As a brit watching what has and is unfolding before my eyes in this sad event i am dumfounded that things have to turned into a blame game.
I find it absolutely disgraceful how Bush has failed in preparation and action when dealing with this. What I have seen on news reports are blatant political moves/photo and damage opps and not enough action. Too many speeches and not enough action. Whilst all this was happening I was watching BBC world from Spain last week as their reporters toured around New Orleans saving people from their houses in a small boat with just the odd sighting of rescue helicopters. Even reports that they were just dropping reserves and not picking stranded people up!
Where were the rescue boats? It was highly apparent that local services had been affected by the hurricane, so we can't blame them. Why wasn't reserves brought into the surrounding states ready to act within a day, and why was there no aid, water, food, clothing moved to surrounding states in preparation? How is it that the media could access and save people so early?
The fact there is large scale looting is unfortunate but IMO necessary for people to survive. The fact that this has extended into violent looting could be down to the gun policy and does of course need to be sorted with the same. BUT....how can they justify what many have said and what I have seen......hundreds of soldiers/police armed and only one or two doctors in entire districts?
I truly hope things get better sooner for all the people involved. It is a very sad time for the USA and all who are involved. My heart goes out to each and every one of them.
(I do think that Bush is in for a hard time with this and rightly so. His policies on Global warming leave a lot to be desired.)
There were so many problems here it is crazy. Our goverment failed our people, our people failed our people, our media failed our people. Our federal goverment's policies have been lacking for some time. It's not just Bush (although he is a big part of the problem if you ask me) but everyone else in the goverment too (congress, etc). The state goverment had their head in the sand hoping if they didn't see what was going on it wouldn't really be happening (with some exceptions like mayor nagin (who I have other issues with)). Our people down there also failed. Many stayed who could have fled, Many looted, shot, and broke laws, when they could have helped. It's interesting to see see the way things were in the past compared to how they are now. Even with all of our advanced technology, higher IQ's and what not we are actually in many ways worse off as a society today than we were 50-100 years ago. We are just asking for a collapse of our way of life if you ask me.
As a brit watching what has and is unfolding before my eyes in this sad event i am dumfounded that things have to turned into a blame game.
I find it absolutely disgraceful how Bush has failed in preparation and action when dealing with this. What I have seen on news reports are blatant political moves/photo and damage opps and not enough action. Too many speeches and not enough action. Whilst all this was happening I was watching BBC world from Spain last week as their reporters toured around New Orleans saving people from their houses in a small boat with just the odd sighting of rescue helicopters. Even reports that they were just dropping reserves and not picking stranded people up!
Where were the rescue boats? It was highly apparent that local services had been affected by the hurricane, so we can't blame them. Why wasn't reserves brought into the surrounding states ready to act within a day, and why was there no aid, water, food, clothing moved to surrounding states in preparation? How is it that the media could access and save people so early?
The fact there is large scale looting is unfortunate but IMO necessary for people to survive. The fact that this has extended into violent looting could be down to the gun policy and does of course need to be sorted with the same. BUT....how can they justify what many have said and what I have seen......hundreds of soldiers/police armed and only one or two doctors in entire districts?
I truly hope things get better sooner for all the people involved. It is a very sad time for the USA and all who are involved. My heart goes out to each and every one of them.
(I do think that Bush is in for a hard time with this and rightly so. His policies on Global warming leave a lot to be desired.)
National Geographic isn't singular and left-wing in its view??? Please...
Golly we all know the National Geograhic is a hot bed of communism.
What you can't dispute is that their article, written in 1994, just about predicts exactly what happened to New Orleans.
Its not left wing or right wing to admit that the federal response to Katrina was inadequate. Its more common sense and not a question of ideology. The Head of FEMA Mr. Brown got his job as a political payback. His former was job was as the President of the Arabian Horse Association and he was under fire there when he got appointed to his FEMA position. His main qualification seems to be that he was the college roomate of one of Bush's campaign managers.
