... Enforced helplessness, increasing dependency of the public on the National Security State, restroying self-empowerment and local community networks, undermining established economic and social relations, creating an artifical 'need' for more autocratic state oversight authority and faciliating corporate-privatization of public needs services, 'management'.<br><br>AnnaLivia wrote:<br><br>"it is a truly stupendous accomplishment we have watched FEMA achieve. they (are the tool that has) effectively held the entire fucking world at bay, while it tried mightily to save the lives of american citizens. from individual Joe Neighbor to the nation of China, Fema effectively held them all at bay, and made it look like a screw-up, to boot."<br><br>The disaster of US response to the Katrina Storm is our payback for decades of the nation being held hostage to a corrupt Federalized Bureaucracy promoting reckless, destructive, exploitive, and ravaging foreign and domestic policies on behalf of a parasitical variant of <br>Corporate-skewed Robber-Baron Capitalism. 'Saving' property at the expense of addressing basic, critical human needs and alleviating trmendous suffering -- that is an indictment of America's venal preoccupation with materialistic indulgence and self-satisfaction -- but the outpouring of concern and generosity and compassion by vast numbers of Americans is truly inspiring, contrasting with the political posturing and disingenuous rationalizations of those who are apparently eager to excuse and cover for the so-called 'leadership' that abrogated their responsibility for protecting and keeping the citizens safe -- revealing that the Emperor is not only naked, but he's a caricature of irresponsibility and arrogant entitlement, bent on stealing the clothes of everyone while parading his presumed role as champion of the people.<br><br>Earlier in the week, Maestri explained how FEMA broke signed agreements to have sufficient assets on the ground within 48 hours of an emergency. FEMA assets are blatantly wreaking havoc and making war on the people of Southeast Louisiana. As residents "temporarily" stream back in tomorrow, they should bring with them generators, gasoline, weaponry, and weeks or months worth of provisions. Sherriff Harry Lee needs to deputize every able-bodied male of Jefferson Parish who returns to patrol key infrastructure and keep an eye on all federal thugs who may be provocateuring, sabotaging infrastucture or withholding supplies. <br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.total411.info/">www.total411.info/</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br>Feds Psyop: What ARE They DOING?<br>Having assumed supreme authority after making people dependant on Federal oversight of local resource and nerworks, through the Katrina Disaster aftermath they've been busy destroying people's ability to take care of themself and making them even more vulnerable and helpless by effectively blocking critical assistance and relief operations, confounding communication and frank information exchange, and having ignored the need for coordinated networking -- The many, many reports of FEMA actively blocking and refusing offers of volunteers and critically-needed supplies fit in this scenario of Federal interference with local self-help activism. What the FUCK is the heavy armed Military presence in New Orleans about? The show of force is totally overboard and plain stupid hyper-reactionary bullshit -- What purpose is paying several thousand young men to march around with guns doing to aid the recovery and rescue effort? There have been SO much mismanagement and astonishing levels of negligence and idiocy, it should be a helluva wakeip-call to the kind of 'management' the corrupt Bush Administration has made business as usual.<br><br>Ongoing discussion forums and information via Daily Kos--<br>Excellant source of news and links and insightful comments:<br><br>"For Days, Bush's Top Advisers Argued Over . . . Who Was In Charge" <br>by Armando <<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://armando.dailykos.com>">armando.dailykos.com></a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--> <br>Sun Sep 4th, 2005 at 21:25:28 PDT<br>And people were dying <<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9179587/page/5/<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START >: --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/mad.gif ALT=">:"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> ">www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9179587/page/5/<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START >: --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/mad.gif ALT=">:"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> </a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br>Up to now, the Bush administration has not hesitated to sweep aside the opinions of lawyers on such matters as prisoners' rights. But after Katrina, a strange paralysis set in. For days, Bush's top advisers argued over legal niceties about who was in charge, according to three White House officials who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the negotiations. Beginning early in the week, Justice Department lawyers presented arguments for federalizing the Guard, but Defense Department lawyers fretted about untrained 19-year-olds trying to enforce local laws, according to a senior law-enforcement official who requested anonymity citing the delicate nature of the discussions. <br>While Washington debated, the situation in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast deteriorated. Bush traveled to the region in part to work out a deal with local officials to establish a clearer chain of command. By the weekend, federal officials said there could be tens of thousands of troops in New Orleans in short order. Saturday, Bush pledged to return to the region on Monday--and to deploy 7,000 additional active-duty troops under the Pentagon's control. But for many, the help was arriving too late. Officials worked through the weekend trying to hammer out the jurisdictional issues.