Hurricane Katrina - No One Can Say they Didn't See it Coming

[Supreme Cmdr]

In 2001, FEMA warned that a hurricane striking New Orleans was one of the three most likely disasters in the U.S. But the Bush administration cut New Orleans flood control funding by 44 percent to pay for the Iraq war.

[Guest $iLk]

[sarcasm]

Why do you hate freedom?

[/sarcasm]

As I've been saying in the Politics forum - Iraq wasn't worth it.

[John Prezioso]

Somehow, bickering about this amidst all the suffering and destruction seems a little wrong, so I have nothing to add.

Down here in Memphis, in a church less than a mile from me, there's about 350 refugees, with more arriving every hour. My wife and I have been over there all day, bringing what we can.

The looks on the faces of some of the people is sobering...

[Guest $iLk]

I don't have much spare money, but I've sent a lot of clothes down to one of the direct aid centers managed by my company.

I see money wasted on illegal immigrants, money wasted on pork barrel spending, money wasted on that insane highway bill... I have no confidence in this government.

I just hope we don't have an economic collapse. And I'd really really really love to see comparisons percentage-wise of the oil industries profit margin for the past 3 years.

[Darkling]

quote:

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Originally posted by Supreme Cmdr:

In 2001, FEMA warned that a hurricane striking New Orleans was one of the three most likely disasters in the U.S. But the Bush administration cut New Orleans flood control funding by 44 percent to pay for the Iraq war.

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While that may be true, Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton and now Bush Jr. have all ignored the gloom and doom warnings that something needs to be done about that area. Bush just happens to be the unlucky guy at the helm when all hell finally broke loose.

[John Prezioso]

quote:

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I don't have much spare money, but I've sent a lot of clothes down to one of the direct aid centers managed by my company.

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The church administators at the shelter by me are begging for clothes. Some of these people have nothing but what they're wearing now.

What's fortunate is that my wife and I had been stockpiling stuff for a garage sale in the near future, so we had quite a bit we were willing to part with.

[Guest Remo Williams]

I've sent all I can I hope its enough.

Fuel is up to $3.15 in my neighborhood my jaw dropped as a pulled up to the pump.

[TARWMSRK]

Ive seen $3.25 to $6 around my area. Nasty situation indeed.

[Guest $iLk]

[John Prezioso]

Nice and disrepspectful to the troops in Iraq. I personally know one who, if he saw this, would probably spit. Disgusting.

[Guest $iLk]

The National Guard shouldn't be in Iraq. That's what we have an actual Army/Marine Corps for.

New Orleans is going to hell in a handbasket, and National Guard are having to be pulled from all over the country to fill the gaps left by Mississippi and Louisiana National Guard in Iraq.

[Kalshion]

New Orleans IS a hell in a handbasket

Police has Auto-matic's

Looters are firing on officers

Troops there are now armed with .50 cal's on there humvee's

Is this REALLY America where talking about here? If so, I feel VERY embarassed by some of the actions by our people there... shooting at officers? LOOTING? Give me a break...

[John Prezioso]

[LostInSpace]

From now on it should be mandatory to evacuate a costal region when a hurricane is on the way. The people that stayed behind were warned that they will not be given assitance if they stayed behind. You don't hear that message being repeated by the reporters on the media. I remember it was stated quite a few times by the politicians as people were evacuating before the hurricane hit. Maybe now, people will realize they are not invincible.

quote:

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Originally posted by Kalshion:

New Orleans IS a hell in a handbasket

Police has Auto-matic's

Looters are firing on officers

Troops there are now armed with .50 cal's on there humvee's

Is this REALLY America where talking about here? If so, I feel VERY embarassed by some of the actions by our people there... shooting at officers? LOOTING? Give me a break...

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I agree whole heartidly. Shows the true nature of some people in moments of adversity. I had heard a report about a brother who shot his sister in the head over a bag of ice. It was on fox 5 news but I can't seem to find it on their web site.

