Its the nature of nature to be self correcting. Sadly our manipulation of fluvial systems in this country has led to the loss of proper sedimetantion and periodic deposition which is in the best interest of all natural resources. Our coastal wetlands were not wastelands they were a buffer to the excesses of storms like Katrina and a sustainable fisheries resource. Not pavilions for the rich , nor the gaming industry. But as for lives right now? The current governor of LA says today is a day of prayer. Laissez Faire has a price. This is only a down payment. But it had better be prayer with muscle and movement (liturgical dance). By the time resources come from Iraq and elsewhere it could be too late. Will there ever be a New Orleans again? How much of our money is left to spend? 475 busses to clear out the Superdome? Get the troops home, rethink our national priorities. Dump the ignorant exploiters of this nation's treasure, they have lied enough and BS'ed enough. This President has jumped and dumped each business and political crisis in his life, I expect him to be looking for a place to go but I can't see him doing anything sensible to correct or to save Big Easy. Will the current EPA tell the people in that city how toxic the water is that they are wading in ? The Chemical plants upriver, are they dumping toxics surreptitiously even now to cut their losses? Are their systems shut down tight and intact? Keep vigilant but stop the military swagger and humble ourselves to clean up our messes and take care of our own in the US. Tell the military industry complex to change its goals and move to planet stewardship. All of this has to come from the bottom up. We are now in a three- front war and there are more hurricanes on the way. If Bush wants to "stay the course" now it is time to impeach him.

I have been worried that something like this was bound to happen all along.

If we fight all these wars abroad, God forbid that there should ever be a disaster (natural, terrorist, medical or otherwise) here at home.

I hope my friend Carrie there in NO is OK. Please keep her in your prayers.

Just remember this as our infrastructure rots,

Bush says "Permanent tax cuts for the wealthy, He, He, He "

Been real interested to know how many National Guard and Reservists are still at home...the NPR says 183,366 total count with Dod saying 145,097 have been mobilized which would leave 38,269 here at home. The Dod states that 4100 National Guard from Louisiana are in Iraq.

With 15 base closings and 36 realigned, my question how many regular military, national guard, reservists, in all are here for Home Land Security? And the bases that will remain open or realigned are they located to get to any devasted area quickly?

Why aren't we airlifting our military to New Orleans right now?

Now should not be the time, as Kevin Drum of the Washington Monthly has noted, for the politics of blame. In the wake of Katrina's devastation along the Gulf Coast, Americans should be united in providing relief, resources and support to all in need.

But sadly, that massive relief effort will take place during a time of divisive and fundamental debate about the very meaning of national unity in the United States. As New Orleans struggles for survival, the President and his amen corner are waging a full scale assault on the Estate Tax, what they derisively (and effectively )term the "Death Tax." They will continue to pursue this massive transfer of the U.S. treasury to America's wealthiest, even as a mountain of evidence shows that successive Bush budget cuts devastated New Orleans' disaster preparedness and levee maintenance...

For the full story, see:

"New Orleans Pays the Death Tax."

Now should not be the time, as Kevin Drum of the Washington Monthly has noted, for the politics of blame. In the wake of Katrina's devastation along the Gulf Coast, Americans should be united in providing relief, resources and support to all in need.

But sadly, that massive relief effort will take place during a time of divisive and fundamental debate about the very meaning of national unity in the United States. As New Orleans struggles for survival, the President and his amen corner are waging a full scale assault on the Estate Tax, what they derisively (and effectively )term the "Death Tax." They will continue to pursue this massive transfer of the U.S. treasury to America's wealthiest, even as a mountain of evidence shows that successive Bush budget cuts devastated New Orleans' disaster preparedness and levee maintenance...

For the full story, see:

"New Orleans Pays the Death Tax."

June 8, 2004 - Walter Maestri, Emergency Management Chief, Jefferson Parrish, Louisianna
"Money to repair and finish the levees was removed from the President's budget to go to Iraq and Home Land Security."

Politics is NOT to blame????

The Army Corps of Engineers knew this could happen the minute they started building and maintaining the levees around 1900. That is a sad fact.

There are refs to other articles on an earlier thread, including one from E&P, here and here.

----- snippet---

In early 2004, as the cost of the conflict in Iraq soared, President Bush proposed spending less than 20 percent of what the Corps said was needed for Lake Pontchartrain, according to a Feb. 16, 2004, article, in New Orleans CityBusiness.

Hurricane Katrina-Bush --- Bush and his Republican cronies fingerprints are all over...

---snippets----

"Then the levee broke—a failure of a man-made construction...

"This was not unforseen. Numerous articles had been written about the risks. A New Orleans Hurricane was ranked as the third most high-risk American disaster, after a NY terrorist attack and a California earthquake. Yet Bush and his Republican rubber stampers in congress (and the DLC republican look-alike democrats) cut the funding for hurricane readiness, for buttressing the levees...

"Bottom line—this was a horrible storm that became a mega disaster because of failure to fund well thought out projects. Part of the excuse was the drain that the war on Iraq had on our resources. Look beyond the immediate images of the death and destruction and it is clear that what you see is the work of Bush and his Republican cronies.