The practice of giving unqualified individuals important jobs as political payback is a practice that both political parties engage in. Its time that we as citizens demand that it stop.
Our congress recently passed a multi billion dollar transportation bill loaded up with over 6000 special projects (aka Pork). Thats a practice that both parties are equally guilty of and one that also has to be stopped. Our resources have to expended on projects that are really needed and not ones who sole purpose is to make some local politico look good.
Katrina has given us a sobering lesson in the price that we may have to pay unless we put aside partisan politics and demand competency instead of adherence to whatever our political beliefs are. I am sure that if Kerry had won the election his response would have been no better than Bush's. One of my favorite quotes from this disaster comes from the president of Jefferson Parrish who said:
"So I'm asking Congress, please investigate this now. Take whatever idiot they have at the top of whatever agency and give me a better idiot. Give me a caring idiot. Give me a sensitive idiot. Just don't give me the same idiot."
Harry http://behret.smugmug.com/NANPA member How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Hate to put a damper in all the anti-Bush people over Katrina. (Ok, I'll admit, I LOVE putting a damper in all the anti-Bush rhetoric. Just interjecting some reality here):
I could care less about dampers, but you forgot to include a timestamp on your interjected "reality." Governor Blanco's comments were made BEFORE Katrina even hit the coast, which I believe was mentioned on CNN. Not that it would matter anyway, unless you are suggesting that the Fed ignore their charter based on the governor's words.
CNN is the CableNewsNetwork. IMHO you SHOULD NOT see chatter like this on a NEWS network, that is why newsmax and Boretz exist.
You also seem concerned about republican and democrat labels, which are also of no importance to me. My concerns are family, friends, and human dignity.
All of which continue to suffer greatly under the likes of Bush. If you get a free moment, try a personal inventory and see if you have family, friends, and dignity - You will then undestand what I mean.
Thanks for your consideration,
- Frank
.... .- ...- . .- -. .. -.-. . -.. .- -.--
"Whether you're rich or you're poor, it's nice to have Money!" - Alfred E. Newman
If you get a free moment, try a personal inventory and see if you have family, friends, and dignity - You will then undestand what I mean.
Last I checked, my friends, family and dignity are all doing just fine. But thanks for your concern.
Geeze, seems like it is perfectly acceptable to present left-wing views here, but try to present a conservative view and you get speared. Nice to see it.
Last I checked, my friends, family and dignity are all doing just fine. But thanks for your concern.
Geeze, seems like it is perfectly acceptable to present left-wing views here, but try to present a conservative view and you get speared. Nice to see it.
I am quite open re my liberal views, but some of my best friends, and one son, are conservatives. I belong to groups where politics cannot be mentioned and groups where a discussion of politics is the reason to be, so to speak.
However, when you decide to make a point, it helps to say as little as possible and not include information that is wrong. I keep CNN on, so if I am home and looking at the captions, I see what is on it.
Last I checked, my friends, family and dignity are all doing just fine. But thanks for your concern.
Geeze, seems like it is perfectly acceptable to present left-wing views here, but try to present a conservative view and you get speared. Nice to see it.
:tough So far the discussion has been rather civil. To find the response to Katrina lacking does not have to have an ideological bent to it. I would be a critical of the response no matter which party was in office.
One thing I find interesting about the coverage of the disaster has been the impact of the visual images. Seeing those images transcend the press conferences and give lie to the self serving CYA statments released by various politicans.
The images make political ideology unimportant. The issue is not politics but peoples lives.
Harry http://behret.smugmug.com/NANPA member How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
I wish they would let the animals on the rescue boats with the people. If they would do that, I would have more sympathy for the people who are trying to get all of the people evacuated.
And the media who is/are covering the stories, as individual stories, why don't they put the subject who won't leave because of animals, in their boat, or whatever they are using, with the animal.
