The President's first public response concerning the flood was realistic. It was not filled with over-promises. America will come together and make this problem go away. I am no longer amazed at people placing blame. From global warming to federal spending cuts, natural disasters are just that, natural. Lets pick up the pieces and help your neighbors.

Bravo Brady! I bit of commonsense.

Unfortunately, you won't be permitted to last long on this site.

Excuse me BRADY but I think you must have heard some other speach.

So far the very Conservative Manchester Union Leader as trashed Bush for the worst case of leadership .. the NY Times today has said the same. Bush has failed miserable to be there as our leader in this time of national disaster.

Perhaps because he's thinking of how he cut 20% of the money earmarked for flood and water control in New Orleans and had he funded the requests of the Army Corp of engineers, this catastrophe would not have been as horrible as it is ...

Another words BRADYO, it wasn't so much the storm but the aftermath that this administration must answer for.

The rebuilding effort is going to take years, and several Presidents. Liberals and Conservatives are going to be part of the effort.

ITCH,

You my friend are suffering from a case of blindness ... even the Conservatives are screaming about the lack of leadership coming from this man. Will you be the last to close the lights on the Bush nightmare? It would seem that way.

Something tells me if he hadn't made that cut people would be complaining about his out of control spending and the deficit. GZ - seriously you only have a good point if you opposed this before the hurricane.

I am going to wait until Bush actually has administered the disaster relief before I determine whether he failed or did well. He just got back to the White House when, yesterday? How quickly are you expecting results?

"He just got back to the White House when, yesterday. How quickly are you expecting results?"

AT LEAST as fast as fuel prices jumped .40!!!!! There DID NOT seem to be ANY delay in THAT!

"Something tells me if he hadn't made that cut people would be complaining about his out of control spending and the deficit."

Out of control spending ? This administration? Ohhh you must be mistaken - this administration would ever be spending wildly ... are you CRAZY??? EVen Conservates openly admit this administration is by far reckless to say the least about spending. But spending on national priority - and not large amounts by the way - with the Army Corp BEGGING for the money - with the State ready with matching funds ... and YOU STILL want to defend thse people?

Shame on you

And if this president would have "taken over," he would be blamed for stepping on the governors and the mayors. The federal government has the role to assist on natural disasters. I truly believe if this president would have "taken over," the headlines would have read, "President Bush Steps on Dixie!"

A true leader would have jumped into the breech immediately...he would have seen the disaster for what it was and is...He would have went to the scene with military and political leaders...
Bush REPEATED his 9-11 performance...Disappear until you can check which way the wind is blowing politically...Check with your Cabinet(OIL) and advisors (OIL) maybe even your Vice President (OIL)...

Intervention should have started before the Hurricane struck...

PS the cuts involving the Levy funds found their way to IRAQ...Believe me...

This President doesn't have ideas of his own...He depends on Rovian OIL advisors and dirty tricks experts...

Clinton was a leader who could have handled this challenge...Mrs. Clinton may well handle the clean-up after the Bush destruction...

his entire presidency is encapsulated in the photo of him peering through the window of air force one, supposedly at the damage wrought by 'cane kathrina. safe, detached, unreachable, just passing by. perhaps he was flying 'because there was a hurricane threat directed at the POTUS' a la 9/11?

I'm not crazy. It's just that I don't think having rabies is a precursor to being a liberal.

In examination of the cut you have to look at it from the "before the hurricane" perspective. How much does the Army Corp of Engineers do? How often are they needed? When is the last time they were in the news for averting/fixing disaster? How can you say for a fact that the funds would have been used to pre-emptively fix the leeves?

A little research reveals that given the amount of information available at the time this cut was justified. In fact I contend a liberal president who needed to trim his budget would have made the same consideration.

I'll be honest, I don't like Bush. But I am going to stick up for him when I see a baseless attack, just as I would stick up for any president. And when he honest to goodness fucks up, I will call him on it. I've been saying this again and again but the party does not seem to get it - limit attacks to those founded in reason or you will look stupid even when you have a good point.

this chickshit president has fucked up everything he's touched. he hides when there is any danger to the country, has blamed clinton for everything that he's fucked up since he took office, could care less about the poor black people who were stranded in the storm. Sent the national guard into a winless war, spent money on the war that should have been used to make our counrty stronger, and you pathetic losers still supprot his worthless ass.The scope of his incompentance is overwhelming.

