A Disaster Map 'Wiki' Is Born

Katrina Information Map

Powerful interview.

less than 2 months ago, cuba was able to move 1.7 million people on short notice.

the whole civil defense is embedded in the community to begin with. people know ahead of time where they are to go.

they come to your door and knock, and tell you, evacuation is coming, then they come and tell you, now.

if no electricity, they have runners who communicate from a headquarters to central locations what is to be done.

the country's leaders go on TV and take charge. but not only the leaders are speaking. the TV weatherpeople are knowledgeable. and the population is well educated about hurricanes.

they not only evacuate. it's arranged beforehand where they will go, who has family where. not only pickup is organized, delivery of people is organized.

merely sticking them in a stadium is unthinkable. shelters all have medical personnel, from the neighborhood. they have family doctors in cuba (!), who evacuate together with the neighborhood, and already know who, for example, needs insulin.

if they evacuate to a countryside high school --- a last resort --- they have dormitories there.

they also have veterinarians and they evacuate animals. they begin evacuating immediately, and also evacuate TV sets and refrigerators, so that people aren't relucatant to leave because people might steal their stuff.

it's not throwing money at the problem. it's not financial capital, it's social capital. the u.s. in this sense has zero social capital.

dealing with hurricanes in cuba, as compared with how it's done in the u.s., is similar to the differences in how they deal with medicine. it's not reactive; it's proactive. they act as early as possible. the u.s. doesn't have civil defense, it has civil *reaction.*

You have got to read this!!!

2000 people are STILL being held at the NO convention center. The evacuation has stopped tonight. Reason? Unknown at this point.

The Red Cross AND Salvation Army cannot get to these people either. Why?

Here's the reason:
LA Homeland Security *confirms* ARC kept out!

WE, THE American PEOPLE...

TO - DO - LIST
.

1… Impeach and JAIL the Bu$h Family, NeoCon’s and Friends

2… JAIL All Corrupt CEOs, Republicans and Democrats

Who have Supported the Bu$h Gangsters with their Money

3… End ( PLUTOCRACY ) in the USA Government

And Return... Democracy to America

4… Create Free, Fair, Open Elections

5… Remove Money from All Elections in America

6… Start Public Financed Elections / Free TV Radio Air Time 4 All

7… ADD YOUR IDEAS HERE

8… and here

9… and here
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SIGN Your Name Here USA Patriots _______________________
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And than… Copy, Paste and Pass, E-mail,

IT-ON-NOW

for other 2 add 2 and

Re - PASS IT ON

Thank you, Another American Patriot

We Will Not Stop Until… Plutocracy in America is Dead

And DEMOCRACY has RETURNED

more info at

http://www.RogerART.com

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/

Kevin Drum

CHRONOLOGY....

Here's a timeline that outlines the fate of both FEMA and flood control projects in New Orleans under the Bush administration.

Read it and weep:

a.. January 2001: Bush appoints Joe Allbaugh, a crony from Texas, as head of FEMA. Allbaugh has no previous experience in disaster management.

b.. April 2001: Budget Director Mitch Daniels announces the Bush administration's goal of privatizing much of FEMA's work. In May, Allbaugh confirms that FEMA will be downsized: "Many are concerned that federal disaster assistance may have evolved into both an oversized entitlement program...." he said. "Expectations of when the federal government should be involved and the degree of involvement may have ballooned beyond what is an appropriate level."

c.. 2001: FEMA designates a major hurricane hitting New Orleans as one of the three "likeliest, most catastrophic disasters facing this country."

d.. December 2002: After less than two years at FEMA, Allbaugh announces he is leaving to start up a consulting firm that advises companies seeking to do business in Iraq. He is succeeded by his deputy, Michael Brown, who, like Allbaugh, has no previous experience in disaster management.

e.. March 2003: FEMA is downgraded from a cabinet level position and folded into the Department of Homeland Security. Its mission is refocused on fighting acts of terrorism.

f.. 2003: Under its new organization chart within DHS, FEMA's preparation and planning functions are reassigned to a new Office of Preparedness and Response. FEMA will henceforth focus only on response and recovery.

g.. Summer 2004: FEMA denies Louisiana's pre-disaster mitigation funding requests. Says Jefferson Parish flood zone manager Tom Rodrigue: "You would think we would get maximum consideration....This is what the grant program called for. We were more than qualified for it."

.. June 2004: The Army Corps of Engineers budget for levee construction in New Orleans is slashed. Jefferson Parish emergency management chiefs Walter Maestri comments: "It appears that the money has been moved in the president's budget to handle homeland security and the war in Iraq, and I suppose that's the price we pay."

i.. June 2005: Funding for the New Orleans district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is cut by a record $71.2 million. One of the hardest-hit areas is the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project, which was created after the May 1995 flood to improve drainage in Jefferson, Orleans and St.Tammany parishes.

j.. August 2005: While New Orleans is undergoing a slow motion catastrophe, Bush mugs for the cameras, cuts a cake for John McCain, plays the guitar for Mark Wills, delivers an address about V-J day, and continues with his vacation. When he finally gets around to acknowledging the scope of the unfolding disaster, he delivers only a photo op on Air Force One and a flat, defensive, laundry list speech in the Rose Garden.

