New Orleans Mayor Fumes Over Slow Reponse

[steven]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- A day before President Bush headed to the hurricane-ravaged South, Mayor Ray Nagin lashed out at federal officials, telling a local radio station "they don't have a clue what's going on down here."

Federal officials expressed sympathy but quickly defended themselves, saying they, too, were overwhelmed by the catastrophe that hit the Gulf Coast region on Monday.

Nagin's interview Thursday night on WWL radio came as President Bush planned to visit Gulf Coast communities battered by Hurricane Katrina, a visit aimed at alleviating criticism that he engineered a too-little, too-late response.

Bush viewed the damage while flying over the region Wednesday en route to Washington after cutting short his Texas vacation by two days.

"They flew down here one time two days after the doggone event was over with TV cameras, AP reporters, all kind of goddamn - excuse my French everybody in America, but I am pissed," Nagin said.

Nagin said he told Bush in a recent conversation that "we had an incredible crisis here and that his flying over in Air Force One does not do it justice ... I have been all around this city and that I am very frustrated because we are not able to marshal resources and we are outmanned in just about every respect."

In an interview Friday on NBC's "Today," Federal Emergency Management Agency director Michael Brown stood behind the massive federal relief effort that's under way.

"I understand the mayor's frustration. ... We have been having a continuous flow of commodities into the Superdome, there were five trucks arriving last night to feed well over 50,000 people.

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/K/KATRINA_ANGRY_MAYOR_HK1?SITE=NYBUE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-09-02-08-46-14

[WestCoastPerspective]

Dowd's take:

Just last year, Federal Emergency Management Agency officials practiced how they would respond to a fake hurricane that caused floods and stranded New Orleans residents. Imagine the feeble FEMA's response to Katrina if they had not prepared.

Michael Brown, the blithering idiot in charge of FEMA - a job he trained for by running something called the International Arabian Horse Association - admitted he didn't know until Thursday that there were 15,000 desperate, dehydrated, hungry, angry, dying victims of Katrina in the New Orleans Convention Center.

Was he sacked instantly? No, our tone-deaf president hailed him in Mobile, Ala., yesterday: "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."

When the president and vice president rashly shook off our allies and our respect for international law to pursue a war built on lies, when they sanctioned torture, they shook the faith of the world in American ideals.

When they were deaf for so long to the horrific misery and cries for help of the victims in New Orleans - most of them poor and black, like those stuck at the back of the evacuation line yesterday while 700 guests and employees of the Hyatt Hotel were bused out first - they shook the faith of all Americans in American ideals. And made us ashamed.

Who are we if we can't take care of our own?

[WestSideJohn]

The thing that angers me most - and I can't wait to hear our friends who support Mr. Bush defending this - is that relief and rescue aircraft were GROUNDED while the President visited for photo opportunities. GROUNDED! This means that relief and rescue efforts were slowed down or even stopped so that pictures could be taken.

Just when I think I've heard it all...

[atotaltotalfan2001]

Originally posted by WestSideJohn
The thing that angers me most - and I can't wait to hear our friends who support Mr. Bush defending this - is that relief and rescue aircraft were GROUNDED while the President visited for photo opportunities. GROUNDED! This means that relief and rescue efforts were slowed down or even stopped so that pictures could be taken.

Just when I think I've heard it all...

You haven't. Not by a long shot. I was astounded on another thread to hear some of our more reactionary conservative posters complain about the refugees signing up for welfare ASAP.

Hello? Any souls in there? If anyone ever needed welfare or some type of welfare program, it will be these people.

Whatever the refugees of the Gulf Coast had before, it is long gone and they'll be lucky to make it through the next few years. I think a lot of them won't, particularly the elderly.

Most of them were poor to begin with, although not all. Even if they had jobs, they are long gone.

So, without welfare, what will happen to them? No medical care, no way to make a living and take care of their families. No shelter.

Jeeze. I hope this region never goes through the kind of obliteration that hit NO and environs. Because we'd see how long any of us lasted without some sort of government assistance.

How would we feel being called welfare cheats?

