A lot has happened this weekend. I have just a couple things I want to pick out. Expectedly, the Bush administration is trying to pass the blame on to everything but them concerning the lack of response to Katrina. It is true that we can't stop a hurricane, but we can be much more prepared than what we were. Considering the feds had about 3-4 days warning, and considering 9/11. Bush’s government is not prepared for a national crisis, plain and simple.
Something else that occurred that I’m opposed to is Judge Roberts being nominated to be the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Many of you will note that I do not oppose Roberts’ nomination to the court whatsoever. In fact, I think he should have been approved as quickly as possible. Maybe the guy is too conservative for most, or not enough of a right wing nut job for others. But I do support his seat on the Supreme Court. I do, however, entirely oppose his recent nomination as Chief Justice.
Bush is using this time of crisis in hopes that people are not paying attention to the Supreme Court so that he can quietly sneak Roberts in as Chief Justice. This is a form of exploitation. Instead of worrying about the Supreme Court, which selected Bush to be the 43rd president, Bush should worry about how his government failed in the worst of ways with Katrina. But again, the neocons are not concerned with the burdens of the citizens; they are only concerned with politics and promoting the farthest of right agendas in the history of America.
Back to the crisis in the Creole. I also think that it is entirely unethical for Bush to appoint his chief political advisor to head the relief efforts. I have many reasons for opposing this. One, Rove is politics. This is not a political matter. But again, this goes to show everyone what is first and foremost on the minds of the Bush administration. Rove is present in order to pass the blame to state agencies and anyone else but Bush. The focus should be on recovery and with Rove in charge it is clear that politics is being put first. Another reason why I oppose this is because I too am a director for political affairs. And when we come into play, I promise you it’s all politics. We are not concerned with anything else. And Rove is much, much better at it than me. Rove is there to head the efforts merely as a political machine. This is not the time or place for Karl Rove.
9.05.2005
Not So Fast
Posted by Chris at 1:59 PM
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
14 comments:
Top paragraph-agreed and no pontification is needed from this corner.
Chief Justice:
My first thought when I saw that this morning was, oh right Bushy, way to pull a fast one on the unsuspecting, grief stricken American Public. Does there gall ever end? Are we to prove that we are as stupid and lazy s these people obviously assume us to be?
This, from the beginning has been my problem with the whole the Katrina debacle and why I feel that blame needs to be placed loudly and clearly all over the internet, the networks, the world and in everyone’s mind.
His appointing his political advisor to head FEMA and then replacing him with even more of an idiot Brown who from what I hear can barely make a bed. Let us also look at who has been appointed to head Homeland Security and why? Do we get the picture yet? Gee I hope so.
Interesting OP-ED in today’s NYT, which points out basically the same thing, titled appropriately enough Ideology, cronyism and Katrina’s Toll.
Rove is just plain dangerous.
Is he any more dangrous than most diretors of political affairs?
Obviously you can answer that question.
Alice, I agree. I see no problem with Roberts on the court, just not Chief Justice, or at least not now.
If Roberts is Chief Justice, we can kiss Roe v. Wade bye bye. Actually we already can now that Bush gets to appoint another justice.
I'm a little slow on my Rove update, but I believe Rove is still in the area. He's there for damage control, for Bush that is. Rove, again to save the day for Georgie.
Yeah I love the NY Times op-ed. My feelings exactly.
It's not that Rove is any more dangerous than any other political advisor, it's just that Rove is a freak. Of all my readers, I admire Rove's work more than anyone. Rove is the epitome for what political advisors are supposed to be. Now, do I want to be Rove...hell no. I have a life. What makes Rove so dangerous is that he is a fanatic, or extremist might be the better word. Rove is good at what he does. I think the best way to deal with Rove is to make him irrelevant. How do we do that? Got me.
Thanks for reading Alice.
MJ; it IS fast, I'll grant you that! A lot to swallow in a very short time, for sure. Thanks for your thoughts on the subject; it's a fascinating one to say the least. While on the surface, I see no reason why there should be a problem with the President's proposal for Judge Roberts to be the Chief Justice of the US, I also see where this guy could remain at that position for decades given his youth. A lot to consider, for SURE. Blog ON, bro...
You know, I think it's so interesting. I wonder...if I wouldn't be a Bush supporter would I also think that he was to blame for this all? Is this just all opinion based on politics? When I compare the reaction to 9/11 and the reaction to NOLA...I think, wow...how different. The first responders were out there, police and fire department, Rudy was out there on the front lines...not crying or whining that FEMA wasn't coming quick enough...and when I look back...I seriously can't remember seeing much FEMA, because it was the fire department and the police who did THEIR jobs and got the deserved credit.
So let's look at New Orleans. The mayor only calls for an evacuation after Bush personally calls him and pleads for it. The governor turns down other state's offers of National Guard troops and doesn't call LA's up immediately. In the ensuing chaos of the evacuation that never happened, everyone points fingers at Bush for dropping the ball?