----more at article---

FOR THEY THAT SOW THE WIND SHALL REAP THE WHIRLWIND

When the levee breaks

----- snippet---

"We probably have 80 percent of our city under water; with some sections of our city the water is as deep as 20 feet. Both airports are underwater," Mayor Ray Nagin told a radio interviewer.

Washington knew that this day could come at any time, and it knew the things that needed to be done to protect the citizens of New Orleans. But in the tradition of the riverboat gambler, the Bush administration decided to roll the dice on its fool's errand in Iraq, and on a tax cut that mainly benefitted the rich.

And now Bush has lost that gamble, big time. We hope that Congress will investigate what went wrong here.

The president told us that we needed to fight in Iraq to save lives here at home, and yet --- after moving billions of domestic dollars to the Persian Gulf --- there are bodies floating through the streets of Louisiana. What does George W. Bush have to say for himself now?

----more at article---

Special Report: Washing Away (series published in 2002)

Background/ intro below is from a WSJ article, here.

."...Three years ago, the New Orleans Times-Picayune won journalism awards for an exhaustive five-part series called "Washing Away," which began with the words: "It's only a matter of time before south Louisiana takes a direct hit from a major hurricane. Billions have been spent to protect us, but we grow more vulnerable every day."..."

But why should Mr Barethemly have to BEG for what should have been provided days ago?

Understood, this president has no knowledge of hunger, thirst, death or disease, not a care for human suffering, but he is surrounded by people to advise him. Is it that he won't listen to them? What planet are they from?

Texaslady, that question chills me to the bone.

That is the question in #4 Texaslady, sorry.

Oh, this is so the time for the "politics of blame".

This is the most horrendous disaster that I can recall seeing in the US and it appears to have been preventable. Think about it. An entire US city, arguably the most beautiful and historic American city, destroyed. Destroyed by levee failure.
How many dead? We can't even count the dead and may not be able to for some time. Can we rebuild? We may not know that for some time. An entire major US city, known and loved throughout the world, made uninhabitable. How many homeless?

Let's not even talk about where the National Guard was at this time of extreme crisis. Let's not even talk about resources such as helicopters and such. Let's not talk about preparation.

Let's talk about those levees that were supposed to be repaired and improved but had their funding cut because of the Iraq war - even though it was known that we could expect increasing hurricane danger.

Let's talk about a President who seems to have barely realized that he needed to cut his vacation short.

It would be giving him too much credit to call him Mr. Irrelevant. If only he were Mr. Irrelevant.

No, he's been Mr. Let's Not Worry About Al Queda Even Though We've Been Warned About Them.

He's been Mr. Let's Ignore The Burgeoning Infitada In Palestine Until They Wear Themselves Out.

He's been Mr. Let's Get Tough With North Korea So That We Lose The Safeguards We Did Have In Place.

He's been Mr. Let's Attack The Country That Did Attack Us On The Light, So That We Can Somehow Miss Bin Laden And Much Of Al Queda, Which Is Ok Because We Can Go Heavy Into A Country That Did Not Attack Us, But Still Not Heavy Enough.

Now Bush is Mr. Oh I'm Sorry I Didn't Provide The Money To Get The Levees Fixed, But Who Knew There Would Be A Hurricane, Right?

Gee, Mr. Bush, that's the second city you have destroyed. Only this time it was in the country you told us you were so determined to protect. You didn't seem that determined.

So yes, I think it's time for blame. I think it's way, way past time for blame. I think it's way, way past time to remove the Master of Disaster from office. I think that's the first thing Congress should do upon its return. Actually, I think it should convene to remove him now.

I'm praying nonstop. I'm sending money to Red Cross. And I'm so sad I can't put it into words.

And I'm mad. And I think it's time to blame. And I think it's clear where that blame starts.

911. Falluja. New Orleans. That's your legacy, Mr. Bush. If I were you, my soul would shrivel at the thought.

I think we need to brace ourselves. Events are cascading--the million-plus refugees, the Gulf Coast turned into a huge Love Canal, refineries shut down and oil platforms adrift. And then there is the imminent collapse of the housing bubble, the nascent civil war in Iraq, and the onset of a winter in which gasoline, heating oil, and propane could all reach four dollars a gallon. How are people going to drive to work? To heat their homes? To feed their families? I fear things are rapidly going to hell from here on.

I am so sad to see what Republican arrogance and greed has spawned in New Orleans and the horrors that await those that remain there.

But, please note, though I care greatly, I am NOT sending a penny to the Red Cross for their relief efforts.

I pay my taxes, and I know that if this great country can afford to spend $300 Billion dollars on the war that Paul Wolfowitz said would be "self financing" then we can afford $30 Billion for the Louisiana and Mississippi. Oh, and if that means we might have to keep the tax on over $1,000,000 estates, then gee, I guess those people who die and have over $1,000,000 in assets will have to watch from heaven or hell as a percentage of it is given to the state before being passed to their relatives. So sorry, but the people of New Orleans need it.

Perhaps a few of the oil companies making record profits might like to actually pay some corporate income taxes? Would that be too much to ask?

