September 6, 2005
[katrinagate] 4:54 PM
From Real Time with Bill Maher:
"President Bush has announced a Faith-based plan for New Orleans that involves gathering two of every animal and putting them on a really big boat." – Bill Maher
"All these politicians all this week are saying, 'Well, you know what? This is not the time to point fingers; this is not the time to, you know, quibble about things.' Well, you know what? When is the time, because I'm happy to write it down in my engagement book. And make an appointment, because, to me, the time is now, when the world is watching." – Anderson Cooper
" Why aren't they dropping with parachutes, medicines and food, as I've seen them do in other countries, and I've seen them do it. And finally, today, because Bush goes there, they start handing out some food and stuff to people so that they won't scream and yell at him while he's there." – Marry Frances Berry
"That's all they know how to do, is public relations. I'm sure Bush is sitting around today, going, 'I was hugging Negroes all day long. What do you want from me?'" – Bill Maher
"[Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff] said, 'The critical thing was to get people out there before this disaster. Some people chose not to obey that order. That was a mistake on their part.' And this is what I call 'unintentional racism.' Because this guy - that's the whole thing with the Bush people. They just can't imagine, 'Why don't you just pack up your Range Rover, grab a case of Poland Spring water out of the garage, and go to your summer home? What is the problem?!' They just don't get it." – Bill Maher
Actually, if they want to point fingers of blame, Maher and the rest of his liberal-minded cronnies should look no further than the local government of New Orleans. They are the ones who, knowing they live 15 feet below sea level, and that the levies could break in very bad storm, had NO plan of action on how to take care of the people who lived there, if something like this did (and probably would, at some point) happen.
Did Bush and the Feds drop the ball in their response? Yeah, maybe, but "speed" and "efficient" are not words you use to describe a Federal effort for ANYTHING. The fact they got in as fast as they did was practically a miracle.
The state and local government officials are the ones who REALLY need to answer for this. The Mayor of New Orleans himself should take the brunt of the heat for this, IMO. It's his city. He should have had a plan outside of "let 'big brother government' handle it." He seems real good at telling others how they are failing, yet seems to ignore his own failures on this. And the Senator of the, well, she's no different.
But what else can you expect from one of the most welfare-funded states in the United States? Seems they gave up trying to do for themselves a long time ago. This whole thing just makes me sick. From dicks like Maher using this as some oppertunity to use this to push his "Bush-bashing agenda, to the black leaders using this to put the race card... AGAIN, to the stupidity of the people there themselves, who refused to leave (and still do) and loot and shoot at workers who are trying to save lives.
You know, I'm not a deeply religious person, but given what we've seen coming out of people in the wake of this tragedy, maybe Katrina is more of an "act of God" than we think. It's certainly exposed the corruption and inhumanity from people in that region. Maybe Hollywood and Las Vegas should be watching their backs.
Posted by: JamesMeeley at September 12, 2005 1:59 AM