[WestCoastPerspective]

The most outrageous thing I heard was this:

"On Wednesday," said an editorial in The Sun Herald in Biloxi, Miss., "reporters listening to horrific stories of death and survival at the Biloxi Junior High School shelter looked north across Irish Hill Road and saw Air Force personnel playing basketball and performing calisthenics. Playing basketball and performing calisthenics!"

[GeorgeB]

I just want to say thanks to all of the Bush supporters out there for making me embarrased to be an American. Thanks for making sure our "chief" is the most incompetent leader our nation has ever known. Thanks for making sure that 10s of thousands of people are dying. Thanks. From the bottom of my heart.

This is outrageous, unacceptable, and we haven't even heard the full extent of the story.

How can this happen in these great states? If we were supposedly "prepared" for a major terrorist attack - that would come without warning - how come we weren't prepared for rapid deployment for an event we saw coming for DAYS? Anyone? I've yet to hear anything close to a reasonable explanation.

And if I hear one more government representative praising themselves on a "job well done" and their "great efforts" I swear I'm going to scream.

Oh, and congrats to the oil companies on your new found wealth. I hope the reason that you're gouging is so you can donate some of your record-breaking profits to the relief efforts.

Signed,
an embarrased, outraged, and saddened American

[GeorgeB]

As the National Guard delivered food to the New Orleans convention center yesterday, American Red Cross officials said that federal emergency management authorities would not allow them to do the same.

Other relief agencies say the area is so damaged and dangerous that they doubted they could conduct mass feeding there now.

"The Homeland Security Department has requested and continues to request that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans," said Renita Hosler, spokeswoman for the Red Cross.

from http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05246/565143.stm


Wow. That's all I can say.

:-(

[atotaltotalfan2001]

Originally posted by GeorgeB
Wow. That's all I can say.

:-(

That's what happens when the designated relief agencies take too long to respond. All that chaos. I'd heard awhile ago that Wal-Mart was accepting vouchers from the Red Cross but not the Salvation Army. Why????? Since when is the Salvation Army a deadbeat?

I feel as you do. Much shame.

[Jim Ostrowski]

The response, or rather the lack of response, to this disaster is a dramatic illustration of the incompetence of government on all levels. The different layers of government are each faulting the others and they are all right!

Just for the record, I called for the elimination of FEMA in 2001.

[WestCoastPerspective]

Originally posted by Jim Ostrowski
The response, or rather the lack of response, to this disaster is a dramatic illustration of the incompetence of government on all levels. The different layers of government are each faulting the others and they are all right!

Just for the record, I called for the elimination of FEMA in 2001.

And most are saying FEMA and not Homeland Security should have been in charge- sure glad you didn't have your way Jim!

[Jim Ostrowski]

This is from FEMA's web site--

"FEMA, with States and voluntary organizations, is coordinating a massive mobilization of resources, equipment and commodities to assist and protect victims in the Gulf coast area."

[Jim Ostrowski]

Also from FEMAs web page--

"The Federal Emergency Management Agency - a former independent agency that became part of the new Department of Homeland Security in March 2003 - is tasked with responding to, planning for, recovering from and mitigating against disasters."

So--FEMA was independent, now it's under HS. It sucked before and sucks now.

[Jim Ostrowski]

Here's a piece on the old FEMA we are supposed to love--

http://www.fff.org/freedom/0197f.asp

[Jim Ostrowski]

Tim Russert was superb this morning. I actually felt sorry for Homeland guy Michael Chertoff. Let's not make him the scapegoat, though. The problem is bureaucracy. Bureaucracies are good at grinding people down with rules and regulations. They're bad at moving fast and taking decisive action.

And how did a former prosecutor get to be in charge of disasters?

This guy is used to making life tough for businessmen who haven't memorized the 5,000 or so pages of arbitrary federal laws and regs.

As I predicted on the FB website, the authorities, in addition to not helping, actually prevented others from helping.

Russert's guest from Jefferson Parish cited three examples of where FEMA turned assistance back!

[atotaltotalfan2001]

Originally posted by Jim Ostrowski


Just for the record, I called for the elimination of FEMA in 2001.


Unfortunately, the Bush Administration thought it had a better idea.

It hired Michael Brown to head up FEMA, a man whose experience prior to that was running the International Arabian Horse Association.