But NO, I will NOT finance this recovery --- it must be put to the American people that our GOVERNMENT is responsible for the problems in New Orleans and our GOVERNMENT must pay for it and make some tough decisions. IF they make the wrong ones, may they pray for their safety.

Charlie L
Portland, OR
CLL2001@gmail.com

Nana I agree with you totally, we have had hurricanes in Florida last year,last week. We knew Katrina was a category 5 on Sunday.

Wouldn't you think what is left of our home military could do a drill, or manuever when these disasters are coming, at least get toward the area to help?
I mean ships and planes are always doing pretend drills anyway. At least cut the delay so some people might survive.

Is this yet a case of NO ONE ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION AGAIN ? Supposedly no one could give the signal for our Air Force to intercept the "planes" crashing into the World Trade Center.

If we have much more of the compassionate conservatism from Bush there won't be many taxpayers left to pay his salary.

Newsweek:
White House is facing a perfect storm of trouble at home and abroad

---snippet--------

...the Bush administration faces some immediate, urgent challenges—and serious questions about its response to the disaster. For all the president’s statements ahead of the hurricane, the region seemed woefully unprepared for the flooding of New Orleans—a catastrophe that has long been predicted by experts and politicians alike. There seems to have been no contingency planning for a total evacuation of the city, including the final refuges of the city’s Superdome and its hospitals. There were no supplies of food and water ready offshore—on Navy ships for instance—in the event of such flooding, even though government officials knew there were thousands of people stranded inside the sweltering and powerless city.

---more at article---

ANDERSON COOPER JUST REPORTED 7 DAYS TIL A HOSPITAL SHIP GETS TO NEW ORLEANS - 5 DAYS BEFORE SHIPS WITH FOOD AND SUPPLIES.

PEOPLE IN THE STREETS ARE GOING WITHOUT WATER OR FOOD. TWO DAYS NOW.

TRYING TO BE FAIR : Pentagon has ordered 10,000 National Guard to New Orleans.

Still can't figure out that it has taken two days to get things going...Shouldn't have relief help started Monday? Surely could determine by Tues morning.
what would be needed.

I mean these people have no water...90 degree heat...NO SHELTER...NO CARS TO GET TO A SHELTER.

Anderson Cooper was speaking to somone how about airlifting water in at least.

Compliments of Raw Story:

10,000 Guard called to site

It's interesting that the Govenors are the ones calling out the guard.

Satellite Pictures from NOAA

The devistation is beyond belief.

Dan Froomkin watches the blogs

----snippet---

Among the questions being asked around Washington and the blogosphere this morning:

* If the reason Bush returned to Washington is that he is more effective here, then why didn't he come back two days ago?

* If the White House considers the return from vacation largely symbolic, then what is the symbolism of his long vacation during a war?

* Could Bush and the federal government have done more to prepare for hurricane recovery? Unlike the Asian tsunami, this hurricane was forecast days ahead of time.

* Did any of his previous budget decisions allow the hurricane to cause more damage than it might have otherwise?

* Are National Guard troops and equipment required to restore order in this country many thousands of miles away.

* Will he and his administration meet this disaster quickly and effective with the appropriate civilian and military resources and manpower?

* Will the White House provide the bold leadership and vision that the nation requires?

----LOTS more at article---

Here in Sacramento yesderday the gas prices were $2.63 per gallon of regular at the cheaper self serve stations. Today it is $2.89 per gallon, Over $3.00 at the higher priced places. They actualy had a bulletin on the radio saying they could reach close to $5.00 by this weekend.

So much for the economy.

Sacramento lies at the junction of the American and Sacramento rivers. During the gold rush days the hydrolic mining sent so much gravel down the Sacramento river that they actualy raised the level of the town back in the late 1800's due to flooding.

Since then levees have been build around the town and both rivers. The only flood relief for the Sacramento is a causeway were the river is diverted to bypass the city. On the American we have Folsom Dam which has worked fairly well.

In 1998 (If my memory is correct) we had a large storm on New Years Eave. It followed several weeks of rain so the ground was saturated.

The American river came within 4 inches of topping the levee. There were also numerous boils under the Sacramento river levees.

At that time the Corps of Engineers redrew the flood maps - enlarging the potential flood areas.

Congressmen Doolittle and Matsui whent to battle over how to protect the city.

Doolittle's answer was to build the Auburn Dam. Work was halted on that project over 20 years ago when it was discovered that it sat on no less than 17 active earthquake faults, and a failure could send a 100 foot wave through Sacramento. (Not to mention flooding 40 miles of wilderness river)

Matsui pushed to raise and reinforce the levees and the dam and dykes at Folsom Lake.

After much politics it was resolved to raise the levees etc.

It is now 7 years later and the work has yet to begin beyond some reinforcing of the levees at problem spots. (Band-aids IMHO)

Since Matsui passed away his wife has taken over
the cause, but high estimates for the construction have stalled the project and Auburn dam is again raising its ugly little head.

In the mean time we are still without the protection we need.

Last year was a record for snowfall and way over average for rain. Our winter was more like the Seattle weather, and it stormed well into the spring when normaly it is dry.

