This is why President Bush and Congress are irresponsible in throwing money at New Orleans with no plan other than political mollification of people too stupid to understand anything beyond today. Won’t it be fun if something like this wipes $200 billion into the Gulf of Mexico in five years, when President Bush is retired in Crawford, Texas?
If this is the reason that Angela Merkel failed to win a majority in Germany, Germany deserves its continuing descent into economic mediocrity.
It is ultimately hard to establish to what extent the fact that Mrs Merkel is a woman from the East contributed to the CDU’s disappointing showing.
But one poll at least suggests 9% of voters – the difference between a majority and a hung parliament – would have voted differently if the conservative candidate had been a man from the West.
I don’t get it. I won’t vote for national candidates just because they’re from Virginia. Is this really so important for people that it can impact an election? Are people really so devoid of common sense that being from the wrong side of the tracks and having one too few “Y” chromosomes are more important than ideas?
Sitting on the couch last night, I couldn’t prevent my focus from shifting back and forth. First, the president’s speech. Then my wallet. Back to the president. Wistfully on the contents of my wallet. Open-mouthed at the president. Teary-eyed at my wallet. Defeated at the president.
Should I just give the Treasury pre-approval for open withdrawal from my checking account or do I have to go through the charade of writing the check?
In the comments section of Thursday’s post, my friend Wendy expanded on the blame theme with excellent insight, particularly into the federal versus state/local expectations. Better than summarizing what she wrote, I’m reprinting it here.
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But, as someone who actually lives in a hurricane zone – and has experience with hurricanes in my state … My pointer finger is NOT broken and I’ll be happy to point one of them at the Local/State Government of Louisiana.
It has always been my belief that calling in the FEDS is a last resort. I personally do not want to owe the Feds a damn thing – but that Governor KNEW the scenarios facing her region and as an elected official she had an obligation.
I don’t want the military to come in and declare my city a disaster area and start barking out orders … I don’t want to give them any more power than they absolutely NEED … but I do believe this was an extreme case.
No one predicted the storm surge damage in MS, AL … however, the local/State government in LA – certainly knew what could potentially happen with N’orleans.
And I don’t mean JUST the flooding. I mean the AK47 action as well as the physical violence.
The Governor of the state has control of the National Guard – which I think she ‘called up’ on Sunday – much too late to get everyone in before the storm.
In ’92 with Andrew, the Governor had the National Guard in place PRIOR to the storm reaching land. Death was minimal as was looting and violence.
The Mayor – (unlike my own who actually HAS a plan) – had no plan (or possibly he just had no intention) for getting those people out of there – Knowing the possible scenarios – he made no effort to remove the people or the city’s property –
School buses which could have been used to mobilize the poorest people/ the disabled – were left sitting. One example … helpless people in nursing homes died as a result of his inaction.
I was shocked when I saw all those buses under water in that parking lot and yet, people were left in the city to die?
If the SuperDome was a designated evacuation center – then why the hell was it not fully stocked with supplies for just such an event?
I could go on.
FEMA is called in by the Governor – I believe – and seriously, while their response wasn’t flawless – and it would never be fast enough for any of us – it certainly wasn’t much (if any later) than other disasters.
Other disasters?? What?? We’ve had OTHER disasters since 9/11??
Come closer .. closer … Hurricanes hit all the time. Yes, they do! Category 4s … even! Imagine that.
And unlike Tornados, Fires, Earthquakes and Tsunamis … you’re actually WARNED!!!!
Someone comes on television and says – “Um, the Hurricane is coming … GET OUT!!!”
(I know you know this – but dayum the rest of the country acts like it’s the FIRST DISASTER EVER!!!)
People have actually died since 9/11 from these types of disasters and while the numbers certainly have never reached the inconceivable numbers that Katrina will produce … I do not believe their lives were any less valuable.
