So be it. We have differing opinions, both of us are entitled....
Posted By: sam on 2008-09-19
In Reply to: no thanks, does not work for me. - MTPockets
No matter who gets elected, I hope things get better for you. Sincerely.
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Presenting differing viewpoints is not bashing
Its called balanced news. Liberals cannot stand when the other side presents their viewpoint. They call it bashing. It's because they had a monopoly for years in news, but now that has eroded away.
I am posting here to present a differing view...
just like the liberals who post on the conservative board. This IS America, my friend. We do have the right to do so. Why is a different opinion so aggravating to you? I have read, and heard from liberals own lips, what liberals stand for. There are a few of you who post on this board who are the antithesis of that, sooooo....why are YOU posting here and what does it matter who else does?
I appreciate the opinions, however;
as your fellow Ohioans voted him into the Ohio senate in 1996 has served six terms as congressman, it stands to reason your view is the minority. Viggo Mortensen was in NH speaking on Kucinich's behalf during the caucus, and it is my understanding the Melissa Etheridge is also a supporter. I just think your argument is a bit weak. If you want to discount him, attack him for his views or failed policies. I don't care if he is supported by people such as Willie Nelson. I happen to enjoy his music and his private life is exactly that, private; and I don't believe in guilty by association.
Hey GP - I always say we may all have different opinions
But we should all feel strongly about our opinions that we put our name. It's good to see you too GP. Like I say we may not always agree, but I read the posts. My husband always tells me "Knowlege is Freedom". I agree with you though, it is hard to tell the posters. I've been swamped with work lately and trying to play with my cat more. Poor thing gets so lonely. And I go through stages with being tired of being bashed, then figure I have a right to post my opinion. So now I feel the board is getting too filled with the lovefest crowd for the O, so I gotta bring the board back to being real here again. HA HA -I'm sure you'll disagree with me on that one though :-), but differences are what makes this country so great. So now I'm back to posting my opinion whether someone likes it or not. Someone's gotta stir the pot. HA HA. If I feel strongly about a topic or an article I find interesting I will post.
Well, you know what they say about opinions........nm
x
Opinions
are like (you know what word), everyone has one. You just have to know where to look to defend yours. We could post others' opinions like this all day - it's not going to change my mind and I can see it's not going to change yours.
You're entited to your opinion and I respect that.
And you're entitled to yours as well.
On 9/11/2001 and shortly thereafter, Bush, for whom I have never voted, became my hero. I was very proud he was my President when he stood in that rubble and vowed that "the people who knocked down these buildings are going to hear from all of us." I fully supported our invasion of Afghanistan.
While he was still flying high on his approval ratings, he told us we needed to get rid of Saddam Hussein because he represented an imminent threat to us. I (along with most members of Congress) believed him because the whole country still believed IN him after 9/11.
It’s been well documented that it was all a lie. ALL OF IT. He not only jeopardized the lives of our CHILDREN by sending them to die in a bogus war, he did it on the blood of all the 9/11 victims and their families. He didn’t give our soldiers adequate equipment, including body armor. THEY WERE FORCED TO DIG THROUGH LANDFILLS TO FIND ARMOR TO PROTECT THEMSELVES BECAUSE THIS PRESIDENT DIDN’T CARE ENOUGH ABOUT THEM TO PROVIDE IT FOR THEM!!!!!! Instead, he made sure he included "comprehensive health benefits for all Iraqi citizens" in his war budget.
He and all his cronies promised this war would be quick. That isn’t the truth.
He has personally turned Iraq into the best training ground that al Qaeda could ever hope to have.
His arrogance is only exceeded by his STUPIDITY. When I hear him speak with foreign leaders, I’m truly amazed that these are people who often can speak multiple languages, when our President can’t even get the hang of ONE language, and that stupid SMIRK he's always wearing as he mangles the English language does nothing but embarrass me.