Fortunatly the precipitation came slow enough to not cause a problem, and there was no rapid snow melt, or we may have gone under.

By some streak of luck my home sits about 8 feet above the top of the levees and is 1 block from the edge of the flood zone.

Other parts of town could be 20 feet deep.

I wonder and fear when it is our turn.

Sorry for the long windedness.

(Not to mention flooding 40 miles of wilderness river)

That's what would be flooded upstream of the dam if it were build.

Context got lost.

As one of the vulnerable poor in this country, I can't even stand to watch or listen or read these accounts anymore --- I know it could be me, and it's just too close.

I'm beyond mad and terrified and grief-striken for these people. If we liberals are truly caring, we will build a monument to these MARTYRS, who died to wake us all up! If we can't mobilize this country after this, then it truly will be hopeless.

That mayor needs to FORGET our damned gov, and contact the countries who have offered help, which was turned down by D.C., and accept their help. He needs to go directly to those countries, and forget "chain of command!" When that many people are dying, "chain of command" be damned!

Poverty has been shoved aside by liberal Dems, and if this doesn't wake them up and get all of us back in line with caring about poverty, most of us will truly just give up. If this kind of massive death doesn't do it, then nothing will.

Middle class, you're next.

The Kyoto Protocol was rejected by the neoCon fascists, led by the president.

Their motto might as well be screw the earth because that is what they stand for.

Little do they know that there is a terrible backlash to upsetting the natural balance and thumbing the nose at the earth.

Great storms have never come this early ... we had a record year ... oops did I say had ... hey it is not over yet.

Earth raping in the name of supremacy has consequences much greater than the pennies the neocons think they are saving by avoiding Kyoto and similar good behaviors.

It is time for the president to repent of his murderous attitude against the earth and get on with a sound, lasting, and intelligent environmental policy.

Pollution (feeding the earth poison), global warming (pumping tons of non-helpful material into the air), and a whole host of other bad behavior must stop.

I mean we only have a choice about how it will stop ... not whether it will stop.

The earth will break us if we break it. The neoCons just don't get it.

THE MAYOR OF N.O. SHOULD NOT REDIRECT THE EFFORTS OF THEIR POLICE FORCE FROM RESCUE WORK TO STOP LOOTING. BUSINESSES SHOULD BE INSURED AS WELL AS HOMES AGAINST SUCH LOSSES. POLICE WOULDNT GET SHOT OR PUT THEMSELVES IN DANGER IF THEY WERE HELPING NOT GETTING IN THE WAY OF SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE CONTROLLED. I HAVENT HEARD OF A POLICE OFFICER GETTING SHOT TRYING TO RESCUE PEOPLE. FOR CHRISTS SAKE USE YOUR HEADS MAYOR.. IVAN SURVIVOR...LAURA

MY FATHER FLEW PRESIDENT BUSH, HIS FATHER, AND REGAN (HMX-1). I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A SUPPORTER OF OUR GOVERNMENNT. BUT AFTER LOOSING SO MUCH AFTER IVAN AND REALIZING HOW FEMA MISAPPROPRIATED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS DURING OUR CRISIS I HAVE LITTLE HOPE THEY WILL DIG OUT OF THIS ONE. I AM SO DISSAPOINTED THAT WE ARE NOT DOING MORE. WHERE IS THE NAVY? WHERE ARE OUR GLOBAL SUPPORTERS (TYLAND, INDONESIA, ETC...)? BUSH NEEDS TO GET OFF HIS VACATIONING ASS AND FLY HIS SPOILED BUTT TO NEW ORLEANS AND REACH HIS OWN GREEDY ARM OUT AND LIFT PEOPLE TO SAFETY..MAYBE GIVE THEM REFUGE AT CAMP DAVID....THERES PLENTY OF ROOM THERE. THERE PLENTY OF CHOPPERS TO GET THE JOB DONE....SEMPER FI.....GAS PRICES ARE KILLING THE ECONOMIC STRUCTURE AND THAT LEVY WILL SOON BREAK LEAVING US EXTREMELY VUNERABLE TO MORE TERRORISM....WHAT IS HE THINKING??? IDIOT!!!!