So with that … here comes my other pointer finger …
Bank accounts aside/ SAT scores aside …
If you live in a hurricane zone – You need to have a PLAN … and boy this is going to make me sound like a heartless bitch … but, if you live in a fucking soup bowl and a hurricane is headed your way … you need to GET OUT … and if you can’t your City/State Government needs to have a plan to help you get out!!
I believe that this has demonstrated how State/Local government as well as people’s own complacency can be their undoing and THAT is a frightening revelation to the rest of us.
As a result we ALL feel the need to blame someone and who better than GW? He’s such an easy target. He doesn’t make it any easier by not accepting responsibility for the shortcomings of his appointed officials –
I’ve seen the media – and my heart breaks for the elderly, the children and the animals … Those who were unable to help themselves.
I am outraged at people who ‘think’ they’re doing the right thing by ‘faking’ press credentials to get in there and see what’s really going on.
Morons. Do these assholes not realize that there might be reasons they don’t let civilians in there? Maybe – oh I don’t know – because you could get hurt … or maybe you’re an opportunist who may just be trying to loot … or you may just be in the WAY????
You see, way back we had a problem with ‘looky Lou’s’ .. people who just wanted to come in and take pictures and steal things and when they would get hurt – they’d blame the city for not ‘telling them to stay away’. So it’s just easier and actually for your own protection to keep your ass out of there!
More than the supposed and factual ‘mistakes’ that were made during this situation – I’m outraged by the media once again clouding people’s common sense with emotion.
Yes, it is a travesty that we are the richest country in the world and we have this sort of thing happening – but to me … the biggest travesty is that we are the richest country in the world and we have people who did not GET themselves out of harms way!! For whatever reason –
I can almost guarantee that if the Military had rushed right in and taken over – the press would be OUTRAGED that the military had rushed right in and taken over – and therefore the people would have been outraged that the military rushed right in and took over – it’s a catch 22 – it’s all about the spin and it sucks.
So now the question is … are we going to sign our rights away to the Feds because we’re all emotional about the military/FEMA not bailing us out?
Are we willing to allow the military to ‘declare’ our cities disaster zones and just come in and take over? I don’t really want that – but if we give them some sweeping blanket of power in these situations – that may happen.
As for Kennedy – I’m sure he’s probably one of those who believe the storm was caused by the Republicans – just like Jesse Jackson believes GW should be up on a pile of rubble essentially declaring war on ‘Mother Nature.’
ugh.
As opposed to the whacked out Republicans who believe it was a sodom and gomorrah act of god.
ugh.
Then there’s the Michael Moore angle – ‘if we weren’t at war with Iraq this would not have happened.’ ‘If President Bush hadn’t cut the budget for the army corps, blah blah blah’ …
Puh-leeze. Newsflash! Presidents have cut the funding for the past thirty years or so and even if Bush HAD given them more money – the Army corps LAUGHED at the models given to them back in 1999 for the scenario that unfolded in N’Orleans … so who knows WHAT they would have spent that money for.
In case anyone is still not convinced, how is this relevant?
Referring to large numbers of poor and black New Orleans residents who were dispossessed by the storm, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., said earlier in the week the disaster underscored “the glaring economic disparities facing our citizens.”
“As a nation, we must be sensitive to this inequality, sensitive as we respond to Katrina, and sensitive, too, as we select now justices for the Supreme Court,” he said. “That’s a critical question for Judge Roberts. Can he unite America for the future?”
Because a hurricane caused foreseeable damage, Judge Roberts is now responsible for uniting America? How does Senator Kennedy keep getting elected? This is at least where, if the Democrats had any competent leaders, someone would have muzzled the Senator before he could offer such ammunition to the “they just hate conservatives so I don’t need to listen to them” people. If nothing else, this proves why presidents rarely come from the Senate.
Are you listening, Senator Clinton?