The irony is that he allegedly wants to spread "freedom all over the world" (because GOD personally told him to), yet slowly but surely he’s reducing personal freedoms for citizens in his own country. Try getting into an "open" town hall meeting with George Bush if you dare to disagree with even ONE of his views. Ain’t gonna happen. He will only accept those who blindly follow him like sheep, aggressively defend every single stupid thing he does, show unfaltering reverence to him, and NEVER question the wisdom of his actions.
And WOULD I believe Bush if he came on TV and said we were being attacked? NO FRIGGING WAY. Not unless I saw video of it and it was corroborated by as many MEDIA people as possible. (I can't even begin to described how personally depressing it is to realize that I believe in the MEDIA infinitely more than I do this President, which is a very strong sign that something is seriously wrong in this country.) This President lied about Iraq. I would find it very hard to believe ANYTHING he ever said again. Trust is a very important thing and can’t just be given nilly willy. If someone twists facts to fit in with what they are trying to sell, that is a LIE. And once a person like that shows his or her true colors, I will never believe such a person again. Like Bush TRIED to say (before mangling it): Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. To me, a person who must resort to distorting facts for their own gain shows a very serious character flaw. I choose to stay away from such people because they don’t have an ounce of credibility.
And you’re right. This war is NOT another Vietnam. It’s much, much worse. During Vietnam, our government at least respected the lives of our soldiers enough to provide them with adequate protection. But it’s by no stretch of the imagination going to be "quick," as was promised. It's is going to be as long and drawn out as Vietnam, if not more so. And God forbid if we should truly NEED our troops to do what their supposed to be doing, which is DEFENDING us from an attack someday. There won’t be any. They’ve been spread very thinly all over the world. And recruitment quotas aren’t being met because young people don’t want any part of this administration because they simply don't trust it or believe it. Our young people are quite intelligent.
As far as knowing about true hardship, this generation isn’t SUPPOSED to know anything about it. Our parents and grandparents worked very hard to make sure their children would have a better life. Things WERE getting better before this President came into office. He inherited a surplus, squandered it, and then went on to create the largeset deficit in American history. However, when (not if) we’re attacked again, we’re going to learn plenty about it, because we have a President who hasn’t cared enough to take adequate precautions in his own country to protect his own people. He hasn’t put suggested precautions in place, such as protecting our nuclear/chemical plants. He hasn’t bothered to secure our borders. For crying out loud, some DRUNK guy wandered into an airport the other day and took a PLANE OUT ON A JOY RIDE. How secure is THAT? If there is hardship to be experienced by us, the blood will be on his hands.
And once again, as far as using the word "lie," it’s the simplest, shortest, most accurate word for something that is a blatant, purposeful UNTRUTH told with the intent to mislead. It IS the appropriate word to use.
And you are entitled to that....although...
I don't think being chosen to be on the ticket for the second-highest job in the land is exploitation. I certainly don't think she feels like she is being exploited. To each his own...we can all have our opinions. :) I don't really understand, from a purely objective standpoint, someone could object to her. Obama - limited experience. Palin - Limited experience. Obama - 1st chair. Palin - 2nd chair. Obama - beautiful wife and family. Palin - handsome husband, beautiful family. Obama - wants change in Washington. Palin - wants change in Washington and has a history of doing just that. There are other similarities. Wondering why the positives for him are negatives for her?
How do you know how I seek my opinions?
Just because I don't listen to far left, excuse the phrase, wackos, that have been discredited right and left does not mean I don't seek out diverse opinions. I read and watch a lot of opposing views. I will say that I have core beliefs in which I have made my mind up about and my opinion does not sway with the direction of the wind on any given day. I don't see anything wrong with that, and that philosophy has served me well over nearly a half a century of life, so I will stick with the tried and proven.
What are your opinions on Fla and Michigan
I keep hearing about HC wanting to push on getting Florida and Michigan votes to count, delegates to be seated, etc. While I understand about every vote should count and they should, I also understand that Fla & Mich agreed on this so that they could vote early (i.e. they broke the rules and were punished) and both sides (Obama & Clinton) agreed to it. I guess at that time she thought that the whole US was just going to vote for her and nobody would vote for Obama and now that she is seeing otherwise she wants to change the rules/laws.