He should have stuck to horses.

[biker]

Good thing none of us hard-hearted conservatives were here to ruin your gabfest.

I, for one, was too busy listening to Michael Dershowitz commenting on the late Justice Rhenquist: "Rhenquist was a Republican thug."

Direct quote.

Last night.

The man's body was still warm.

Libs are scum.

[WestCoastPerspective]

Originally posted by atotaltotalfan2001
Unfortunately, the Bush Administration thought it had a better idea.

It hired Michael Brown to head up FEMA, a man whose experience prior to that was running the International Arabian Horse Association.

He should have stuck to horses.

Well, now he looks like the horse's ass. :D

[atotaltotalfan2001]

Now that the blame game is about to start in earnest, I thought I'd post this article from today's NY Times as a heads up.

Here's the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/05/national/nationalspecial/05bush.html

BTW:

Look to hear some of these strategies (bob and weave, refuse to answer the question etc. and downright lie) from some of the Bush acolytes on this board.

If Bush holds true to past performance, he and his buddies will begin re-writing the history of Katrina in no time at all.

And guess what? It will all be the fault of the Dems and all those no-good-for-nothings who refused to leave. (and, for good measure, are poor and ignorant to begin with because of the Dems)

The final chapter will be that the GOP rode to the rescue!

[WNYresident]

We can't post things from the times. I got a letter about another times article that was used in an article on the speakup front page. They demand by lawyer the article be removed. They even had full credit of where the article came from author and all.

From now on just link to the article in stead of posting it here.

[atotaltotalfan2001]

Originally posted by WNYresident
We can't post things from the times. I got a letter about another times article that was used in an article on the speakup front page. They demand by lawyer the article be removed. They even had full credit of where the article came from author and all.

From now on just link to the article in stead of posting it here.

Oh. Sorry about that. I fixed it. Thanks.

[biker]

Originally posted by atotaltotalfan2001

And guess what? It will all be the fault of the Dems and all those no-good-for-nothings who refused to leave. (and, for good measure, are poor and ignorant to begin with because of the Dems)

The final chapter will be that the GOP rode to the rescue!

Glad to see you're coming around.

I knew, down deep, you were a good person.

[crlachepinochet]

Originally posted by Jim Ostrowski
Tim Russert was superb this morning. I actually felt sorry for Homeland guy Michael Chertoff. Let's not make him the scapegoat, though. The problem is bureaucracy. Bureaucracies are good at grinding people down with rules and regulations. They're bad at moving fast and taking decisive action.

And how did a former prosecutor get to be in charge of disasters?

This guy is used to making life tough for businessmen who haven't memorized the 5,000 or so pages of arbitrary federal laws and regs.

As I predicted on the FB website, the authorities, in addition to not helping, actually prevented others from helping.

Russert's guest from Jefferson Parish cited three examples of where FEMA turned assistance back!

Even while we cannot utilize our own ample resources, offers of aid from other countries are falling on deaf ears at the White House. While I do not think other countries owe us much of anything, it is unconscionable that there are people waiting to help us who are being ignored. I've even heard many people complaining lately that other countries will take our aid but not help us out... simply untrue. Sri Lanka even gave a cash donation to the Red Cross for Katrina recovery!

[biker]

The only other country I've heard actually offer assistance was Japan.

But I don't doubt that there are people in other countries wanting to help: Americans have no corner on the generosity market.

[WestCoastPerspective]

Governments pledge aid after Katrina

Saturday, September 3, 2005; Posted: 10:53 p.m. EDT (02:53 GMT)

The State Department said offers of help had been received from:

Australia, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belgium, Canada, China, Columbia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Greece, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, South Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela.

International organizations also offered help ranging from medical teams to tents to cash donations. They include NATO, the Organization of American States, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, and the World Health Organization.

A State Department official said a needs assessment was being done to determine which offers would be accepted.

The United Nations has offered to help coordinate international relief. Following is a list of some of the aid offered by governments.

Asia
AUSTRALIA: "We're going to provide A$10 million ($7.6 million) and the bulk of that money, if not all of it, will go to the American Red Cross," said Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. The Australian government said there may be up to 24 Australians trapped in Louisiana in the aftermath of Katrina.