"Something tells me if he hadn't made that cut people would be complaining about his out of control spending and the deficit"

Oh, I see. The NINE BILLION in giveaways handed out like candy by this administration to an industry with RECORD profits this year could NOT have been used to repair any silly levee!
In addition, the lame argument given by this administration about "refineries" (of which are SITTING on fuel because they have TOO MUCH, contrary to Bush's con gangs story) would not have made ANY impact simply because a refinery, (new or used) cannot be operated under water!
It is TIME for this monopoly to END!

"Something tells me if he hadn't made that cut people would be complaining about his out of control spending and the deficit."


um....we already have out of control spending and record deficits.

Bush will do nothing about this disaster, yes there will be Federal money and he will make a speech, and then he will take a nap and it will all go away.
It's been 3 days and he hasn't shown any sort of leadership at all,(Not counting the flyover in AF 1) what makes you think he'll start now?

um....we already have out of control spending and record deficits.

And you fix that by trimming the budget. This is very, very elementary stuff people.

"I'll be honest, I don't like Bush"

We can tell????? I can see this when I look at all your previous posts!
I can't find ONE instance where YOU "And when he honest to goodness fucks up, I will call him on it"?

Can you give us a specific topic you have "called him on it"?

In all fairness to Bush, he does realize poor people exist and he does know about modern cash registers, as opposed to his DAD...

Unfortunately, DUBYA only learned about those cash registers while buying beer, mixers, razor blades, rolling papers, steel wool, and other assort sundries, the odd ice cream or too...

TO WTF:

Somehow us Pathetic Losers stole two elections from intellectual giants, control the Senate and House, and will soon control the Supreme Court....
yeah...thats pretty pathetic...(LOL)

"A little research reveals that given the amount of information available at the time this cut was justified. In fact I contend a liberal president who needed to trim his budget would have made the same consideration."

May I ask you to provide a link to this research ? Nothing I've read so far would confirm this statement whatsoever - the Army Corp BEGGED the feds for the money they had previously promised. The State was READY with MATCHING FUNDS .. and the feds still cut it.

To defend this is outrageous

We can tell????? I can see this when I look at all your previous posts!
I can't find ONE instance where YOU "And when he honest to goodness fucks up, I will call him on it"?

I called him on his refusal to hear dissent yesterday. And I think he is a failure as a war president. But that would be changing the topic, now wouldn't it?

You guys hate my opinion so much? Here's an idea - disprove it! I'll repost some questions.

In examination of the cut you have to look at it from the "before the hurricane" perspective. How much does the Army Corp of Engineers do? How often are they needed? When is the last time they were in the news for averting/fixing disaster? How can you say for a fact that the funds would have been used to pre-emptively fix the leeves?

You guys have heard of google.com right? Demonstrate with facts that I am wrong. Answer the questions. I will take that into consideration and change my opinion if appropriate. It is going to take more than capitolized words, emotional outcry, and generalization.

"And you fix that by trimming the budget. This is very, very elementary stuff people."

Yes, we trimmed off NINE BILLION directly into the pockets of the oil dealers~
How about the BILLIONS given to the pharmaceutical industry for "research" (by the way, the US government was ALREADY subsidizing their "research" with tax dollars for YEARS)?

Yes, those "priorities" again.
Apparently we all don't know that the presidents job is not to serve the PEOPLE of this country but rather the select few board members who say "baby needs a new vacation home" ... ... .

GZ: they continue to grasp at straws.

The preparation for this disater and response will be the undoing of the hero President. He is now and has always been completely inept and he's merely being consistant.

Wake up ... US troops are dying in Iraq today and US citizens are dying in New Orleans - some may be unavoidable but many are not ... and who's responsible if not the current leadership of this country ?

Visitor 11:05 is apparently unaware that there is an election next year...And Republicans are in deep shit..