Now I don't even understand why there is a meeting going on. Doesn't anyone just tell them...No! You agreed to this. You were told of the consequences and you agreed and now that your losing you want to change the laws to be put in your favor. Every time they don't win they want to change the rules, and I dont understand why they are not just being told "No". If they are so concerned about all the votes counting why didn't they just wait until when they were supposed to vote and not push it earlier. I can tell you - because they thought they would be winning more states and they didn't care enough about Fla or Mich to wait.
Now I understand that she is going to go to the meeting and push that even with FL and MI she doesn't have enough votes, but she's now going to push for them to just dismiss Obama (even though he has more delagates and votes, and states won), that they should just dump him and make her the nominee because she believes she can win over McCain. She really needs to wake up. She's just like her husband - a legend in their own minds. If she steals this from Obama and becomes the nominee (which I doubt very very much) but if she was to be able to finagle that so much dirt would come out going all the way back to Whitewater, Rose Law Firm, etc, etc,
Maybe what they should be doing is taking responsibility and telling the citizens of FL & MI the real reason why their votes are not being counted - because of her and her decisions she made and if they blame anyone they should blame her for not following the laws.
And on another side cannot anyone tell me why in the world Obama's name was not on the ticket in MI. I have not for the life of me figured out that one. Only her name was on the ticket? Helloooo....the last time I looked there were two candidates. Now they are trying to say Obama removed his name from the ticket. Yeah, right, tell me another one. I hear that and I think, what country do we live in where the person who wants to be president has only their name on the ballot. That's what I hear happens in Cuba, Russia and all those other communist countries.
When wil the insanity end?
I have every right to post my opinions :)
now I am finished with this really. these are my opinions and you just are not going to change them no matter how much you try to intimidate or try to demean me. your unkind words from the previous posts were all I needed to see. you came out as if it was you I was talking about so you must identify very strongly with this particular person. if that offends you - there is not much I can say, you are going to just keep on keeping on...
I still stick to my opinions from my first post, sorry you are offended so...
go ahead, have the last word...
Well you're entitled to that...sm
And I am a liberal for ya!! A somewhat conservative liberal, how about adding that to your title bank.
Let's rewind. I said I was awkwardly uncomfortable at listening to some of his jokes. It was *in your face* comedy though the most of it is how a lot of us feel. I don't apologize for saying this guy is funny, he is. And, though the most of the jokes were about Bush, Rummy, Cheney and crew he did aim jokes at liberals too.
No one said you were not entitled to an opinion.
Why is it that when challenged to step back, these kind of statements always come up? In fact, you have not addressed one single item in my post. You say you do not hate Bush but then proceed to itemise another litany of complaints. And still not a word about terrorism! This truly does boggle the mind.
Obviously everyone is entitled to their opinion, but
I hardly think it holds a candle to the awful Hilary comment - that was just in plain bad taste and I couldn't believe she even would go there.
I am simply stating what I caught with my eye and see that others out there have seen it too - it's just weird. Let's leave it at that.
You are entitled to your opinion, but...
please remember that not everyone believes in God. Your statement is your merely an opinion, not fact. Personally, religious fanatics scare me, especially ones like Sarah Palin who could possibly be placed in a position of power.
And I never said you weren't entitled!
Give me a break! You have religious freedom. I never said you didn't!
Each person is entitled to their own
opinion whether it is for or against abortion. I think your reply was uncalled for and rather childish. You can disagree with someone's opinion without being like this.
That is your choice and you are entitled to it.
I just think that you need to open your heart a little and learn to be a tad more tolerant. I don't want to see gay people making out in public but I don't like seeing straight people do that either. There is a time and place for that....not out in public for all to have to watch. Love the person, hate the sin. You seem to hate the person who sins because of the sin. Is that not too a sin?
Oh I see....just drive by and repeat the same opinions over and over.