I went to CNN to see if there was a place to make my views on this known. I didn't see one. If anyone knows of an effective place to post, please let me know.
I am tired of hearing about people who need to leave, but won't. Then it is reported that it is because they won't leave their animals like that is idiotic behavior.
Rant, sorry,
ginger (I have copied sites mentioned here and posted them on another site. I appreciate the information.)
I'm going to bite my tongue and let history be the judge of what's happened over the past week.
What I find sad is no one posted to this thread with positive input about what they were doing as individuals following Ed's post (#40) and my post (#41).
Add one sentence to the thread, however slanted or misguided, and the sharks go wild.
Let's focus on the good we can do for our fellow man. Sheesh!
I was going to send Bill Jurasz a private message, essentially mirroring your thoughts (before I read your thoughts) to avoid the back and forth..so no need to restate, but heck, while I am here...
Dear Bill,
The current leadership (term used very loosely) and the majority of its supporters, continue to amaze me...how far does this country have to plummet, until some citizens of USA, begin to figure out, that if the tires are coming of in many areas of our society, something/s has to give..some folks (leadership) have to begin to accept responsibility...
At what point will this Whitehouse consider the following..
"The Buck Stops Here!"
I for one, am not holding my breath.
It thoroughly amazes me, that almost half of the country, such as apparently yourself, still have their heads, DEEP in the
Over the last few years I have often wondered, what is the non-negotiable issue/s that these core group of current Republican supporters not willing to budge on, therefore choosing to continue to support an extremely flawed USA Leadership on many counts?
Is it...
-Right to Life? (what about the Right to Life of the dead -innocent- Iraqi citizens?)
-Cheap gas? oops, to late! (at the expense of the environment and other Nations citizens right to Govern themselves -perhaps you might like to research Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia for a little background on exactly how that particular mess came to be..(see cheap gas)
or better still, check out a book, Economic Hitman http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/perkins.html
-Morality (my personal favorite, not near enough time on this post to get into that one)
-?
How far are current Government supporters, going to allow this country to falter, based on their standing firm on personal non-negotiable issues (which are proving to be extremely detrimental for the big picture) before they finally wake up and get their
Bill, re: your Epiphany .. "National Geographic isn't singular and left-wing in its view??? Please..."
..does not surprise me, based on your party's track record, but it never ceases to amaze me!
Bill..please expand your world, by accessing your news sources from places besides Fox News, Hannity & Co., oh yes and Newsmax.com -(lord have mercy- save us all!) ...the sources named, are like trying to make sense of an Ocean of world news/misinformation/events (oops my mistake, I meant USA news/misinformation/events) by drinking through a red soda straw..
Unfortunately for ALL of us, you are accessing the purest source of propaganda, available in this country today. Straight from the best darn propaganda machine, that has Ever controlled the White House.
The current leadership has Bamboozled half of this countries population and unfortunately (finally), the 'chickens are coming home to roost"
Kyoto was voted down 99-0 by the Senate during the CLINTON years. And yet all the blame is on Bush?
Clinton could have taken out Bin Laden on at least three occasions and refused to act. Clinton also refused to retaliate for embassy bombings, the Cole bombing, and tucked his tail and ran in the midst of a mild military setback in Africa, further emboldening the terrorists. And yet this is all Bush's fault?
The City of New Orleans had zero evacuation plan for a disaster it KNEW was going to happen at some point in time. Bush's fault? The governor of Louisianna had to "think" about possible federal help, and then blames Bush when that help is not immediately available?
The people of New Orleans loot televisions instead of seek their survival. Rather than condemn this, the Democratic leadership claims people were doing this to "barter for food". Are they serious? They rape people and provoke violence. They shoot at rescue helicoptors. People at this very moment are STILL refusing to evacuate, even as they are surrounded by flood waters and no food. And yet it is politically incorrect to partially blame these very people for part of their dire circumstance?
