Personal opinion and mp3's to follow. You've been warned.
God Damn and Mother Fuck the Republicans for politicizing this. How dare they. The hypocrisy is palpable, and I don't think the American public is so gullible as to fall for this brand of horse shit. Our memories may be short in this country, but I don't think we can forget "Heck of a job Brownie" that easily. You fucked up with Katrina, and we're expected to give you kudos this time around for doing your job, like you couldn't three years ago? Fuck that bullshit. And to celebrate how attuned you are now, and what great things you're doing for the people of Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Florida, and Alabama is facile and pure political manipulation. Fuck you. You're doing your job, and we're supposed to be impressed? We don't think so.
And fuck the Democrats if they try to pull the same bullshit.
It's about people, innit? Their livelihoods, homes, photographs, possessions,jobs, pets,lives. Not some political maneuvering for election year wrangling. Christ, what's wrong with our so-called leaders? Just do your job, help the people who live in our country, without patting your fucking selves on the back. Is that so goddamned hard? Apparently.
If you want to respond to this with some jingoistic Fox News/Rush Limbaugh-approved bullshit, feel free. I'll deconstruct your ass in public. I don't give a rat's ass. How dare you make this political. Disgusting.
How do you leave your home, when you live paycheck to paycheck, and all that you are is small plot of land and series of planks?
Please note that one of the following tunes, James McMurtry's "Hurricane Party", is not remotely a party song. It's one of the saddest, most prescient surveys of lives in the balance, and features the haunting line, "...there's no one to talk to, when the lines go down".
Courage.
James McMurtry: Hurricane Party (mp3)
Lucinda Williams: Lake Charles (mp3)
Blue Mountain: Banks of the Pontchartrain (mp3)
Hayes Carll: Beaumont (mp3)
Please support any relief agency that's not interested in any political affiliation, but is only concerned with helping folks in need.
How is taking the hurricane into consideration "politicizing" the issue?
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, a former DNC chairman DID gloat about the hurricane timing, which I think could be called "politicizing" the issue.
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/terry-trippany/2008/09/01/former-dnc-chair-caught-tape-gloating-over-hurricane-gustav
"Professor",
ReplyDeleteIf it were just "taking the hurricane into consideration", that would be one thing. We're all "taking the hurricane into consideration". How about the "prayer" they just had at the RNC (yeah, I'm watching. closely), which wasn't a prayer to any kind of god, but a "speech" to the public about how much the Republicans really care about the common man. How about John McCain suggesting that he might give his acceptance speech from Louisiana? Yeah, that's not political. How about W deciding suddenly that he needs to stay in office instead of vacationing this time around? Trying to amend from past mistakes (doubtful...do you really think he learned his lesson? Or is he doing this for the "good of the party" at election time? I'm thinking the latter...nothing he's done up to this point shows he's learned anything whatsoever.)? What about the idea that Republicans are thinking about turning this thing into a "telethon"? Yeah, that's not posturing whatsoever. It's a paper-thin attempt to atone, and convenient. Don't feed me this altruistic crap...it's not honest. And you know it.
As for the Dem fuckwit who made the statement about "God favoring the Dems" (paraphrased), or whatnot....you're right...fuck that asshole. But I would point out that said jackass is not exactly running for office, or currently holding the highest office in the land. Was he a dick? Yep. Is he in any sort of position of power any longer, or is he currently guiding any governmental policy or holding a convention? Nope. McCain is. Bush and Cheney are. The delegates and spokespersons at the RNC are. And if you think they're not using to this to twist perceptions about what the party stands for, then you've drunk the kool-aid.
You just fed me the same tired Bill O'Reilly talking points crap. You created diversion (hey, don't pay attention to what we're doing, look at this other guy...) instead of addressing the issue. Typical lock-step response.
This isn't about Obama or McCain, or BushCheney or Biden or whoever. It's about a real event unfolding in our backyard.
When and if Obama and his circle start manipulating this event, then feel free to have a field day, but please be, you know, "fair and balanced" about all the politicians using this for political gain, not just whatever fits your political agenda.
Frankly, I'm sick of both sides, but it was the Republicans who fucked it up 3 years ago, and are now trying to spin the issue by making up for their cock-up last time around. I'm sure Obama will have his own cock-ups, and will deserve the criticism, but this one is on the Republicans' laps.
Any amount of hyperbole or mis-direction can't change that. Sorry.
Correction and retraction: Don Fowler, the former DNC chairman who made the comment about the hurricane showing that god favored the Dem's is indeed a Super Delegate for the Democratic Party. Shame on him. He should know better. We all should. Doesn't excuse the Republicans, but does show that politicians as a whole are pretty much self-involved assholes.
ReplyDeleteRight on Brother Big Rock!
ReplyDeleteYou speak the truth on this one. I would add that if the people in power had done their job right and to what should be 'American standards' three years on from katrina they would have improved the levee system enough to not require an evacuation of New Orleans. How are the struggling folks down there going to be expected to pick up and get out every couple of years. This is America damn it! We should be able to protect that city with evacuation being a last resort not the only one. If anything this just shows that the republicans didn't have their shit together three years ago and haven't done enough since.