Thank you for clarifying that for me.
You're entitled to your point of view
but not everybody thinks he has lied. Just because people say he has lied does not make it true. There has been nothing substantial to support that he lied. I just wish people would just quit throwing the word lie around so freely, because they are jumping to conclusions with no substantiation.
What scares me is I wonder how many people could withstand a real threat to this country. We are so un-unified if it came across the television that we were being attacked....I'm not sure some of you would believe it....you'd just say, "another Bush lie..."
Our generation knows nothing of true hardship. The Iraq war is not a quagmire...it's not another Vietnam...it's not anything like the dems are whining about it being....
You're entitled to your opinion.
No matter how skewed it is. 
*Entitled to your opinion but escorted
So your saying Ann's not entitled to her free speech
but you are entitled to yours? The 9/11 widows can say anything, but Ann better shut up?
The double standards rule the day here.
Ann has her opinions but at least she is not saying America is guilty of genocide.
Bedtime story entitled
"Ours is a promise that says government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves – protect us from harm…" ". We are more compassionate than a government that…sits on its hands while a major American city drowns before our eyes." Barack Obama, nomination acceptance speech, 08/28/2008.
This is written in response to the post below that express the "bootstrap mentality" approach to Katrina and Bush/federal government response. Bush never seems to be held accountable for any of his actions or lack thereof. What I do know is that we deserve better from our so-called leaders. I want someone in charge of the country who knows that what I am about to describe is unacceptable. I am writing this because, at the very least, we should not allow our memories to fade away too quickly about the most shameful episode of leadership/federal agency failure and breakdown in recent memory.
As for the poster who said that "if you don't live here, you don't know what you are talking about": Thing is that I do live in hurricane country on the Gulf Coast where to this day, 3 years later, we still welcome, house, employ, include, encourage and support Hurricane Katrina survivors/refugees. Hurricane Gustav is poised to make a visit here on the opening night of the RNC and will be slamming ashore and doing its thing during the opening speech by you-know-who. My memory of the last time we went through this is very clear. Where it seemed fuzzy, research filled in the blanks. I'm going to jump right in here.
When Hurricane Katrina made landfall, President Bush was on one of his marathon vacations. The August 2005 vacation, in fact, was the longest vacation of any US President (5 weeks). By the time Katrina showed up, he already had been at the ranch for 3 weeks, so he was pretty well rested up. On August 26th, Katrina strengthened to a Category 3 Hurricane and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco declared state of emergency. Blanco asked President Bush to declare federal state of emergency for Louisiana. Next day, Bush interrupted his bike ride with Astronaut Lance Armstrong and declared a state of emergency in selected regions of Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi on Saturday, the 27th. The declaration did not include any of Louisiana's coastal parishes, an oversight that would later be addressed in Congressional hearings. Same day, New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin ordered a voluntary evacuation of all residents from the city of New Orleans.
Go here to see a map of parishes not included in the declaration. http://www.bobharris.com/content/view/637/1/. This map is an eye-opener. Mr. Harris calls it upsidedownland. Hello. Inland parishes included, coastal parishes excluded. Bushes parents live in the hurricane-prone city of Houston. He probably should have know better.
August 28th, within 9 short hours, Katrina doubled in size and strengthened from a category 3 to a 5. Nagin's evacuation became mandatory. During video conferences involving the president on August 28th and 29th, the NHC director informed Bush that Katrina might push its storm surge over the city's levees and flood walls, using such language "potential for nightmare scenarios," and that this has been known for at least the three decades he has worked at the NHC. Previous warnings, such as the one made by the Houston Chronicle in 2001, told of a disaster that "would strand 250,000 people or more, and probably kill one of 10 left behind as the city drowned under 20 feet of water" following a severe hurricane making landfall on NO. Other publications, such as Popular Mechanics, Scientific American, and The Times-Picayune had given similar doomsday scenarios in which a sinking city would drown and its residents would be left homeless.