Many seem to be going bananas about FEMA’s decision to deny journalist requests to photograph corpses as they are recovered from New Orleans. While I don’t personally want to see any of that, I understand the journalistic push to capture the whole story. I don’t believe that’s all that’s driving it, of course, because photographs (and video footage) of corpses would be a ratings winner, but I’m going to believe the best about people right now. The ideals of journalism win out as their prevailing reason.
Yet, I genuinely believe that any censorship concerns are overblown. Recovery teams are searching through hazardous conditions and should not be hampered by taking care of journalists and photographers. I understand that journalists are embedded in war zones and that our government has experience with that. However, Iraq isn’t flooded. The journalists can’t move around by foot with the recovery team. They’ll occupy space in boats better served by individuals trained for this crisis. Also, the potential for spreading disease is obvious. The mayor ordered a forced evacuation of all remaining residents. Why should we exclude journalists from that evacuation? Ultimately, we know New Orleans is a wasteland. We don’t need further proof.
That’s my spiel on the FEMA censorship non-story. This is what I find fascinating. From the article, there is this basic statement:
An agency spokeswoman said space was needed on the rescue boats and that “the recovery of the victims is being treated with dignity and the utmost respect.”
“We have requested that no photographs of the deceased be made by the media,” the spokeswoman said in an e-mailed response to a Reuters inquiry.
Perfect, basic journalism works to get the story. So why does this next paragraph follow the above excerpt in the story?
The Bush administration also has prevented the news media from photographing flag-draped caskets of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq, which has sparked criticism that the government is trying to block images that put the war in a bad light.
The Iraq war photography ban angle is suspect, at best, but it’s possible to see that as relevant. Strained logic because corpses and caskets aren’t equal in photography, but the connection is possible. “Which has sparked criticism…” is pure bias, though, attempting to frame the story to highlight that this isn’t the first time the “evil” Bush administration has screwed up and tried to hide it. It’s unnecessary, tiresome and distracting. No doubt this could (will?) be used as an example of the “liberal MSM”.
When I want facts, I read news. When I want opinion, I read editorials. Logic suggests the two should remain separate. I still contend that individual organizations perpetuate such bias, rather than some grand conspiracy. Regardless, today, Reuters failed in its journalism.
Enough has already been written by others about the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, so I’ll pose the question most interesting to me now. I don’t remember a situation deteriorating as fast as the one in New Orleans since the Los Angeles riots after the Rodney King verdict, and I feel comfortable saying that this is worse by a huge margin. So, should looters be shot?
I’ll point you to this post by KipEsquire for reference on my thinking. Consider:
I therefore think it’s wrong to call Katrina victims who are robbing stores for food, water or first aid supplies “looters.” Trespassers, certainly, but trespassers entitled to assert the privilege of “private necessity.” Of course, if such “acquirers” are ethical and if the logistics of the recovery and rebuilding allow it, then they should attempt to make restitution later on. But legally and morally they are entitled not to be condemned as “looters.”
On the other hand, stealing televisions or laptops or weapons or anything else above and beyond the barest essentials for life most certainly does constitute “looting” and should be prevented by any means necessarily, including the use of deadly force.
I agree with his assessment. Yet, when I had this discussion with my brother today, he disagreed vehemently with me, stating that we can’t shoot people for property. I think I’m right, but I’m curious to read what other people think. To hopefully sway your thinking, consider this analysis, which is what I argued when discussing the necessary response to looting.
I fully acknowledge that shooting looters is an inappropriately disproportionate response if one views looting as mere larceny. But one doesn’t shoot looters to protect property, one does so to protect order. Somebody is going to suffer unjustly when society breaks down. I don’t understand why Muller thinks it preferable for the law-abiding citizens to be the cost-bearers. History has shown repeatedly that the way to stop an anarchic riot is an early display of substantial force.
I’m willing to consider shades of grey, such as stealing televisions versus carjacking and armed robbery of hospital narcotics. Also of interest, what about looters stealing firearms? Are they stealing them to defend themselves or to form roving gangs?