A crony with no relevant experience was installed as head of FEMA.

Mitigation budgets for New Orleans were slashed even though it was known to be one of the top three risks in the country. FEMA was deliberately downsized as part of the Bush administration's conservative agenda to reduce the role of government. After DHS was created, FEMA's preparation and planning functions were taken away.

Actions have consequences. No one could predict that a hurricane the size of Katrina would hit this year, but the slow federal response when it did happen was no accident. It was the result of four years of deliberate Republican policy and budget choices that favor ideology and partisan loyalty at the expense of operational competence.

It's the Bush administration in a nutshell.

Idea... Ready 2 Go ---

One Global Community.com ---

Is Up And Running... NOW

...To Hell & JAIL With Bu$h and His Gangster Friends

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Each-Other Locally and Around the Earth.

Just Do It U-All... U Know how...
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What-EVER...

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In Every Neighborhood, Village, Town, Tribe & City

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PASS IT ON...

.

I'm cross posting from a comment I made at The DailyKOS made for a diary entry by RonZ on DailyKOS. It draws an unfortunate parallel between the Bush Administration's response to and perception of the NOLA disaster with "South Park":

OMG - They killed Kenny! THOSE BASTARDS!

The phrase "while rats nibbled on dead Americans" just made a very strange and different - yet oddly appropriate - analogy to the Bush Admin's reaction to the crisis and their likely perception of our outcry.

South Park. The cartoon. Where the character Kenny is killed in almost every episode, and is sometimes eaten by or carried off by rats.

The indifference to the death, and the standard outcry of the characters, is nothing different than what we are seeing in New Orleans, and even Iraq and Afghanistan.

To the Bush Administration, all of America is "South Park". And we, the people, are stand-ins for both Kenny and his friends. When someone (another "Kenny") dies, the Admin just sees us yelling "OMG - they killed Kenny! Those BASTARDS!" and expects us to then just turn around and go on with our lives.

...those bastards.

A comment made in reply to my comment notes that Kenny, in the South Park world, is also poor.

Taken in the context of Louisiana, that just adds to the unfortunate parallel of the comparison.

:/

Now that is a politician that represents NEW ORLEANS.... FUCK YEA!!!

Charlie

This is genocide. Thread over at crooks and liars calling for everybody to email reps. and seators and call for impeachment.

This so the end!!!!!!! The blame will shift right back on the real culprit, the federal government and NOT the mayor!!!!!

Rumsfeld and the fema crew are such racist bastards!!!!

"NEW ORLEANS — Combat operations are underway on the streets “to take this city back” in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

While some fight the insurgency in the city, other carry on with rescue and evacuation operations. Helicopters are still pulling hundreds of stranded people from rooftops of flooded homes."

Pentagon sends in military units to destroy the terrorist 'insurgency'

Its become IRAQ!!!!! Thank god these mother fucker fascists are through and we're going to remove them!!!!

James Lee Witt has been brought in to take back control of FEMA, and that fascist Chertoff is stepping down!

Now they're emptying the convention center, FINALLY!!!

Incarceration of these criminal mother fuckers!!! That's all they deserve and hang the traitors.

As for the conservatives they need to take a good long god damn hard look at what has happened here. These people were trying to get food and the army went in guns blazing and killing, treating it like a terrorist threat. People should think about what the hell made them choose this path, and those who want to continue this path need to get out of this country period.

Doug E.

Thank you for posting this interview...finally a peice of journalism that "scrapes the bullshit off the truth".

If the photos get out of NOLA that the Bushtapo crowd so fears it will make the popularity of this regime lower than the Abu Garib photos ever could.

what the fuck is going on here?

Troops begin combat operations in New Orleans
http://www.armytimes.com...p?f=1-292925-1077495.php

not only are these people being stranded by our government and the orginizations that are supposed to be set up to help these people, now they are "insurgents". Welcome to Russia, Comrades.

Horseshit. The fault lies with the ignorant inner city welfare class who don't have enough goddamn sense to fill up milk jugs with water, as ADVISED REPEATEDLY. Every educated person in America knew that New Orleans was a bowl waiting to be filled, and that the residents would need drinking water, at the very least.

Not surprisingly, tens of thousands of inner city welfare blacks were caught entirely off guard, without so much as a gallon jug of water.

And now they are all shocked and amazed at this unforseeable turn of events!

Damn that whitey!

#14 Jim - Actually, early on in the hurricane several news agencies on TV reported - and interviewed - folks who HAD done JUST THAT, but the flood washed away their supplies.

So, thanks for trying to blame the victims, and go back to wherever you came from.

Jim:

I've never responded to you before, because I don't think you're worth one second of my time in the day, but I can't take the filth you wingnuts spew anymore. I cannot take the putrid sewage that is coming out of your sick mind anymore. Your words are the equivalent of the same godforsaken stench that is wafting through the air of New Orleans right now. You are the equivalent of the rats eating the rotting innocent flesh throughout the Gulf coast.