New levee break. Water rising a foot an hour in NO
http://www.cnn.com /

~~~~
Bush hasn't learned much about how a city acts when the authorities leave has he??? The looting in New Orleans is out of control.

They should have had Army units ready to deploy to keep order.

Now that the situation is out of control, they'll just have to wait until all the store shelves are empty. If people want to protect their houses, they'll have to return with flat bottom boats and semi-automatic weapons.

BTW, does anyone else think it's suspicious that the levees didn't break until AFTER the hurricane passed and it was clear the storm surge was not going to swamp the city. It would probably only take a couple of sticks of dynamite to get those things flowing. Seems like someone wanted Bush to have another pile of debris to climb on top of.

The hurricane had passed and the city was safe from catastrophe. Than overnight the levies broke.

~
I didn't think of deliberate destruction of the levee, but that's sure possible. No one was there to see.

I HAVE been wondering why Bush looks so perky and happy - like he's very PLEASED about the hurricane. It seems like more than
his usual sociopathic cluenessness. Is there somethiing about the oil infrastructure, the neighborhoods that were destroyed (surely not
strongholds of GOP support), the probable availabllity of cheap land now that so much has been destroyed. Or perhaps just that the cost of oil has soared so high?

He's a sociopath who is incapable of empathy, yes, but doesn't he seem really, really tickled to you? Like he's gotten something he
thought he might not be able to pull off?

Depends on whether or not its a real levee
It's hard to saturate the clay core of a real levee, and the levees around Orleans Parish are real levees. That doesn't mean they can't fail
(as demonstrated here),
ESpecially if compromised.

These were also reinforced with sheetpilings capped with concrete, when the levees were taken to 18'. and of course Bush slashed the funds for hurricane protection and disaster
relief and stole OUR National Guard and its resources for his dirty war in Iraq.

Here's another news flash: We get our oil from New Orleans! Gas rose 40cents today where I live, due to the hurricane.

If you ever took a geography course in high school or college, you'd know we get our fuel from New Orleans. That explains the rise in 48 hours, of 40cents.

You see, the gas where I live in the Northeast, was affected by the New Orleans hurricane. Those brave oilmen had to have been out in ships, drilling crude oil in 175 mph winds, shipped it to a refinery, created gasoline from it, then trucked it up to the Northeast, all in 48 hours! The oil barons would have us believe this.

While good people are helping the New Orleans disaster, and the New Orleans National Guard is in Iraq, the oil barons were trying to figure out a way to make $$$ on the misfortune of others.

I was at a Sam's Club today, and at 5pm, with a line of cars filling up @ $2.59/gal, a truck pulled up, and said the gas they were dropping off was affected by the hurricane, and they switched the pumps from $2.59 to %2.99 a gallon, right while there were tons of cars in line! I kid you not! I witnessed it!

I hate to note the similarities between Bush's reaction to this Gulf hurricane tragedy and his do nothing with the 9-11 attack. Both incidents show a history of plenty of warning-Corps of Engineers designed a plan to protect the very levees that "broke" against a cat 5 hurricane- Bush pulling funding in June05. Bush slow reaction before and after the disaster. Congress has now acknowledged possesion of weather control technology, why did they not employ this proven technology to steer the hurricane out to sea......I could go on but the list is never ending. The sheer evilness of this Bush cabal is more than I can recount. Hurry up with the indictments, Chicago grand jury...SOS, America can't wait any longer.

Superwoman, I relate to what you said about poverty. It's so easy for the authorities to call for evacuation. But my car is a heap unlikely to make it beyond city limits. Many of the poor have no cars or similar heaps. And could they fit their families in their cars? Would they have a place to go? Money for motels, food and gas? Bus tickets, plane tickets?

I suspect that many of the poor, when they hear evacuation orders, if they even hear them, which is doubtful, have no meaningful way of responding to them.

And if the housing bubble bursts, how many of the middle class are likely to find themselves poor?

Which brings me to what you said, Bluebear2. If there is any compassion or even commonsense in government, why are we chasing dreams and nightmares of Empire around the globe, instead of taking care of our infrastructures of various kinds at home?

This disaster in New Orleans appears to me to be far, far greater than 911 and it appears probable that it can be directly blamed on this administration's dysfunctional response to 911, to the diversion of this country's resources and priorities (not to mention the lives of its soldiers, as Cindy Sheehan continues to remind us) into a pointless excercise in militarism in Iraq.

One doesn't need to imagine politically motivated destruction of the levees (plausible as that may be)to be horrified by the awful human toll caused by out of control political gamesmanship in this country today. The fact that we have fought the war in Iraq without raising taxes to finance it is virtually an admission by this administration that the war was undertaken for political reasons, not out of any necessity that was convincing to the American people. If you can't get the folks to pay the taxes to support the war, it should be obvious that you should rethink the war to begin with.

Politics has played a huge role in getting us to where we are at now. So it's only natural that Republicans would like us to put aside politics in the wake of this tragedy. Only, that would be like trying to fix a house while ignoring the actual reasons the house needs fixing.

As you say, Drowning in Evil, much may depend on that Grand Jury. The leaders who have been driving this train into Hell are not likely to be the ones to turn it around.

The hurricane and resultant flooding occurred at the end of the month when many people's fixed incomes had run out. No money for gas, food, water - no way of escaping, no way of surviving. It is always the poor, disenfranchised that suffer the most - and the situation on the Gulf gets worse hour by hour. I cannot even wrap my mind around their situation, and yet I'm still scaired crapless for them (and also a bit for us)

