Opinions on the speech? After having a two and half week depression over Americans letting Americans down, the speech last night made me feel better. I think he gets it. For once in 5 years I felt national pride again.
I didn't get to see the whole speech, but from the highlights, it looked like exactly what was needed.
Not his best performance but a needed speech. His National Day of Prayer speech today was much better and more eloquent.
Re: Re: The President's speech I think the obvious answer is that, while poor and disenfranchised and generally uneducated city people in New Orleans were left abandoned by their government to the rising flood waters, George Bush was finishing his round of golf in his sequestered, elegant, and corporate financed surroundings. That's a pretty good example, don't you think? I can come up with others, but remember "the fish rots from the head".....
Re: Re: Re: The President's speech I remember when people were decrying some "Imperial Presidency" and now see many of the same people demanding the POTUS act as Imperator. 'Tis a puzzlement. Which government abandoned those people? The Louisiana pols the Feds were investigating, pre-Katrina?
Re: Re: Re: The President's speech An interesting article related to what Carl is saying: How Bush blew, by Newsweek: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9287434/ Abner
Over here they say that what happened in New Orleans is Bush´s fault because he didn´t sign the Kyoto Protocol. On September 8th, 2005 I visited the following link to understand the evacuation procedure of NO. I found this link which contained the entire procedure (an official municipal website): http://www.cityofno.com/portal.aspx?portal=46&tabid=26 Now, it doesn´t work anymore. I think it contained too much information that could hurt the mayor, and spoil the wishes of those who want to criminalize Bush.
The mayor is the head administrator of the city, and he did very little to prepare for and deal with this disaster, besides piss and moan about it. He had quite a few unused resources available, e.g. buses and other transportation means that sat unused. He also had access to a global audience and never once put out a net call across the country for any assistance. The guy is a loser and his leadership qualities are non-existent, and he should be fired immediately, but this of course will not happen. I lived in Louisiana for a few years, it has poor infrastructure and the political corruption there is an everyday joke. The joke is not so funny now. New Orleans dodged many hurricanes and became complacent. William
The problem is not just this mayor, but every other former mayor. I lived in N.O. for 12 years and those who ran for mayor who would have been excellent leaders were never elected. I think of men like James E. Comiskey and James E. "Jimmy" Fitzmorris. Perhaps the best mayor N.O. ever had was DeLesseps S. Morrison and he couldn't get much accomplished regarding protecting the city from impending natural disaster.
To be balanced here, a lot of people -- local and federal -- were unprepared. But when it comes to the buses, I read that the plan was to use school buses as a resource. Sound good? Well, most school bus drivers are older women who were simply too scared to drive into an oncoming hurricane. Authorities tried to line up alternate bus drivers but couldn't do it in time.
Anyone who can work a standard transmission can drive a school bus. If Governor Blanco had done her job and activated the National Guard ahead of time, she could have had troops from Transportation units drive the busses.
No,,,, There was never any real plan to evacuate people. The mayor actually told people the city did not have the money to do so and his homeland security director told the USN&WR that the plan was for people to drive out and house the rest in the Superdome. Then, Blanco refused to allow the Red Cross in because she though that would encourage people to stay, which was exactly what the mayor was forcing them to do. What a farce the government is down there. PS, most buses these days are automatics....