After this is all over and calm, the one thing I'll be waitng for is the lawsuits over this.

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by $iLk:

The National Guard shouldn't be in Iraq. That's what we have an actual Army/Marine Corps for.

New Orleans is going to hell in a handbasket, and National Guard are having to be pulled from all over the country to fill the gaps left by Mississippi and Louisiana National Guard in Iraq.

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Absolutely.

Anyway, I found the comic to be hilarious.

[Guest $iLk]

I found it sad myself. Complete and utter incompetance defines this administration, this Congress, and pretty much everyone else who is running things.

And not just on the hurricane.

"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'"

- Ronald Reagan

[Guest $iLk]

Wouldn't it had been nice if the governor had deployed these?:

[Kalshion]

probably out of commission due to the water, or some other reason (No gas?)

[Guest $iLk]

There was a mandatory evacuation prior to the hurricane. I'm quite certain that they could have been mobilized by the governor, considering the 20 year warning they had that NO would not survive a direct hit.

[Guest Grayfox]

exactly. once the hurricane turned north, they had a few days warning. i understand not everyone could be evacuated (poor, no vehicle etc). in that case the MAYOR, the person who is in charge of the city, with the help from the govenor, should of grabbed every school bus, city bus, grey hound, tour bus etc in the state and rounded up the poor and those without transportation, and moved them somewhere in state out of the path of the hurricane. this is where the govenor comes in. she has the power to work with the evac crews and put these people somewhere. as for those who refused to evac... you cant forcibly remove someone... du mahn nieu

and the fact that this type of catastrophe was known as a possibility a few years in advance, the city and state should have had a contingency plan to deal with it... a ready reaction force if you will. the mayor of new orleans is ranting and complaining, and he, as well as the governor, had just as much of a chance to do something than the fed govt before this thing hit. in fact it should of started on the state/city level first.

as they say hind sight is 20/20, and the damage is done... the finger pointing can wait till people get evacuated, and the rebuilding process is over... i would say once the city is back to normal, but that city (even if they rebuild it) will never be the same... i have fond memories of the city... shame

[Wolferz]

I, for one, am speechless!

[Supreme Cmdr]

I totally agree. They had ENOUGH warning and there is NO excuse for this catastrophe. None whatsoever. They were just lax. Or relying on Hoodoo. Or sumthin.

Even down here in FL, we get wind of a hurricane? Everyone bolts out the door.

The more I follow this farce, the more I am truly sorry to be an American. Forget about the tragedy itself, since there would have been casualties. But this administration's failure to respond quickly is inexcusable. Just inexcusable. The good news is, next year is the start of the election year facade. We'll just vote the whole gang out of office.

Apart from the fact that everyone is politicizing this; it has now become a race issue. You see a Black guy carrying his belongings in a Black garbage back, he is said to be looting. You see a White person under the same premise, they say the person is fleeing.

Disgraceful. Utterly disgraceful that this could happen here. Look how FAST we responded to the Asian tsunami!! And here we are, FIVE DAYS LATER, before supplies get into the area. I see the plight of these people on TV and I have to fight back the tears and the rage.

[Guest $iLk]

There is definitely some racism involved in the coverage... but there is also a mirror held up for those who usually blind themselves to black on black crime. Eyewitness reports of grocery stores being broken into, the food left untouched, alcohol and cigarettes being taken.

I for one don't mind actions taken for survival... some of this has been downright disgraceful. But it's not really a surprise. My EMT friend in Mississippi (whom I haven't heard from still) has to deal with gunfire, etc. all the time even when responding to heart attack victims in poor black neighborhoods. This is without hurricanes.

To say that they are doing this because they are black is simply ignorant. But I believe that there is a 'victim' mentality that is drilled into people by race pimps that enrages people like this to the point where they feel justified shooting at ambulances, etc.

And I am angry somewhat at the administration, the federal response was lacking. But ultimately this was supposed to be a state response primarily and initially. Both in infrastructure and in planning.

