Posted on 09/02/2007 8:44:52 PM PDT by NapkinUser
What has become of the American spirit? We are a nation that prides itself on its independence, but when disaster strikes, Americans sit around and wait for the government to save them – an attitude that not only is corrosive of the nation's character, but which is destined to lead to disappointment and even despair.
Last week marked the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. In 2005, the hurricane left a swath of destruction along the Gulf Coast, culminating in the failure of New Orleans' levee systems. About 80 percent of the city flooded, and Americans watched in frustration and anger as an incompetent government (is there any other kind?) struggled to rescue stranded residents.
The storm killed more than 1,600 people in the region and, while many New Orleans neighborhoods have revived, most have languished, showing remarkably little improvement since the days following the storm. Meanwhile, the nation's attention has moved elsewhere, and Gulf Coast locals are left squabbling over the disbursement of government dollars and complaining about why they have been neglected, as they pass the days in FEMA trailers or try to piece back together their homes and lives.
President Bush made his 15th visit to the region last week, vowing that "We're still paying attention. We understand," according to an Associated Press report. "This town is coming back," he added. I know this president sets a new standard for his disconnection from reality, but even he has to realize that those words ring hollow. Isn't it time we remembered that the government – no matter its resources or the amount of attention or ameliorative words offered by its officials – cannot be relied upon to protect us? It's a lesson Californians ought to remember should the Big One ever hit and we're in a similar situation.
(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...
I see you and I are on the same page. ;o)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1890392/posts?page=80#80
Good post!
I totally agree with you.
I learn something new about you almost every time you post. ;o)
I knew the old American spirit was dead when during the presidential debates featuring Bush I, some long-haired guy stood up and asked a question about government being “daddy”. I eagerly anticipated that Bush would tell him to shut up, grow up, and be a responsible adult. I was shocked when Bush answered in much the same way as his Democratic rival. When Republicans joined the chorus of crybabies, I knew we were doomed.
“You are all so superior to those low-lifes of Louisiana.”
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I don’t think they are “low-lifes”, and don’t fault the folks who didn’t evacuate, at all.
They have been conditioned for generations to rely totally on the government.
However, I do fault those in local and state government for not taking care of their constituents.
They exhibited nothing less than gross incompetence, and their actions were politically motivated.
You bashed Mississippi, and Gov. Barbour, without nary a link to support your claims.
Now, you are bashing Florida, and are being nasty, in general.
Why do you have such a chip on your shoulder?
postscript to that story
about 4 years later, I’m sitting in a duck blind at Matthews Brake near Sidon/Crueger tween Tchula and Greenwood and guess who is a guest in the blind?
Russell Long, Senator from the Pelican State.
while taking a break from hunting to eat some biscuits and drink some pull, the owner introduces all of us and when he says my name, Russell studies my face and asks me if my daddy owns Howard L Byrd Contracting and I said yes sir, he shore does, my grandaddy founded it in the mid 30s. He then tells me to tell my daddy a big howdy and let him know that he and Jim were real worried about him for a while.
It was mystery to me...my dad had never elaborated much on all that but then he explained it all when I got home....Jim being Eastland. I was 19 or so.
and Democrats how they are...with the hand out.
and we owed Eastland already, he got my uncle in Med school and had nominated a cousin to West Point.
boy the gothic South....gotta love it eh?...good place to get in trouble though if you have friends...folks are more decent about fixing things
I’ll save my federal prosecutor duck hunting story for another time..a young Jim Tucker...I heard he retired recently...a really decent guy....he coulda hammered us..whew
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=aG1fHyzJA56A&refer=home
I'm being "factual" and letting folks have it who spew condesention and insults based upon an ignorance of the truth.
This description does not reflect America. It does reflect the Socialist Reservations that have been set up around the nation. NO is the most recent, glaring, example of the failure of socialism. The failure to rebuild is a three pronged problem. First, the people who were displaced and have failed to take steps to rebuild, didn’t have any stake in the property in the first place. Second, the only reason they had stayed around was to collect the next government handout. Once they were “displaced” they saw that there was hope in the world and that the American Dream was alive and well, but not in NO. Third, the corruption that is NO politics will see that huge amount of money thrown at this problem will never see those who really need it.
Thank you for the link.
It’s not unusual for friends and family of the powerful to reap benefits from that relationship.
The last I heard that wasn’t against the law.
In reading the Bloomberg article, I see nothing that would imply corruption.
It might turn out that Haley’s niece by marriage may have a problem.
I’ll reserve judgement until a verdict is in, as she’s only under investigation now.
But, I see no wrong doing by Haley.