And there are sure as shit 'politicizing' this.
I just hope it blows up in their faces just like Palin.
sonicwailer,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. Well said. I agree 100 percent. And not just in protecting New Orleans (which seems to have dodged the bullet for the most part (relatively speaking)...at least at the time of my writing this). It's all the little towns and cities along the Gulf Coast, too. We're still waiting on reports from those places. That we've allowed our infrastructure to erode so badly is a sign of bad governance on the local, state, and federal levels. Lots of blame to go around. But those who have been in charge must shoulder the largest weight.
To be fair, the reaction this time around was, as far as we know,swift and appropriate (we'll know more as damages are assessed and stories are told over the next few days). But the government really had to get it right this time, didn't they? Not much room for error after the last blunder. It's the back-patting and cynical attempts by the Republicans to rewrite a too recent history that rankles.
cheers,and good luck to all.
hey, considering how you dem whores practically invented politicizing natural disasters, FUCK YOU
ReplyDeleteyer off the blogroll of my world
ASSHOLE
Hmmm...thank you "anonymous" for your profound observation. Some examples might have been helpful, but surely you have convinced me of the error of my ways. I stand repentant before you and confess to all my egregious and misguided ways.
ReplyDeleteI am so saddened, "anonymous", to be...ermmm..."off the blogroll of (your) world."
Seriously, did "anonymous" really write "yer off the blogroll of my world"? Really? I'm actually kind of embarrassed for him/her.
I tend to believe nothing good will come from St. Paul this week so any thing that will shame them into cutting things short would suit me and I'm way beyond the belief that any thing good will come from the "Repub" party! If they really wanted to show their willingness to help things they could just not spend the money on a pointless convention!
ReplyDelete"but does show that politicians as a whole are pretty much self-involved assholes."
ReplyDeleteNow there's something we can agree on.
And let me clarify that I'm not a knee-jerk Republican defender. I view politics as a necessary evil, and I do mean evil, and, as a rule, Republicans do a better job of staying out of my business. I'm not so much a Republican as I am a free-market conservative, and that means the Republicans' views and mine line up more often than not.
sonicwailer, I've lived in New Orleans, and I don't think it's feasible to completely protect that city from a major hurricane. I mean, you could surround it with an brazilian-dollar 100-foot concrete wall or some such, but other than that, it's always going to be vulnerable to flooding. The city is below sea level, and I don't think a Democrat or Republican administration would change that much.
Let's be "fair and balanced," shall we Prof.?
ReplyDeleteDemocrats want to tell me what kind of car I can drive and what kind of food I can put in my body. Republics want to tell me what I can do in my bedroom and what kind of drugs I can put in my body (hint: if God created it and it's freely available in nature, Republics are against it, but if it was conjured in some laboratory and there's profit to be made, then that's a good drug even if it kills people).
Democrats want to take my hard earned money and give it to people less well off. Repbulics want to take my hard earned money and give it to people who are so wealthy they won't notice it one way or the other.
Democrats have completely destroyed the term "liberal" by not actually being liberal. Republics have destroyed the term "libertarian" by not actually being libertarian.
Democrats tend to be forgiving of crime depending on the background and circumstances of the criminal. Republics tend to be forgiving of crime if it is committed in pursuit of a profit.
The one major difference between the two, right now, is that the Republics seem to think it is OK to give one single solitary man the right to declare anyone, including me (including you), an enemy of the state ("enemy combatant"), abduct that person, throw that person into some prison God knows where, torture that person, and keep that person in that prison FOREVER with no right to challenge the alleged offense in any court in the world. And that indecency alone is why I (a registered Republican for over 30 years) will never again lower myself to vote for those fascist MFers.
Of course, the Democrats of today are no bargain and they're actually to the right of the Republic party I joined all those years ago. The Republics, meanwhile, have gone clear off the chart (the joke is 'they're so far right, they're wrong'). They don't even believe in democracy anymore (there's no profit in it). By the way, the Republics (for all their talk to the contrary) don't believe in free markets either. The only game they want anyone playing is one where the rules are stacked in their favor.
And yes, damn it, the Republics played the huricane for political points while the Democrats, by and large, did not. What you saw during Katrina was the true soul of today's Republic party. "F*#@ 'em." What you saw during Gustav was election year politics.
WOW! I'm impressed. I dropped in for an education on music and stumbled upon a decent political debate.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I can tell, once again, Mother Nature has screwed the Republican Party: first, Katrina ruined one of our great American cities and exposed the flaws of our current administration to the world (and especially our own sleep walking society) and then Gustav barely by-passes the same city and cuts short the marketing machinery efforts to exploit the tragedy. Poor Repugs, they can't get a break.
Oh and I forgot the prayers last week to make it rain on Obama's speech in Denver by those fundamentalist numb-nuts also fell on God's deaf ears.
PS. RIP JERRY REED
Thank you for the post. That James McMurtry song is hauntingly beautiful.
ReplyDeleteOne great relief agency to support is the United Methodist Committee on Relief. They are doing some great work in the gulf coast. I had the privilege of working with them in New Orleans' Upper 9th Ward in the spring of 2007.
