AP's Fournier: "Politicians Failed Storm Victims"
I'm working on a post for tomorrow morning to highlight some of the good things we've seen in the last few days - partly because they deserve recognition, and partly because I just have to do it to keep my head from exploding with frustration. Tonight, however, I do have to pass along a "Newsview" piece by the Associated Press' Ron Fournier, that wire service's top politics reporter.
Fournier's article is a damning indictment of politics as usual. Here are the first couple paragraphs:
"At every turn, political leaders failed Katrina's victims. They didn't strengthen the levees. They ceded the streets to marauding looters. They left dead bodies to rot or bloat. Thousands suffered or died for lack of water, food and hope. Who's at fault?
There's plenty of blame to go around - the White House, Congress, federal agencies, local governments, police and even residents of the Gulf Coast who refused orders to evacuate. But all the finger-pointing misses the point: Politicians and the people they lead too often ignore danger signs until a crisis hits."
More:
"Just last year, the Army Corps of Engineers sought $105 million for hurricane and flood programs in New Orleans. The White House slashed the request to about $40 million. Congress finally approved $42.2 million, less than half of the agency's request.
Yet the lawmakers and Bush agreed to a $286.4 billion pork-laden highway bill that included more than 6,000 pet projects for lawmakers. Congress spent money on dust control for Arkansas roads, a warehouse on the Erie Canal and a $231 million bridge to a small, uninhabited Alaskan island.
How could Washington spend $231 million on a bridge to nowhere - and not find $42 million for hurricane and flood projects in New Orleans? It's a matter of power and politics.
Alaska is represented by Republican Rep. Don Young, chairman of the House Transportation Committee, and Republican Sen. Ted Stevens, a senior member of the all-important Senate Appropriations Committee. Louisiana's delegation holds far less sway."Read the whole piece.
No satire post tomorrow, this just isn't the week for it.
posted by JBD @ 10:54 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
If you are looking for some good news then check out my post. The state of Texas is doing a lot of positive things.
You betcha. They'll be in there.
I understand many of the points against various political entities who messed up. However, I have a hard time having great anger at the moment towards them. I'm no all that interested in Bush or Appropriations Committees, etc. I am from Louisiana (it's home; im in Hawaii now) and I don't want them spending a single second of their day worrying about political damage control, talking points, defending previous actions, etc. I want every ounce of attention focused on getting food, water, and shelter to the thousands homeless and then rebuilding the places that are gone. Once all the people are safe and once the big plans are in action, then let heads roll for letting it happen, but don't make them waste time now, worrying about the mistakes they already made, when there are people still sitting on their rooftops.
Right on, paca. Thanks for your comment. You're right, and we all ought to be on the same boat there. There will be time enough later, I agree. Just save those people sitting out there in that hell.
Thanks, jbd. I actually had the thought later that maybe being accused of failure earlier will make some people take it more seriously now. Who knows?
Certainly. They can't get away from this. But I think at this point, you're right in saying they ought to be not worrying (yet) about defending themselves and just saving peoples' lives. I hope they're already taking it as seriously as they possible can - if they aren't, they need to get out of the way.
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