So, please, post comments if you have an opinion. I think anyone stealing non-essentials should be shot because the need to restore order is above all else because stability precedes the emergency officials’ ability to respond. What do you think?
I can’t begin to explain how happy this thrashing by Radley Balko made me this morning. Consider:
The Washington Post’s Sally Jenkins — possibly the worst major daily sports columnist writing today — writes the most bizarre sports opinion piece I’ve seen in a very long time. And sports columns can be awful.
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I’d suggest that Jenkins stick to writing about sports, and only sports. But she tends to embarass [sic] herself there, too.
Ummm, I concur. Not specifically about her foray into “sports as Intelligent Design?” argument. I could challenge any number of questions she poses, but why bother? I concurred with Mr. Balko’s opinion almost five years ago.
When Michael Vick led Virginia Tech to the BCS National Championship game (in January 2000), Ms. Jenkins wrote the most condescending piece of “journalism” I’d ever read. Her column amounted to little more than a nice pat on the head for Virginia Tech, congratulating us on reaching the pinnacle game while admonishing us for thinking we could compete with a “real” team (Florida State). That we led after three quarters and could’ve won until almost the end seemed to escape her attention. Every other football analyst in the nation wrote about the stunning performance by Michael Vick in that game and the amazing rise of Virginia Tech throughout the season, while Ms. Jenkins stood alone, pretending that none of it happened. Her column was so obscenely devoid of intelligence, I wrote a letter to the Washington Post. (I knew it wouldn’t accomplish anything, but still.)
I wonder if the last four years of Virginia Tech football changed her mind about our worthiness? How about our preseason rankings?
An interesting new scientific study is beaming around the Internets today. The story goes deeper than the premise, but I think it’s important, or at least relevant to me, to highlight it. Consider:
Redheads sunburn easily, putting them at high risk of skin cancer.
Really? No kidding.
Ok, so that was the setup so that I could write “from the land of milk and duh.” There’s actually an interesting scientific discovery here. Consider:
Duke chemistry professor John Simon analyzed how the pigments in naturally red and black hair reacted as they absorbed either ultraviolet B rays associated with sunburn, or ultraviolet A rays, which can penetrate and damage skin even without a burn.
Both kinds of light caused a reaction with the redheads’ pigment that creates molecules that damage DNA and cells in ways that can spur cancer.
In contrast, only UVB light caused that oxidative reaction with the pigment from black hair, called eumelanin, Simon reported.
Dr. Simon stated that this is only a theory, with more research necessary to determine if his findings are consistent with other researchers. That, of course, is how science works. Doctors knew that redheads have a higher risk of skin cancer, but no one knew why. Dr. Simon presents his hypothesis based on test observations and now other scientists work to disprove that theory. Sorta like evolution, one suspects.
This theory may not lead to the proverbial cure for cancer (literally in this case), but the advance of knowledge is important. I’m not even sure it adds much because it doesn’t change my relationship with the sun; I treat the sun as a stalker and avoid it as much as possible. (I’m practically a shut-in.) But, again, satisfying intellectual curiosity is useful in a developed society. And it allows me to write “from the land of milk and duh.”
Particularly annoying, though, is I now know that even when I’m walking around, my arch nemesis UVA is lurking. Bastards.
(Yes, I know I’m probably the only person who thinks that’s funny, but holy crap, am I laughing.)
I can’t read and article about the impact of rising gas prices on poorer families without highlighting this nugget:
Morales and a cousin who lives next door are saving gas money by working together to cut trips. Maria Puicon, 28, a single mother of three, works in the office of a local hospital. If one of them is out, that one checks with the other to see if she needs anything.
They also gather at home on Friday nights instead of going out, and their kids play in the backyard.
“We cannot go anywhere because of the gas,” Puicon says.
Right, so now you know that my sense-of-humor tends toward the four-year-old mentality.