I'm not saying Bush is all good. As an atheist I despise the religious influence on the Republican party as just one example. What I'm trying to say is that all the blame laid at his feet is pure politics and is not a reflection of reality.
People are going too far in blaming Bush. Yes, some things were screwed up in what the Feds did. Ditto with the LA Governor, the NO Mayor, and the people themselves of NO. But then again, it has unfortunately become customary in America to expect the Federal Government to do everything for you and to accept no personal responsibility any longer. And that is sad.
People are blaming Bush for everything. I'm pointing out that blame belongs EVERYWHERE, including with the very citizens themselves, and yet I'm the one labelled singular in vision? Unbelievable. People really need to start reading what I actually am saying rather than what they think I am saying.
Gore voter 2000. Bush voter 2004. I vote for whatever party I feel imparts the least harm at the time of the vote. People are REALLY jumping to conclusions about my beliefs and voting patterns.
People are blaming Bush for everything. I'm pointing out that blame belongs EVERYWHERE, including with the very citizens themselves, and yet I'm the one labelled singular in vision? Unbelievable. People really need to start reading what I actually am saying rather than what they think I am saying.
The seeds for the disaster were planted many years ago. We knew that the levees and flood walls were insufficient to handle a severe hurricane. We knew that the destruction of the wetlands was removing a natural buffer against storm surges, We knew (at least most of us knew) that global warming was increasing the temperature in the Gulf. This temperature increase won't make hurricanes more likely but it will increase the severity of hurricanes. This cuts across both Democratic and Republicans administrations. We didn't want to cut profits and/or spend the $ to do what we should have done.
To get hung up on the political partisanhip misses the lesson that can be learned here. Basically you have to bite the bullet and do what should be done. It may mean higher taxes or decreased profits but thats a price we have to paid. In this case that price would have been a lot less than what it will be when Katrina's final bill is totaled up.
The looting is nickel dime stuff. The fact that some people will commit criminal acts when order breaks down has been demonstrated so many times over that it should come as no surprise. In the end they will have stolen less $ than the folks who will submit phoney loss claims, the companies that will charge inflated prices, or the contractors who will make obscene profits from the rebuiding efforts. The lawlessness pretty much ceased once the Military made their delayed presence felt. Also a lot of the reaction to the looting has been racist in its nature. I loved the two photographs that were used. One photograph was of two black youths who were described as "Residents who were hauling the goods they had just looted", the second photograph showed a white family who were described as "residents with food they had found in a local store". :lol4
Harry http://behret.smugmug.com/NANPA member How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Firstly; because we are a Federalist form of government there needs to be a request made by the states for federal interaction. (The Govenor of LA declared a state of emergency 2 days before Katrina hit and asked the White House for assistance)
Secondly; previous to this administration the FEMA Director was free to act with the full authority of his post to respond to such state requests. Good 'ole Dubya chose to consolidate FEMA into the Homeland Security Department and cut its budget at the same time.
this is not right the GOV of LA did not !the GOVs of alabama and mississippi did and do you hear anything or has anyone of the finger pointing people talked about those states --not that i see here LA was not the only state that got hit --just the only place that that did not and was not ready --so you all go back to monday quarterbacking and finger pointing i will not say that democrats love to finger point oh i just did
Bill J *the internet (typing) is not the best place for either one of us to concisely get our points of view, including all nuances across...
I agree with you on some areas...
..such as... when we point a finger at whatever Government is in the White House, two fingers always point back to ourselves, the individual. (although I am currently pointing four of my five fingers at this current crop of WhiteHouse clowns, leaving one finger pointing back at me)
This latest Katrina catastrophe, simply and clearly magnifies our countries #1 challenge,
“What Hurricane Katrina exposed was the psychological consequences of the welfare state and the Have’s v.s. Have Not’s The welfare (or lack of) state—and the brutish, uncivilized mentality it sustains and encourages—is the man-made disaster that explains the moral ugliness that has swamped New Orleans. And that is the story that no one is reporting.” -end quote-
If we as a Nation choose to ignore the poor/uneducated/helpless, then what we have seen in New Orleans, is just a warm up on what to expect in the coming decades (you pick the city), if we as a society continue on the path we are on today!