CHINA: China offered $5 million in aid for victims of Hurricane Katrina which devastated the Gulf Coast ahead of President Hu Jintao's U.S. visit. If needed, the Chinese government is also prepared to send rescue workers, including medical experts, officials said.

JAPAN: Will provide $200,000 to the American Red Cross to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said on Friday. Japan will also identify needs in affected regions via the U.S. government and will provide up to $300,000 in emergency supplies such as tents, blankets and power generators if it receives requests for such assistance, the ministry said.

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Armed Forces, responding to requests by the United States Texas Army National Guard, has sent three Chinook helicopters to Fort Polk, Louisiana, to help in relief efforts. The government said the Chinooks will help to ferry supplies and undertake airlift missions.

SOUTH KOREA: Has pledged aid and is waiting for a U.S. response, a government official said. "We have sent our intention to offer recovery aid," a Foreign Ministry official said on Friday.

SRI LANKA: Will donate $25,000 to the American Red Cross.

Americas
CANADA: Offered to help in any way it can and the navy is preparing a ship full of emergency disaster relief supplies to be sent when a request comes.

CUBA: Cuban President Fidel Castro offered to fly 1,100 doctors to Houston with 26 tonnes of medicine to treat disaster victims. :eek:

MEXICO: The country is sending 15 truckloads of water, food and medical supplies via Texas and the Mexican navy has offered to send two ships, two helicopters and 15 amphibious vehicles.

VENEZUELA: President Hugo Chavez, a vocal critic of the United States, offered to send cheap fuel, humanitarian aid and relief workers to the disaster area.

Europe
EUROPEAN UNION: EU countries are ready to give the United States oil if it requests help, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Friday. But British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said this was not what the EU had in mind when it discussed how to help.

FRANCE: Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said France was ready to offer support, telling TF1 television: "We have rescue teams based in the Caribbean and we are naturally ready to provide aid to the Americans, and that is what we have told them."

GERMANY: Has offered mobile units to provide clean water, military hospital facilities and medical aid.

ITALY: Has offered to "immediately" send aid and evacuation specialists, Italy's civil protection unit said. Authorities have prepared two military transport planes to fly amphibious vessels, pumps, generators, tents and personnel to New Orleans and other areas. They were awaiting word from U.S. officials, the unit said.

NETHERLANDS: Will provide teams for inspecting dykes and for identifying victims if there is a formal request from the United States. It will also send a frigate from Curacao to New Orleans shortly to provide emergency assistance, the government said.

RUSSIA: Has offered to help with rescue efforts, but is still awaiting a reply from Washington. "Above all with heavy transport planes, which can be loaded with helicopters and generators -- as there is no electricity in the area of the catastrophe," Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said.

SPAIN: Expects to receive a formal request to release gasoline stocks to the United States and is prepared to grant it, an Industry Ministry spokesman said.

SWEDEN: The Rescue Authority said it was on stand-by to supply water purifying equipment, healthcare supplies and emergency shelters if needed.

Middle East
SAUDI ARABIA - Saudi Refining, a Houston-based subsidiary of state oil firm Saudi Aramco, will donate $5 million to the American Red Cross to support relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Copyright 2005 Reuters. All rights reserved

[buffknut]

It's interesting how the Bush haters all seem to actually WANT Bush to be in total command of everything.

I hope a full inquiry is done, because then the truth about the incompetence in NO & Louisiana will come out. I think the Feds will take a hit also. In fact, everyone shares in the good & bad.

Ever wonder why they call it a DISASTER? Well, it's because it OVERWHELMS everyone's ability to deal with it. If it wasn't overwhelming, I guess it would just be a minor inconvenience, wouldn't it.

At any rate, I found this interesting take on it via:
http://www.sluggerotoole.com/archives/2005/09/ill_wind_may_no.php

Here's the column re-copied from the link listed:

By Newton Emerson (Irish Times)

As the full horror of Hurricane Katrina sinks in, thousands of desperate columnists are asking if this is the end of George Bush's presidency.

The answer is almost certainly yes, provided that every copy of the US Constitution was destroyed in the storm. Otherwise President Bush will remain in office until noon on January 20th, 2009, as required by the 20th Amendment, after which he is barred from seeking a third term anyway under the 22nd Amendment.

