Katrina Monday morning quarterbacking

[!mitationRust]

We needed a clean slate.

[debwalin]

Purely in retrospect...I am not making this political, nor blaming anyone directly. It looks to me like there's plenty of blame to go around (although that FEMA guy, Brown, really looks like an asshat now!).

1. Why hasn't New Orleans been declared a National Historic Site and had federal funding to get those levees up to par?

2. How do you justify waiting 4 days to send in troops?

3. What in Gods name is going to happen to us if we really suffer a bad terrorist attack?

[Relyt]

Unfortunately since about the late 1970's we have stopped being concerned about disasters whether they are man-made or natural. A classic example, right at this very moment can you tell me where your nearest "Fallout Shelter" is? I can't because we don't have one where I live. However, I will bet you an Andrew Jackson that if you went to yours, you would find it being used for storage, or in all kinds of disarray. We are really becoming Lax about preparing for emergencies and we will pay the price as we see in New Orleans and the surrounding area. It all begins at the local, county, and state level and they hosed their preps up something terrible.

cheers

[HTRegz]

Hey Hey,

Since we're closing threads because of whiny American's who can't stand their country being shown in a negative light... even when the post is entirely factual.... Since this is important information for those that wonder why no one is getting involved to support the US after the US gave "so much" during the tsunami. Here's the post again.

can't believe that people are attack the UN and other countries for not helping out.... The US may be high on the list of contributors for the Tsunami, but that was due to private donations. When you look at per capita, the US provided next to nothing in support.. 3.39/person.. compare that with the top 15

quote:

1. Norway $57.71 per person
2. Australia $47.95 per person
3. Kuwait $42.81 per person
4. Qatar $28.96 per person
5. Netherlands $27.21 per person
6. Switzerland $21.08 per person
7. Denmark $20.24 per person
8. New Zealand $20.23 per person
9. Ireland $19.51 per person
10. Finland $16.86 per person
11. Sweden $16.04 per person
12. Canada $15.25 per person
13. Luxembourg $14.51 per person
14. Germany $12.99 per person
15. Austria $11.16 per person

The US support was quite sad... or how about the recent Live8 events for Africa... and the requests that were made after that... again the US was the last to jump on the bandwagon... The US is the first to step in at times of War... (or to make war).. but other than that they're very slow to react... Why should they expect anything different in return.. Treat people the way you expect to be treated and the world is treating the US better than the US has treated it.

How about Cuba's offer.. (It should also be noted that this offer was almost made August 30th and denied then as well... and they also offered to ship all the food and water that these people would require so that it wouldn't be a burden on the US).

quote:

Cuban President Fidel Castro reiterates medical care offer to the American people in his remarks during the TV round table, September 2, 2005, 6:00 pm:

"Our country is ready to send, in the small hours of morning, 100 clinicians and specialists in Comprehensive General Medicine, who at dawn tomorrow, Saturday, could be in Houston International Airport, Texas, the closest to the region struck by the tragedy, in order to be transferred by air, sea or river to the isolated shelters, facilities and neighborhoods in the city of New Orleans, where the population and families are that require emergency medical care or first aid.

"These Cuban personnel would be carrying backpacks with 24 kilograms of medications, known to be essential in such situations to save lives, as well as basic diagnosis kits. They would be prepared to work alone or in groups of two or more, depending on the circumstances, for as long as necessary.

"Likewise, Cuba is ready to send via Houston, or any other airport of your choosing, 500 additional specialists in Comprehensive General Medicine, with the same equipment, who could be at their destination point at noon or in the afternoon of tomorrow, Saturday, September 3.

"A third group of 500 specialists in Comprehensive General Medicine could be arriving in the morning of Sunday, September 4. Thus, the 1100 said medical doctors, with the resources described tantamount to 26.4 tons of medications and diagnosis kits, would be caring for the neediest persons in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina.

"These medical doctors have the necessary international experience and elementary knowledge of the English language that would allow them to communicate with the patients.

"We stand ready waiting for the US authorities' response."

Bush is refusing to accept this support... Perhaps the problem isn't the rest of the world offering support, but the President of the US turning away that support. The other day I heard the Mayor of New Orleans on the news actually telling Bush off... saying that flying over the site wasn't actually being there and that he was "pissed off" that Bush was doing so little in support.

There is lots of support there, but as always the US government is too proud to ask for help... Do you think people stepped in for the Tsunami immediately.... I'm pretty sure there was prolly requests for Aid that went out.. .Maybe instead of attack the UN over no providing the support you should attack Bush for not requesting support or accepting the offered support.

Peace,
HT

[Edit]
The Company I work for provided employees and facilities for a large telethon that was recently held across the US... On top of donating everything, they also donated $4/hour/person during the Telethon.
[/Edit]

Peace,
HT

[Spyder32]

3. What in Gods name is going to happen to us if we really suffer a bad terrorist attack?

Sadly, now would be the perfect (not in the good sense, AT ALL) and most damaging time for an attack to happen.. I'm praying to god that things in this country turn out alright. It's not looking good..