<br>So who is to blame? Alberto Gonzales or Donald Rumsfeld?<br>Permalink </storyonly/2005/9/5/02528/13587> :: <br>Discuss </story/2005/9/5/02528/13587> (331 comments)<br><br>Now The White House Gets Cracking -- To Try and Save Bush's Skin <br>by Armando <<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://armando.dailykos.com>">armando.dailykos.com></a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--> <br>Sun Sep 4th, 2005 at 20:39:58 PDT<br>No longer remarkable <<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/05/national/nationalspecial/05bush.html?pagewanted=print<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START >: --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/mad.gif ALT=">:"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> ">www.nytimes.com/2005/09/0...ed=print<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START >: --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/mad.gif ALT=">:"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> </a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br>Under the command of President Bush's two senior political advisers, the White House rolled out a plan this weekend to contain the political damage from the administration's response to Hurricane Katrina. <br>It orchestrated visits by cabinet members to the region, leading up to an extraordinary return visit by Mr. Bush planned for Monday, directed administration officials not to respond to attacks from Democrats on the relief efforts, and sought to move the blame for the slow response to Louisiana state officials, according to Republicans familiar with the White House plan.<br>The effort is being directed by Mr. Bush's chief political adviser, Karl Rove, and his communications director, Dan Bartlett. It began late last week after Congressional Republicans called White House officials to register alarm about what they saw as a feeble response by Mr. Bush to the hurricane, according to Republican Congressional aides.<br>As a result, Americans watching television coverage of the disaster this weekend began to see, amid the destruction and suffering, some of the most prominent members of the administration - Richard B. Myers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Donald H. Rumsfeld, the secretary of defense; and Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of state - touring storm-damaged communities.<br>When it was just people dying in New Orleans, nothing could come between Condi and her shoes. Now that it is her "husband" who is dying politically, she has time. <br>Of course, pass the buck is central to the strategy. <br>Permalink </storyonly/2005/9/4/233958/0435> :: <br>Discuss </story/2005/9/4/233958/0435> (224 comments)<br><br>SUSA tracking poll: Bush still dropping <br>by kos <<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://kos.dailykos.com>">kos.dailykos.com></a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--> <br>Sun Sep 4th, 2005 at 19:38:06 PDT<br>The PR offensiive Bush and Co. have launched the past two days isn't stemming his freefall.<br>SurveyUSA <<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollTrack.aspx?g=2675ae86-5320-4923-bd03-adb3dfe54f6e&x=0,0>.">www.surveyusa.com/client/...6e&x=0,0>.</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--> Daily tracking poll. 1,200 respondents each day.<br>Thinking just about the President of the United States ... Do you approve or disapprove of President Bush's response to Hurricane Katrina?<br>9/4 9/3 9/2 9/1 8/31<br>Approve 38 41 40 46 48<br>Disapprove 55 53 53 44 39 <br>Bush's trip to the disaster area helped stem the collapse of his numbers for a day, but ultimately, people have realized the president's utter lack of leadership and effectiveness on the issue. Nominating horse lawyers to run FEMA, taking a week to send down the guard, playing a guitar and eating cake with McCain while the Gulf Coast drowned ... those aren't the sorts of things you can overcome with photo ops.<br>Permalink </storyonly/2005/9/4/22386/57047> :: <br>Discuss </story/2005/9/4/22386/57047> (336 comments)<br>Open Thread <br>by openthread <<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://openthread.dailykos.com>">openthread.dailykos.com></a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--> <br>Sun Sep 4th, 2005 at 18:07:27 PDT<br>Silence isn't golden.<br>Permalink </storyonly/2005/9/4/21727/72282> :: <br>There's more... </story/2005/9/4/21727/72282> (212 comments)<br><br>Katrina Aftermath Open Thread <br>by Armando <<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://armando.dailykos.com>">armando.dailykos.com></a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--> <br>Sun Sep 4th, 2005 at 17:44:22 PDT<br>More thread. <br>Update [2005-9-4 22:16:44 by Armando]: They knew <<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001054595<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START >: --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/mad.gif ALT=">:"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> ">www.editorandpublisher.co...01054595<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START >: --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/mad.gif ALT=">:"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> </a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--> <br>Dr. Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center, told the Times-Picayune Sunday afternoon that officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, including FEMA Director Mike Brown and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, listened in on electronic briefings given by his staff in advance of Hurricane Katrina slamming Louisiana and Mississippi--and were advised of the storm’s potential deadly effects. <br>"Mayfield said the strength of the storm and the potential disaster it could bring were made clear during both the briefings and in formal advisories, which warned of a storm surge capable of overtopping levees in New Orleans and winds strong enough to blow out windows of high-rise buildings," the paper reported. "He said the briefings included information on expected wind speed, storm surge, rainfall and the potential for tornados to accompany the storm as it came ashore. "We were briefing them way before landfall," Mayfield said. "It’s not like this was a surprise. We had in the advisories that the levee could be topped."<br>Permalink </storyonly/2005/9/4/204422/6403> :: <br>Discuss </story/2005/9/4/204422/6403> (157 comments)<br><br><br>****<br>Inexplicable to me, and not being discussed ANYWHERE that I've seen, is the woefully inadequate effort by the Army Corp. of Engineers to repair the NO levees when their failure was first observed -- For lack of one or more heavy-lift helicopters of which there must be DOZENS in the American southeast and south within a couple hours flying time and several get-it-done-NOW! people who were capable of seeing what needed to be done and taking the necessary drastic steps to do whatever necessary, to keep the NO pumps from becoming overwhelmed and flooded, thereby leading to the failure of NO power-system, and cascading to the incredible catastrophe with immense loss of life and the unimagineable damage of uncounted billions of dollars -- this single failure to have an emergency repair plan in effect must be one of the world's biggest failure of responsibility. Such gross criminal negligence is a key characteristic of the kind of immense failure of imagination and leadership represented by the Bush Cabal of corrupt commercial interests and lust for power -- so completely unaccountable to protecting the larger public interest of people's lives and the health of communities.<br><br>In addition, the economic damage to the southeast-Gulf's commercial and industrial infrastructure of transport, agriculture, energy, communication, and fuel is major -- We may well be at the tipping point of an immense recession-depression that will cripple vast sections of the country's economy.<br><br>I've heard that home-heating and energy costs may add another $700-1000 cost to the average household this winter -- a huge hit, on top of the awful human suffering and dislacement we've seen with perhaps a million more people now homeless.<br><br>Bush's 'security'?<br><br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/9/5/104830/2384National">www.dailykos.com/story/20...84National</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--> Response Plan <br>Counter all the bullshit and read this diary:<br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/9/5/63720/67555">www.dailykos.com/story/20...3720/67555</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br>I include links to the full text of the National Response Plan.<br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/NRP_FullText.pdf">www.dhs.gov/interweb/asse...llText.pdf</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br>Memorize Page 43-44 like your life depends on it.<br>Basic gist:<br>In times of catastrophe when local and state resources are overwhelmed - the feds are to step in immediately.<br>First order of business: save lives and protect infrastructure.<br>The protocol of coordinating with state and local governments should not delay the deployment of federal resources.<br>This the Katrina August 6th PDB. Learn this, memorize this and spread it around PRONTO!<br>by MFL on Mon Sep 5th, 2005 at 07:48:25 PDT<br><br>Demand Bush Resign (none / 1)<br>National Day of Protest --- spread the word<br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://demandbushresign.com">demandbushresign.com</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br>Demand Bush Resign: Protest Wed Sept 7th <br>disclosure<br>by Tom Kertes on Mon Sep 5th, 2005 at 07:53:47 PDT<br>[ Parent ] <br> <br>Editorial Cartoons of the World (none / 0)<br>Jordan: <!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.cagle.com/politicalcartoons/PCcartoons/hajjaj.asp">www.cagle.com/politicalca...hajjaj.asp</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br>Bulgaria: <br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.cagle.com/politicalcartoons/PCcartoons/christo.asp">www.cagle.com/politicalca...hristo.asp</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br>Australia<br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.cagle.com/politicalcartoons/PCcartoons/ofarrell.asp">www.cagle.com/politicalca...arrell.asp</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br>by Nonie3234 on Mon Sep 5th, 2005 at 11:39:57 PDT<br>[ Parent ] <br><br>Just spoke to someone who works at the VA (none / 1)<br>hospital in Jackson, MS.