As the full horror of this sinks in, thousands of desperate columnists are asking if the entire political agenda of George Bush's second term will not still be damaged in some terribly satisfying way.

The answer is almost certainly yes, provided that the entire political agenda of George Bush's second term consists of repealing the 22nd Amendment. Otherwise, with a clear Republican majority in both Houses of Congress, he can carry on doing pretty much whatever he likes.

As the full horror of this sinks in, thousands of desperate columnists are asking if the Republican Party itself will now suffer a setback at the congressional mid-term elections next November.

The answer is almost certainly yes, provided that people outside the disaster zone punish their local representatives for events elsewhere a year previously, both beyond their control and outside their remit, while people inside the disaster zone reward their local representatives for an ongoing calamity they were supposed to prevent. Otherwise, the Democratic Party will suffer a setback at the next congressional election.

As the full horror of this sinks in, thousands of desperate columnists are asking if an official inquiry will shift the blame for poor planning and inadequate flood defences on to the White House.

The answer is almost certainly yes, provided nobody admits that emergency planning is largely the responsibility of city and state agencies, and nobody notices that the main levee which broke was the only levee recently modernised with federal funds. Otherwise, an official inquiry will pin most of the blame on the notoriously corrupt and incompetent local governments of New Orleans and Louisiana.


As the full horror of this sinks in, thousands of desperate columnists are asking if George Bush contributed to the death toll by sending so many national guard units to Iraq.

The answer is almost certainly yes, provided nobody recalls that those same columnists have spent the past two years blaming George Bush for another death toll by not sending enough national guard units to Iraq. Otherwise, people might wonder why they have never previously read a single article advocating large-scale military redeployment during the Caribbean hurricane season.

As the full horror of this sinks in, thousands of desperate columnist are asking how a civilised city can descend into anarchy.

The answer is that only a civilised city can descend into anarchy.

As the full horror of this sinks in, thousands of desperate columnists are asking if George Bush should be held responsible for the terrible poverty in the southern states revealed by the flooding.

The answer is almost certainly yes, provided nobody holds Bill Clinton responsible for making Mississippi the poorest state in the union throughout his entire term as president, or for making Arkansas the second-poorest state in the union throughout his entire term as governor. Otherwise, people might suspect that it is a bit more complicated than that.

As the full horror of this sinks in, thousands of desperate columnists are asking if George Bush should not be concerned by accusations of racism against the federal government.

The answer is almost certainly yes, provided nobody remembers that Jesse Jackson once called New York "Hymietown" and everybody thinks Condoleezza Rice went shopping for shoes when the hurricane struck because she cannot stand black people.

Otherwise sensible Americans of all races will be more concerned by trite, cynical and dangerous political opportunism.

As the full horror of that sinks in, this columnist is simply glad that everybody cares.

[biker]

Great post Buff.

I don't blame Clinton for Mississippi after an Arkansan told me this a few months ago: "God created Mississippi so that boys from Arkansas can feel smarter than someone."

[atotaltotalfan2001]

Originally posted by buffknut
It's interesting how the Bush haters all seem to actually WANT Bush to be in total command of everything.

I hope a full inquiry is done, because then the truth about the incompetence in NO & Louisiana will come out. I think the Feds will take a hit also. In fact, everyone shares in the good & bad.

Ever wonder why they call it a DISASTER? Well, it's because it OVERWHELMS everyone's ability to deal with it. If it wasn't overwhelming, I guess it would just be a minor inconvenience, wouldn't it.

At any rate, I found this interesting take on it via:
http://www.sluggerotoole.com/archives/2005/09/ill_wind_may_no.php

Here's the column re-copied from the link listed:

By Newton Emerson (Irish Times)

As the full horror of Hurricane Katrina sinks in, thousands of desperate columnists are asking if this is the end of George Bush's presidency.

The answer is almost certainly yes, provided that every copy of the US Constitution was destroyed in the storm. Otherwise President Bush will remain in office until noon on January 20th, 2009, as required by the 20th Amendment, after which he is barred from seeking a third term anyway under the 22nd Amendment.