So you are going to control the SCOTUS Thank you for the admission that you feel the SCOTUS in not a bipartisan body...

What we need in America is a revolution...soon The Republicans are stealing the government for the benefit of the Rich and the Rich along...

Visitor 11:09

Yes, I hate corporate socialism. Nonetheless why don't you go do some research and demonstrate that if the ACoE budget had not been cut the leeves would have been pre-emptively fixed.

The fact that the levee system was designed from the git-go for a CAT 3 storm is insane. I don't care who is, was, or will be president. It should be robust for a CAT 6. Otherwise why bother? CAT 4 and 5 storms really happen, so a hit was inevitable. It's just nuts.

Bush allowed the Cauliflower Protection Act to lapse thus costing many illegals jobs in the New Orleans area and now they are stranded, looting and destitute.

Reason 3 in the series of Bush caused and executed Katrina.(TM).

Soon to be a major motion picture by Mikey Moore.

GZLIVES
"""and who's responsible if not the current leadership of this country ?"""

According to the Republicans it is unpatriotic to question anything. Now we are being accused of being unpatriotic for talking about the OBVIOUS results of Bush's attempts to destroy the federal government. Never forget their slogan, "just want it small enough to drown in a bathtub."
Well, right about now I think millions are wishing for more federal government not a drowned corpse of one.
Hey, how about some more tax cuts for the wealthy????

GZ,

In 2004, the Corps essentially stopped major work on the now-breached levee system that had protected New Orleans from flooding. It was the first such stoppage in 37 years, the Times-Picayune reported.

The Army Corps' New Orleans office, facing a $71 million cut, also eliminated funds to pay for a study on how to protect the Crescent City from a Category 5 storm, New Orleans City Business reported in June.

Alright, in light of these gems, I'll blame Bush.

Thank you for the admission that you feel the SCOTUS in not a bipartisan body...

Posted by Scarey_e at 2005-09-01 11:11 AM | Reply


Has not been for awhile, where have you been? 5-4 in all decisions.

And it is "is".

And yes, we now have the opp to get some law interpreters not legislators on board.

And serverely restrict abortion in state control as it should be.

As a Republican I can say for sure this President's first response to an issue/crises (The one that is purely for Image sake, and public perception) usually sucks. Would it have made a difference if he left Crawford right away in regards to the situation on the ground in New Orleans? Nope. Would it have made a difference if he hadn't sat in the classroom for a few minutes on 9/11 (like you guys love to point out)? Nope. But its what the public first sees, and in some psychological ways it does matter. Where I think this president does do a good job is in the actual response to a crises, in the actual actions that affect the situation. He stumbled out of the blocks, but I think he is going to hit his stride here, and really get the situation moving to rebuild the Gulf States. This is just my opinion of course.

Rob

Have you ever seen such a lack of leadership from a leader before? If this had happened in the nineties, James Lee Witt and FEMA would have been all over it before the storm came ashore. Necessary preparations would have been in place, ready to go.

Instead we have this mess. Pres on vacation, storm hits, let's play golf, give a speech in San Diego about WWII mentioning Katrina in passing, shorten the vacation by one day and finally address the nation.

There really isn't a plan, is there? Other than busing evacuees from one dome to the other.

Pleasantville ...

You are an honorable man

GZ,

I have some ex boyfriends who would disagree, but thanks.

"To defend this is outrageous"

I'd bet that Bush didn't even know about the cuts for the Levees. You can't micromanage a multi-1000 page budget. It's my guess that aides suggested cuts "here and there", and like every President before him, he signed off on the budget.
Name ONE, just ONE Senator or Representative that read the whole budget. A 10 million dollar cut in a trillion dollar budget is very small.(one-ten thousandth of a trillion) The cut was probably suggested and reviewed by lower down on the chain of command.
Sure, Bush takes the ultimate responsibility, which is why he also gets all the heat.

Did I say man ... hmmmm I mean woman
My apologies

" Name ONE, just ONE Senator or Representative that read the whole budget."

"Louisiana Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu requested $27 million this year. "

I guess she apparently read it ...

Oh no no there wasn't a mistake, but that is another thread I suppose.

