A Few of FR's Finest..Every Day..09-08-05..Liberals: It's silly to blame katrina for an Act of Bush

JohnHuang2;dutchess | Johnhuang2

[dutchess]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

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Liberals: It's silly to blame Katrina for an Act of Bush

by JohnHuang2

Gov. Kathleen Blanco, reports the New Orleans Times Picayune, "canceled a scheduled trip Monday to visit Louisiana evacuees in Houston shelters to stay in Baton Rouge to meet with President Bush." Bob Mann, Blanco's Communications Director, said the governorette had no idea Bush was visiting. "We had no idea the president was coming." Until early Monday morning. But don't worry. The governorette had no idea Katrina was coming. Until early Monday morning, August 29.

Can't blame her, though. She'd just never heard of the Weather Channel. And didn't have the foggiest clue what the President meant when, days before Katrina hit, he personally phoned to tell her, "Lady, for the umpteeth time, EVACUATE NEW ORLEANS NOW!" New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin was just as clued-in. Apparently, neither governor Tweedle-Dee nor Mayor Tweedle-Dumber were privy to reports over the years that hurricanes are dangerous. And that if you're 'Mayoring' a city 12-feet below sea-level, 30-foot storm surges could be a problem.

When it comes to blithering idiocy, Kathleen and Nagin are leading authorities. When someone screws up, the pair sue for patent infringement.

Hours after Katrina hit South Florida, any citizen with access to an Idiot Box knew Katrina was headed straight for Louisiana. By early Saturday, the next day, every six-year old Aborigine in Australia knew Katrina was headed straight for Louisiana. (Katrina was the second disaster to visit the Big Easy in one year! The first was Howard Dean.)

In fact, well before Katrina turned Louisiana into a disaster area, Bush declared Louisiana and Mississippi disaster areas, urged residents to flee, mobilized FEMA, mobilized the Coast Guard, mobilized search and rescue crews and disaster medical teams, pre-positioning them near the expected strike area -- all part of Bush's "slow response" to Katrina. In fact, if I hear anyone say "slow response" again, I might have to punch him. Literally.

The liberals' idea of a "quick response"? Sending hero and Mideast expert Sean Penn on his 'Swift Boat' mission. One whole week after Katrina. The boat, lightly loaded with handlers, cameramen, make-up artists, hairdresser, the professor and Mary Ann, began sinking seconds after launch from the drain hole at the bottom of the vessel that the moron forgot to plug because he forgot to plug the one in his head first. Chirac in the hospital. Katrina. Breached levees. Now this. Karl Rove never rests.

In fairness, Penn worried that people in New Orleans were going without food and water. Liberals care deeply for people going without food and water. Just ask Terri Schiavo.

Look, Penn can complain about inadequate disaster preparations by the feds all he wants, but it's noteworthy that after that harrowing ordeal with his boat, he got a diaper change and a feeding for free -- thanks to FEMA.

After the deadliest natural disaster to strike the U.S. in a century, real Americans responded immediately with generosity and compassion. Liberals responded movingly -- by blaming Katrina on Bush. Katrina -- an Act of Bush. It's Bush's fault. It's global warming. It's Big Oil. It's BushCo. It's Kyoto. It's Iraq. It's racism. It's Bush in Crawford. It's tax cuts. It's chicken-hawks. It's Bush. It's Zionists. It's SUVs. It's Bush. It's the neocons. It's the BFEE. It's Bush. It's Halliburton. It's Haley Barbour. It's Haley Barbour derailing Kyoto which caused New Orleans to flood. Or, the levees failed because of money spent on Iraq. Or, it's Louisiana's National Guard "diverted" to Iraq to fight Chimpy's War for Oil to increase global warming and cause a worldwide flood. And Katrina hit New Orleans because "Bush doesn't care about black people!"

Apparently, Bush doesn't take seriously his duties as President of the United States of New Orleans.

So, if I understand the bitching correctly, Bush (a) steered Katrina into New Orleans because it's mostly black, (b) breached the levees, (c) deliberately blocked relief efforts, (d) blocked delivery of food and water to the Convention Center, (e) ringed the Convention Center with electrified barbed wire fence to block any escape. Bush. He'll do anything for glowing headlines.

