Posted on 09/03/2005 8:49:17 PM PDT by SolidSupplySide
HOUSTON — With more than 220,000 hurricane refugees camped out in Texas and more coming, Gov. Rick Perry warned today that his enormous state was running out of room.
"Texas is committed to doing everything it can to help our neighbors from Louisiana, but we want to make certain that we can provide them with the medical care, food, shelter, safety, education and other services they need to start getting their lives back together," Perry said in a statement. "Local officials are beginning to notify us that they are quickly approaching capacity in the number of evacuees they believe they can assist."
About 18,500 survivors were housed in Houston's Astrodome and an adjacent meeting hall. More than 120,000 refugees were in 97 shelters in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and dozens of smaller cities across the vast state, Perry's office said, with another 100,000 in hotels and motels. Uncounted more were in churches or private homes.
Buses continued to arrive at the Astrodome, where many were redirected to other evacuation centers after people were processed and evaluated for medical conditions.
"We have notified FEMA and Louisiana officials that we are nearing capacity," said Robert Black, a spokesman for Perry.
More than 50 military and commercial flights deposited more than 7,000 evacuees at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. At Dallas' luxurious Wyndham Anatole hotel, a few guests looked forward to a quieter evening, compliments of Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare, after spending Friday night on the roof of New Orleans' Baptist Memorial Hospital ferrying patients to safety.
Hospital worker James Bell felt guilty.
"I could be down (at a shelter) and have a couple families here," he said.
Evacuees also were housed at Reunion Arena in Dallas. As a few people smoked cigarettes outside, a plane emerged overhead trailing a sign that read, "Shame on You George Bush."
We have plenty of room for illegal aliens coming across the border, but heaven forbid we provide shelter for actual citizens in their time of need.
Sigh.
Perry has been a rising star in the wake of Katrina...
What are his politics?
How conservative is he?
What is his background?
Has anyone vetted him for a run at the WH?
What is the state of Louisiana doing for it's own people? Are there not large areas of the state unaffected by the hurricane? Why are all the evacuees being shipped out of state?
I have my own notions as to why, but wonder if someone closer to the situation can enlighten.
If we kick the RINOs out of the state we should be able to take a few hundred more of the Louisana hurricane victims in.
"Perry has been a rising star in the wake of Katrina...
What are his politics?
How conservative is he?
What is his background?
Has anyone vetted him for a run at the WH?
To your last question: Not only NO, but HELL NO!! We have enough RINOs up there in D.C.
Most of them are probably going to stay, and our state will become a little bluer.
Kudos to everyone in Texas for the way they have stepped up to the plate
>> We have plenty of room for illegal aliens coming across the border, but heaven forbid we provide shelter for actual citizens in their time of need.<<
That isn't the issue. The problem is that a lot of these people here now in Texas, while they do need our immediate help and deserve it, are still conditioned to let (or insist that) the government take care of them. I think what Perry has quickly figured out, and what I warned about 3 days ago, was there has to be a plan to get these people out of the Astrodome and elsewhere, otherwise too many will camp out there indefinitely and force a drag-out.
Shelters are in BR. Shreveport has opened the Hirsh Coliseum and LSU-S gym. I am sure there are others, but MSM isn't reporting it!! N.O. had 1.2 million people... who are now largely homeless.
Texas has certainly done more than its share.
Baton Rouge has something like 300,000 refugees.
This has to be a national effort. Every major city in this country needs to take in some of the people who need shelter.
This is just too big a disaster for a few states and cities to carry the load.
They're not all being shipped out. Shreveport is likewise bulging at the seems with refugees.
What are his politics?
Republican... though some call him a RINO.
How conservative is he?
Conservative, but unable to stop spending our ca$h. The few tax cuts he has proposed he's been unable to get pushed through because of our idiot state senators.
What is his background?
Hometown: Austin
Previous Occupation: Public Official
Previous Office: TX House, 1985-1990; TX Commissioner of Agriculture, 1991-1998; TX Lt. Governor, 1999-2000
Governor 2000-present
Education: Texas A&M
Birthplace: Paint Creek
Spouse: Anita
Religion: United Methodist
Has anyone vetted him for a run at the WH?
Nope... the religious right has decided he's not conservative enough. See religion.
I'm sure Cindy will vacate camp Crawford so refugees can go there. What? She won't? Go figure...
So where are the other neighboring states on this? Has any gotten a conscience to follow Texas' lead for the sake of the refugees? Anyone heard of massive relief efforts being offered by other states?
Also, people are trying to get that La. Gov. to open up Egland AFB in Alexandria for sheltering. (*And, I have been trying to do my part by getting a room for that N.O. Mayor a room in Pinevile.)
Are you kidding? Texas opened their arms and hearts to 220,000 people. They provided a roof over their heads, clean clothes and food, medical care, they've opened their schools to the children, they have taken on an immense challenge. Don't you think it's time some other state stepped up to the plate? Don't you think it's pretty embarrassing that LA had to send so many of it's people out of state because they simply had made no adequate provisions for an emergency that has been predicted for decades?
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