At any rate.

Yeah, when someone proves my opinion wrong with facts I'll change my mind. I don't think it is very tough to admit when you are wrong. (I know a President who would disagree.)

I think it is early to call his response to this a failure. Personally I want to wait to see what he does. Today involves touring the disaster region which seems to be a typical, normal presidential response. I am expecting some kind of a real plan by tommorrow.

She requested the money specifically to put back the flood / levee money the current administration cut.

Look ... face it they screwed up. They played a gamble, which is nothing new for this gang, and lost - which is also nothing new. Stop trying to find excuses for what happened. It happened. Its public record. They cut the moeny earmarked for exactly the levve that didn't hold. Would it have been any different? I can only go by what the Army Corp says ... and you might do the same. But we'll never know will we ? Fact remains that the Bush administration felt it more important to give out tax cuts amongst other wasteful expense and so here we are.

You've first tried to deny it even happened. Then you deny the Army Corp even knows how to deal with this, and now its the excuse that Bush wasn't aware of every little detail ... ok so to you the buck never stops abywhere right?

The leader of the current administration takes the responsibility - that's what always happens. That's what you right wingers have been saying about Clintonregarding everything under the sun. Now its your turn. Suck it up ... you've screwed up just about everything in this country and only in 5 years time which is really an accomplishment. Be proud that you've put the biggest screwup into power to lead the rest of his screw up party which unless I'm wrong will begin to run like hell away from this fuck up if they want to keep their jobs come 2006. Will it be the war, gas prices, disaster response ? Hmmmmm pick one

"According to the Republicans it is unpatriotic to question anything."

Danni,

Please refer to neo-cons when making statements like the on above. Some of us republicans do question our leaders (if you can call them that).

On interesting question that is finally starting to be asked is: Where's the money going to come from? Answer: Cut off all entitlements that the illegal immigrants are receiving and you can get a good portion of it right there.

GZLIVES:

She didn't read the whole budget.
She read the parts she was interested in.

Stop being an ass.

"ok so to you the buck never stops abywhere right?"

OH NO!! The buck stops with GZLIVES...because he is all knowing and totally truthful and never biased...ever.

Boy, where could we get $100 or $200 billion to help repair the damage from this, and help this region get back on its feet? You think Iraq might give it to us, since the Bush/Cheney War of Choice over there was supposed to be financed from Iraq's oil sales?

The misunderstanding, misplanning and mismanagement of this "Administration" approaches criminal negligence, if not criminal intent.

could shape President Bush's second term

Excuse me I know we want to steer all attention to our Natural Tragedy in the South however there is that little matter of a Man Made Catastrophe in the Iraq.

Fuel Prices could trump the other two in Bush's second term.

What is frightening is how many other projects were stopped due to budget cuts???? ARe there other preventable disasters on the horizon????
I say there is a big one....the gas crisis. Hey, I don't drive much so the price of gas is not my beef, but this economy runs on gas and diesel, if the prices keep going up it is going to do real harm to the economy (as if it hasn't already). People's jobs will be jeopardized, mine already is. People won't be able to meet expenses. Some people will react violently. This is a powder keg and I just do not believe George Bush is taking it nearly seriously enough. The time to do something....rationing, prevent price gouging, etc. I watched him last night and he said nothing about price gouging by oil companies which WE KNOW is happening right now. The president needs to lead not wait until after crises overtake his ability to react as in New Orleans.

While it would be nice to go back and undo Iraq (and I wish we could), we're stuck with it (Powell's "Pottery Barn Doctrine").

So, we can't get teh $250 Billion plus that we're going to need to rebuild the Gulfcoast and N.O., that way.

I still say cut off the illegal immigrants funds to Food Stamps, and free hospitalization and all the other things they are leeching from us. There's a good chunk of the money right there. It might also help fix the illegal immigrant problem we have.

Danni,

I agree with you on that one. Let's cap the prices now. HI got it right.

I'd bet that Bush didn't even know about the cuts for the Levees.

The "I was out of the loop" defense is now inoperative since the conviction and harsh sentencing of Bernie Ebbers in the Worldcom case.