On August 28th, the National Weather Sevice out of Baton Rogue and NO issued the following bulletin. This text is included in its entirety because the warning Bush decided to ignore just don't get any more clear than this. Before reading this, keep in mind that in response, Bush alerted FEMA Director Michael Brown, aka "Brownie," and stayed put, on vacation, since he had "done his part." No shouts in tended. This is the way cut and paste works. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Weather_Service_bulletin_for_New_Orleans_region
...DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED...
HURRICANE KATRINA...A MOST POWERFUL HURRICANE WITH UNPRECEDENTED
STRENGTH...RIVALING THE INTENSITY OF HURRICANE CAMILLE OF 1969.
MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS...PERHAPS LONGER. AT
LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL
FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL...LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY
DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.
THE MAJORITY OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WILL BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL.
PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED. ALL WOOD
FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONCRETE
BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE...INCLUDING SOME
WALL AND ROOF FAILURE.
HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY...A
FEW TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. ALL WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT.
AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD...AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH
AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY
VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE
ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS...PETS...AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE
WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK.
POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS...AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN
AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY
THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING...BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED. FEW
CROPS WILL REMAIN. LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BE
KILLED.
On August 29th, John McCain's 69th birthday, Katrina hits New Orleans as a category 4, levies break, Bush continues his itinerary. He jets on off to Luke Air Force Base near Phoenix to join McCain and wish him happy birthday (kinda makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside). Picture available on the website cited below. Afterward, Bush spoke about Medicare to 400 guests at the Pueblo El Mirage RV Resort and Country Club in nearby El Mirage. Not to worry. Brownie's doin' a heck of a job. August 29th: FEMA press release: 'First Responders Urged Not To Respond To Hurricane Impact Areas Unless Dispatched By State, Local Authorities.'
Five hours after the hurricane hit, FEMA chief Michael Brown asks Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff for approval to send 1,000 Homeland Security workers within 48 hours to the Gulf Coast to provide assistance. Bush fires up the jet and heads out to Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. for talk on prescription drugs for seniors. Back in NO, the 17th Street Canal levee breaks. The Red Cross, while providing relief and support across the Gulf Coast, did not enter New Orleans to provide relief at the Superdome, or any other victim shelter in the city.
August 30th. The Coast Guard reports that it has rescued some 1,200 people from rooftops around the area. Of course, it's all over the TV. The number of evacuees in the Superdome swells to 20,000, as people rescued or left homeless throughout the city are brought to the stadium. Gov. Blanco says the Superdome will have to be evacuated. Bush appears in Coronado, Calif. for a V-J Day commemoration. Go to the website cited below for photo corresponding to the following caption: President Bush plays a guitar presented to him by Country Singer Mark Wills, right, backstage following his visit…" The photo is very telling. For those of you who don't go ballistic when they read democratic commentary, you will find some fascinating information next to the photo.
August 31st. Evacuation of the Superdome begins. Bush cuts vacation short by 2 days and returns to Washington after a brief fly-by over New Orleans where he observed the scene from above.
September 1st: Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff claims "we have a tremendous array of forces that are currently deployed in New Orleans," as cable TV networks show live images of looting, Superdome residents awaiting evacuation and people stranded without food and water throughout the city. Bush tells "Good Morning America" that "I don’t think anyone anticipated a breach of the levees." That day, Newsweek reported, "The reality, say several aides who did not wish to be quoted because it might displease the president, did not really sink in until Thursday night. Some White House staffers were watching the evening news and thought the president needed to see the horrific reports coming out of New Orleans. Counselor Bartlett made up a DVD of the newscasts so Bush could see them in their entirety as he flew down to the Gulf Coast the next morning on Air Force One. "
September 2nd: President Bush takes aerial tour of New Orleans. Relief copters grounded in New Orleans during Bush visit.
