Bush faces new questions on relief

[tyler101]

So; you DON'T trust anyone older than you! I knew it.
It seems you think that expressing views different from your's is "****ing and moaning"?
And apparently, your young age can't discern what is sarcasm.
You are too wily, savvy and serious for me.
I will leave you to the others.
CR

I do trust and respect my elders, you can learn a wealth of knowledge from them. I just choose not to fight with them like you are trying to do with me.

[ChiefReason]

I do trust and respect my elders, you can learn a wealth of knowledge from them. I just choose not to fight with them like you are trying to do with me.

Throwing you a big DATING GAME kiss!

[parafire81]

No; you do what's popular. You follow the crowd and you believe that you can't trust anyone older than you.
I've seen it a thousand times. Wasted youth.
That reminds me of a song.
Tyler; be honest. You're upset because you couldn't get a date with Jenna Bush, aren't you?
I studied political science at college. I was ON our city council. My wife works for the school and prepares the school board minutes. I am an elected fire district trustee AND I still play my music loud.
But I wear bifocals. Dammit.
Anyway; open your mind a bit. GWB is theoretically a "lame duck" president and he's still out there kickin' it.
Give him just a little credit.
Just a crumb.
CR

So I've been away a few days....glad to see the politics still haven't left this yet!

SO CHIEF....

I also do not follow the masses ar just do what MTV tells me to do. I watch...and decide for myself. I'll admit I did vote for Gore in 2000, but I wasn't upset the Bush got elected. However, at that time, gas was still less than $1 a gallon, my friends weren't being sent to fight a worthless war, and Bush had not proved himself to be a President who put his and his elite friends' personal interest above the rest of the country. It really wasn't until I read Al Franken's book, "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them" that I really realized what a joke our government has become.

I didn't major in Political Science, I have a degree in Biology from Iowa State University, but my grandfather was an Iowa State Senator, and I grew up around Politics....(my uncle was Bill Clinton's Campaign Manager in 1992 and his wife...my aunt...is an Alderman for the City of Chicago)...so yeah, don't lecture me about Politics.

Those of you who so rabidly support Bush, have yet to tell me how our country is in better shape than 5 years ago....tell me, because I'd really like to know. GeorgeWendt seems to have stock in oil, as he said he is better off now than he has ever been...so tell me...how is your life better under Bush???

[RoughRider]

President Bush took responsibility for the federal response. I applaud him for doing so. I also applaud the appointment of Paulison. Mayor Nagin needs to take responsibility for the City's response. Governor Blanco needs to take responsibility for the state response. All of us in the emergency services can use lessons learned from this catastrophe to strenghten our own plans.

I agree. The chances of a Nagin or Blanco apology are slimmer then the NY Mets wild card birth.

[ChiefReason]

It really wasn't until I read Al Franken's book, "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them" that I really realized what a joke our government has become.

Well, that absolutely explains everything.
Say no more.
I won't lecture you on politics, because you read (?)-you're from Iowa, right?- ONE book by a liberal, leftist ex-comedian whose claim to fame was wearing a satellite dish on his head and reporting from the Democratic National Convention for Comedy Central and HE has managed to bring clarity to your views on our political system?
Take your wooby and binky and go home.
Here's one for you, too:
Throwing you a big DATING GAME kiss!
CR

[ChiefReason]

Hey; I almost forgot to answer your question.
My life is much better under Bush because I don't read tripe written by Al Franken.
But your life could be worse.
Al Franken could be president!
CR

[parafire81]

Sure it was a book written by a comedian, a leftist...etc, but have you read it? It was well-written and well-researched.

It DOES make sense...or atleast it did to me.

[parafire81]

Hey; I almost forgot to answer your question.
My life is much better under Bush because I don't read tripe written by Al Franken.
But your life could be worse.
Al Franken could be president!
CR

Maybe that is what we need as a President....someone who is not an elitist, a regular joe.

[ChiefReason]

Maybe that is what we need as a President....someone who is not an elitist, a regular joe.

You are a regular joe; I am a regular joe.
You say that Al Franken is not an elitist? Do you know what elitism is?

e·lit·ism or é·lit·ism (¹-l¶“t¹z”…m, ³-l¶“-) n. 1. The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources. 2.a. The sense of entitlement enjoyed by such a group or class. b. Control, rule, or domination by such a group or class. --e·lit“ist adj. & n.