So, Fuck you!!! FUCK YOU!!! Bush and his criminal organization are going down after this --- and you bloody well know it!!! Democrats know it. Republicans know it. And everyone who has 2 eyes and an ounce of fucking compassion in the world knows it. This hideous third-world spectacle that we are witnessing in America is the end of Bush. That's it. That's all. Do not pass go. Do not sign any more Halliburton contracts. Got that, Jim!!! Want to spew any more of that "We're fighting them there so we don't fight them here" BULLSHIT!!! Guess what, fuckhead?! They don't even need to fight you here!!!

Now go and watch these FOX reporters tell it like it is. O.K. Don't worry --- It's all "Fair and Balanced" for you!"

My apologies to everyone here that read this, other than Jim and his putrid ilk.

Ray Nagin for President!!!

It's about time we have a politician who cares and will speak up!!!

Jim shutup you racist bastard!!!!! You take some of them in you fascist racist, and then see how they live to see if you can blame them!!!!

Go ahead I dare you! Arkansas and Texas is doing their part, so you do your part too. I dare you!

Or if not, and you're a true racist against the poor than go to hell. You don't deserve any sympathy.

This is the end of the bullshit Bush neocons and their propaganda GOP!!!

Doug

Not "South Park" ,I think bush is more like Wiley Coyote.

I have the craziest notion...

I don't know if anyone feels this way....

But when I hear some of the officials talking about what's going on down there... from distributing supplies, rescuing people, putting down the looters, and testing out new military hardware.... It seems almost like they are running a big experiment.

There just seems to be a real tragic disconnect between what the people there are experiencing and the aloof sort of protocols that are being followed in response.

I've been wondering something. Perhaps others have too - I saw some of this info posted over on ConyersBlog, and have presented it below. Along with a question:

Mmm...I wonder if Hastert's statement re: not rebuilding was based on knowledge of other plans intended for NOLA?

Bush Privatized Catastrophic Hurricane Disaster Plan for New Orleans, Southeast Louisiana in 2004

IEM Team to Develop Catastrophic Hurricane Disaster Plan for New Orleans & Southeast Louisiana 03 June 2004 (IEM, Inc. Press Release - IEM Team Wins U.S. Army MANSCEN Services Contract (site says it's May 25, 2004))

"IEM, Inc., the Baton Rouge-based emergency management and homeland security consultant, will lead the development of a catastrophic hurricane disaster plan for Southeast Louisiana and the City of New Orleans under a more than half a million dollar contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)."

Taken together with this, which was a question posted in a comment on ConyersBlog (along with the above info on IEM):

In light of the recent Supreme Court decision on Imminent Domain, what property, city, or territory can the government deem necessary in taking either by military force, martial law, or 'legally' from homesteaded or privately held properties for commerce purposes and redevelopment under the guise of capitalism, globalization, and national interest?

Any chance of these being significant?

And for a response, I got:

"Couple this with a $272 million dollar reduction in hurricane preparedness for the area, signed just last June and it looks like a deliberate plot to take over the city by wiping it out."

Of course, this is BushCo we're talking about. Another responder commented that they were likely caught by surprise by the disaster and the budget cuts were just their own stupidity and greed...but then, that wasn't to say they wouldn't grab the opportunity to turn it into a bonanza for their oily buddies.

So, anybody else think this is possible? Do we need to get our hands on Cheney's energy plan and see how NOLA figures in?

I just can't help it (repeating my post)--- I HATE Bushco. with my entire being. He/they should be removed from office NOW. The country and its citizens will be in tatters and ruins by 2008. If Gore had rightfully assumed the presidency in 2000: (1) 9/11 would not have happened, because Gore knew about the threat and would not have dreamed about going on "summer vacation"; (2) Iraq DEFINITELY would not have happend; (3) therefore funds would have been available for the NO levees and this devastation may well not have happened. The country needs EXPERIENCED INTELLIGENT PEOPLE in charge. Gore had eight years in the W.H. with a successful government. All the Republicans have accomplished in the last 10-15 years is a $60 million Clinton witch-hunt yielding one blow-job, two stolen elections because they cannot get in power any other way, and three horrific disasters noted above in the past five years. HAVE YOU ALL HAVE ENOUGH YET? YOU ALL WANT MORE?? BECAUSE THE IDIOTS IN POWER WILL NO DOUBT GIVE YOU PLENTY SOONER THAN LATER!

Peggy #22 Yes, I have had enough too ... in the first year or so.

I am beyond "enough" now.

I have been terrorized by this neoCon fascist regime.

Bush’s Role in the Drowning of New Orleans

I'm still in shock, I think. I can't understand the piss poor response to the victims. Response time is crucial in disasters. I can find no excuse for this horrendous response time. they offer no answers that make any sense, not that I'd believe them any way.

My apologies if this has been posted already:

From the Red Cross website:

Why The Red Cross Is Not In New Orleans

The state Homeland Security Department had requested--and continues to request--that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans following the hurricane. Our presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city.

And this is now STANDARD OPERATING PROCEEDURE FOR ALL EMERGENCIES IN ALL STATES!!

And, how's this for a slap in the face for New Orleans residents:

For the entire time Bush was in Louisiana for photo ops, a ban on helicopter flights further stalled the delivery of food and supplies!!

And one more:

Evacuation of the Superdome was halted for awhile, so that buses could come in and evacuate employees and tourists staying at the Hyatt Regency. About 700 people who had obviously been in cleaner and more comfortable conditions, even without running water, were moved TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE, while stunned evacuees were held back by police.