Not even Karl will try this one.

Sanity - what about rescinding those irresponsible tax cuts, or at least the 95+% of them that went to the very wealthiest among us?

"if the prices keep going up it is going to do real harm to the economy (as if it hasn't already"

I frequently ship goods here and there and if you want to know about gas prices and the economy - ask anyone who uses freight carriers like New Penn or UPS etc.

Surcharges because of fuel prices have sent rates rocketing and these will be passed on to the consumer - perhaps not all at once but there's just no other choice which all means EVERYTHING will rise in price and we will all be squeezed as a result.

Just heard on T.V.-Hurricane Camilles storm surge was 22 ft high. The estimated storm surge for this hurricane was 27 feet.

What is a Pottery Barn Doctrine?

We used to have a Pottery Barn in town but I never stopped inside.

Pick and choose maybe?

I've heard a lot of excuses here but this one is my favorit

"OH NO!! The buck stops with GZLIVES...because he is all knowing and totally truthful and never biased...ever."


IT'S MY FAULT !!!!

You break it .... you own it.

"What is a Pottery Barn Doctrine?" - You break it, you bought it.

This administration came into office with the specific objectives of invading Iraq, tax cuts for the already wealthy, distributing corporate welfare especially for the energy, finance, insurance and pharmacetical corporations and on and on.

All of this cost trillions of dollars which they found by budget cutting. Specifically in the areas of health care and welfare for regular folks, school funding and education, environmental regulation, VA hospitals, military bases and on and on. Including cutting the funding for the Army Corps of Engineers to maintain the levees in New Orleans.

All of this fit in very nicely with their plan to DEFUND the government so that it WOULD NOT be able to handle things that they thought would be better handled by business, charities and faith-based organizations.

On top of everything else they have ensured that the regular military and National Guard is going to have a harder time getting up to speed by putting 140,000 of them in Iraq.

Well, now the chickens have come home to roost in New Orleans, Biloxi and Gulfport and it's time for Bush to go to those corporations and churches and other wealthy entities to get the money to pay for this catastrophe because the rest of us can volunteer our help but not our money because basically we don't have any left after all the increases in our cost of living. Gas, Insurance, drugs, medical, electricity, oil etc. etc. fundamentally caused by Bush and this administration.

"""I still say cut off the illegal immigrants funds to Food Stamps, and free hospitalization and all the other things they are leeching from us."""

Oh a compassionate conservative. Let's put the blame where it belongs though. The oil companies make enough money in one month to fund the help illegal immigrants receive in a year. Illegal immigrants had nothing to do with the hundreds of billions WASTED in Iraq. I don't like illegal immigration any more than anyone else but blaming them for the lack of action by the Bush administration and the Republican Congress who passed the first tax cut during a war in our history should be the focus of your anger.
Illegal aliens are just poor people trying to find a better life as were most of the people in this country.

Bravo Brady! I bit of commonsense.

Unfortunately, you won't be permitted to last long on this site.

Posted by stopthebox_itch

So that explains quite a bit... box_itch's lack of commonsense is why he's permitted to last long on this site.

This is all about a lack of strong Presidential leadership, plus a weak Core of Engineer and FEMA programs. We need a federal plan for US coastal weather protection. I'm tired of FEMA slogging in to clean up the mess... poorly. Raise the standards for prevention. The Bushes are no more to blame than any other President, they just happen to get hit with the killer-canes during their terms. Too many major metro areas are in coastal danger zones with inadequate protection.

I do think Bush Jr. has learned a lesson from daddy's pathetic reaction to Camille. Jr. acts a bit more concerned, but he like everyone else, had their dicks out on this one... but it was inevitable. The thing that make Bush look like a chimp is him treatening price gougers when the price a my local pump went up 65 cents in a matter of minutes.... before the storm damage was complete or evaluated.

Montecore,

Repeal the tax cuts for anyone making over $90,000 (combined household - but that's hard unless they file jointly). Just exclude Maine from the repeal of teh tax cuts - we're already number one in tax-burden.

That combined with cutting off aid to illegal immigrants could very easily get us the money we need.

