TheMadChaosopher wrote:just curiously, why does everyone blame Bush for this catastrophe?
Because he took no measures in advance, despite ample warning, to mitigate the impact of a national catastrophe. Because he gutted FEMA, which was intended to help in situations precisely like this. Because he installed inexperienced fools as its figurehead. Because his administration actively prevented the Army Corps of Engineers from buttressing the very levees and seawalls that collapsed. Because he waited days to acquaint himself with the severity of the event. Because he didn't ask congress to reconvene, as they had for less pressing matters, like Terry Schiavo's feeding tube. Because he didn't insist that his Vice President join him in Washington to assist in the matter. Because he said "Brownie" was doing "a fine job," which is either a lie or evidence that he doesn't know his dick from a tree.
what about the Gov of Louisiana, the mayor of N.O., and their cops and firemen?
They were overrun with local chaos, and did what they could with local resources. If you think they could have done more, you're welcome to think so. They asked for help when it was obvious the problems were beyond their ability to cope. They got no attention for days.
what did Bush do wrong?
See the above.
this was the biggest natural disaster in American history, and all i can wonder is: what do people expect Bush to have done?
There are some excellent suggestions
here.
put on his red cape and fly down there to save everyone?
i mean, we ARE split up into States, we DO have local Governments to handle this stuff, so how did Bush- personally- do anything wrong?
He -personally- made sure that nothing was done, and made sure that preventive measures (and the very office that would respond to such a crisis) were neutered.
maybe the response wasn't "slow" because Bush doesn't care about black people, maybe the response was "slow" because this hurricane wiped the entire region out and it takes a couple of days to mobilize after something like this.
Which is precisely why he should be held accountable for not being prepared, despite advance warning. That is his job.
and pardon me but if this happened in Chicago it wouldn't even occur to me to sit around on my roof and wait for the Gov to come save me. I WOULD JUST START WALKING/SWIMMING NORTH!
And when you get to the bridge out of town, and there are sherrifs there who shoot at you and tell you you're not welcome on their side of the bridge, whose responsibility is it to make them stand down?
have you ever been to the DMV?
ever have to go to the Sec of State's office for anything at all?
Both good examples of why citizens cannot trust in overworked, underfunded state agencies in times of enormous crisis.
ever have any problems at the post office?
EVERYTHING the Gov does is slow and inefficient, that's why we can't expect them to solve our problems.
So you think a private company could come to your door every day, take something from you, and deliver it directly to anyone else in the country's doorstep for less than 37 cents? You're delusional. Fedex wants $15. The Post Office is a perfect example of efficiency of scale administered by a Federal agency.
those refugees should be saying. "wow, it took less than a week for the Gov to help me and get me some water and food"
The refugees have lost everything they ever had to a preventable tragedy. Why should they not be angry with the man responsible for the failure to prevent it?
instead they're screaming, "WHY WASNT THE GOV THERE THE MINUTE THE STORM ENDED TO HELP US!?"
why?
Because they are in anguish, and they recognize that they have been left derelict by the government they pay for.
because they suck thats why, is that news to anyone?
does that really shock anyone?
Shock at general government laziness is not the same as recognizing the insult that your government knew you were in danger, prevented the danger from being ameliorated, and then took its sweet time in responding when it could no longer ignore you.
it's not because of race, its just cuz our Gov is so corrupt and slow that things take time.
LOTS of time.
Which is why being prepared is more important than "taking responsibility" after the fact.
watch a city road crew work fixing the roads, they don't race around like worker ants on meth, they do LOTS of standing around, and even a simple pothole takes days or weeks to fix.
Potholes are less urgent than people drowning in their own homes and hospital beds. Being lazy at filling a pothole will rarely kill anyone. The two are not really analogous.
i think given the situation he entered into Bush has been doing a really good job as President.
I think he hasn't. The situation he entered into is the situation of being President, and all that comes with it.
He's addressing the terrorist problem that Clinton chose to ignore (his administration knew about Al-Qaida- they DID bomb the USS Cole on Clinton's watch but our economy was too good for him to want to start a war), he's lowering out taxes (i personally get 16$ a week more on my weekly paycheck since his last tax cut. what other Pres has actually gotten the Gov to take ANY less of our paychecks?), and he has done a really good job at sticking to the platform that he ran on.
The bit about a "humble" foreign policy and not "nation building" has slipped your mind, apparently. He has also squandered our budget surplus and turned us into a debtor nation. That's where your $16 came from. From the willful destruction of a great nation.
i don't like Bush, i HATE all politicians, but considering our options, Bush really was the best choice, and he has been doing a fine job.
I can only disagree with your final clauses. The first is spot on.