My little town of almost 8000 people (28,000 in the whole county), is about 470 miles from New Orleans. We are taking in HUNDREDS of people - earlier today I sent a list of empty buildings I scouted out to the local Red Cross chapter for possible shelters, and am waiting now on word of where to take clothing and food for distribution. We are a very small southern town, but this is what we do best - take care of our own.

Thanks sooo much to everyone all over the country - all over the WORLD - who is making donations. Have no doubts - you are saving lives.

Please don't judge us by those poseurs in Washington DC - they are far removed from the reality of the situation. And if there was any doubt about that, it should have been erased when George Bush went on national television and said, "No one knew that the levees would break"

Pray for a Coup d'etat in America.

Dear Mr. President ,I'm Australian and we have this "saying" that I think you may want to consider .
Prior
Planning and
Preparation
Prevents
Piss
Poor
Performance

Is it possible to get any angrier?

Yes it is:

Levee repairs faked for Bush photo-op?

Bottom line: When the convoy of the President arrived, hectic activity broke out for the first time, bulldozers appeared and cleared areas that didn't need clearing because nobody was still living there, and when the President disappeared, so did the bulldozers and workers.

Christine Adelhardt, the reporter, said, that the fake scenario shocked her as much as the destruction she had seen.

I'm running out of tears down here.

Angry? Oh we're just gettin warmed up!!

Check this out, from one of the "compassionate conservatives". I'm guessing I won't meet HIM at any of the shelters or distribution centers:

from The Tennessean

Scroll down to:

Larry D. Woodroof - 09:06pm Sep 3, 2005 CST (#2856 of 2864)

And when you're done reading, some of you might want to click on Mr. Woodroof's name to get his email address and let him know what you REALLY think.

Praise the bush and pass the "Demolition"
Praise the bush and pass the "Demolition"
and we will all be free!

More privatization coming. And out active congress sits by and snores. And loads up on shares.

bush lies us into an illegal war and privatizes Iraq into a far-right wing Imperialist's dream and our Congress snores. Now Helliburton is to cash in on NO, the snores of Congress are getting louder.

Where's Cheney Vader

Well Chief Renquist just died which probably means Alberto Gonzales is going to be appointed Chief Justice soon.

This from a Baton Rouge blues e list:

Bush, Shame on You !
This is an open letter from Louisiana to President Bush and the USA.

Bush, hurricane Katrina devasted us here in Louisiana. You are our President and we needed you. But, your performance has been dismal. You refused to fully fund our coastal wetlands restoration so we now have no buffer zone between us and the hurricanes. You cut the funding for the New Orleans levee maintenance and our levees failed. We needed our national guard soldiers and they are in Iraq. We needed buses to evacuate and you took 4 days to provide them. We needed leadership from FEMA and the Office of Homeland Security and you provided incompetent people to lead these agencies. These offices are supposed to know what is going on. Four days after the Hurricane, they did not even know that there were thousands of refugees in the Convention Center. They had no clue about the desperate situation we are in.

Bush, you fail to realize the contributions that our state has made to the nation for many decades even though 30 % of our nation's oil and gas comes through Louisiana. The oil produced 3 miles off of our coast generates 1 billion dollars a year in severance taxes for our national government and you refuse to share these funds with Louisiana. We get 0 % of the offshore oil revenues produced in the 3+ mile zone. We are tired of the rest of the nation depending on us to provide energy without appreciating our worth.

You did nothing to encourage energy conservation and the use of solar, wind and renewable resources that are environmentally friendly. As a result, gas prices are going through the roof and we are hopelessly tied to the Mideastern oil and we will continue to have wars in that region as long as we need their oil. We are spending billions on rebuilding Iraq, yet in Congress, your House of Representative's leader, Dennis Hastert said this week that we should not rebuild New Orleans.

It has been 4 years since 9/11 and you have not figured out a way to improve communications among our frontline first responders in disaster areas! During 9/11, cell phones did not work. Even I can figure out that we could have used the Sirius and XM Satellites to tie together radio communication for our frontline first responders.

You knew that a category 5 hurricane was coming days before the event and you did nothing to prepare for it. Shame on you Bush! Either lead or get out the way!

Sincerely, Clarence

Hi, MMIIXX #33 - I hope he's dead.

Hi, Shannon #35 - As Clarence probably already knows, Bush is totally incapable of leadership --- he hasn't shown one ounce of true leadership since the day he was born. He's a spoiled, useless, rich brat! He is not qualified to be president of the U.S. He is not qualified to run a company, or sit on its board of directors. I would not invest one cent in any operation he is associated with --- and I certainly wouldn't have voted an obvious jack-ass like Bush into public office. Bush is a jack-ass and so are his demented supporters.

hcocdr
"He appoints people based upon their ability".F#$@ you crack me up guy, Mike Brown heads FEMA LOL,Bolton heads USA in UN LOL, Gonzo head Justice LOL ,Chertoff heads Homeland Security (are ya rolling on the floor laughing yet .You can't believe the crap you post ,how can you write so much and read so little .
God save the victims because nobody will save Bush.