We in USA are going to be forced to make some TOUGH choices:
(as a very rough example I have chosen- Brazil and Sweden)
We (USA) as a people, must decide whether we continue to move closer to Brazil mindset OR move closer to (say) the Swedish form of Government,
There will be a steep price ($) to pay, no matter which path we ultimately choose as a nation
Brazil (Virtually no central Gov’t = low or no tax on the wealthy= Zero safety net for its poor, which represents the majority of the countries population)
“Organized crime groups in Rio de Janeiro and other major Brazilian cities have become increasingly involved in politics in recent years. But now Brazilian gangs with known ties to Colombian militants and corrupt military officers in Paraguay and Argentina also are adopting a populist political rhetoric to justify their criminal activities. If the gangs take the next logical step -- to link politically with Brazil's Landless Movement -- within a couple of years, President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva's government might be facing a security nightmare that could destabilize Brazil politically and undermine its economic growth.” –end quote-
As a US citizen living in a future society that chooses to govern more like Brazil, then yes, you will get to keep ALL of your money..but you will also be forced to pay an extremely high percentage of it out in Personal Security, such as lions roaming free on your property to guard one's residence-security guards to protect against kidnapping for ransom on your daily shopping/dining/school outings, etc, etc.
Or
Sweden (Large Government presence = much higher tax rate than we (USA) are used to paying = significant safety net for its poor)
‘hence a significantly more civil society in which one is not scared for their life, to go alone (with security and piece of mind) to shop at the local market, walk down a street to have luuch at a restaurant with your friends, or send your kids to school without fear of kidnapping for ransom, etc., etc.’
We (all) as a society, have to (will be forced) get our heads out of the sand and make some critical decisions regarding which route our society chooses to take!
Status Quo on this huge issue, will not be an option.
*the internet (typing) is not the best place for either one of us to concisely get our points of view, including all nuances across...
I agree with you on some areas...
..such as... when we point a finger at whatever Government is in the White House, two fingers always point back to ourselves, the individual. (although I am currently pointing four of my five fingers at this current crop of WhiteHouse clowns, leaving one finger pointing back at me)
This latest Katrina catastrophe, simply and clearly magnifies our countries #1 challenge,
“What Hurricane Katrina exposed was the psychological consequences of the welfare state and the Have’s v.s. Have Not’s The welfare (or lack of) state—and the brutish, uncivilized mentality it sustains and encourages—is the man-made disaster that explains the moral ugliness that has swamped New Orleans. And that is the story that no one is reporting.” -end quote-
If we as a Nation choose to ignore the poor/uneducated/helpless, then what we have seen in New Orleans, is just a warm up on what to expect in the coming decades (you pick the city), if we as a society continue on the path we are on today!
We in USA are going to be forced to make some TOUGH choices:
(as a very rough example I have chosen- Brazil and Sweden)
We (USA) as a people, must decide whether we continue to move closer to Brazil mindset OR move closer to (say) the Swedish form of Government,
There will be a steep price ($) to pay, no matter which path we ultimately choose as a nation
Brazil (Virtually no central Gov’t = low or no tax on the wealthy= Zero safety net for its poor, which represents the majority of the countries population)
“Organized crime groups in Rio de Janeiro and other major Brazilian cities have become increasingly involved in politics in recent years. But now Brazilian gangs with known ties to Colombian militants and corrupt military officers in Paraguay and Argentina also are adopting a populist political rhetoric to justify their criminal activities. If the gangs take the next logical step -- to link politically with Brazil's Landless Movement -- within a couple of years, President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva's government might be facing a security nightmare that could destabilize Brazil politically and undermine its economic growth.” –end quote-
As a US citizen living in a future society that chooses to govern more like Brazil, then yes, you will get to keep ALL of your money..but you will also be forced to pay an extremely high percentage of it out in Personal Security, such as lions roaming free on your property to guard one's residence-security guards to protect against kidnapping for ransom on your daily shopping/dining/school outings, etc, etc.