As the full horror of this sinks in, thousands of desperate columnists are asking if the entire political agenda of George Bush's second term will not still be damaged in some terribly satisfying way.

The answer is almost certainly yes, provided that the entire political agenda of George Bush's second term consists of repealing the 22nd Amendment. Otherwise, with a clear Republican majority in both Houses of Congress, he can carry on doing pretty much whatever he likes.

As the full horror of this sinks in, thousands of desperate columnists are asking if the Republican Party itself will now suffer a setback at the congressional mid-term elections next November.

The answer is almost certainly yes, provided that people outside the disaster zone punish their local representatives for events elsewhere a year previously, both beyond their control and outside their remit, while people inside the disaster zone reward their local representatives for an ongoing calamity they were supposed to prevent. Otherwise, the Democratic Party will suffer a setback at the next congressional election.

As the full horror of this sinks in, thousands of desperate columnists are asking if an official inquiry will shift the blame for poor planning and inadequate flood defences on to the White House.

The answer is almost certainly yes, provided nobody admits that emergency planning is largely the responsibility of city and state agencies, and nobody notices that the main levee which broke was the only levee recently modernised with federal funds. Otherwise, an official inquiry will pin most of the blame on the notoriously corrupt and incompetent local governments of New Orleans and Louisiana.


As the full horror of this sinks in, thousands of desperate columnists are asking if George Bush contributed to the death toll by sending so many national guard units to Iraq.

The answer is almost certainly yes, provided nobody recalls that those same columnists have spent the past two years blaming George Bush for another death toll by not sending enough national guard units to Iraq. Otherwise, people might wonder why they have never previously read a single article advocating large-scale military redeployment during the Caribbean hurricane season.

As the full horror of this sinks in, thousands of desperate columnist are asking how a civilised city can descend into anarchy.

The answer is that only a civilised city can descend into anarchy.

As the full horror of this sinks in, thousands of desperate columnists are asking if George Bush should be held responsible for the terrible poverty in the southern states revealed by the flooding.

The answer is almost certainly yes, provided nobody holds Bill Clinton responsible for making Mississippi the poorest state in the union throughout his entire term as president, or for making Arkansas the second-poorest state in the union throughout his entire term as governor. Otherwise, people might suspect that it is a bit more complicated than that.

As the full horror of this sinks in, thousands of desperate columnists are asking if George Bush should not be concerned by accusations of racism against the federal government.

The answer is almost certainly yes, provided nobody remembers that Jesse Jackson once called New York "Hymietown" and everybody thinks Condoleezza Rice went shopping for shoes when the hurricane struck because she cannot stand black people.

Otherwise sensible Americans of all races will be more concerned by trite, cynical and dangerous political opportunism.

As the full horror of that sinks in, this columnist is simply glad that everybody cares.

You had to go all the way to the Irish Times to find someone who will tow the GOP party line? Wow, the GOP must be in disarray if that is the case. It's usually so on message.

[buffknut]

Actually total, it wasn't all that hard. That's what's great about this thing called the internet and all the blogger sites I've cited so many times. I now have access to the world from my desktop. It has truly liberated me from the incredibly biased mainstream media that can't accept the fact Bush won, and twice to boot! This internet thing makes sure that real facts get published and not just the opinions of a bunch of Columbia school grads and their ilk.

Remember, today is one year anniversary of the Rathergate saga. Guess who blew that open, and it wasn't the beloved MSM that many here get all their news from.

At any rate, there are many, many fine commentaries. I just happened to like that one and it was short enough to post here in its' entirety.

As I've said many times, my views are very ably represented by these sites:

www.littlegreenfootballs.com
www.polipundit.com
www.powerlineblog.com
www.instapundit.com

Now total, please give me your Bills prediction for this week as well as the season. I say we'll win this week 27-17 and go 10-6 on the year. Playoffs, here we come!!!!

[citymouse]

Originally posted by biker

The man's body was still warm.



So just because he is dead does not make him any less of a Republican thug.
When Al Capone died did every one forget who he was and talk of his virtues?
Besides If he was a Republican his body was never warm.

[biker]

You equate the CJ with a gangster.

Hmmm.

I guess I was right.

Libs are scum.

