FEMA to the rescue? Or the end of Southern California?

I am not arguing that a good job is not being done in SOCAL, I am actually fairly impressed with how quickly and orderly they are getting people out of harms way, but I think a lot of it lies int he fact that it is affecting people with higher incomes who have the ability to just pick up and go, sadly that was not the case for a lot of the people in NO.

 

you could change the word "incomes" to "intelligence" and your whole post would still make sense.

 

Did FEMA do anything right?

How long was it before they were on the ground while people were dying en masse? Are we seriosuly even comparing the immediate deadly emergency of Katrina to some damn millionaires houses on fire?

No one but Kanye thinks it was Bush's fault. But patting "brownie" on the back and telling him he was doing a heckuva job on national television didn't help his cause either.

 

You do realize that every time you say "flaming", democrats and liberals think of senator Craig don't you?

I'm guessing between Foley and Craig republicans have the gay vote locked up in 2008.

 

Yes, with higher intelligence usually comes higher income.. however I think the quality of education that is accessable to lower class people to help get themselves out of poverty is a completely different topic.

 

That's a straw man argument.

If taxes are collected for civil purposes like FEMA, and FEMA fails or stumbles, don't you think there should be some government accountability?

Dubya named himself the decider. Believe me, I would rather he didn't, and only performed the role of President as intended by the Founders. But since he insists on being the head man of everything, shouldn't he ultimately be accountable, the way officers are accountable for the actions of their soldiers?

 

That's the problem with relying on the government for everything. People defer their own self determination, and when the government screws up there is no accountability. No one gets fired, no one gets publicly hung out to dry, no one loses their pension.

 

But only hold Fema and the president accountable to the level they were. Also hold those accountable below them that failed.

If all you want to do is blame Bush, then you are showing signs of BDS, which a doctor could prescribe you something to help. Otherwise, put blame where it is appropriate. Beginning with the individual who wouldn't leave, the local gov't that didn't run buses (but were given permission/told to do) the state gov't and then up. Remember, there was money given to the state to take care of the levy, but where did that money go? Shouldn't the person/people who stole/misspent the money be prosecuted for manslaughter?

 

Perhaps you were not aware that you had options?

 

I have a scenrio... say you went to McDonalds everyday for a week and they screwed your order up everyday... on the last day you have had enough and want someone to be responsible for this... you do not care if the employee who screwed up buys you a free meal, or if the franchisee buys you a free meal, or if the head office or ceo buys you a free meal... in the end you just want someone to be accountable and to get a free meal...

I think many people rush to blame Bush because the person whose fault it really is.. is usually covered in so much beurocratic BS that you can never really find.

 

That doesn't seem to be the case here. California and FEMA are doing a remarkable job.

My take on it is, that some people just bitch, whine, moan and complain, no matter what. It's what makes up their persona. It defines who they are as a person.

How is Bush responsible for fires? How is Bush responsible for the successful efforts of hard working men and women who are putting their lives on the line? A friend of mine's house burned down last year. Thankfully they were not home. Is it Bush's fault?

BDS is a very dangerous disease.

 

Obviously the actual fires could not be considered Bush's fault... and really with the fires there is nothing bad to blame.. everything has been organized well and people are being taken care of. Sure the fires are bad... but thats really beyond control, I mean no matter what you have a fire is not an easy thing to get control over. I think what Bush ends up getting blammed for is when the relif efforts and evacuation plans do not work, and people are left in harms way... even though Bush may not be directly responsible for it... since people do not know who to blame, they blame who they know.

 

FEMA is doing a better job now than it did with Katrina. Since Katrina, and with subsequent emergencies there has been a substantial learning curve.

They did do a miserable job with regard to Katrina in lots of areas. The blame can also be spread to the states and localities.

In any case they are far quicker to respond and far better at it now. Thank goodness. Neither FEMA, BUSH, the Governator, Barbera Boxer or GTech can produce rain. That would be a blessing right now.

But FEMA is doing far better than it did with the Katrina disaster.

 

yes, they learned to not trust the local govts.

it should be on the state first...they are the ones that were responsible, that and the people that didn't leave.

of course not, but Bush does get the blame for it not raining...global warming, right?

exactly, thanks to the wonderful effort put forth by the local govt and the state of california.

 

I have to laugh at d16th's response. It is a sort of snarky Bush lover effort to squeeze in Bush love from one of the folks that doesn't seem to exhibet anything but endless love for ole W....and simultaneously make snarky comments about republicans.

Try as I might to give the President and FEMA credit from a learning curve....the Bush supporters can't help but add snarky political side comments. Its no wonder Bush's approval ratings are so low and their is such nationwide and world wide disdain for his comments and those of his supporters.

Make a comment supporting FEMA's improvement and a snarky comment follows about its the states responsibility.

The Katrina disaster of a storm was followed by an amazing bungling of incompetence from all responsible parties. The FED govt has shouldered the financial responsibility and it should take the highest level of responsibility for the failures during Katrina.

Who can forget Bush in a video with emergency personnel just before Katrina hit, being warned of the impending disaster and not making a substitive comment about increasing efforts at all. Who can forget in the midst of the Katrina disaster and afterwards Bush flying over the city in his personal jet and not giving a seeming rat's @ss about the consequences. Who can forget when people were trapped in one of two repository's of a "safe place" calling for help without any resources.....and this was broadcast nationally on TV, FEMA officials excusing themselves for not knowing about this disaster....even as the entire rest of the country could see these people trapped.

It makes lots of sense to snarkily blame it all on the states.

Of interest; one of the first problems encountered by firefighters in California was that "people weren't leaving". Instead of using early resources to fight the fire, the fire staff were evacuating people. That is the exact same scenario as in New Orleans and elsewhere in the south when not all people evacuated promptly.

cripes instead of being snarky.....you should acknowledge when someone gives credit.

 

Very well said Earl... yet I am still 100% positive a certain Bush supporter will twist your words somehow and try to make it out that you are personally attacking Bush and saying everything is his fault. It's like you have to take a course 'using smoke and mirrors 101' before you can get your Bush supporter card.

On a side note... it's 2 below zero here this morning, and I am 100% blaming Bush for this damn coldness.

 

Wow, where are you? I thought I was cold and it is probably 50 here. I can't wait to move to the D.R. were it is 80's almost all the time.

Maybe Bush is stealing your warmth to cause global warming elsewhere? That's what I keep saying...

 

I am in eastern Canada about a 45 min drive to the Maine border... and to be honest I would like a little global warming to heat things up lol. Haha