Let's see now. Republicans run Mississippi. Republicans run Alabama. Don't hear many complaints about the organized response out of either state. Out of Louisiana, you hear nothing but complaints about the organized effort. I wonder what's different about Louisiana? I'll have to look into it.

The lesson of Katrina is that putting Democrats in charge of your state can get you killed. It's clinically proven. D'rats run New Orleans. D'rats run Louisiana.

The primarily responsibility for local disasters doesn't lie with the Oval Office. In Louisiana, that's the job of corrupt mayors and governors. Local pols there spend oodles of time planning evacuation routes in case of disaster, such as getting indicted.

So Katrina strikes and the locals get caught unprepared and you end up with people huddled in the Convention Center running out of food and water, Mayor jackass too busy sticking pins in his Bush Voodoo doll and yammering away to realize they're running out of food and water, and NOLA police joining in the looting. Even a rescue helicopter was shot at. So much for predictions we'd be greeted as liberators by cheering crowds with flowers and that troops would be home by Christmas. Bush invaded Louisiana without a plan to win the peace! Yada, yada.

Also, local incompetence and corruption is how you end up with rows and rows of school buses in a flooded New Orleans parking lot. Hundreds of buses. Could've been used to transport poor residents out of New Orleans before Katrina. Mayor bozo: Couldn't use 'em -- no bathrooms. Residents would rather swim around in sewage than evacuate in a bus without a bathroom. No, not that!

Frankly, I'm surprised. I thought liberals loved Forced Busing. Here was the perfect opportunity to bus thousands! Too bad it wasn't Election Day. Blanco and Nagin: We can't let Katrina disenfranchise the voters of New Orleans! If we don't bus, Katrina wins.

Truth is, had the locals done an effective evacuation, we'd still be talking about Tom DeLay's golfing trips. No hampered relief effort. Mayor Nagin waited until the last minute to order a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans, which he executed by directing residents of New Orleans to the Superdome and Convention Center, in New Orleans. Brilliant.

To evacuate as many residents as possible out of Katrina's path, Blanco gave the National Guard authority to seize buses -- just two days after Katrina passed! Makes you yearn for government-run health care, doesn't it?

The Mayor of NO of the party of "No" who has no city to mayor over and the governor of LA who lives in LA-LA Land. Come the next elections, I wouldn't wanna be a Democrat in Louisiana.

Anyway that's...

My two cents

06-28-05 ~ Hall of Fame #12

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 09-02 thru 09-05-05 Labor Day Weekend 2005 09-06-05 Military Monday on Tuesday 09-07-05 "Oh no, it's Wednesday!"

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

[battlegearboat]

It was a compliment.

I clicked on your provided link and heard the mayor telling us to get over it.

Then, seeing your handle, "SerpentDove", I morphed that into snakebird and sent it on to you, albeit cryptically, to let you know that I took the time to follow your link and I thank you for it.

[SerpentDove]

LOL

Apologies for the confusion. I'm a little dense sometimes....

:-)

[Billie]

I think this is absolutely, positively my most favorite of all John's Two Cents - since my last favorite of them all!

This is brilliant, funny, and oh so witty and wise! It had to be a blast putting it together, dutchess - your pictures are hilarious! Perfect! And, sistahs, while I did put the heads on TweedleDee and Dumber, dutchess found and sent me pictures of TD & TD, as well as one of the Governor and the Mayor, so she should still get the credit I think! Mine was the easy part - the idea is the brains!

Lori, you have mail. :)

Love you, sistahs! (dutchess, painting my living room has become one of those jobs that grows and grows! LOL - the ceiling runs into a hall ceiling, and seeing the carpet that's been covered up by the upright piano made me realize I need to clean the carpet, so ran to Target and bought a steam cleaner, and the living room carpet runs into the dining room carpet, so couldn't stop with the living room. LOL! I have furniture from those two rooms all over the house!)

I gotta go!!!

[deadhead]

WOW, excellent....JH2's 2 cents and the graphics! Great job all, you are quite a team

Continued Prayers for all those who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina

[dutchess]

LOL...serpentdove...snakebird..now I get it!!!! Pretty cleaver battlegear!

[dutchess]

Awesome picture OESY! Thanks for all your contributions at the Finest!