I think the Feds were unprepared because they are used to us states down south being prepared. I'm not going to vote Democrat over the issue, because I see Democrats rushing to score political points even while bodies are floating down the street. That's disgraceful to me as much, if not more so, than the President's response.

But I'm not going to vote Republican either. I hope a 'real' choice materializes. And I even doubt the LP has a real prayer here.

[John Prezioso]

I'm confused - we have clearly established the complete and total ineptitude of the Governor of LA and Mayor of N.O:

quote:

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that case the MAYOR, the person who is in charge of the city, with the help from the govenor, should of grabbed every school bus, city bus, grey hound, tour bus etc in the state and rounded up the poor and those without transportation, and moved them somewhere in state out of the path of the hurricane. this is where the govenor comes in. she has the power to work with the evac crews and put these people somewhere. as for those who refused to evac... you cant forcibly remove someone... du mahn nieu

and the fact that this type of catastrophe was known as a possibility a few years in advance, the city and state should have had a contingency plan to deal with it... a ready reaction force if you will. the mayor of new orleans is ranting and complaining, and he, as well as the governor, had just as much of a chance to do something than the fed govt before this thing hit. in fact it should of started on the state/city level first.

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... and yet STILL bag on the administration, almost like it's a necessity to do so:

quote:

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this administration's failure to respond quickly is inexcusable. Just inexcusable. The good news is, next year is the start of the election year facade. We'll just vote the whole gang out of office.

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Look, I'm as fed up with Bush for inaction (on a great many things) as others here, but I mean, seriously;

EVERY SINGLE THING Bush does or does not do he is absolutely creamed for. The man can do NOTHING right, apparently. I think some people here would have a higher opinion of the anti-Christ.

The failure is a failure of the city and state: for failing to prepare properly for 40 years, and for failing to make provisions for those unable to evacuate on their own. This is the job of local governments. This is what these people were elected to do. They did not, and now they are trying to hide their own fault by blaming the federal government, something that is vogue now, apparently.

I have read the articles about the big mean Feds denied funding to Louisiana and New Orleans for building/upgrading their levyand pumping system. Excuse me, but since when is it the responsibility of taxpayers in other states to take care of Louisiana? The Federal taxation system is already used too much as a welfare system - now my family in New York has to pay for levies in NO?

As far as the race issue goes, there is no issue as far as I'm concerned. That blacks are more visible looting and gang-banging is a function of demographics, nothing more. The reason the looters and bandits are predominantly black is because the city is predominantly black! Duh. I have live the better part of my life in the city (New York, Newark, NJ, and now Memphis, TN) and I can tell you, this is how it is in the city. So what? Are there disgusting bigots in the United States? Sure. Are there bigots in the media? Maybe. Again I say, so what? People are people, no matter what. There are poor people of every color, and poverty knows no race.

If you are going to be ashamed to be an American, be ashamed at the behavior of your fellow Americans in New Orleans, who instead of behaving like the noble souls they can be in the worst U.S. natural disaster in recent memory, have taken the low road and have plunged the city into an indescribable hell. Where there should have been a fellowship of men working together; a brotherhood come together in the hour of despair, we instead see and orgy of violence and lawlessness that delayed rescue operations and were just as responsible if not more so for the slow aid to survivors.

And even here on these boards, mostly all we do is bicker about who is to blame, my side or yours. I have never know such divisiveness and separatism as I do now in America.

Sad, sad, sad.

[Kalshion]

Funny thing:

According to a news story I listened to on Fox News AND CNN (rare, expically for CNN)

The group that oversea's the levy's had more than enough money to upgrade them to withstand a Cata 4. But instead they used it to buy Casino's, private planes, boats, the works...

Wouldn't that mean that it's more so that groups FAULT? (don't recall the name)

This constant bashing of the administration is getting tiresome.. ironically - if a democrat was in office there wouldn't be ANY bashing going on (Typical Biased Media)