Listening to Bush speak this afternoon, I was really waiting to hear how he signed an executive order to freeze gas prices for the next six months as we deal with this national tragedy - It would be within his power to do so. Aren't the strategic oil reserves located in underground caves along the Gulf? Are they even accessable now? Will it make a difference?

Homeland Security is either a misnomer or an oxymoron

Thanks, Phil, for your response and understanding. I wouldn't have been able to make it out, either. If I had tried, my car would have most likely died on the highway, and I would then, also. I certainly wouldn't have the $$$ for hotel, restaurants, etc. WHat gets me is that the liberals around me don't understand the fear I live with.

What I want to know is, WHERE THE HELL ARE ALL THOSE PRO-LIFE PEOPLE???? Where are the ones who so proudly proclaim they are the "Culture Of Life"? Relatedly, the chimp could end his vacation early for Shiavo, and congress could call a special session for a woman who had been dead for years, but they couldn't come together to send help when the weather center announced this storm, days in advance??? I want an explanation of that one, and think I will do some calling to congressional offices tomorrow.

BTW, for those interested: The toll-free line to Capitol Hill Switchboard is 1-888-355-3588. Just tel the operator which office you seek. Give 'em hell!

As peggy says
FOR THEY THAT SOW THE WIND SHALL REAP THE WHIRLWIND

I am intrigued by the phrophetic meaning of this ancient text.

How could they have understood cloud seeding, HAARP and other Tesla technologies to create havoc with our weather?

NML 37 - How did the Bozo and the Dogon around Timbuktu know about Cirius A, and its precise orbit around Cirius, 5,000 years ago, when it wasn't until a bit over 125 years ago that we mortals had telescopes sophisticated enough to identify it? Answer that and I'll tell you what the meaning of the moon is (Sorry, TR!)

ATTENTION CNN NEWS ROOM

Please get The Ex-Mayor Nagin's Comments that was just aired as to his heart felt pleas for help. And please do it uncensord the public needs to hear this as well as President Bush and FEMA.

I am in hopes the word gets out and itt should not be stiffled or censord. Lets have answers and actions NOW!

I am working on a Charity Bord of Directors of "For Kids Now," We are contributing major $$ to help our Brothers and Sisters in New Orleans for the sake of the Children there at the Mercy of thugs and the lack of implemented structured governmental help to even get words out to the masses that are about to forever change Our Country's Fiber.

I see now and hear the words that Nikita Kruscheiv when he stated "The Seed To Our Self Destruction Lays Within. He told JFK these words. Now I see this as a action or should I say the lack of actions of our own governments poor planing. We can help others globally and we cant take care of our oun.

Please get the Audio Soubd Bytes up and let the rest of the country hear the pleas from our Latest Ground Zero.
And Let's Get Ansers and Actions to Help Our People Now!

Steven Silvas~Las Vegas, Nevada

ATTENTION CNN NEWS ROOM
I am resubmitting this message I was mad when I first sent it and did not read all my typos and in anger I was not clear on some. Thank you.

Please get The Ex-Mayor of New Orleans Ray Nagin’s Comments that was just aired as to his heart felt pleas for help. And please do it uncensored the public needs to hear this as well as President Bush as well as the Director of FEMA who was also interviewed by CNN reporter and he glosses over the questions.

I am in hopes the word gets out and it should not be stifled or censored. Lets have answers and actions NOW!

I am working on a Charity Board of Directors of "For Kids Now," We are contributing major $$ to help our Brothers and Sisters in New Orleans for the sake of the Children there at the Mercy of thugs and the lack of implemented structured governmental help to even get words out to the masses that are about to forever change Our Country's Fiber.

I see now and hear the words that Nikita Khrushchev when he stated "The Seed To Our Self Destruction Lays Within.” He told JFK these words. I hear them echo now.
I see this as lack of actions of our own governments poor planning. That they have said they had planned for large-scale disasters. I now find this to be very un-nerving at best. We can help others globally and yet we can’t take care of our own. I see a change on the horizon coming. Even though it is to late this time. The People of this country will surly want change now after this massive failure of our own government to respond in time to help them. (Look close at the reports still streaming into your televisions much closer than you thought?)
It will indeed change the face of the American citizen as to how he or she will look into whom we give the power of the vote as to what kind of person that He or She will be putting into these offices. For they will the ones to respond to future disasters both of the Natural and Man-Made kinds. These people we put in office, which we as a people will be intrusting the lives of our children to be placed into their hands.
Whatever actions they may or may not take now should be a measuring-stick to measure the future to help our own. I say the future, do to the fact that they lacked in proper action and planning of Hurricane Katrina.
They have failed the masses, in which the body count will take months to tally as to the direct result of their lack of actions they have not performed in a timely organized and informative manner. Public address systems (bull horns anything to get word to the people) needed to be implemented to keep the calm at the very least to let them know food water and help is on the way. But no, so now it is the end results we are all about to face.
The rest of the country as a whole will even suffer the long-term effects of the of this nations economy in which we will all remember in History which we will either learn our lesson or be doomed to repeat it. Can we afford to repeat our largest mistake?
Help Our People Now!

Steven Silvas~Las Vegas, Nevada

Since 09/11/2001 the Bush administration has cried for political unity, trust, and blind support through dogmatic rhetoric that raises the deepest fears and paranoia from our souls. Bush has shifted the distribution of the social welfare of this great country away from the poor and needy to fund the endless pursuit of ultra-right Christian idealism and the economic needs of the oil lobby.