<br>She said that the VA system had told staff on Monday at 8am that they would soon be receiving patients and staff evacuated from hospitals in Biloxi and NOLA. <br>But the patients never arrived until Thursday night-Friday morning. And by then, they were in bad shape, with nurses having had to give each other IV's to stay hydrated, etc. It sounds like they had been through hell.<br>These were the lucky ones, she said.<br>Why didn't the evacuation of VA hospitals in NOLA and elsewhere happen as the VA had planned? Because FEMA stepped in and ordered them to cancel it.<br>March on Washington September 24-26.<br>by pammo on Mon Sep 5th, 2005 at 09:14:27 PDT<br><br>[ Parent ] <br><br>APATHY NO MORE FOR OUR POOR (none / 1 </comments/2005/9/5/104830/2384/3?mode=alone;showrate=1>)<br>Please read <<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://dissent.blogspot.com/>...">dissent.blogspot.com/>...</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--> And pass on.<br><br>by DailyDissenter </user/uid:54181> on Mon Sep 5th, 2005 at 07:50:15 PDT </comments/2005/9/5/104830/2384/3><br>"Hidden" Poverty--Pobreza Escondida (none / 0 </comments/2005/9/5/104830/2384/136?mode=alone;showrate=1>) Good post--six million more Americans living in poverty since Bush began creating his "opportunity society"--how is that workin' out for ya? Same as the number of Jews that Hitler killed (not trying to overdo the comparison, but it is ironic). No accident, either, that Ward 9, mostly Black, was the lowest in elevation. As awful as this is, let it not be in vain. I would put forth the idea that we should not only seek to rebuild NO, and to preserve all that was great about this unique treasure of a city, but to improve on what was there. Of course we should reconstruct the coastal wetlands and system of flood control to ensure this horrendous deluge is not repeated. More than that, though, it is clear that New Orleans' underclass merits far more attention--and respect. Can we not provide better job training and compensation? Can we not seek to improve racial and economic housing patterns throughout the Metro area, and not simply rebuild the segregated, plantation-style system that existed? And can we not reform the rancid, corrupt system of political favors that has permitted the connected and well-off to profit handsomely off the miserable backs of the poor? I would imagine that some big names, of all races and both parties, would be swept up if we really clean up politics in Louisiana. But what good will it do to rebuild on sandy soil? Billions of dollars have flowed through New Orleans--it is now obvious that few of those landed in Ward 9. by serrano </user/uid:60455> on Mon Sep 5th, 2005 at 08:43:02 PDT <br><br>WORSE, Bu$h Photo-ops KILL! (4.00 / 4 </comments/2005/9/5/104830/2384/86?mode=alone;showrate=1>)<br><br>Bush Photo-Ops KILL: <<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/9/4/104215/1119>">www.dailykos.com/story/20...4215/1119></a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--> <br>-Fake Levee Repairs for Bu$h Photo-op <<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/9/3/223021/8888>">www.dailykos.com/story/20...3021/8888></a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br>-Fake Food Distribution Centers for Bu$h Photo-op <<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/9/3/22494/85287>">www.dailykos.com/story/20...494/85287></a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br>-Grounding of Helicopter Food Delivery for Bu$h Photo-op <<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/9/3/225254/3764>">www.dailykos.com/story/20...5254/3764></a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br>-Disable Sole Cajundome Comm Ctr 4 Laura Bu$h Photo-op <<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/9/4/124532/7736>">www.dailykos.com/story/20...4532/7736></a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br>still waiting (none / 0)<br>Stephen Elliot on Salon.com is reporting that people were still waiting yesterday at the NO Airport, lines of them, waiting outside. Apparently there are empty buses driving around, and it's totally disorganized. Only a few hours away there are clean, prepared shelters that are waiting for victims to help...We need to stay on top of this. Check out this story:<br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2005/09/04/bus/index.html">www.salon.com/news/featur...index.html</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br>by emartin on Mon Sep 5th, 2005 at 07:51:54 PDT<br><br>I posted a photo diary (none / 0 </comments/2005/9/5/104830/2384/14?mode=alone;showrate=1>)<br>of political cartoons that are all Katrina related. I think it assesses the temperature of average Americans regarding Katrina quite nicely.<br>Diary Link <<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/9/5/105430/9219>">www.dailykos.com/story/20...5430/9219></a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br>I remain heartbroken and disgusted.<br>The revolution is coming... and we ARE the revolution. Katrina Relief Diary-$14K+ and counting <<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/8/30/105340/346>">www.dailykos.com/story/20...05340/346></a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br>by RenaRF </user/uid:37061> on Mon Sep 5th, 2005 at 07:53:01 PDT </comments/2005/9/5/104830/2384/14><br><br>check out
www.wegoted.com (none / 1)<br>they have a great program going where they are flying displaced Americans to families that will take them in all across the United States. That is where our donations have been going.<br>Blue is the most popular color<br>by jalapeno on Mon Sep 5th, 2005 at 08:26:01 PDT<br><br>Keep yer prayers and good-energy and hopes for well-needed constructive change.<br>Starman<br> <p></p><i></i>