P.S. The “Raging Cajun” Lt. General Russell Honore’ rose through the ranks and had to show/prove his ability at every step of his career unlike the "dope taking drunk" who now reside in the White House ,surrounded by YES men and women .
P.S.S. Nobody said bush caused/made the hurricane ,some of us live in the "reality based" universe.

President Bush should have known about those busses and the people that were not evacuated. He should have fired all the elected leaders of NO because of their incompetence. Invaded LA like he did Iraq? Maybe he was seeking approval from the UN. Have you ever thought of that? I thought you were against the federal government intruding on the rights of the citizens to govern themselves, unless it the taking of taxes from the rich and then you are all for it.

from

http://billhobbs.com/hobbsonline/007188.html

September 2, 2005
Nagin's Failure

This AP photo shows scores of New Orleans school buses sitting in flood waters after Hurricane Katrina - sitting where they sat instead of being used to evacuate thousands of poor people before Katrina hit.

Why are scores of school buses sitting in the flood waters of New Orleans today? Blame New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, who is one reason things have gotten worse, not better, in his stricken city since it was hit by Hurricane Katrina. His laissez faire approach to looting allowed the looters to become increasingly armed and violent, interrupting rescue and recovery operations.

But even before Katrina hit, he failed his poorest citizens horribly. He told them to evacuate the city - and then gave his city's poorest residence no way to do so.

READ THIS

WAPO: Storm Exposed Disarray at the Top

So to pay him back, you mount a rescue mission fitting of only a "B Grade Horror Movie”. There are expert witnesses a plenty who are going to survive this tragedy and those people will expect answers to some very embarrassing questions for this Administration.

uncensored images they don't include in their talking points

Storm Exposed Disarray at the Top

By Susan B. Glasser and Josh White
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, September 4, 2005; Page A01

The killer hurricane and flood that devastated the Gulf Coast last week exposed fatal weaknesses in a federal disaster response system retooled after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, to handle just such a cataclysmic event.

Despite four years and tens of billions of dollars spent preparing for the worst, the federal government was not ready when it came at daybreak on Monday, according to interviews with more than a dozen current and former senior officials and outside experts.

From Washington Post Staff Writers !

more uncensored images they don't include in their talking points.
WARNING: VERY GRAPHIC

The most pro-active thing we can all do is IMPEACHMENT!!! We don't have a leader or President. I send an e-mail weekly to my reps. Every week I list new reasons for impeachment of w and co. Just maybe it will make a dent.

Thanks Dr. L for the rundown on FEMA. Just another example of someone rewarded with a position they don't have a clue to operate. I also thought emergency services ran drills, so if or when the real thing occurred, they would know what to do and how to do it.

#4 StopGeorge,
I read your link about the RC not being allowed in & was incensed; then I went to redcross.org to see what they say there, and now I don't know what to think. It sounds like they ARE there, but obviously I am not an eye-witness.

I copy/pasted this from redcross.org:

# Emergency Vehicles – 249 Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) are now in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, with additional ERVs en route to the affected area. The Red Cross is working to engage additional vehicles for food distribution to survivors.

# Relief Workers – Thousands of Red Cross staff and volunteers across the country and from every part of the organization are working around the clock to serve the public need. More than 4,200 Red Crossers have left their families to serve in affected areas already, and the Red Cross is moving more than 600 additional workers into affected areas every day.

So this is contradictory. I'm gonna call the Red Cross & see what I get....

Although I gotta say that anyone blaming the mayor for this is just nuts. He sounds goddamn credible to me. That interview breaks your heart. But only if you HAVE one, I guess.

Ok, Jesus Fucking Christ.
I just called the RC office in Ft Lauderdale, told them I'd just read that they were not being allowed into NO and I asked them is it true.
----I mentioned the info on their site that seems to indicate otherwise---
The woman I was speaking to asked another person there---I heard her say "there's a woman on the phone who says she read that the Red Cross is not being allowed into New Orleans & she's asking is that true".
And I heard him answer "Yes, that is true".
She repeated it to me.
I asked her did she know why, she said no; I asked who was the fellow who just confirmed that it was true, could I have his name, she said no.

So apologies, StopGeorge! Why the Red Cross has lies on their website I DON"T KNOW. But apologies for having cast doubt on your comment, man.
HAHAHA I GUESS I FORGOT FOR A FUCKING MOMENT THAT WE'RE LIVING UNDER THE DOMINION OF FUCKING KAFKA
GOD HELP US

HCOCDR

It is the reponsibility of the Department of Homeland Security. in times of natural disaster to assist its citizens. Per their home page....

"In the event of a terrorist attack, natural disaster or other large-scale emergency, the Department of Homeland Security will assume primary responsibility for ensuring that emergency response professionals are prepared for any situation. This will entail providing a coordinated, comprehensive federal response to any large-scale crisis and mounting a swift and effective recovery effort."

The ineffectual planning and reponse of these federal agencies is indefensible. We pay hard earned tax money to help fund the government to protect us.

They failed miserably.

I got on the Dailykos site last nite and started reading the postings. I read about the staged backgrounds (witnessed by Foreign press and reported by CNN International). I read about the "Hurricane Pam Excercise" held last summer by the LSU Hurricane Center, FEMA, and other emergency officials. I read that the RC was not allowed into NO and I was so sick I had to quit reading.

