Is a natural disaster a political matter?
Katrina struck on August 29 and for a couple of days the nation was jolted out of its political cubicles and its talking points were muted. It didn't last long.
As tension and tempers rose when the extent of the damage became clear and New Orleans flooded, stranding tens of thousands of mostly poor and black amid the rising waters, accusations and recriminations between local, state, and federal officials and their partisans took on a stridently political tone and the spinning is intense.
We are following the disaster, relief efforts and cultural implications on another post, and the political ramifications here:
Asking Questions Is Now "Stuck on Stupid"
Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. Those who remember history are "stuck on stupid."
Posted to Politics by Blunderford on September 21, 2005 06:00 PM
Questions That May Not be Asked about New Orleans
In journalism as in academia, the most important questions one has to learn are those which one may not ask. For instance, back in April on Bob Costas’ HBO sports show, football announcer Chris Collinsworth, a white, retired Cincinnati Bengals...
Posted to Politics by Nicholas Stix on September 21, 2005 08:40 AM
David Savafian: Remember What "Procurer" Means...
Finally, somebody has been frog-marched out of the White House. And not just anybody: "The man who up until Friday was overseeing contracting policy for the multi-billion dollar relief effort has now been charged with lying and obstructing a...
Posted to Politics by Douglas Anthony Cooper on September 20, 2005 06:15 PM
As Rita Looms, Bush Names Townsend to Investigate Katrina
President Bush has directed Homeland Security Advisor Fran Townsend to head up the President’s internal inquiry into what went wrong at the Federal level in response to Hurricane Katrina. As Hurricane Katrina’s death toll quickly approaches 1,000, the...
Posted to Politics by Silas Kain on September 20, 2005 03:08 PM
Halliburton Alert: Once Again, The Vulture Need Not Bid
The vulture need not bid, nor -- apparently -- pay minimum wage: Already (in the wake of Katrina), no-bid contracts have been awarded to major Republican contributors including Kellogg, Brown & Root, the subsidiary of Vice President Dick Cheney's old...
Posted to Politics by Douglas Anthony Cooper on September 19, 2005 09:41 PM
The Federal Gov Is Smarter than You...
The Federal Government Is Smarter Than You...Even Though They Never Do Anything Right The Federal Government failed the victims of Hurricane Katrina. As did the local, state and everyone in between. The lack of preparedness, speed and overall competence was horrendously...
Posted to Politics by Ryan Clark Holiday on September 19, 2005 09:40
![Disasters In America: Hurricanes [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/419750C4HXL._SL120_.jpg)
Article comments
1 - Judah Ben-Hur
To: The 95 countries that helped Katrina victims!
On behalf of myself and the American people we humbly thank you all for your generous support during these trying times of disaster relief for all of the victims that
were directly and indirectly affected by the Katrina Hurricane. We also humbly thank you as well as others who are helping to save our dear friends, the animals that are always forgotten in times of distress but yet are always our true friends. We are keenly aware as are others that this great nation of America when cut also bleeds like all others and in time as others do, will heal. We are embarrassed and we deeply apologize for exposing to the world the truth of our poor and helpless. It demonstrates that we as a nation have to respond to our own first before we can become beacons of hope to others. Please accept this letter as a sincere token of our genuine appreciation for helping us all realize that the United States of America is part of a bigger and better planet called Earth.
Sincerely,
Judah Ben-Hur
2 - Cardinal47
Fashion Rocks/a snapshot of what's wrong with America September 9 2005
CBS tonight carried the program Fashion Rocks,exhibiting a mixture of flashy fashion, bare skin and celebrity-obsessed rock stars. A less tasteful exhibition of what is wrong with America is possible but unlikely. Shame on CBS for proceeding with this tribute to the values of materialism, vanity, money and sex immediately following a one-hour concert carried by all networks in Canada to raise funds for victims of Katrina. That concert also featured stars but they sang songs and requested donations in a quiet manner respectful of the tragedy and those whose lives were swept away by the waves of Katrina and, although well-known,they sang and spoke unnamed.
Meanwhile CBS chose to proceed with its previously scheduled worship at the altar of America's idols. There were token references to Katrina as the program unfolded but the main message was clear- Let's rock and google the gorgeous models attired in the designs of America's famous and outlandish designers.
Disgusted by this exhibition of poor taste, I switched channels. On NBC I found an in-depth examination of what went wrong with the Hurricane Katrina rescue effort. This featured interviews with experts who had warned that the levees were inadequate and had prepared reports warning of potential disaster. No doubt debate will continue on apportioning the blame for this debacle and there's plenty to go around.Meanwhile people cannot but wonder:How could the most powerful nation on earth fail so utterly in protecting and rescuing its citizens?
3 - strangelydim
WAL-MART PATS ITSELF ON THE BACK FOR ITS DONATIONS, AND YET....
My husband is a snack-food vendor who services Wal-Mart on a daily basis. He just called to say he had watched the manager of a Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market give instructions to throw discontinued disposable diapers and bottled water into the crusher. When the employee questioned it, the manager said he had not been told the stuff could be 'donated' to the Hurricane victims. They have posted big signs all around that store about their continued 'giving' on shelves that are empty of product, when in actuality the vendors of the product are writing off the cost of those items from what Wal-Mart owes for them. This isn't just a recent thing - it happens every day of every month. We've worked for them for years in one capacity or another. How do we get the word out? I agree they have assisted, but they have recouped most if not all of what they have donated straight from the manufacturers or vendors.
4 - Nancy
That's why the rich are rich: they're very good at donating everybody else's money & then taking the credit - & tax credits - for it.