Thanks for the response, Sanity. I grew up thinking that we make sacrifices in times of war, but it seems that lesson was lost on the wealthy in this country, including the current administration and the oil and gas companies - they have done extremely well during these difficult times.

Danni,

I never blamed the illegal immigrants for a lack of action. I suggested that if we need to find the money, cutting off aid to them would be a good place to start. The problem with them is---they are ILLEGAL!

Funny thing is Danni, you read something I didn't write. And you didn't read something I did. I said that it would be nice to "undo" Iraq. But we can't. You need to make a more concerted effort actually read posts in their entirety and make sure you comprehend them. I have no problem with helping and giving aid to those that are here lagelly, like the Somali's in Lewiston, Maine. But I'll be damned if I willingly give my Hard-Earned Tax Dollars to an illegal.

A better leader would have flown straight to the disaster zone and announced the immediate mobilization of every available resource to rescue the stranded, find and bury the dead, and keep the survivors fed, clothed, sheltered and free of disease.

How about this tidbit

"Eyewitness: Sec of State Condi Rice laughs it up at 'Spamalot' while Gulf Coast lays in tatters. Theater goers on New York' City's Great White Way were shocked to see the President's former National Security Advisor at the Monty Python farce last night -- as the rest of the cabinet responds to Hurricane

"No one could have ever imagined terrorists would turn airplanes into missiles and fly them into buildings."
Condi Rice

"No one imagined that the levees would break and the city of New Orleans would flood."
George Bush


Seems like a pattern here.

I do think Bush Jr. has learned a lesson from daddy's pathetic reaction to Camille.

Camille hit on August 17, 1969. The president at that time was Richard Nixon. Bush the First was a congressman from Texas.

I think you mean hurricane Andrew. And yes, Senior's response was pathetic. I am sure Junior will continue to work hard to outdo him. His response so far has been more in the category of disgraceful.

Theater goers on New York' City's Great White Way were shocked to see the President's former National Security Advisor at the Monty Python farce last night

Just balancing her life. No need letting an ugly thing like the worst natural disaster in American history disturb her beautiful mind.

Give her a break. Caring about disasters is not in her job description. She is in charge of catapulting the international propaganda.

"Eyewitness: Sec of State Condi Rice laughs it up at 'Spamalot' while Gulf Coast lays in tatters. Theater goers on New York' City's Great White Way were shocked to see the President's former National Security Advisor at the Monty Python farce last night -- as the rest of the cabinet responds to Hurricane

I have a simple explanation - this is an internal affair and her role is top diplomat.

The only thing I could imagine her doing in an official capacity would be to plead for aid from other countries. But since we are constantly giving other countries aid I reckon we can handle this one ourselves.

WTF,

It is also too bad that the democrat politicians in Louisiana and in New Orleans proper did not have the resolve and fortitude to find a way to pay for it themselves!!! Typical democrat MO ... sit on their collective asses with their hands out, waiting for others (i.e. conservatives) to fix things for them.

Somebody answer the questions I have asked over and over ... Why should the taxpayers in Utah and Kentucky, as examples, pay for flood control in New Orleans??? Do the citizens of New Orleans pay for flood control in Salt Lake City and Louisville???

I cannot understand why this concept has been so terribly hard for the Bush-haters to understand.

BOX ITCH:

It's called "ONE country, under God" -- we all share and help each other out a little during disasters and hard times. At least that's how is USE TO BE before Bush and the new Republican ideology -- if you weren't born rich, fuck off.

As Americans, we do help each other out in times of disasters. There is no other country on the face of this earth more generous than America when it comes to disaster relief. How much money do you think other countries are sending hurricane victims in the US right now? $0.00???

Flood control has always been a local issue to be dealt with at a local level. Cities up and down the Mississippi build levies paid for with local tax dollars. This is not some new concept.

All New Orleans had to do was slap a $.50 tax per drink and a $1.00 tax per lap dance and they would have had these floodwalls built within 2 or 3 Mardi Gras. Is this that difficult of a concept? I live in Hamilton County Ohio. We raised the county sales tax .5% and have spent over $1.2 billion dollars on riverfront development, roads, sewers and stadiums. Raising money for a local project as important as keeping your city from flooding is not that difficult.