This is just an incomprehensible to me as if, in the case of a fire at a school, the teacher fails to evacuate the children from her classroom, perhaps because there had never been any firedrills...and when the fire department comes, the teacher starts shrieking at them, that they should have come quicker, and that all those who perished inside were the fire department's fault. I am sorry. The mayor has a responsiblity here...if you can tell me one thing he did that was following protocol of an emergency situation, that he showed the leadership under crisis that Rudy did...that he did everything in his power other than whine on a radio show...I will maybe say, okay, he has no blame...but I didn't see that guy anywhere. And I didn't hear much about the govenor either. Bush? He is the president of the US...he is not the local government. The local government are the first repsonders to a disaster...they have evacuation plans to follow...they make sure that bus drivers are on the ready in case of an emergency...they stand there with a bullhorn directing things...they don't cry and wallow when the shit hits the fan. I am seriously disgusted with this whole situation...and even more frustrated that people buy into this.
Having said that, Bush is seriously pulling a fast one with Roberts...but hey, I like Roberts, so it doesn't ruffle my feathers. But that's just politics.
CVG,
AMEN! The President gives the makes sure the resources are available shortly following any emergency. I live in a highly flood prone area. If a flood did take over this city, I can't blame the pres. for not coming to get me.
It's all about responsibility, and the fact that noone in their leadership role wants to accept it.
CVG and Craig, I nearly entirely disagree. It's a failure all around. And I guess if we are going to play politics, since that seems to be the tone here, then yes politically speaking Bush's government failed.
We are not talking just about a flooded area. We are talking about a catastrophic hurricane, which on scale could surpass 9/11. But don't blame Bush, oh no, he's just a pawn in a political game. I just wonder when is it that Bush takes some responsibility. In politics the good comes with the bad. And this is bad.
What amazes me are the people that buy into the idea that President Bush has no responsibility for anything, except to take 330 vacation days in five years. It is the president's responsibility to ensure that FEMA is prepared for such disasters. And after 9/11 one would think we would be. Apparently not.
MJ,
Tell me what part of HIS job the mayor did. And tell me what part of HER job the governor did.
When I look back at 9/11, the heros then were Rudy, and the local authorities...not Bush. Bush came in, made some nice pictures, said a few inspiring words, but when it came down to it, it was all local government.
How come we can agree on that...but in New Orleans it suddenly turns into Bush's failure?
How should Bush's reactions should been different? Other than calling and pleading with the governor and the mayor to do their jobs? Should he have just overridden them? I mean, they criticize Bush for not sending in troops earlier? What about the governor using her power to call the National Guard? Are you saying that Bush should have gotten in their with a bullhorn loading up buses? Or should he have followed the mayor's lead of sitting in a hotel, bitching to a local radio?
I see it as a royal failure at the local level, which greatly increased the difficulty of the recovery efforts at the federal level.
Back to you, MJ.
CVG, you are assuming a lot things here.
I'm not sure where I have ever said that the local leaders are not to blame. I believe I said the blame goes all around.
What I'm saying is that given the warning everyone had, which was about 3-4 days, everyone should have been better prepared, including the federal government.
But, again, we are not talking about a flooded city. We are talking about a natural disaster on a very strategic location. New Orleans sits at the mouth of the largest river in North America. And also on top of the largest gulf in the world. About 25% of all the oil coming into America goes through that port. Given the strategic importance of the city and the port, not to mention that it all sits below sea-level, we should have been better prepared, especially at the federal level.
The notion that New Orleans would be devasted by a large storm is nothing new. The federal government ignored many warning signs and refused extra funding to better prepare the city and the local officials for such a catastrophe.
This is a failure all around. Obviously the locals were totally overwhelmed and obviously the feds were no where to be found.
But I think we all are forgetting something here. After 9/11, the Department of Homeland Security was formed. It took over all responsibility, even on the local level, for national crisis situations especially including those areas with great strategic importance such as New Orleans. Now one might agree that the federal government has no responsibility whatsoever to such situations and that personal responsibility should be given priority. That people should assume their own safety and not be dependent upon the government. Get rid of FEMA, Homeland Security and the billions of dollars that go to fund both and I'll agree that the government has no responsibility to its citizens in such times of crisis.
The power to tax is the power to destroy. As long as the government collects tax dollars to fund such agencies then the government does have the said responsibility to its citizens.
The fact is that Bush created the largest government agency in history to report to such disasters. This government agency assumes total control over such matters, and overrides local authorities. I would think that this event here would be a perfect argument against big government. Obviously it's not working.
Personal responsibility left a long time ago. I'll gladly take back my tax money if it were reversed.
MJ, your argument is making a lot of sense on the level of this was an accident waiting to happen.
So you are saying that the mayor was majorly incompetent, and that Bush's failure was in not completely stripping the guy of his powers? Okay, um, I guess I could agree with that.
All disagreements aside, I have to say, MJ, you are the guy I come to when I want some intelligent discussion with those of differing opinion. Thanks for taking the time to respond.
I have heard and read reports that say that in the days leading up to the Hurricane, buses were taken around to every neighborhood and people were stongly suggested to take the precautionary meausures to get out of town. The ones thay stayed behind did not heed the warnings.