Or
Sweden (Large Government presence = much higher tax rate than we (USA) are used to paying = significant safety net for its poor)
‘hence a significantly more civil society in which one is not scared for their life, to go alone (with security and piece of mind) to shop at the local market, walk down a street to have luuch at a restaurant with your friends, or send your kids to school without fear of kidnapping for ransom, etc., etc.’
We (all) as a society, have to (will be forced) get our heads out of the sand and make some critical decisions regarding which route or society chooses to take!
Status Quo on this huge issue, will not be an option.
Anson, interesting analogy regarding Brazil versus Sweden. I happen to have a very close friend who has dual citizenship with Sweden and the US. What I can tell you is the story in Sweden is not as rosy as you might think. The problem with a high taxation society as Sweden is that it highly discourages hard work. It takes away reward for doing so, and removes part of the disincentive for not working hard. There are two sides to every coin. Magnus lives here, instead of his home country, for a reason.
Even John F. Kennedy understood the value of lowering tax rates. He was quite possibly the last Democrat to understand that raising taxes hurts a country more than it helps.
Helping the poor is a necessity. I'm strongly in favor of public education for this very reason. I'm also in favor of student loans, grants, help with continuing education, etc. The question becomes, should government PROVIDE for all this, or should they put in place an environment in which people are able to provide this for themselves? An environment in which people can help themselves? That is a fundamental disagreement between Democrats and Republicans.
i have received numerous pms asking that this thread be closed. we're a photography forum, not a political hangout. yes, we all have opinions on this, one way or another - but it's gone on enough.
yep - we have wide angle, and it's for stuff just like this, i understand - but enough's enough. no winners no losers, we're all photographers here
Comments
A former sports shooter
Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
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I find it absolutely disgraceful how Bush has failed in preparation and action when dealing with this. What I have seen on news reports are blatant political moves/photo and damage opps and not enough action. Too many speeches and not enough action. Whilst all this was happening I was watching BBC world from Spain last week as their reporters toured around New Orleans saving people from their houses in a small boat with just the odd sighting of rescue helicopters. Even reports that they were just dropping reserves and not picking stranded people up!
Where were the rescue boats? It was highly apparent that local services had been affected by the hurricane, so we can't blame them. Why wasn't reserves brought into the surrounding states ready to act within a day, and why was there no aid, water, food, clothing moved to surrounding states in preparation? How is it that the media could access and save people so early?
The fact there is large scale looting is unfortunate but IMO necessary for people to survive. The fact that this has extended into violent looting could be down to the gun policy and does of course need to be sorted with the same. BUT....how can they justify what many have said and what I have seen......hundreds of soldiers/police armed and only one or two doctors in entire districts?
I truly hope things get better sooner for all the people involved. It is a very sad time for the USA and all who are involved. My heart goes out to each and every one of them.
(I do think that Bush is in for a hard time with this and rightly so. His policies on Global warming leave a lot to be desired.)
sorry for the bush rant!
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What you can't dispute is that their article, written in 1994, just about predicts exactly what happened to New Orleans.
Its not left wing or right wing to admit that the federal response to Katrina was inadequate. Its more common sense and not a question of ideology. The Head of FEMA Mr. Brown got his job as a political payback. His former was job was as the President of the Arabian Horse Association and he was under fire there when he got appointed to his FEMA position. His main qualification seems to be that he was the college roomate of one of Bush's campaign managers.
The practice of giving unqualified individuals important jobs as political payback is a practice that both political parties engage in. Its time that we as citizens demand that it stop.