September 3rd: Construction equipment removed from broken levee after Bush visit. Louisiana Senator Landrieu Implores President to "relieve unmitigated suffering" and end FEMA's "abject failures"
September 4th: More than 4,600 active duty military personnel join almost 27,000 National Guard troops in Louisiana for disaster relief. Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard lambastes FEMA's response on NBC's "Meet the Press"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina
In a September 26, 2005 hearing, former FEMA chief Michael Brown testified before a U.S. House subcommittee about FEMA's response. He was questioned about why Bush's declaration of state of emergency of August 27 had not included the coastal parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, and Plaquemines (in fact, the declaration did not include any of Louisiana's coastal parishes, whereas the coastal counties were included in the declarations for Mississippi and Alabama). Brown testified that this was because Louisiana Governor Blanco had not included those parishes in her initial request for aid (can you say pass-the-buck/fib?), a decision that he found "shocking." After the hearing, though, Blanco released a copy of her letter, which requested assistance for "all the southeastern parishes including the New Orleans Metropolitan area and the mid state Interstate I-49 corridor and northern parishes along the I-20 corridor.
A couple of cliches thrown in for good measure: A picture's worth 1000 words. Actions speak louder than words.
Go here for a Katrina Timeline. August 25 to September 5. The links embedded in this timeline make for a good read as well.
http://www.ojr.org/ojr/wiki/Katrina_Timeline/
Go here for a corresponding timeline of Bush's vacation and a few photos. http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/010936.php
No, I think the point is you don't seek out diverse opinions..sm
I watch Fox, listen to Hannity, O'Reilly, and many other conservatives (the ones that can be civil and are not self centered). I read and watch opposing views as often as I do amen columns/shows.
Condi Rice said at a graduation ceremony, (as I remember reading the article) *If you feel strongly about something (politically) that's fine, just seek out someone who feels the exact opposite and talk to them about it.*
GP is entitle to have 2 opinions on 2 unrelated topics.
x
I agree, all are entitled to handle grief in their own way.
It does seem that the grieving parent who chooses not to let his loss become a big public issue deserves just as much tolerance and respect as one who does. I don't think smearing or degrading any parent who's had such a loss is appropriate. We've heard for years now from families who have had losses and still support Bush and support the current war, and to my knowledge no one on the left has made a huge effort to discredit their motives or drag them through the mud or call their behavior "politically motivated." That just wouldn't be respectful and I know I would be against any such effort.
No, I watch the same thing, only I seek out diverse opinions.sm
In the past, I did not.
Here's a quiz for you: Name the best-known and most influential conservative commentators in America? Rush Limbaugh? George F. Will? Bill O'Reilly? Now, quick, who are their liberal counterparts?
Opinions count. Nothing wrong in researching them as long as
nm
Excuse me, I am intelligent, I listen to all of it, and make my own opinions....sm
STOP making the broad generalizations, it rates right up there with the "psychics and fortune tellers" who just know that Obama will fail and are actually licking their lips waiting for it. How childish. If you chose to listen to Rush and follow him, great for you, I guess. If I choose to listen to him and come to a divergent conclusion about his motives or veracity, or anything else about the man, I am also free to. You know the hold saying about ASSUMING?????????
Bedtime story from Hurricane country entitled
"Ours is a promise that says government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves – protect us from harm…" ". We are more compassionate than a government that…sits on its hands while a major American city drowns before our eyes." Barack Obama, nomination acceptance speech, 08/28/2008.
This is written in response to the post below that express the "bootstrap mentality" approach to Katrina and Bush/federal government response. Bush never seems to be held accountable for any of his actions or lack thereof. What I do know is that we deserve better from our so-called leaders. I want someone in charge of the country who knows that what I am about to describe is unacceptable. I am writing this because, at the very least, we should not allow our memories to fade away too quickly about the most shameful episode of leadership/federal agency failure and breakdown I have ever witnessed in my lifetime.
As for the poster who said that "if you don't live here, you don't know what you are talking about": Thing is that I do live in hurricane country on the Gulf Coast where to this day, 3 years later, we still welcome, house, employ, include, encourage and support Hurricane Katrina survivors/refugees. Hurricane Gustav is poised to make a visit here on the opening night of the RNC and will be slamming ashore and doing its thing during the opening speech by you-know-who. My memory of the last time we went through this is very clear. Where it seemed fuzzy, research filled in the blanks. I'm going to jump right in here.