Now, Bush does have some blame in that he should have realized that after the first couple hours noone was standing up to take control, and that is where he should have. But I still think that Bush seems to get the majority of the blame, whereas those most closely related to the problem seem to be overlooked by the media.
I understand that leaders get the blame, it is the nature of the job, but really, how maniacal are we going to get trying to paste it all on Bush.
Oh yeah, and if you haven't heard, Kanye West beleives Bush hates black people. Way to really move the country forward Kanye.
CVG, thank you for the discussion.
As for your second paragraph, what I'm saying is that this is a failure all around. As far as Bush stripping the mayor of powers really does not apply. Bush is the president and head of FEMA. I'm not sure what powers Bush would have to strip from the mayor. Bush is in charge when things are good and Bush is in chagre when things are bad.
Thanks again for reading and thanks for the kind words.
Craig, I have no idea about the bus situation. But I seriously doubt that busses were taken to every neighborhood and provided to every person in the city and surrounding areas. We are talking about millions of people. There wouldn't be enough busses to seat everyone, much less room on the highways for the traffic. I think the bus theory really only proves that the government does assume responsibility and that if all they did was drive some busses around town to evacuate a few million people then the government really failed in its efforts.
Who is most closely related to the problem? The local officials or the people stuck in the storm? Again, your argument seems to want to take responsibility away from Bush, and I'm not arguing that Bush is solely to blame; so we gotta get away from that matter. It's a circle my friend. Everyone is to blame and no one is to blame. But the federal government does assume complete authority over such a matter. The locals become but an agent working for the federal government. That is the status of the big government created in the wake of 9/11. If we don't like it, change it. But until then, that's how it is.
I don't even have a clue who Kayne West is. I'm assuming he's some sort of celebrity. Well, he and Pat Robertson have their rights.
Getting this sorted out could be as hard and take as long as figuring out who really killed JFK. I thought the purpose of FEMA was to assist state and local agencies that were getting emergency relief to disaster victims not to take charge of the efforts. I had heard that busses Craig mentioned were setting in a parking lot when the area was flooded. I would think that the local officials would have put them to use to get people that had no means of transportation out of the area. I agree, there is more than enough blame to go around. I live in an area that has what is known as tornado season. When one is close the city turns on the emergency sirens. Everyone knows that means take shelter. I figure if I hear the siren and don't take action I have no one but myself to blame if I get hurt.
God Bless America, God Save The Republic.
Third on the list of the top ten concerns for FEMA as far as potential catastrophes was this exact thing. It is the job of FEMA to be totally and unequivocally prepared for at the very least the top five potential disasters in the USA. That is what they are for. There is no excuse for this. There is no excuse for appointing incompetents to head FEMA or Homeland security. It would be as if someone became a mayor and named his college roommate, a very good speech writer but with no knowledge of fire management, as fire chief, only a billion times worse.
This shows a total disregard for his constituency, which is supposed to be the whole USA.
Yes Louisiana has a lot to hold itself accountable for many things there is no doubt. I have heard however there is some discrepancy in that the governor says she was told the day before by Bush that the guard was in place as was FEMA and would be mobilized. Obviously when they did not appear she should have gotten on the horn a little sooner but apparently even when she did the “red tape” took precedent over lives.
.
Criag: obviously Kayne West was quite distraught over the whole situation but I believe he is not remiss in saying what he said although I won’t address that here.
I don’t think people are being anymore maniacal in trying to blame Bush than the administration is maniacal in trying to push the blame off on others and in the meantime nominating Roberts as Chief Justice. That is a tad maniacal in my opinion.
. I am still wondering though why when I turned on the news not that long ago when I got home from class were there still some large rescue tankards or whatever they are called still not released by FEMA to areas in Mississippi even with Trent Lott inquiring as to where because they were” needed quite badly” down there, they were and being told the paper work hadn’t been done or some other silly bureaucratic nonsense.
It is just more of the same disregard for the people, and appalling mismanagement.
This is exhausting to even think about for the most part.
MJ: I’m probably most in agreement with you on this at this time.
Thanks David for reading. I would think that if people are arguing busses were available then at the very least they are arguing that government assumes the responsibility. Even if busses were the exit, it didn't work. I understand your argument about sirens and natural disasters. But, again, no one is arguing that the hurricane could have been stopped. The issue is that after the hurricane nothing was in place to control the aftermath of the storm. That is where the local authorities and the feds come in. It was an all around failure, which begins with the locals and ends with Bush. I think we will find that it was not so much the storm that caused the deaths but the aftermath.
The purpose of FEMA is to assist in the entirety of it all. It's just like in any other criminal case, when the feds come in, they take over. But FEMA is only one agency involved in the efforts. Given the strategic importance of New Orleans like I described above, and given 9/11 and the Bush created Department of Homeland Security as well as all first responders which fall under jurisdiction of Homeland Security, this was indeed a federal response iniative. This was a massive national failure. If conservatives have a problem with blame it's because the Bush government failed miserably and they know it. Sorry to get so off key there Dave. Again thanks for reading.
Alice, "I don’t think people are being anymore maniacal in trying to blame Bush than the administration is maniacal in trying to push the blame off on others," says it all. Thanks so much.
Post a Comment