Tell me that Al Franken wouldn't exclude people from his party or cabinet that was philosophically at opposite ends of his politics.
Elitism has been practiced since the days of George Washington.
It will never change.
Sorry, I had to break it to you.
You want a book to read? PM me your address. I got a book for you to read.
CR

[IAFFChad165]

Hey I looked up elitism in my dictionary, and there is a picture of John Kerry......Strange!

[DennisTheMenace]

Maybe that is what we need as a President....someone who is not an elitist, a regular joe.

Screw that idea, if the nation went that way we would have not enjoyed such great leaders as Ronald Reagan, FDR, Thomas Jefferson or George Washington. All rich guys who were the elites of their times.

[KnightnPBIArmor]

So I've been away a few days....glad to see the politics still haven't left this yet!

SO CHIEF....

I also do not follow the masses ar just do what MTV tells me to do. I watch...and decide for myself. I'll admit I did vote for Gore in 2000, but I wasn't upset the Bush got elected. However, at that time, gas was still less than $1 a gallon, my friends weren't being sent to fight a worthless war, and Bush had not proved himself to be a President who put his and his elite friends' personal interest above the rest of the country. It really wasn't until I read Al Franken's book, "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them" that I really realized what a joke our government has become.

I didn't major in Political Science, I have a degree in Biology from Iowa State University, but my grandfather was an Iowa State Senator, and I grew up around Politics....(my uncle was Bill Clinton's Campaign Manager in 1992 and his wife...my aunt...is an Alderman for the City of Chicago)...so yeah, don't lecture me about Politics.

Those of you who so rabidly support Bush, have yet to tell me how our country is in better shape than 5 years ago....tell me, because I'd really like to know. GeorgeWendt seems to have stock in oil, as he said he is better off now than he has ever been...so tell me...how is your life better under Bush???

1. Please tell me where gas was under $1.00 a gallon in 2000; I must have missed that.

2. You are getting political indoctrination from Al Franken...THAT says a lot

3. You have an uncle who worked for Clinton's campaign and an aunt who is an alderman in Chicago, and you're knocking Bush for cronieism...LOL...son, Clinton was a master at watching out for his friends over the interests of the country, and need I mention the history of political hanky-panky in Chicago?

4. As far as how the country is better than 5 years ago- I'm making about $5000 a year more than I was then, I own more property, and Bill and Hillary aren't in the White House anymore....doesn't get much better than that.

[KnightnPBIArmor]

Maybe that is what we need as a President....someone who is not an elitist, a regular joe.

LOL...oh the wide-eyed delusions of youth...ya think since you bought Al's book he is going to invite you over to toss a couple of steaks on the grill and down a brewski or two? Oh, you are priceless.

[MIKEYLIKESIT]

Blanco takes 'responsibility' for problems in Katrina response

07:04 PM CDT on Wednesday, September 14, 2005


By MELINDA DESLATTE / Associated Press


Echoing the words of President Bush a day earlier, Gov. Kathleen took responsibility Wednesday for failures and missteps in the immediate response to Hurricane Katrina and pledged a united effort to rebuild New Orleans and the surrounding parishes ravaged by the storm.


"We all know that there were failures at every level of government: state, federal and local. At the state level, we must take a careful look at what went wrong and make sure it never happens again. The buck stops here, and as your governor, I take full responsibility," Blanco told lawmakers in a special meeting of the Louisiana Legislature.


Criticism for the sluggish evacuation and search and recovery efforts has been directed to all levels of government. The director of FEMA resigned in the aftermath of Katrina, replaced with a more experienced disaster manager, and President Bush said Tuesday that he accepted responsibility for any instances that the federal government "didn't fully do its job right."


Blanco spoke of learning lessons from the disaster and moving forward with a rebuilding effort that spanned all levels of government, although funded with 100 percent federal money. She called President Bush "a friend and partner" in the recovery effort.


Responding to calls for accountability and oversight in the spending of billions of dollars in federal cash on its way to Louisiana, Blanco said she would appoint an outside financial adviser to oversee the cash flow and was directing state agencies to limit their spending.


Thirty U.S. Homeland Security Department investigators and auditors already are being sent to the Gulf Coast to ensure federal funds are properly distributed in the rescue, relief and rebuilding process. Three of Blanco's predecessors also asked federal officials to appoint a task force of independent business leaders to make sure the cash is well spent.


"I assure the Congress and every American taxpayer that every nickel will be properly spent," Blanco said.


The governor's talk of rebuilding comes as thousands of displaced evacuees remain in shelters around the state and country, environmental officials test air and water to determine which storm-ravaged areas are safe for residents to return and emergency workers continue to collect bodies.