[atotaltotalfan2001]

Originally posted by buffknut
Actually total, it wasn't all that hard. That's what's great about this thing called the internet and all the blogger sites I've cited so many times. I now have access to the world from my desktop.

Sounds like you had to go pretty far to get confirmation of what you already believed. How is it that a writer from an Irish publication is an expert on this situation and, in particular, the responsibilities of a bunch of American agencies?


As for the Bills.......I predict: They will win all their games! :)

[buffknut]

total, you misunderstand me. I did not have to go far at all. It was easily available (although now I can't remember which site had the link to it).

Besides, I said it was just one commentary that I liked and it was short, so I posted it here. If you want, I can post a whole bunch more from many sources but I thought it'd be more practical to refer you to my favorite sites which will continue to provide excellent analysis & commentary. However, if you only want to blame Bush, then it really doesn't matter what I post because no facts will deter you from blaming it all on Bush. Which by the way goes back to my first comment about all the Bush haters actually wanting Bush to be in supreme command of everything.

As I've said, let the inquiries begin. But when the real fault gets laid on the hands of the Democratic mayor of NO & the Dem gov of Louisiana, and root causes implicate a totally corrupt & incompetent local & state gov't, how will all the Bush haters react? Well, I predict it will not matter because all the Bush haters will lay 100% of the blame on him no matter what. His power is incredible!

But, there are many much more intelligent people than I out there who can articulate the facts better than I can. If you are interested in reading them, please do. I've already provided the links. If you're just going to wait for the CNN, CBS, AP, Reuters, Michael Moore, NY Times, BuffNews versions, then so be it. I have no use for the dinosaur media. The internet is where it's at!

By the way, if the Bills do go undefeated, I'll remember it was you who predicted it first! I'll even buy you a beer (what a deal :-)

[avet]

It's interesting how the Bush haters all seem to actually WANT Bush to be in total command of everything.
HIS TITLE IS...... "THE COMMANDER - IN - CHIEF"

He represents the perfect example of todays "CEO types". The result of every move he has done,... has ended up in disaster, death, "weakness" as a nation, huge deficits,etc. BUT ACCORDING TO YOU "MEZMERIZED" ROBOTS.... NOTHING, I MEAN N-O-T-H-I-N-G IS EVER HIS FAULT!!!!! ..... IS IT ?

TYPICAL FREEKIN CEO LOGIC THAT MAKES THEM & KEEPS THEM ...."FILTHY RICH F*** UPS" ...YET ALWAYS ON "VACATION". IT'S ALWAYS "SOMEBODY ELSE" WHO CAUSED THE PROBLEM.

I CONSIDER PEOPLE LIKE YOU, WHO SUPPORT THIS DYSFUNCTIONAL LEADERSHIP,... WORSE THAN BUSH HIMSELF. THE DYSFUNCTIONALISM DOESN'T STOP AT THE STEPS OF CITY HALL\GOVERNMENT "TEMPLES". IT SCARES ME THAT PEOPLE LIKE YOU...THINK BUSH IS SO ...."PERFECT" & WORSHIP HIM ALMOST ......"GODLIKE"

IT'S BAD ENOUGH WE ARE IN ..."MAJOR HEAVY DEBT" - BUT, MY GOD, ...PEOPLE ARE DYING !!

I hope a full inquiry is done, because then the truth about the incompetence in NO & Louisiana will come out.
WHEN "ALL" (keyword - ALL) GOVERNMENT IS "CORRUPT" the "system" is very, very badly ..."DEFECTIVE"!

Ever wonder why they call it a DISASTER? Well, it's because it OVERWHELMS everyone's ability to deal with it.
I "WONDER" WERE ALL THE BILLIONS & BILLIONS & BILLIONS OF TAXDOLLARS FOR DISASTER PREPAIREDNESS,....DISASTER AGENCIES GO ?? YEAR AFTER YEAR?

thousands of desperate columnists are asking if George Bush should not be concerned by accusations of racism against the federal government.
I BELIEVE IT COMES REAL DARN "CLOSE" TO ETHNIC\FINANCIAL CLEANSING OF A NATION.

....dangerous political opportunism.
LIKE THE GOVERNMENT FAVORING "ONLY" ...THE RICH ?