I can now see a small picture of what Iraq must look like (minus the water). I can now see what the people of Iraq are going thru with no food, water, or power. Yes, Bush, you brought Iraq to me in my living room and you couldn't stop it with embedded journalists and your propaganda machine. Iraq has suffered like this for three years and counting.

America has now seen firsthand how this regime treats people on this planet. I am so ashamed.

Thank you all (except #37) for the research and comments.

.Maybe the government should take away all rights from the people force them to go to church and learn the 10 commandments and live the way Jesus did. Develop a conscience, no more freedom of speech. It's safer. We pay taxes to keep us safe. How would you like that sort of protection? No, we are a government of the people. We must support not condemn our elected officials at all levels of government. This cradle to the grave crap will never work. We pay tax dollars but we also elect local officials and when no matter how competent people are running for office the locals will only vote based on race. Look at any major city in America. Marion Barry in DC for example. When will this end. We create a society that only expects handouts and when those handouts stop even for 3 day they panic and start killing and raping and looting.

HCOCDR #37 & #51

ARE YOU FOR REAL OR JUST WANT A CONTROVERSY?

NO IS SAYING BUSH SENT THE HURRICANE. BUT HOW DOES IT TAKE 5 DAYS TO BEGIN DROPPING WATER AND FOOD? BUSH SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE ON WEDNESDAY.

OBVIOUSLY THE ONES IN CHARGE, FEMA, DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT TO DO.

AND IF YOU GIVE BUSH CREDIT FOR GENERAL HONRE THEN PLACE THE BLAME WHEN MEN, WOMEN AND BABIES DIE FOR LACK OF WATER.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A FLOOD, TRY CARRYING BOTTLES OF WATER WITH YOUR CHILDREN IN YOUR ARMS.

SHAME ON YOU FOR TRYING TO WHITEWASH YOUR PRESIDENT...HE IS NOT AND NEVER HAS BEEN MINE.

#51 THE PRESIDENT OF JEFFERSON PARRISH WAS ON TIM RUSSERTS PROGRAM.

A MOTHER IN A NURSING HOME CALLED OVER AND OVER FOR SOMEONE TO COME AND RESCUE HER AND OTHERS UNABLE TO LEAVE. THEY WERE TOLD EACH DAY SOMEONE WAS COMING.

SHE DROWNED FRIDAY NIGHT.

A HELICOPTER LANDED ON CHARITY HOSPITAL FRIDAY....WHY DIDN'T THEY LAND ON WED, OR THURS. NURSES WERE USING IV ON EACH OTHER TO KEEP CARING FOR PATIENTS. BECAUSE THEY HAD NO FOOD, NO WATER...PATIENTS WERE LYING FECES BECAUSE THE LINENS WERE GONE.

GOOD GOD, WHERE IS YOUR BRAIN?

HCOCDR

Your argument that that we should support a government that ignores its citizens in its most dire moments of need, is ludicrous.

This is our government. If it is found to have not acted in the best interests of the people then it is the duty of the people to do what they can to make corrections.

A 18 yr kid in New Orleans got into an abandoned school bus, circled the area until he had 100 victims of Katrina on board and then drove them to safety to Texas.

I would contend this kid has the 'nads bush wished he had, and should be awarded a gold plated wheelbarrow.

You probably feel he should be shot as a looter and the 100 victims should be charged for conspiracy to avoid rescue by the national guard. Which was dispatched to the area 3 days late!

To those who support this President and are STILL defending his actions:

GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE TO TENNESSEE OR ALABAMA! And drag that sorry excuse for a human you call a President with you! Come volunteer at the shelters, bring food and clothing and basic items like toothbrushes, towels, diapers. Work here for ONE FULL DAY.

Then I DARE you - I FUCKING DARE YOU - to stand in the middle of that crowd and tell them what a wonderful President we have and how compassionate he is, and how what happened couldn't have been helped, and how they shouldn't have stayed anyway just because they were poor or sick or old...

I DARE YOU!!

I don't have energy left to argue with trolls right now, or to even read them - they are as out of touch with reality as our idiot in chief, and they wouldn't know the truth if it came up and bit them on their collective asses.

You cowards hide behind your excuses - how about you shut your mouth and head south, roll up your sleeves and do some work? Be sure you have that nice big "Bush/Cheney" bumper sticker showing. You can do a little campaigning while you're here, see how much support you can rally from the compassionate conservatives that supported Bush - IF you can find one.

I haven't asked anyone's politics while we're working this thing, but I don't have to ask to be able tell you, even among people who voted for him, he's not real popular here right now.

Sorry for venting y'all, I'm just heartbroken and tired in so many ways.

I have said and will continue saying...you can't get in by road....use helicopters...get them from everywhere and use helicopters.

But when a newsperson...and many of them said it, Anderson Cooper, Joe Scarbourough for a few are there and tell us it was 14 HOURS before they saw any help...how can you say help couldn't get in.

And where is the Mayor MR. Nagin, has he been shut up because he spoke the truth, the only one with balls?