Blanco said the relief effort should include financial help to rebuild homes, tax relief and loans for businesses to stay afloat and an extension of unemployment benefits. She said she asked FEMA to give priority to Louisiana businesses and employees in the rebuilding.


And she directed words to the more than one million Louisiana residents she said evacuated to other parts of the state and across the country. "I am telling each and every one of you: we want you back home," she said.


The governor said she saw hopeful signs that southeast Louisiana was starting to recover, including lights on in New Orleans' Central Business District, the reopening of the city's airport, banks and hospitals open in Jefferson Parish and the first ship docking at the Port of Orleans.


"New Orleans and the surrounding parishes may be ravaged, but our spirit remains intact. To anyone who even suggests that this great city should not be rebuilt, hear this and hear it well: We will rebuild," Blanco said.


The governor said the reconstruction effort won't just recreate the same infrastructure, failed schools in New Orleans and troubled health care system, but will improve the communities that were damaged by Katrina.


She offered praise _ and lawmakers gave a standing ovation _ to a group of police officers, doctors, national guardsmen, members of the Coast Guard, helicopter pilots and wildlife agents who worked in the rescue effort, in some instances plucking people from rooftops and floodwaters.


The Legislature didn't conduct any business or take any votes while meeting Wednesday. But legislative leaders have said they expect to call a special session in the upcoming months to address rebuilding and recovery needs for parishes harmed by the storm. They also will have to grapple with crippling budget problems caused by Katrina, the movement of thousands of taxpayers outside of the state and the shutdown of businesses, schools and local government agencies.

[ChiefReason]

Puts his nose to the air, he sighs and says 'I smell a class action lawsuit coming'!
CR

[parafire81]

There's a saying in medicine....

If you're nice, and apologize, they're less likely to sue.

[parafire81]

Enough with the busses? Why? It's a fact, and the basic reason that 100,000 people were left without transportation after an evacuation order. You also better check your math again, since they had more than 1 bus.

There were over 500 busses sitting in the flooded lot, and since they were part of the city's plan yet unused, it's absolutely a pertinent point. Let's look at the math for 500 buses at 75 per bus (you wnat to bet you could get more than that in there under the circumstances?) that's 37,500 per trip. Three trips would have more than covered the 100,000 people. Even had they not gotten everybody out prior to the storm preventing travel, these busses would have been in a safe area, and capable of reinitiating evac after the storm passed.

Who was going to drive them. When I flew out of New Orleans on Sunday in the late hours of the evacuation, they couldn't even open their usual amount of security check points at the airport because most of the employees already left. I highly doubt they would have found 500 bus drivers.

[Steamer]

Who was going to drive them. When I flew out of New Orleans on Sunday in the late hours of the evacuation, they couldn't even open their usual amount of security check points at the airport because most of the employees already left. I highly doubt they would have found 500 bus drivers.

Then why was it in their disaster plan to utilize these buses? If they can't come up with the drivers, then the plan is faulty. Who's fault is that, especially when in virtually every exercise they've conducted under this plan (including the "exercise" hurricane Pam), the evacuation was accomplished using these very same "driverless" buses?

Funny thing, I just went to NO's website that previously had their Response Plan and specifically their evac plan available online, and it isn't there anymore. Imagine that.

[RoughRider]

I agree. The chances of a Nagin or Blanco apology are slimmer then the NY Mets wild card birth.

I was wr wr wr wr wr wr wr wroooong about Blanco. My size 11 shoe needs a little Pic a pepper sauce. Still waiting to hear from Nagin in TX.

[gfowlston]

Enough with the busses? Why? It's a fact, and the basic reason that 100,000 people were left without transportation after an evacuation order. You also better check your math again, since they had more than 1 bus.

There were over 500 busses sitting in the flooded lot, and since they were part of the city's plan yet unused, it's absolutely a pertinent point. Let's look at the math for 500 buses at 75 per bus (you wnat to bet you could get more than that in there under the circumstances?) that's 37,500 per trip. Three trips would have more than covered the 100,000 people. Even had they not gotten everybody out prior to the storm preventing travel, these busses would have been in a safe area, and capable of reinitiating evac after the storm passed.

I think you should re-read what I said then re-do your math because even if you take 500 buses that means to move 75 people per bus each bus would have to make 2.6 trips to hall 100000 people approx. My statement was you would have to make 1330 trips if that is with 1330 buses or divided among 500 buses. Now find the drivers, get through the traffic etc. I do not think you could have made the move, this may have been the plan but-how many fire departments have plans that look great on paper then in the real worl do not work????? Face it folks the screw-ups are many from the goverments to the every day people.