Our congress recently passed a multi billion dollar transportation bill loaded up with over 6000 special projects (aka Pork). Thats a practice that both parties are equally guilty of and one that also has to be stopped. Our resources have to expended on projects that are really needed and not ones who sole purpose is to make some local politico look good.
Katrina has given us a sobering lesson in the price that we may have to pay unless we put aside partisan politics and demand competency instead of adherence to whatever our political beliefs are. I am sure that if Kerry had won the election his response would have been no better than Bush's. One of my favorite quotes from this disaster comes from the president of Jefferson Parrish who said:
"So I'm asking Congress, please investigate this now. Take whatever idiot they have at the top of whatever agency and give me a better idiot. Give me a caring idiot. Give me a sensitive idiot. Just don't give me the same idiot."
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Based on the content, I'm guessing that you meant your post to be amusing, but if so you forgot to include a smiley.
I could care less about dampers, but you forgot to include a timestamp on your interjected "reality." Governor Blanco's comments were made BEFORE Katrina even hit the coast, which I believe was mentioned on CNN. Not that it would matter anyway, unless you are suggesting that the Fed ignore their charter based on the governor's words.
Oops! newsmax and Boortz???
Why would you list these as "Sources" of news? Why not Rove, Rice, or Cheney? CNN is the Cable News Network. IMHO you SHOULD NOT see chatter like this on a NEWS network, that is why newsmax and Boretz exist.
You also seem concerned about republican and democrat labels, which are also of no importance to me. My concerns are family, friends, and human dignity.
All of which continue to suffer greatly under the likes of Bush. If you get a free moment, try a personal inventory and see if you have family, friends, and dignity - You will then undestand what I mean.
Thanks for your consideration,
- Frank
Geeze, seems like it is perfectly acceptable to present left-wing views here, but try to present a conservative view and you get speared. Nice to see it.
A former sports shooter
Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
My Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mercphoto?ref=hdr_shop_menu
However, when you decide to make a point, it helps to say as little as possible and not include information that is wrong. I keep CNN on, so if I am home and looking at the captions, I see what is on it.
I am glad that your family, etc, are all fine.
ginger
:tough So far the discussion has been rather civil. To find the response to Katrina lacking does not have to have an ideological bent to it. I would be a critical of the response no matter which party was in office.
One thing I find interesting about the coverage of the disaster has been the impact of the visual images. Seeing those images transcend the press conferences and give lie to the self serving CYA statments released by various politicans.
The images make political ideology unimportant. The issue is not politics but peoples lives.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
And the media who is/are covering the stories, as individual stories, why don't they put the subject who won't leave because of animals, in their boat, or whatever they are using, with the animal.
I went to CNN to see if there was a place to make my views on this known. I didn't see one. If anyone knows of an effective place to post, please let me know.
I am tired of hearing about people who need to leave, but won't. Then it is reported that it is because they won't leave their animals like that is idiotic behavior.
Rant, sorry,
ginger (I have copied sites mentioned here and posted them on another site. I appreciate the information.)
What I find sad is no one posted to this thread with positive input about what they were doing as individuals following Ed's post (#40) and my post (#41).
Add one sentence to the thread, however slanted or misguided, and the sharks go wild.
Let's focus on the good we can do for our fellow man. Sheesh!
Moderator of: Location, Location, Location , Mind Your Own Business & Other Cool Shots
Frank
I was going to send Bill Jurasz a private message, essentially mirroring your thoughts (before I read your thoughts) to avoid the back and forth..so no need to restate, but heck, while I am here...
Dear Bill,
The current leadership (term used very loosely) and the majority of its supporters, continue to amaze me...how far does this country have to plummet, until some citizens of USA, begin to figure out, that if the tires are coming of in many areas of our society, something/s has to give..some folks (leadership) have to begin to accept responsibility...
At what point will this Whitehouse consider the following..
"The Buck Stops Here!"
I for one, am not holding my breath.