[nihil]

Please do not consider this to be in any way critical, it is a genuine question that is of interest to me because of the way political organisation within Europe is going.

Do our American members feel that the federated nature of the United States might be a problem in these situations?

By that I mean that you have a layer of government called "states", which have a certain degree of autonomy. This creates an additional barrier between central government and towns and counties.

For example, prior to your last elections, supposing the federal government had come up with: " global climate is changing, we need to take these measures to protect certain areas, and we will pay for it out of central funds"

Would that have been considered "buying votes" in certain states?...................or even worse: "we will win that state anyway, so we don't need to spend money there"

Just a question

[Evil Moo]

The problem is in a sense yes, bureacracy. The price you pay for having specialized localized governments is that they in fact are supposed to be autonomous. While in certain extreme situations can cause a slow response by the federal government due to bueracracy, it's still a superior way of government as each state can have its own priorities without much interference.

As to refusing personel aid, it's not a matter of pride. The US has the infastructure capable of dealing with these kinds of distasters and it is doing so. Money is the only really issue of need when it comes to a lack-there-of. Any foreign workers might actually slow things down due to a language barrier. There are also very legitimate reasons for refusing aid from countries like Cuba. Cuba is communist, and is not on friendly terms with the US. Accepting such aid would be a vicious political tool to place in Castro's arsenal. Not a very complex matter. Someone can say things like, "Don't like politics interfere with saving lives, etc" however, that's naive and short-sighted. The longer term implications are greater.

Aside from anyone who just likes to find another reason to rage at the US, I think the situation is being handled very optimumly given the circumstance. The states are being very neighboorly and helping LA, and the proper government organizations are working to their fullest capacity. If there is anyone to get angry with, it's the reporters that actually have the gall to walk up to looters and politely stomach their barbarism.

[HTRegz]

Originally posted here by Evil Moo
The problem is in a sense yes, bureacracy. The price you pay for having specialized localized governments is that they in fact are supposed to be autonomous. While in certain extreme situations can cause a slow response by the federal government due to bueracracy, it's still a superior way of government as each state can have its own priorities without much interference.

As to refusing personel aid, it's not a matter of pride. The US has the infastructure capable of dealing with these kinds of distasters and it is doing so. Money is the only really issue of need when it comes to a lack-there-of. Any foreign workers might actually slow things down due to a language barrier. There are also very legitimate reasons for refusing aid from countries like Cuba. Cuba is communist, and is not on friendly terms with the US. Accepting such aid would be a vicious political tool to place in Castro's arsenal. Not a very complex matter. Someone can say things like, "Don't like politics interfere with saving lives, etc" however, that's naive and short-sighted. The longer term implications are greater.

Aside from anyone who just likes to find another reason to rage at the US, I think the situation is being handled very optimumly given the circumstance. The states are being very neighboorly and helping LA, and the proper government organizations are working to their fullest capacity. If there is anyone to get angry with, it's the reporters that actually have the gall to walk up to looters and politely stomach their barbarism.

Hey Hey,

It will have political implications... bullshit.. the US is too proud and Bush is too pigheaded... Turning down something that you desperately need is stupid... Would an a starving American soldier turn down food from the Iraqi army? something tells me he wouldn't... The US again is not on friendly terms with Cuba for no real reason... It's an age old grudge that shouldn't exist, if one side can overlook it than the other should as well... Politics shouldn't interfer with saving lives... not if you truly care about saving those lives... If you think they should.. then you are the naive one..

You think it's being handled optimally? The delays in help is optimal... The lack of support is optimal.. As much as people such as !mitationRust make me hate the US more and more... and as much as I'd love to see the US disappear... this situation is not optimal.. it's a bloody shame that could have been avoided...

However, I will give you that having a middle level of government between Federal and Municipal is the ideal way to operate.

Peace
HT

[The Texan]

Well it has been established that we didnt handle things as well as we could have but, its over now and we are trying our best to help!so why dont ppl stop moaning about what we could have/should have done and go make a donation to the relief effort? my aunt lost her house i feel really bad for her but now we just gotta pull together and get it fixed. Just my 2 cents.

[The Duck]

Well if it isn't HTRegz spouting off anti american comments... again...

First of all, I would like to say that I agree with your comments about bush... however...

Canada has done a lot more for the world than the US...

Please, tell me the great things canada has done that make a big international difference other then sign the kyoto treaty and donate more money per person which really doesn't add up to a whole lot anyway because of the lack of a big population....

You wanna talk about stupid people that can't come up with facts?? Your the one with all the personal oppinions... The only facts you really have is that article about the support from cuba and the amount of donations that america has given to the tsunami relief effort...

You also said you would like to see america disapear... and you and I have discussed the effects this would have on the global economy and you seem to beleive this event would have little to no effect... If you think the disapearance of a country with the third biggest population in the world and possibly the most imports (which means big $$$ for countries like china, japan, europe, and yes... even canada...) would only be a tiny setback for the world then you are extremely naive...