Lost the Plot
It's time to set some things straight, and it's time to pick some things apart. Most of all, it's high time that certain people recognize what is and what is not.
The venom directected against the various governments and certain people in government was out of hand about a week ago. I don't even know how to describe it now, but at the moment, all of it is totally uncalled for and most of it will always be.
I'm going to start at the top and work my way down.
President Bush is in a difficult position once again. Nothing that happed in this disaster is his fault. People must realize that a President's purview does not include control of the National Guard for internal activities. How people already knew that? Also on the National Guard issue, there has been a lot of hand-wringing over the fact that Guardsman are in other nations at the moment and that somehow this left less for aid back here. Well guess what: we still have more troops in the CONUS than we can deploy into a disater area! 28,000 showed up. Anyone who considers 28,000 American soldiers to be anything less than able to handle a situation like this is completely ignorant of the military. Last but not least, this is not a facist state. That means that the President must follow certain rules and procedures. He's not allowed to just wade in and start giving orders. Let Bush alone. He did nothing wrong. Stop the irrational hatred!
Let's look at FEMA now. I'm certainly no friend of this beureaucratic dragon. Their response was too slow. Such is the way of beureaucarcy. This should be no shock at all. You will note, however, that they were not just sitting around. Hold your finger pointing until the job is done however.
The State of Louisiana: Now we are moving into the sphere of responsibility. Why is it that Mississippi and Alabama and Texas are suffering far less trauma? It's because they have unified agencies, instead of the morrass of red tape the Louisiana has and always has had. You may also wish to note that Governor Blanco refused to coordinate with federal efforts innitially and did not declare a a state of emergency until well after such conditions were stood up in Alabama and Mississippi. Blanco and many of her officials have tured away aid from myriad sources, from Red Cross efforts to flotillas coming in to haul people out. When this is over, The State of Louisiana should be fair game, and especially their massive wad of red tape. When it comes to efficiency and nimbleness in government, less is more.
The City of New Orleans: Did not even use their own evacuation plan! That's really all there is to say about the City... oh, and 1/3 of their police cut and run. That did not help. The three photos here say it all. Look here and here for some particulars on the plan.
Now, let's take a step back. I was so hoping that this storm would not be politicized, but it is. I'll put some perspective on that really fast by asking you all some questions. Answer them honestly and you will see a very different picture than the one that is being touted so loudly by the politicizing organs.
Who is politicizing this disaster?
Who was in charge of the affected areas?
Who has been in control of New Orleans and indeed Louisiana for past while?
Who is getting in the way of relief efforts?
Who is actually helping?
Who is getting things, concrete things, done (not talk, but feet-on-ground)?
Some people are simply beyond shame...
Take some time to look past the screaming that's going on out there and dig for yourselves. Look at the good things that are coming out of this and then look at the bad. Look at who is executing both. Dig for that truth! Ignore the empty speech spewed by those that want power for themselves.
You may notice that a common thread in this situation is the fact that government is cumbersome and self-serving. Remember this... remeber it next time you hear somebody call for yet more legislation to solve a problem. The mentality that goverment is even capable of caring for people is a large part of what happened in New Orleans. People must take care of each other, because nothing else, in the end, can or will.
Sometime in the near future, I'm going to be posting about racism since there are so many charges of racial injustice getting hurled about. Also, the new race-state, apartheid-esque, bill concerning Hawaii provides further opportunity.
Charlie Foxtrot out.
The venom directected against the various governments and certain people in government was out of hand about a week ago. I don't even know how to describe it now, but at the moment, all of it is totally uncalled for and most of it will always be.
I'm going to start at the top and work my way down.
President Bush is in a difficult position once again. Nothing that happed in this disaster is his fault. People must realize that a President's purview does not include control of the National Guard for internal activities. How people already knew that? Also on the National Guard issue, there has been a lot of hand-wringing over the fact that Guardsman are in other nations at the moment and that somehow this left less for aid back here. Well guess what: we still have more troops in the CONUS than we can deploy into a disater area! 28,000 showed up. Anyone who considers 28,000 American soldiers to be anything less than able to handle a situation like this is completely ignorant of the military. Last but not least, this is not a facist state. That means that the President must follow certain rules and procedures. He's not allowed to just wade in and start giving orders. Let Bush alone. He did nothing wrong. Stop the irrational hatred!
Let's look at FEMA now. I'm certainly no friend of this beureaucratic dragon. Their response was too slow. Such is the way of beureaucarcy. This should be no shock at all. You will note, however, that they were not just sitting around. Hold your finger pointing until the job is done however.
The State of Louisiana: Now we are moving into the sphere of responsibility. Why is it that Mississippi and Alabama and Texas are suffering far less trauma? It's because they have unified agencies, instead of the morrass of red tape the Louisiana has and always has had. You may also wish to note that Governor Blanco refused to coordinate with federal efforts innitially and did not declare a a state of emergency until well after such conditions were stood up in Alabama and Mississippi. Blanco and many of her officials have tured away aid from myriad sources, from Red Cross efforts to flotillas coming in to haul people out. When this is over, The State of Louisiana should be fair game, and especially their massive wad of red tape. When it comes to efficiency and nimbleness in government, less is more.
The City of New Orleans: Did not even use their own evacuation plan! That's really all there is to say about the City... oh, and 1/3 of their police cut and run. That did not help. The three photos here say it all. Look here and here for some particulars on the plan.
Now, let's take a step back. I was so hoping that this storm would not be politicized, but it is. I'll put some perspective on that really fast by asking you all some questions. Answer them honestly and you will see a very different picture than the one that is being touted so loudly by the politicizing organs.
Who is politicizing this disaster?
Who was in charge of the affected areas?
Who has been in control of New Orleans and indeed Louisiana for past while?
Who is getting in the way of relief efforts?
Who is actually helping?
Who is getting things, concrete things, done (not talk, but feet-on-ground)?
Some people are simply beyond shame...
Take some time to look past the screaming that's going on out there and dig for yourselves. Look at the good things that are coming out of this and then look at the bad. Look at who is executing both. Dig for that truth! Ignore the empty speech spewed by those that want power for themselves.
You may notice that a common thread in this situation is the fact that government is cumbersome and self-serving. Remember this... remeber it next time you hear somebody call for yet more legislation to solve a problem. The mentality that goverment is even capable of caring for people is a large part of what happened in New Orleans. People must take care of each other, because nothing else, in the end, can or will.
Sometime in the near future, I'm going to be posting about racism since there are so many charges of racial injustice getting hurled about. Also, the new race-state, apartheid-esque, bill concerning Hawaii provides further opportunity.
Charlie Foxtrot out.
posted by Charlie Foxtrot at 02:27
Noone and Nothing Forgotten...
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