When Hurricane Katrina made landfall, President Bush was on one of his marathon vacations. The August 2005 vacation, in fact, was the longest vacation of any US President (5 weeks). By the time Katrina showed up, he already had been at the ranch for 3 weeks, so he was pretty well rested up. On August 26th, Katrina strengthened to a Category 3 Hurricane and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco declared state of emergency. Blanco asked President Bush to declare federal state of emergency for Louisiana. Next day, Bush interrupted his bike ride with Astronaut Lance Armstrong and declared a state of emergency in selected regions of Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi on Saturday, the 27th. The declaration did not include any of Louisiana's coastal parishes, an oversight that would later be addressed in Congressional hearings. Same day, New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin orders a voluntary evacuation of all residents from the city of New Orleans.
Go here to see a map of parishes not included in the declaration. http://www.bobharris.com/content/view/637/1/. This map is an eye-opener. Mr. Harris calls it upsidedownland. Hello. Inland parishes included, coastal parishes excluded. Bushes parents live in the hurricane-prone city of Houston. He probably should have know better.
August 28th, within 9 short hours, Katrina doubled in size and strengthened from a category 3 to a 5. Nagin's evacuation became mandatory. During video conferences involving the president on August 28th and 29th, the NHC director informed Bush that Katrina might push its storm surge over the city's levees and flood walls, using such language "potential for nightmare scenarios," and that this has been known for at least the three decades he has worked at the NHC. Previous warnings, such as the one made by the Houston Chronicle in 2001, told of a disaster that "would strand 250,000 people or more, and probably kill one of 10 left behind as the city drowned under 20 feet of water" following a severe hurricane making landfall on NO. Other publications, such as Popular Mechanics, Scientific American, and The Times-Picayune had given similar doomsday scenarios in which a sinking city would drown and its residents would be left homeless.
On August 28th, the National Weather Sevice out of Baton Rogue and NO issued the following bulletin. This text is included in its entirety because the warning Bush decided to ignore just don't get any more clear than this. Before reading this, keep in mind that in response, Bush alerted FEMA Director Michael Brown, aka "Brownie," and stayed put, on vacation, since he had "done his part." No shouts in tended. This is the way cut and paste works. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Weather_Service_bulletin_for_New_Orleans_region ...DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED... HURRICANE KATRINA...A MOST POWERFUL HURRICANE WITH UNPRECEDENTED STRENGTH...RIVALING THE INTENSITY OF HURRICANE CAMILLE OF 1969. MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS...PERHAPS LONGER. AT LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL...LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. THE MAJORITY OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WILL BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL. PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED. ALL WOOD FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONCRETE BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE...INCLUDING SOME WALL AND ROOF FAILURE. HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY...A FEW TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. ALL WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT. AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD...AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS...PETS...AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK. POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS...AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS. THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING...BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED. FEW CROPS WILL REMAIN. LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BE KILLED.
On August 29th, John McCain's 69th birthday, Katrina hits New Orleans as a category 4, levies break, Bush continues his itinerary. He jets on off to Luke Air Force Base near Phoenix to join McCain and wish him happy birthday (kinda makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside). Picture available on the website cited below. Afterward, Bush spoke about Medicare to 400 guests at the Pueblo El Mirage RV Resort and Country Club in nearby El Mirage. Not to worry. Brownie's doin' a heck of a job. August 29th: FEMA press release: 'First Responders Urged Not To Respond To Hurricane Impact Areas Unless Dispatched By State, Local Authorities.'
Five hours after the hurricane hit, FEMA chief Michael Brown asks Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff for approval to send 1,000 Homeland Security workers within 48 hours to the Gulf Coast to provide assistance. Bush fires up the jet and heads out to Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. for talk on prescription drugs for seniors. Back in NO, the 17th Street Canal levee breaks. The Red Cross, while providing relief and support across the Gulf Coast, did not enter New Orleans to provide relief at the Superdome, or any other victim shelter in the city.