[dutchess]

Hi sistah! I didn't realize what you meant yesterday about "getting back to work"...didn't see you email back to me until work today. Yikes you've taken on quite a project.

Our house is VERY OPEN and when we took on the task of gutting and remodeling our kitchen it became taking on the whole house with new drywall (the walls were orginially paneling on studs) all new carpeting etc. CHA CHING!!!!! (oh...AND THE MESS!) BUT...it all got done at one time.

Don't work to hard!!! ((((billie))))))

[dutchess]

Hi colleen. With all the bushbashing going on, this was a really theraputic fun one to do!!!!! As always, thanks for your kind words!

[deadhead]

The Bush bashing and the race baiting is absolutely disgusting, despicable, hateful, a disgrace. Makes me so angry. The photos I have seen of the buses in the flooded lots are haunting. Watching the news reports daily, I cry.

Blessings to All

~deadhead~

[deadhead]

P.S. Now watching Al Sharpton on TV....what an A**

[The Mayor]

Hi all, I just had to share these articles with you all.

This is my reply to questions that all candidates had to answer, posted on the front page of the Tonawanda News..

I picked up alot of votes last night and am told I am clearly the winner in that debate. I got the nod from the Executive Director of the Chamber, the chief of police and many in the audience..... : )

Your continued Prayers are carrying us through all this.. I Thank you all.

Thompson banks on business experience
Stacey Shepard
Thursday, September 08, 2005

Rus Thompson is not one to give up.

The Grand Island contractor hasn’t let the fact that he was passed up twice by the Republican Party’s endorsement ruffle his feathers. In fact, he plans to use it to his advantage.

“When Bill Naab dropped out of the race, they were scrambling to find someone to run against me,” Thompson said, of the party’s first choice candidate who declined to run.

The GOP then opted for Bruce Kaiser.

Thompson said he has a record of working equally with members of all parties, and that is something Republicans are uncomfortable with.

“Party politics: It is what’s destroying the county and destroying the 10th District,” Thompson said.

The following are Thompson’s responses to the Tonawanda News’ questions on Erie County.

Q: What qualifies you to be an Erie County legislator?

A: I am not a career politician, lawyer or political science major. I am a small business owner that knows first-hand how the high taxes affect the citizens of Erie County. I know how to manage a budget, cut costs, lower overhead and work with other people to accomplish and set goals, one thing that lacks with our current slate of legislators. I have been endorsed by former Erie County Comptroller Alfreda Slominski and she sees in me the ability to get things done and the wherewithal to do it. She is a valuable adviser to me in the midst of the current fiscal disaster we face in this county.

Q: Will you vote to raise property taxes or sales tax if elected? If yes, how would you justify another tax increase? If no, provide specific ways to tackle the projected multi-million dollar deficit in 2006.

A: Absolutely not. We are the highest taxed area in the country with a combined tax burden 42 percent above the national average. It is time to start cutting taxes including the extra (temporary) sales tax penny that has been voted on for some 17 years. We have been paying for the politicians’ mistakes and mismanagement for too many years. Now is the time to restructure county government, start the process of bringing the government back down to the local level closer to the people where the control should be. Tax increases are not inevitable as some have suggested. There is no reason to have layer after layer of government.

Q: Clearly, taxpayers are fed up with patronage in Erie County government. Are any patronage positions justified in your opinion?

A: No.

Q: Give three examples of the most pressing problems facing Erie County and your plan to fix them.

A: The inability of the current leadership to work together to solve the problems facing Erie County. Their inaction has driven us further into debt, and have done nothing to address the $130 million deficit facing us for 2006.

Erie County has the highest taxes in the entire country, yet we’re in a perpetual state of economic depression. Chicago has a population of 8 million with a government workforce of 7,000. Erie County on the other hand, has a population of 936,000, and a workforce of 9.000. Clearly, government here is too large.

Albany controls too much of the economy. When I am elected, I will call for two volunteer citizens’ review panels: one that will review every job in the county, and if and why they are mandated by Albany; the other to review the pay rates of all county employees, including elected officals. In order to get this county back on track, we have to lower taxes, cut costs, overhead and fine-tune the bloated bureaucracy. We must work together and speak with one voice to reign in the dysfunctional Legislature in Albany. Medicaid costs have become an increasing burden on us all, and we need reform and restructuring of the Medicaid system. It is Albany’s duty to represent all the people in this state, not just downstate.