You might benefit from reading Sid Salter’s take on things.
“What Barbour is the target of right now is a titillating election year story that not only lacks a smoking gun, it lacks a cracked kid’s water pistol.”
“But Mississippi’s legal authority on the ethics of public officials and the brother of one of Barbour’s most strident political rivals confirmed today that Barbour has indeed complied with the law.”
http://www.clarionledger.com/misc/blogs/ssalter/sidblog.html
He is one who is in the know.
Contrast Haley’s actions (or non-actions) with Gov. Edwards, Gov. Blanco, the mayor of the chocolate city, and other notable corrupt LA politicians.
Contrast that, too, with New Orleans police force, in which many were phantom LEOs.
They were sent to Las Vegas, and never heard from again.
Contrast that, again, with the monies that were earmarked for the levies.
What happened to that money?
So....no...Haley, and my state, are NOT “just as bad” as you claimed.
I’m surprised that you would take an article posted on Bloomberg, and written by Timothy J. Burger, as the gospel truth.
I’ll be back later to read your last post, wardaddy.
I’m sure it will prove to be very interesting. ;o)
After that, I’m done with this.
None of the Southern states are blameless when it comes to corruption unfortunately. The Dixie Mafia is the reason. There’s has been a lot done though in the past decade to clean it up. Court TV had a show last week on the Biloxi mayor who had the judge and his city council wife murdered. There are other stories and articles of similar activities all over the south, not just Louisiana.
Gov. Edwards has been in the pen for the past 11-12 years and has been refused parole every time he’s come up for it. Several others who have been corrupt have also been sent to prison.
This is a blast from the past on Free Republic....
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a38a7958f0fa9.htm
It’s true!
You really DO know everybody! ;o)
Thank you for the story.
I’m so thankful that you are back to post such colorful replies.
I did so miss that for a while.
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“boy the gothic South....gotta love it eh?...good place to get in trouble though if you have friends...folks are more decent about fixing things”
.
Very well said, and so very true.
.
“I’ll save my federal prosecutor duck hunting story for another time..a young Jim Tucker...I heard he retired recently...a really decent guy....he coulda hammered us..whew”
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That’s right...leave ‘em wanting more. lol
Wow! Thank you for the link!
That truly is a blast from the past!
I was a lurker back then, but I remember those threads.
I’ve missed Uncle Bill.
Do you know why he was banned?
I see that Chapita was the first one pinged, and contributed a great deal to the thread.
I believe he passed away several years ago. :o(
I realize there’s trouble and lawlessness all over the south.
But, I couldn’t let Uncle Sham’s slam of a statement go unchallenged.
He took a Bloomberg article written by one who is frequently published in Time, and let that stand as fact.
The truth is, those charges have been out there for a while.
It’s all an election hit piece, and nothing more.
Heck...most of LA is just like MS.
I grew up frequenting NO, and later lived in Baton Rouge, and Kenner.
I love LA...especially it’s politics.
It doesn’t get more entertaining than that, unless you count all of the times folks called for “Cholly” McClendon’s head. ;o)
there was a time way back when the Sheriff was also tax collector....what fun....sheriffs had homes equaled only by highway commissioners and county supervisors..lol
I can remember as a lad in the 60s going to Long Beach/Gulfport to visit my Necaise-Ladner kinfolks and going to Gus Stevens warehouse and seeing tons and tons of bootleg liquor...right on old 90.
LOLOL!
Great post!
You never, EVER disappoint. ;o)
To be honest with you, that is a side of life I’ve never seen.
But...then...I’m a girl. ;o)
Government too big? Oh my. Wanna fix it? Start with firing and not replacing 50 senators...we are getting zero value out of these guys except Sunday talk shows. We could get by easily with only one senator per state.
Pull your military folks out of every foreign country unless we are conducting operations. Put our guys on US installations within the US and let their cashflow feed small towns around America.
Tell New Orleans to shut down any area below sea level....and we will help build only areas above sea-level from this point on.
Limit scientific grants to $50 million period, per year.
Give NPR two years to get out on its own and run a commercially-paid schedule.
Tell the FBI, the CIA, and almost every federal agency in DC...to plan on moving out within five years...and they must be a minimum of 500 miles away from DC.
There are lots of ways to really clean up our economic mess...but we just aren’t willing to do it.
“Pull your military folks out of every foreign country unless we are conducting operations. Put our guys on US installations within the US and let their cashflow feed small towns around America.”
.
I looked at Altura’s homepage...from VA.
I looked at yours...Germany.
What is this “your military folks” stuff?
And, who are “our guys on US installations within the US.”?
This forum is never boring. ;o)
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