I called the RC again, spoke to someone different, a volunteer, and she said yes, the National Guard & "local authorities" had asked that the Red Cross "not come back" until...I think she said until order had been restored or something to that effect. She mentioned the Dept of Homeland Security.
I asked her why their website makes it sound as if they are there on the ground, that personnel & emergency vehicles are there & that more are en route. She said the the situation keeps changing.... which is understandable....

I called my local newspaper (the Sun Sentinel) & left a message for their Nation/World 'deputy-managing-editor', telling her about this RC-not-allowed-in story, asking if they knew this & asking her to write about it, that I don't think people are aware of it.

I dunno, maybe it's nuts to even TRY to understand this.
Or to try to understand how the Chimp can eat cake & play golf & FAKE rescue/clean-up work for his compassionate-conservative photo-op-moment while his own citizens are suffering & dying, while his lackeys & lapdogs are passing the buck & blaming everybody else.

Wait...is that him? Is that Georgie I hear muttering under his breath...what is that he's whimpering?.....

"Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood
Clean from my hand? No; this my hand will rather
The multitudinous seas incarnadine,
Making the green one red."

—Macbeth, Act II, Scene III

This from Conyers' site:

'...Astonishingly, FEMA deputy director, Patrick Rhode, described federal relief efforts as

"probably one the most efficient and effective responses in the country's history."....

[WHAT PLANET IS HE LIVING ON???]

'... Anyone who has watched the news coverage would be hard-pressed to agree. Trying to coordinate support activities, the director of Homeland Security in New Orleans, Col. Terry Ebbert, has been distraught by the lack of federal assistance, noting, "it's criminal within the confines of the United States that within one hour of the hurricane they weren't force-feeding us. It's like FEMA has never been to a hurricane."...'

HCOCDR --- Guess what --- Republicans died in Iraq and in NO. Do you think that defending Bush is going to protect you against all past, present and future Bush failures? Do you really think he gives a rat's ass about you? You are nothing but "one of the people he can fool all of the time". Think you are immune? Better keep your eyes open. You are just one of the masses. You will go down along with all his other victims. Better wise up.

Why is it Michael Brown and Chertoff both were not aware of the people stranded at the Convention Center....anyone watching a television knew it?

Talk about lack of communication mainly between the people in charge of our SAFETY. Good luck Americans.

Mayor Dupruis (not sure of spelling) of a town in Mississippi is on CNN facetiously saying "What do you call that division of the government? The CNN anchor said in the same tone, "I think it's called FEMA?"

He is disgusted that there are truckloads of water which are being blocked from getting to them because, as he says, "One man has decided not to release this convey."

Joan:

Great work!

I've heard the same.

You folks can’t handle the truth but here it is anyway!

The hurricane that hit Mississippi, Alabama, and New Orleans was a beyond belief tragedy. The loss of life and the self-possession of the residents of those areas is intensely horrific.

Our President did not cause the hurricane. Hurricanes have always happened and will continue for eons to come. Our President did not create this one and did not make this one worse than others there have been far worse.

There is no devastating evidence that global warming exists as a man-made occurrence or that global warming even exists. There is no clear evidence that if it does exist it makes hurricanes more powerful. But the republicans now are able to make them aim at cities with large numbers of poor people some how because they don’t like poor people.

If people pollution is the cause of global warming consider that Kyoto does not cover the world's worst polluters – Brazil, China, India, Iran, Our President had nothing to do with causing this hurricane.

Our President had nothing to do with the hurricane emergency plans for New Orleans which said “”Louisiana disaster plan, pg 13, para 5 , dated 01/00

'The primary means of hurricane evacuation will be personal vehicles. School and municipal buses, government-owned vehicles and vehicles provided by volunteer agencies may be used to provide transportation for individuals who lack transportation and require assistance in evacuating'.... “”””

Those are devised by the State and Local governments. The plans if followed they would have worked perfectly well Mandatory Evacuation. It is in no way that it’s our President’s fault that about 25 percent of people of New Orleans neglected to follow the plan.

It is not our President’s fault that many persons in New Orleans were too confused to realize how dangerous the hurricane would be, no wonder they find voting too complicated and allow the democrats to vote for them. They were certainly warned and when I was in NO they used to brag about being 7 feet below sea level and that the big one will get us some day.

It's not our President’s fault that there were sick that were sick and old and people without automobiles in New Orleans. Maybe you would expect him to insure that there were no old, sick, or stupid people in America without car. Thought after the 40 years of Democratic leadership in the congress they would have fixed that.

You say it’s our President’s fault that caused the gangsters to shoot at rescue helicopters taking people from rooftops; I say the violent rap music and video games had a little to do with that along with making the gang bangers rape young girls in the Superdome along with the removal of God from their schools.

With the appointments our president has made proves him to be one of the least racist President’s of our time. He appoints people based upon their ability. President Clinton had only one non-white on his cabinet Jocelyn Elders and we all know how that turned out.

I have been in the National Guard for over 20 years and 3 and ½ days for a deployment from the call to being on the scene is remarkable. Stop and think while the news organizations were jumping up and down making demands of aid now the National Guard members were telling their employers they would be gone for a while. They then drove to their armories, they loaded their cargo, most of which had to be shipped in from warehouses from all over their states. They received the orders telling where they would be going. They then had to plan their routes and kick out the fuel, re-supply and maintenance trucks ahead of the convoys. They had months to plan for deployment to Iraq or other places but for them to ramp up and perform like they have is quite astonishing. There is not the slightest evidence at all that the war in Iraq has diminished the response of the National Guard or the federal government to the emergency to say otherwise an act of slander.