I find it despicable for people to use a natural tragedy to bash the President. Those who do this are human cockroaches. Nothing more. To blame any politician for this tragedy is stupid. But if you must, the finger of blame has to go to the politicians in Louisiana. This was their problem. Instead of taking bold, decisive action, they choose to sit on their ass with their hands out wanting everyone else to pay up.

"This was their problem. Instead of taking bold, decisive action, they choose to sit on their ass with their hands out wanting everyone else to pay up."


This doesn't affect the rest of the country? Do you have any idea how much merchandise and goods are received at the Port of New Orleans annually? Have you any fathom of the importance of the refineries in the area that assist in distributing gas to the rest of the country?

You are a fucking idiot.

Visitor,

In the immortal words of the great porn star, John Homes ... "Blow me, bitch!"

Do you know who makes the goods that goes through the port of New Orleans??? I think the passage down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico is still open, Assclown. Got any other bright ideas??? Can you get your two brain cells to run into each other again???

The local politicians in Louisiana did nothing about the inadequate levy system in New Orleans. Answer my questions, tough girl ...

Why should the taxpayers in Ohio and Missouri, as examples, pay for flood control in New Orleans??? Do the citizens of New Orleans pay for flood control in Cleveland and St Louis???

Sorry, his name was John Holmes...

So, at the end of the day, Bush will end of spending the money to protect New Orleans from C-5 hurricanes---The step he avoided for the last five years.

What a stupid running joke of a president.

Itchy,

Ports of entry that bear a national significance and impact should receive assistance from the rest of the country. The rest of the country does, after all, reap teh economic benefite of said ports.

Additionally, since it's now going to be Federal Dollars that help rebuild N.O. and the Gulf Coast, don't you think it would have been just a weeeeeeeeeee bit cheaper to have spent the money to help stregnthen teh aforementioned areas with the now disputed levies, etc.

I know it might be a little difficult for you to grasp, but there are some things that the Feds can actually do well. One of tehm is spend money on projects like the one the Army Corps of Eng. wanted to do.

We already tried non-partisanship after 9/11, and all it did was get us into a needless war in Iranq.

There can be no compromise with evil, immoral people like the Bush Crime Family. These are people with an agenda to change America into something it isnt, and was never meant to be. You can't 'play nice' with people like that, any more than Hitler could be appeased.

The only good thing to come of this is that at least a little bit of Bush's debt will be spent helping Americans. $750+ billion spent, and thus far not a single American interest was helped.

Somebody answer the questions I have asked over and over ... Why should the taxpayers in Utah and Kentucky, as examples, pay for flood control in New Orleans??? Do the citizens of New Orleans pay for flood control in Salt Lake City and Louisville???

Ever hear of an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure? You drop a billion for flood prevention so you don't have to drop 27 billion to completely rebuild a city, not to mention the across the board insurance increases and petroleum shortages across the entire south.

Instead, I'm sure you prefer to take the Republican Iraq approach. Go along as if everything is fine and scratch your head upon the arrival of your "catastrophic success."

Petroleum shortages across the South? Try across the country.

Gas jumped a mere 20 cents overnight! And that's for stuff already in the underground tanks at the station, nevermind what will be delivered in the next few days.

BTW - how is it gas that was at the station yesterday was $2.69/gal, but today it's $2.89? It's the same gas!

Oh, yeah...that's in Maine, but not in the tourist towns...they broke $3.00

Gas today in upper NY State is $3.60/gal.

Go Bush go ...

Petroleum shortages across the South? Try across the country.

I hear yah, but for the benefit of the chimpathizers, I was being, ahem, conservative.


Last time I was outside, gas had gone up 50 cents here. I can't wait to see it after I get out of work.

Why should the taxpayers in Ohio and Missouri, as examples, pay for flood control in New Orleans??? Do the citizens of New Orleans pay for flood control in Cleveland and St Louis???

As a matter of fact people in New Orlean, Seattle, San Diego, Billings, and even Dodge City pay for flood control in Cleveland and St Louis. And there contribution to the national effect of flood control is not as great as what New Orleans.