Back to the music:
ReplyDelete"When the Levee Breaks" by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie.
http://www.archive.org/details/Kansas_Joe_Memphis_Minnie-When_Levee_Breaks
Well said! We are facing the same kinda bullshit here in Canada. We have an absolute jackass Conservative in power now. He loves Bush and his buddies. The opposition pretends they want change, but all they really want is their own chance to manipulate the system. As Stan Rogers said, "God damn them all!" Back in high school, I recall most tests being multiple choice. The final option was "None of the above". Why the hell can't we have that choice on our ballots? Because these power-hungry bastards would discover how lowly they are truly regarded. They're paid one hell of a lot to do a job, and damn it, they need to start working for OUR money!
ReplyDeleteAs a resident of Louisiana who was affected HEAVILY by both Katrina AND Rita, and housed evacuees from both Gustav and (still housing) Ike (who's pimp hand was strong), I would like to add that you will find very few educated Louisianians who blamed George Bush for anything to do with the disaster in New Orleans. Mayor Ray Nagin refused to call for a mandatory evacuation. Ray Nagin said he would NEVER call for a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans. George Bush at the behest of the head of FEMA brought heavy pressure down on him and forced him to at a point that was pretty much too late for anything to be done. Then, after the fact, GWB met privately with Gov. Blanco on Air Force One. GWB came out of the meeting and was immediately asked by Nagin what happened. He informed Mayor Nagin that he presented the Gov. with two options for a federal response. When asked which choice Blanco made, Bush informed him that her response was "I will get back to you in 24 hours."
ReplyDeleteThe disaster in New Orleans can be laid squarely at the feet of an incompetent Major with zero experience who the night before the storm hit was sipping starbucks on Larry King and saying everyone who wanted out of the city was out, and a do nothing Governor who has relied on her husband and his political cronies for every decision she has made.
Nagin did nothing, Blanco dragged her feet, people died and the feds get the blame. Since the day that storm hit this state has been flooded with money that local politicians have squandered.
My friends lost everything in Katrina. My parents almost lost their house in Rita, and I refuse to sit idly by while the feds get the blame.
The reason America thinks Bush is to blame is because the Democrats gain NOTHING if things are going well in this country, and they cannot regain power unless everything is laid at the feet of GWB. Therefore the storms were politicized, republicans were pilloried, and had to fight back in any way they can. Unfortunately they are politicians, so the only way they know how is grand standing.
Screw the Democrats, screw the Republicans, but on the federal level, none of them are to blame.
I am finally catching up on my favorite blogs after evacuating from Gustav. I live in the parish (county for you non-Louisianians) where Gustav made a direct hit. We also received severe storm surge and flooding from Ike.
ReplyDeleteI dont' want to get political about this. In my opinion, 99% of the politicians in charge screwed up back in 2003. Some lessons were learned from Katrita (as the locals like to call it since, as now, we were affected by both hurricanes).
Thank you for the support in your blog. The local people in this area are grateful for any help we can receive for the recent hurricanes. Many people are still homeless and/or struggling to get back on their feet. Yet most of the resources are now being directed toward Texas (not that they don't need it as well).
But we have seen a rapid reduction in helpful resources and even contractors. Compared to Katrina, there wasn't as much assistance available. Just because New Orleans didn't flood doesn't mean that there aren't thousands of people who have lost everything. Many locals are feeling forgotten. The city populations is 32,393 but that doesn't include the many thousands in surrounding communities. Our city limits are quite small when compared to the urbanized area.
When Katrina hit, every agency was handing out money to those who needed it. I know people who got money from FEMA, Red Cross, and others. While Red Cross has opened many shelters and they still deliver hot meals to a precious few, I have not heard where they were giving money or even used clothing to anyone.
Money from FEMA? We were told that FEMA money would cover what insurance lacked. After deductible our insurance gave us a check for $4k to repair our house and other structures on our property. FEMA says "here's an application for a loan." Neighbor has no insurance and minor roof damage to their single-wide trailer, FEMA wrote them a check for $16k. Makes me want to cancel the insurance!
As for storm damage and local levee damages. Now that the fed have left and our local government is back in charge, they are inspecting levees and structures for damage and finding ALOT that the Feds didn't report.
To the person who recommended the Methodist disaster people...I haven't seen them anywhere. Not only do I live in the hardest hit area, I was evacuated for 2 weeks in Baton Rouge (who was also hit hard). I've seen Baptists, Mennonites, and Red Cross be very visible in this area. The local Catholics have been working with Red Cross. I've seen Church of Christ vans from all over the country. But no Methodist. Maybe they headed straight for Texas.
I do not speak for everyone, just from my experience. But thank you all for keeping the hurricane ravaged regions in your thoughts and prayers. It's a long road to somewhat normal, much less back to normal
"If you want to respond to this with some jingoistic Fox News/Rush Limbaugh-approved bullshit, feel free." Seems like you've got a real open mind there.
ReplyDeleteI think James McMurty stinks. He's a crybaby whiner. Buck up, James, enjoy your family's money. And by Buck up I mean put on some Buck Owens and get happy.