The incompetence of this administration in mobilizing our limited resources desperately needed to come to the aid of millions displaced by Katrina brings clarity to the fact that our preparedness for crisis and our aggressive behaviors abroad under the guise of national security are just a ruse on the American public.

While our youth die abroad defending oil wells, our rights deteriorate at home, and we are no more safe or secure than when the Christian right anointed the presidency to Bush in 2000. Its time for change!

LOLOLOL

Here's a couple questions for ya.

Why is the N.O. mayor acting like a sissy, running around complaining about how terrible things are and how they're basically all screwed. Is that what leaders do? Cue Rudolph Giuliani, Sept. 12th - Oct. 1st 2001. This guy hardly inspires people to do anything but panic.

Next, I heard the governor of Louisiana say that they had been receiving federal money for levee improvements in N.O., but that nothing had been done. She couldn't explain why. Now, even if the money "wasn't enough" to finish the job, it would have at the very least been enough to start it no? So why didn't that happen, that's the question right now. Keep watching though, after you're all done with your Bush bashing fun time the truth will start to come out on that situation.

National guard? Governors job, why don't you ask her why she waited until Wednesday to request them. The federal government can't just take over a state without that states governor giving the thumbs up...it's their damn state! They know it better than anyone. And do you really want the federal government to be able to do that? Why bother having a governor then, last I checked it's what they are there for.

What about Louisiana's senators and congressmen, where were they in all of this? If they weren't getting the money to the state for these issues as the people thought they should have been, then the friggin people should have elected new senators and new congressmen...ummm, democracy anyone? There is no one person to lay blame on for all of this, and there most certainly is no simple solution for this. We are all to blame for this tragedy, our growing lack of responsibility for our own livelihood is sickening.

In case you aren’t familiar with how our government is SUPPOSED to work:
The chain of responsiblity for the protection of the citizens in New Orleans is:

1. The Mayor
2. The New Orleans director of Homeland Security (a political appointee of the Governor who reports to the Governor)
3. The Governor
4. The Head of Homeland Security
5. The President

What did each do?

1. The mayor, with 5 days advance, waited until 2 days before he announced a mandatory evacuation (at the behest of the President). The he failed to provide transportation for those without transport even though he had hundreds of buses at his disposal.

2. The New Orleans director of Homeland Security failed to have any plan for a contingency that has been talked about for 50 years. Then he blames the Feds for not doing what he should have done. (So much for political appointees)

3. The Governor, despite a declaration of disaster by the President 2 DAYS BEFORE the storm hit, failed to take advantage of the offer of Federal troops and aid. Until 2 DAYS AFTER the storm hit.

4. The Director of Homeland Security positioned assets in the area to be ready when the Governor called for them

5. The President urged a mandatory evacuation, and even declared a disaster State of Emergency, freeing up millions of dollars of federal assistance, should the Governor decide to use it.

Oh and by the way, the levees that broke were the responsibility of the local landowners and the local levee board to maintain, NOT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

The disaster in New Orleans is what you get after decades of corrupt (democrat) government going all the way back to Huey Long.

Funds for disaster protection and relief have been flowing into this city for decades, and where has it gone, but into the pockets of the politicos and their friends.

Decades of socialist government in New Orleans has sapped all self reliance from the community, and made them dependent upon government for every little thing.

Political correctness and a lack of will to fight crime have created the single most corrupt police force in the country, and has permitted gang violence to flourish.

The sad thing is that there are many poor folks who have suffered and died needlessly because those that they voted into office failed them.

For those who missed item 5 (where the President’s level of accountability is discussed), it is made more clear in a New Orleans Times-Picayune article dated August 28:

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — In the face of a catastrophic Hurricane Katrina, a mandatory evacuation was ordered Sunday for New Orleans by Mayor Ray Nagin

Acknowledging that large numbers of people, many of them stranded tourists, would be unable to leave, the city set up 10 places of last resort for people to go, including the Superdome.

The mayor called the order unprecedented and said anyone who could leave the city should. He exempted hotels from the evacuation order because airlines had already cancelled all flights.

Gov. Kathleen Blanco, standing beside the mayor at a news conference, said President Bush called and personally appealed for a mandatory evacuation for the low-lying city, which is prone to flooding. (emphasis mine)

The ball was placed in Mayor Nagin’s court to carry out the evacuation order. With a 5-day heads-up, he had the authority to use any and all services to evacuate all residents from the city, as documented in a city emergency preparedness plan. By waiting until the last minute, and failing to make full use of resources available within city limits, Nagin and his administration f**ked up.

Mayor Nagin and his emergency sidekick Terry Ebbert have displayed lethal, mind boggling incompetence before, during and after Katrina.

As for Mayor Nagin, he and his profile in pathetic leadership police chief should resign as well. That city’s government is incompetent from one end to the other. The people of New Orleans deserve better than this crowd of clowns is capable of giving them.

If you’re keeping track, these boobs let 569 buses that could have carried 33,350 people out of New Orleans–in one trip–get ruined in the floods. Whatever plan these guys had, it was a dud. Or it probably would have been if they’d bothered to follow it.