[avet]

This is from a University newspaper, ...not a "pathetic" ex-vet like me.
_______________________________________________

BUSH DYNASTY RUINING COUNTRY
September 6, 2005
http://www.temple-news.com/media/paper143/news/2005/02/01/Opinion/Bush-Dynasty.Ruining.Country-848211.shtml

In an interview with Time, George H.W. Bush said,
"It's mind-boggling in a sense to think that we're a family that has had, continues to have, an interest in shaping national affairs."

What's more mind-boggling to me is that we continue to let them.

[avet]

Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown, the principal target of harsh criticism of the Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina, was relieved of his onsite command Friday.
I leave this thought for all of you to ponder...

We fired Michael Brown, because he was incompetant, and unqualified to begin with.

Why was Cheney, whose only qualification, as a "CEO", put in charge of a highly technical, very complicated, well working, NATIONAL DEFENSE SYSTEM of a nation (Norad)..... just a few months before 9\11?
That type of power is not given "LIGHTLY" to just anyone, NOT EVEN LOWER END "OFFICERS" ....WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE MILITARY .....FOR DECADES.

Cheney had NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE in the military, he has never even served in the military in ANY capacity WHATSOEVER.

Then why was he given the HIGHEST COMMAND over a very complex, highly technical ...MILITARY OPERATION ??

His bad "descision"...under his "command", to have NORAD..."stand down", has made, and started ....HISTORY. A history "trend" of war, debt, and fear.

I sometimes wonder a lot, ...what we'd be doing right now, ...."IF" Norad...WAS NOT TOLD TO "STAND DOWN" ??

We could have shown that our nation is a nation with "strength & security" .....with PRIDE!
instead,....
we showed what a small bunch of individuals, with "boxcutters" ..."can do" to a "super power".

OVERWHELMING PRIDE HAS TURNED INTO OVERPOWERING CONSTANT ..."FEAR" & "DOUBT"

Yeah, I'm waiting for some of you "robots" to scream......"this is old sh** !"

YEAH, it's OLD !! but...STILL has not been "PROPERLY" answered to ....IMHO.

I hope Cheney throughly enjoys his bountifull "booty" from Halliburton". HE EARNED IT !!

[atotaltotalfan2001]

Originally posted by buffknut
total, you misunderstand me. I did not have to go far at all. It was easily available (although now I can't remember which site had the link to it).

Besides, I said it was just one commentary that I liked and it was short, so I posted it here. If you want, I can post a whole bunch more from many sources but I thought it'd be more practical to refer you to my favorite sites which will continue to provide excellent analysis & commentary. However, if you only want to blame Bush, then it really doesn't matter what I post because no facts will deter you from blaming it all on Bush. Which by the way goes back to my first comment about all the Bush haters actually wanting Bush to be in supreme command of everything.

As I've said, let the inquiries begin. But when the real fault gets laid on the hands of the Democratic mayor of NO & the Dem gov of Louisiana, and root causes implicate a totally corrupt & incompetent local & state gov't, how will all the Bush haters react? Well, I predict it will not matter because all the Bush haters will lay 100% of the blame on him no matter what. His power is incredible!

But, there are many much more intelligent people than I out there who can articulate the facts better than I can. If you are interested in reading them, please do. I've already provided the links. If you're just going to wait for the CNN, CBS, AP, Reuters, Michael Moore, NY Times, BuffNews versions, then so be it. I have no use for the dinosaur media. The internet is where it's at!

By the way, if the Bills do go undefeated, I'll remember it was you who predicted it first! I'll even buy you a beer (what a deal :-)

You're on! Just make it a lite beer.

I guess, as in the past, we'll have to agree to disagree. I think the problem with relying on web sites for news is that there is a tendancy to pick out the ones that only tell you what you want to hear.

I will say this, though. I've read some books about the assumptions that get made by the media -- these books wail on reporters, not GOP or Dem politicians.

So, just to be careful, I'm being more dedicated to reading WSJ and U.S. News and Report, and even looking online at Fox News.. They're all fairly conservative. I find this gives me a nice balance to the NY Times, Washington Post et al.

Well, have a nice night.

:)