One might ask, where is the mouth of the Mississippi and why would more money be needed for levy systems at one of the largest water flow areas of the country. To neglect the notion of prevention for the sake of money going to our least needed protection is ............I don't know what to say it is it is so nieve and ignorant.

Gas here in Washington is $2.96 and will probably be well over 3 by friday. The holiday weekend and all.

Bush is a dolt and so are the people who voted for him.

Re-write history? make me laugh. Anyone who wrote history to say he is anything other than a dolt is one themselves.

Box asks: "Do you know who makes the goods that goes through the port of New Orleans???"

China? The Oil industry? Just guessin'

YAV

"This is an area, at least in the short term, in which a president can gain approval and maybe that gives him a little more wiggle room with the rest of his agenda.''

Woohoo!!! Put Social Security and interests of the average American back on the choppin' block, boys! We're gonna' do it all!

We already tried non-partisanship after 9/11, and all it did was get us into a needless war in Iranq.

Good point, Justsomeguy. And let's remember the delightful, and doubtless, "balanced" and non-partisan attacks recently in reference to that:


"Conservatives saw the savagery of 9/11 in the attacks and prepared for war; liberals saw the savagery of the 9/11 attacks and wanted to prepare indictments and offer therapy and understanding for our attackers."

--Karl Rove



I believe Bill O'Reilly's doing his show tonight partly on why it's bad to politicize the disaster. Well, of course it's bad -- for Republicans -- because now they're (technically, the symbolic head of their body, the President) is getting the fuzzy end of the lollipop.

Well, welcome to the table. Pull up a chair up next to the Dems and start enjoying your steaming hot bowl of "fuck you." We've had ours. :)

And for those who'd like to get all indignant, saying, "He was talking about liberals -- not necessarily democrats," get real. "Liberal" is Republican code, now. It's been paired so often with "democrat" in the conservative echo chamber that the people take them as synonymous. Just like "frivolous" and "lawsuit".

The 50 million Bush cut out of the Army Corps levee budget would have paid for about 6 hours of Bush's excellent Iraq Adventure. Damage costs will be around a thousand times that.
Damn, he's one smart President!

I'd like to live in Bushworld. Warnings of terrorist attacks pre 9-11 don't mean anything. Intelligence reports that go against what you want to hear about Saddam and a hero's welcome in Iraq don't mean anything, Warnings of the impact of category 5 storms don't mean anything. Is this what cocaine does, or is God just whispering BS in his ear at night, because he's so far from reality, it's getting scary.
He was as prepared for Katrina as he was for 9-11 or the Iraq insurgency.
Total Failure.

No wonder that this site seems to pander to those of the FAR LEFT WACKO crowd. I am reading the responses here and on other site and am appalled at the utter contempt that people have for thier fellow man. The people of the Gulf Coast states have lost everything. Family, friends, homes, jobs, basically their lives. People on here have those things but seem to want to turn a natural disaster into a blame game. Grow up you morons. Remember that when you point a finger at someone, there are four more pointing back at you. I find it very troubling that people and the 'learned' of the naitonal media, read that as Times Mirror publication, are looking for blame the Bush administration for the problems we now see in the southern part of this country.

We need to come together and help these people. Remember, but for the grace of God it could have been you instead of them.

I daresay we will "come together to help these people", save for some FAR RIGHT WACKOS that have already expressed their delight so many Democratic voters in Louisianna may have died.

Afterwards, we vote a few rascals out. Reports are Bush blew off contingency plans (such as pumping ships to drain water) to deal with exactly this sort of thing formulated by the Hated Clinton

Visitor @ 9:54-
No wonder that this site seems to pander to those of the FAR LEFT WACKO crowd.I am reading the responses here and on other site and am appalled at the utter contempt that people have for thier fellow man. The people of the Gulf Coast states have lost everything. Family, friends, homes, jobs, basically their lives.

I believe that you'll find most of such comments are coming from your side of the aisle, my friend.

Niceville, stick to your day job! Your attempt at humor is as pathetic as your ravings for bush!