August 30th. The Coast Guard reports that it has rescued some 1,200 people from rooftops around the area. Of course, it's all over the TV. The number of evacuees in the Superdome swells to 20,000, as people rescued or left homeless throughout the city are brought to the stadium. Gov. Blanco says the Superdome will have to be evacuated. Bush appears in Coronado, Calif. for a V-J Day commemoration. Go to the website cited below for photo corresponding to the following caption: President Bush plays a guitar presented to him by Country Singer Mark Wills, right, backstage following his visit…" The photo is very telling. For those of you who don't go ballistic when they read democratic commentary, you will find some fascinating information next to the photo.
August 31st. Evacuation of the Superdome begins. Bush cuts vacation short by 2 days and returns to Washington after a brief fly-by over New Orleans where he observed the scene from above.
September 1st: Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff claims "we have a tremendous array of forces that are currently deployed in New Orleans," as cable TV networks show live images of looting, Superdome residents awaiting evacuation and people stranded without food and water throughout the city. Bush tells "Good Morning America" that "I don’t think anyone anticipated a breach of the levees." That day, Newsweek reported, "The reality, say several aides who did not wish to be quoted because it might displease the president, did not really sink in until Thursday night. Some White House staffers were watching the evening news and thought the president needed to see the horrific reports coming out of New Orleans. Counselor Bartlett made up a DVD of the newscasts so Bush could see them in their entirety as he flew down to the Gulf Coast the next morning on Air Force One. "
September 2nd: President Bush takes aerial tour of New Orleans. Relief copters grounded in New Orleans during Bush visit.
September 3rd: Construction equipment removed from broken levee after Bush visit. Louisiana Senator Landrieu Implores President to "relieve unmitigated suffering" and end FEMA's "abject failures"
September 4th: More than 4,600 active duty military personnel join almost 27,000 National Guard troops in Louisiana for disaster relief. Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard lambastes FEMA's response on NBC's "Meet the Press"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina
In a September 26, 2005 hearing, former FEMA chief Michael Brown testified before a U.S. House subcommittee about FEMA's response. He was questioned about why Bush's declaration of state of emergency of August 27 had not included the coastal parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, and Plaquemines (in fact, the declaration did not include any of Louisiana's coastal parishes, whereas the coastal counties were included in the declarations for Mississippi and Alabama). Brown testified that this was because Louisiana Governor Blanco had not included those parishes in her initial request for aid (can you say pass-the-buck/fib?), a decision that he found "shocking." After the hearing, though, Blanco released a copy of her letter, which requested assistance for "all the southeastern parishes including the New Orleans Metropolitan area and the mid state Interstate I-49 corridor and northern parishes along the I-20 corridor.
A couple of cliches thrown in for good measure: A picture's worth 1000 words. Actions speak louder than words.
Go here for a Katrina Timeline. August 25 to September 5. The links embedded in this timeline make for a good read as well.
http://www.ojr.org/ojr/wiki/Katrina_Timeline/
Go here for a corresponding timeline of Bush's vacation and a few photos. http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/010936.php
Opinions on Hillary's proposed health care system?
Personally, I'm against mandatory health insurance laws. Look how mandatory auto insurance goes - you buy the cheapest policy because you can't afford the good ones. Your policy covers squat, but you're legal. I'm concerned the "affordable" health insurance she wants to force us to buy will turn into the same thing - a crap policy that covers nothing but keeps you legal. Does anybody else feel like I do about this?
Facts are always called opinions by the left when they refuse to acknowledge them...sm
The facts within the article are true. No matter how much you want to ignore them.
You are so blind.
Yup, don't forget to include the opinions of the criminally insane as undeniable truth....nm
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You're entitled to your opinion. I guess it depends on what side of the spectrum you're on.nm
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