The news media should put the same energy into blaming the stupendous incompetence of the New Orleans city authorities; the morale of the police department is a reflection of the incompetence of the leadership. With the NO Mayor Spouting an “Ebonic” tirade of swearwords blaming the federal government for his lack of leadership and foresight, really helped unite his employees around him.

In September 1989, I was a State Trooper in SC when Hurricane Hugo hit Charleston SC. The people there rallied around the local leadership, they did not just sit around waiting for someone to put food and water into their little bird mouths. They did not rape and loot; everyone worked together black and white red and brown people. They had chainsaws and crowbars in their hands, they piled debris they searched for and rescued survivors. I remember the one group of people that caught some looters had them tied up with their hands behind their backs when we arrived to take them to jail. The people in Charleston SC was just as poor as NO.

That is just another example of how the chain of government is just as strong as its weakest link. Can you imagine these folks and Hillary in charge of your healthcare?

The “Raging Cajun” Lt. General Russell Honore’ will restore order and have NO, LA, and MISS back on it’s feet in no time thanks to the Presidents’ leadership in picking him.

We can ask God to bless all of those people who are suffering from this natural disaster along with those helping them, starting with our President George Bush.

PEGGY I think they have to change his batteries.

VIDEO: Celine Dion Cries - Response "NOT ACCEPTABLE!"

Celine made a powerful heartfelt statement on Larry King Live that cut through all of the bullshit. I was very impressed!

NEVER FORGET WHAT YOU ARE SEEING WITH YOUR OWN EYES.

Where's the Vice president during all this ?

The mayor failed in his role. It was HIS job to put the evacuation plan into action. He told people to get out (after a call from Bush) but did not give them any means to get out (The evacuation plan called for school and city buses to be used, they weren't). He failed. There would still have been people killed, but he could have prevented MANY deaths. The blood is on his hands as much if not more than anyone elses. As mayor he should have been a strong leader and taken control. Instead he looked dumfounded. The Levys were able to take up to a category 3 storm. When it became a 4 the evactuations should have started and made MANDATORY. The Mayor failed.

I see the Republifascists have "Operation: Blame the Black Mayor" in full swing.

This is just a bit long but I want to post it in ALMOST its entirety since it is directly from the Red Cross as to WHY they could not get in....

A friend-of-a-friend wrote the RC--I have no date for it--re their being kept out & got this response:

"Dear Ms...
Access to New Orleans is controlled by the National Guard and local authorities and while we are in constant contact with them, we simply cannot enter New Orleans against their orders. The state Homeland Security Department had requested--and continues to request--that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans following the hurricane. Our presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city.

·The Red Cross has been meeting the needs of thousands of New Orleans residents in some 90 shelters throughout the state of Louisiana and elsewhere since before landfall. All told, the Red Cross is today operating 149 shelters for almost 93,000 residents....

...·The Red Cross does not conduct search and rescue operations. We are an organization of civilian volunteers and cannot get relief aid into any location until the local authorities say it is safe and provide us with security and access.

·The original plan was to evacuate all the residents of New Orleans to safe places outside the city. With the hurricane bearing down, the city government decided to open a shelter of last resort in the Superdome downtown. We applaud this decision and believe it saved a significant number of lives...."

Let me repeat one bit from that:

"... We....cannot get relief aid into any location until the local authorities say it is safe and provide us with security and access..."

SO THAT MEANS that because the government/president/FEMA/National Guard were so criminally slow to respond, the Red Cross was not able--was not ALLOWED--to get supplies & help to those who needed them most desperately, those who were still trapped INSIDE the city, but only to those who had already made it out & to one of their shelters outside the city.

Presumably that's why numerous other offers we're hearing about, of water, hospital beds, fuel & God-knows-what-else, were also turned away.

I actually heard some tv commentator yesterday say that they doubted the president would suffer much political damage over this.

WELL, HOW NICE FOR OUR BUNGLING, BRUTAL TEFLON FRATBOY KING!!!

#64 Susan - If not for the courageous acts of Mayor Nagin...people would be piled like cordwood waiting for FEMA to bring in their "pre-positioned" helicopters, and supplies.

Buses were 15 miles outside of NO to evacuate and FEMA would not let them in ! Medical supplies were sent from Florida and FEMA would not let them in !
TWO MEDICAL BUSES EQUIPTED AFTER 9/11 WERE WAITING AND FEMA WOULD NOT LET THEM IN.

AND YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO BLAME THE ONE MAN WITH COURAGE TO DEMAND HELP ! YOU NEED TO REMOVE YOUR BLINDERS.

To Texaslady:

Why is it that the Republicans claim so loudly to be the "party of personal responsibility" but every time they screw up they say it's "someone else's fault"??

Why is it that Republicans claim to be Christians but they are 1.pro-death penalty, 2.callous and unfeeling towards the poor, and 3.in bed with the bourgeois big business owners??

Because they are hypocrites of the worst sort.