As for all the race-baiting rhetoric and Bush-bashing coming from prominent blacks on the left, don’t expect Ray Nagin to be called out on the carpet for falling short. You want to know why? Here’s why:

It’s more convenient to blame a white president for what went wrong than to hold a black mayor and his administration accountable for gross negligence and failing to fully carry out an established emergency preparedness plan.

To hold Nagin and his administration accountable for dropping the ball amounts to letting loose the shouts and cries of “Racism!”. It’s sad, it’s wrong, but it’s standard operating procedure for the media and left-wing black leadership.

Mark my words: you will not hear a word of criticism from Jesse Jackson Sr., Randall Robinson, the Congressional Black Caucus, the NAACP, or Kanye West being directed toward Clarence Ray Nagin Jr. Why? Because he is just another black politician instead of a responsible elected official who happens to be black. In the mindset of more-blacker-than-thou blacks, black politicians who are on their side can do no wrong.

In case you aren’t familiar with how our government is SUPPOSED to work:
The chain of responsiblity for the protection of the citizens in New Orleans is:

1. The Mayor
2. The New Orleans director of Homeland Security (a political appointee of the Governor who reports to the Governor)
3. The Governor
4. The Head of Homeland Security
5. The President

What did each do?

1. The mayor, with 5 days advance, waited until 2 days before he announced a mandatory evacuation (at the behest of the President). The he failed to provide transportation for those without transport even though he had hundreds of buses at his disposal.

2. The New Orleans director of Homeland Security failed to have any plan for a contingency that has been talked about for 50 years. Then he blames the Feds for not doing what he should have done. (So much for political appointees)

3. The Governor, despite a declaration of disaster by the President 2 DAYS BEFORE the storm hit, failed to take advantage of the offer of Federal troops and aid. Until 2 DAYS AFTER the storm hit.

4. The Director of Homeland Security positioned assets in the area to be ready when the Governor called for them

5. The President urged a mandatory evacuation, and even declared a disaster State of Emergency, freeing up millions of dollars of federal assistance, should the Governor decide to use it.

Oh and by the way, the levees that broke were the responsibility of the local landowners and the local levee board to maintain, NOT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

The disaster in New Orleans is what you get after decades of corrupt (democrat) government going all the way back to Huey Long.

Funds for disaster protection and relief have been flowing into this city for decades, and where has it gone, but into the pockets of the politicos and their friends.

Decades of socialist government in New Orleans has sapped all self reliance from the community, and made them dependent upon government for every little thing.

Political correctness and a lack of will to fight crime have created the single most corrupt police force in the country, and has permitted gang violence to flourish.

The sad thing is that there are many poor folks who have suffered and died needlessly because those that they voted into office failed them.

For those who missed item 5 (where the President’s level of accountability is discussed), it is made more clear in a New Orleans Times-Picayune article dated August 28:

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — In the face of a catastrophic Hurricane Katrina, a mandatory evacuation was ordered Sunday for New Orleans by Mayor Ray Nagin

Acknowledging that large numbers of people, many of them stranded tourists, would be unable to leave, the city set up 10 places of last resort for people to go, including the Superdome.

The mayor called the order unprecedented and said anyone who could leave the city should. He exempted hotels from the evacuation order because airlines had already cancelled all flights.

Gov. Kathleen Blanco, standing beside the mayor at a news conference, said President Bush called and personally appealed for a mandatory evacuation for the low-lying city, which is prone to flooding. (emphasis mine)

The ball was placed in Mayor Nagin’s court to carry out the evacuation order. With a 5-day heads-up, he had the authority to use any and all services to evacuate all residents from the city, as documented in a city emergency preparedness plan. By waiting until the last minute, and failing to make full use of resources available within city limits, Nagin and his administration SCREWED up.

Mayor Nagin and his emergency sidekick Terry Ebbert have displayed lethal, mind boggling incompetence before, during and after Katrina.

As for Mayor Nagin, he and his profile in pathetic leadership police chief should resign as well. That city’s government is incompetent from one end to the other. The people of New Orleans deserve better than this crowd of clowns is capable of giving them.

If you’re keeping track, these boobs let 569 buses that could have carried 33,350 people out of New Orleans–in one trip–get ruined in the floods. Whatever plan these guys had, it was a dud. Or it probably would have been if they’d bothered to follow it.

As for all the race-baiting rhetoric and Bush-bashing coming from prominent blacks on the left, don’t expect Ray Nagin to be called out on the carpet for falling short. You want to know why? Here’s why:

It’s more convenient to blame a white president for what went wrong than to hold a black mayor and his administration accountable for gross negligence and failing to fully carry out an established emergency preparedness plan.

To hold Nagin and his administration accountable for dropping the ball amounts to letting loose the shouts and cries of “Racism!”. It’s sad, it’s wrong, but it’s standard operating procedure for the media and left-wing black leadership.

Mark my words: you will not hear a word of criticism from Jesse Jackson Sr., Randall Robinson, the Congressional Black Caucus, the NAACP, or Kanye West being directed toward Clarence Ray Nagin Jr. Why? Because he is just another black politician instead of a responsible elected official who happens to be black. In the mindset of more-blacker-than-thou blacks, black politicians who are on their side can do no wrong.