Then this is about the debate, Tom Troy is running a primary against Iannello, (both democrats) and he had a couple of melt downs and started attacking her, holding up this picture. HAHAHA!!I did everything I could to contain myself. He went overboard but he tied her to the corrupt administration that is in power. He did me a favor..

Prods and props: Big primary field makes for interesting debate
Stacey Shepard
Thursday, September 08, 2005

A quick tongue and sharp wit are the hallmark of most political debates. But props?

That’s what Democratic Erie County Legislature hopeful Tom Troy pulled out during a primary debate between candidates for the 10th District seat Wednesday night. Four candidates for the county seat — two Democrats and two Republicans — and five City of Tonawanda mayor candidates — three Republicans and two Democrats — pitched their ideas on running government during the contest hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of the Tonawandas.

While referring to his opponent, Democrat Michele Iannello, as a candidate entrenched in the political machine, Troy pulled out a blown-up photo of Iannello hugging Erie County Democratic Committee Chair Len Lenihan. He then pointed out they were both wearing shirts that said “Giambra,” referring to Erie County Executive Joel Giambra.

“Michele is painting herself as a fresh face, but she’s also tied into the Giambra administration. And I’ll give you some proof of this,” Troy said. “This is the person who has put her up. This is Len Lenihan. Zero in on this and notice that Giambra shirt.”

Iannello — who has been involved with the Erie County Democratic Committee for more than a decade, including when Giambra was still a Democrat — responded by saying: “ I’d just like to clarify that I am an independent candidate. And that my interests are in the best interest of the voters. I have been working independently.”

The episode was one a few colorful moments of the evening, which was one of the most well-attended debates the chamber has hosted, according to the chamber’s Executive Director Kurt Alverson.

[luvie]

Ah, Rus, you did extremely well when answering those questions. Wish you'd just move down here and run. We could use someone like you, too! Your answers were clear and consise and made more sense than I have heard in a long time!

God bless you--I am still praying--that you win in the primary on the 13th! Thanks for sharing that with us!

[Temple Owl]

Go get 'em Rus.You are in our prayers.

[luvie]

:o)....well, I'm not Rus, but bet he'll read it anyhow!

[luvie]

Finally had time to sit down and read John's harangue! It was brilliant, as usual! He just nails it every time!

[deadhead]

"I am not a career politician, lawyer or political science major. I am a small business owner that knows first-hand how the high taxes affect the citizens of Erie County. I know how to manage a budget, cut costs, lower overhead and work with other people to accomplish and set goals, one thing that lacks with our current slate of legislators."

Way to go Rus!!!!! Thank You for sharing these articles with us.

I support you and prayers for you. On 9/13, I will be thinking of you. Wish that I lived in your district so I could vote for you.

~deadhead~

[LadyX]

Oh, John - Dear, Dear John!!

Your collaboration with the dutchess is so 'right on'..:))

The Usual Culprits are reminiscent of the relentless march of Genghis Khan across Asia and parts of Europe; this charge led by the likes of Hillary Clinton and 'Here's Johnny' Edwards, 'Screamin' Mimi' Dean; with piling on by Sharpie Alton..um...Al Not-so-Sharpton and Others.

For a few minutes this week, I thought I was reading one of those old Classics - -
you know, Robert Louis Stevenson's Alice in Wonderland.

Obviously, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi in their zeal to try to derail Bush (and Cheney and Rove and Frist and Hastert, et al). had fallen down the rabbit hole - - -

| | | | | |

- - - "Off with their heads!!" - - -

Sounds as if their next step might be to suggest resurrection of

Madame Guillotine...

Going to sharpen my claws nails, John, in case they dare to darken my door!

Love ya, JH,

~ LadyX

[The Mayor]

Thank you..

I had fun writing them, and more fun at the debate..
What you said I have heard from almost everyone.
The truth!

[The Mayor]

Thank you Temple Owl, I really appreciate it. : )

[deadhead]

Another awesome 'Dear John' letter. Thank You and be well