My God Mitch! are you actually asserting that because Arizona organized a decent refugee help service that there wasn't a collosal failure on the part of the government to pro-actively transport people out of harms way, or to help them immediately following the storm?

What the heck($#) is this story, an attempt to deny the truth? An attempt to shout into the wind that reality really isn't real?

I guess I'd ask you to balance this against the fact that REPUBLICAN mayors in Mississippi and Alabama are saying that FEMA reacted too slowly and still is not coordinating things on the ground very effectively. Oh and then there's the simple fact that, fortunately, only 5,000 or so people have died, many, in fact probably most, in the days AFTER the storm due to heat, malnutrition, thirst, or disease.

But hey, it's all about economics isn't it, these folks are getting job placement, free phone calls, etc.. I mean, you might even say they were "fortunate" to come to Arizona, oh wait, Barbara Bush already jammed her foot up to her knee into her mouth by asserting that. Yep, they're lucky they suffered through days of terror, were so destitute they couldn't get out of hell on earth as it decended, and lost loved ones. Sign me up.

These kinds of stories are uplifting that the response by STATES has been generous, compassionate, and swift. Saying that this means the general reaction to Katrina, especially the "no big deal" attitude prior to the storm, was adequate, is unbelievable. Next time you can tell me that the Soviet Union was a great place because the trains ran on time.

The bottom line here is that clearly the right-wing spin machine, of which you are a sometimes a knowledgable member, and other times an unwitting one, once again wants to deny any responsibility. It must have been the local government, no wait, it was because the looters stopped them, or no it was because the cops were corrupt, it certainly had nothing to do with the fact that Bush (Mr. StraightShooter, ManofthePeople) appointed a horse racing manager to head FEMA and slashed it's budget, or that he ignored the warnings of dire consequences, or that the levies might fail - because after all, he did say that no one anticipated they would - even though he was warned it was possible, even probable.

If this makes you and your readers feel good, to be able to deny truth, blame others, and turn a deaf ear to get you back to business as usual, fine, but it's awful. The President, and frankly us as Americans, need to be held accountable. We continue to have an economic system where we say "why not let folks earn(TAKE) whatever they can, and don't tax em because they are the engine, and well, we don't need taxes cause I don't like em." The reality is that we envy the rich, hold contempt not compassion for the poor, and we have ignored sound civic practice to allow our systems to degrade, be poorly prepared, and we appoint political hacks to important posts because anything the government does is apparently so easy anyone could do it without preparation, or unimportant.

I think we are seeing what real policy means (or it's lack), what having decent, professional and dedicated public services workes means, and why it is we cannot blithely, and glibly ignore and/or deny with cutesy anecdote, our responsibilites to our fellow men and women without dire results.

So go on with your stories denying that the response and planning here were horrendous. If it makes you feel good, that's all that counts.

PB

"are you actually asserting that because Arizona organized a decent refugee help service that there wasn't a collosal failure on the part of the government to pro-actively transport people out of harms way, or to help them immediately following the storm?"

Good question, PB. I didn't think so - but you seem to be adept at finding motivations that are not otherwise in evidence.

*sigh*

Like it'll do one scintilla of good...but I can't help myself.

PB: http://www.blindmanphoto.com/images/Stop-Blaming-FEMA.jpg

STFU, ok?

PB,

"Saying that this means the general reaction to Katrina, especially the "no big deal" attitude prior to the storm..."

You mean, when the President was *begging* the incompetent Blanco to order an immediate mandatory evacuation? That kind of "no big deal" attitude?

"If this makes you and your readers feel good, to be able to deny truth, blame others, and turn a deaf ear to get you back to business as usual,"

You know, PB, one of the big lessons I've learned in life is that when anyone attacks my (or anyone's) failure to acquiesce in their worldview by repeating "You're In Denial!", it usually means that that's the best argument they have.

You've read, I take it, the whole bit about New Orleans and the State being *responsible* for getting the residents to higher ground - where the FEMA supplies were?

"I guess I'd ask you to balance this against the fact that REPUBLICAN mayors in Mississippi and Alabama are saying that FEMA reacted too slowly and still is not coordinating things on the ground very effectively."

Yeah, because goodness knows we Republicans NEVER criticize the federal bureaucracy.

Good lord, PB, I've been ripping on FEMA over half of my life. They're the IRS of disaster relief, *and always have been*.

"The bottom line here is that clearly the right-wing spin machine, of which you are a sometimes a knowledgable member,"

Bzzzt. We're going to stop right here.

Spin Machine? Jeez, PB, I can read.

And, frankly, being called a right wing spinner by someone who recycles knee-deep tropes straight off "Daily Kos" is...ironic?

"and other times an unwitting one, once again wants to deny any responsibility."

Riiight. Because after half a lifetime of ripping on slow, stupid federal bureaucracy, I defend the Bush Administration against charges of dropping a ball that, had the locals done their job, it wouldn't have had to have held anyway?

Puh-leeeze.

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