

 

[drgnfly30]

I find this sudden welling up of "our Gov't failed them" posts to be very premature and shortsighted. For starters, plans are just that... plans. Diasaster relieft plans are a lot like war plans. There's an old saying that "war plans are good up until the first shot it fired". No emergency preparation exercise is large enough to test such plans as the ones we had for "the big one" in NO.

No but if we were to go to war tomorrow (oh that's right we already are), you wouldn't have to wait for fighter jets, ammunition or guns to be prepared... it's ready to go... Stocks of water & MRE's are not that much to ask for....

 

[DawnCt1]

It's beyond sad, it's criminal. This is not the country that Bush claims to be president of. This is not what I pay taxes for. This is the absolute worst thing I have ever seen in my life and I am more brokenhearted and depressed about our government than I have ever been.

How about holding the mayor, the governor and the snipers accountable. They have had the same federal funds that every other state has had for disaster planning and they didn't plan. We are in much better shape as a country since 2001. We have made vast improvements in disaster preparedness. We now know where every empty bed in every hospital is in the country. The enormity of this natural disaster is catastrophic. We may not know the impact for days. The feds can only respond when the states request help. As it was, President Bush declared the Gulf States disaster areas at least 72 hours before the storm so FEMA was mobilized.