It thoroughly amazes me, that almost half of the country, such as apparently yourself, still have their heads, DEEP in the
Over the last few years I have often wondered, what is the non-negotiable issue/s that these core group of current Republican supporters not willing to budge on, therefore choosing to continue to support an extremely flawed USA Leadership on many counts?
Is it...
-Right to Life? (what about the Right to Life of the dead -innocent- Iraqi citizens?)
-Cheap gas? oops, to late! (at the expense of the environment and other Nations citizens right to Govern themselves -perhaps you might like to research Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia for a little background on exactly how that particular mess came to be..(see cheap gas)
or better still, check out a book, Economic Hitman http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/perkins.html
-Morality (my personal favorite, not near enough time on this post to get into that one)
-?
How far are current Government supporters, going to allow this country to falter, based on their standing firm on personal non-negotiable issues (which are proving to be extremely detrimental for the big picture) before they finally wake up and get their
Bill, re: your Epiphany ..
"National Geographic isn't singular and left-wing in its view??? Please..."
..does not surprise me, based on your party's track record, but it never ceases to amaze me!
Bill..please expand your world, by accessing your news sources from places besides Fox News, Hannity & Co., oh yes and Newsmax.com -(lord have mercy- save us all!) ...the sources named, are like trying to make sense of an Ocean of world news/misinformation/events (oops my mistake, I meant USA news/misinformation/events) by drinking through a red soda straw..
Unfortunately for ALL of us, you are accessing the purest source of propaganda, available in this country today. Straight from the best darn propaganda machine, that has Ever controlled the White House.
The current leadership has Bamboozled half of this countries population and unfortunately (finally), the 'chickens are coming home to roost"
Heaven help this country!
Clinton could have taken out Bin Laden on at least three occasions and refused to act. Clinton also refused to retaliate for embassy bombings, the Cole bombing, and tucked his tail and ran in the midst of a mild military setback in Africa, further emboldening the terrorists. And yet this is all Bush's fault?
The City of New Orleans had zero evacuation plan for a disaster it KNEW was going to happen at some point in time. Bush's fault? The governor of Louisianna had to "think" about possible federal help, and then blames Bush when that help is not immediately available?
The people of New Orleans loot televisions instead of seek their survival. Rather than condemn this, the Democratic leadership claims people were doing this to "barter for food". Are they serious? They rape people and provoke violence. They shoot at rescue helicoptors. People at this very moment are STILL refusing to evacuate, even as they are surrounded by flood waters and no food. And yet it is politically incorrect to partially blame these very people for part of their dire circumstance?
I'm not saying Bush is all good. As an atheist I despise the religious influence on the Republican party as just one example. What I'm trying to say is that all the blame laid at his feet is pure politics and is not a reflection of reality.
People are going too far in blaming Bush. Yes, some things were screwed up in what the Feds did. Ditto with the LA Governor, the NO Mayor, and the people themselves of NO. But then again, it has unfortunately become customary in America to expect the Federal Government to do everything for you and to accept no personal responsibility any longer. And that is sad.
People are blaming Bush for everything. I'm pointing out that blame belongs EVERYWHERE, including with the very citizens themselves, and yet I'm the one labelled singular in vision? Unbelievable. People really need to start reading what I actually am saying rather than what they think I am saying.
Gore voter 2000. Bush voter 2004. I vote for whatever party I feel imparts the least harm at the time of the vote. People are REALLY jumping to conclusions about my beliefs and voting patterns.
A former sports shooter
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A former sports shooter
Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
My Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mercphoto?ref=hdr_shop_menu
*the internet (typing) is not the best place for either one of us to concisely get our points of view, including all nuances across...
I agree with you on some areas...
..such as... when we point a finger at whatever Government is in the White House, two fingers always point back to ourselves, the individual. (although I am currently pointing four of my five fingers at this current crop of WhiteHouse clowns, leaving one finger pointing back at me)
This latest Katrina catastrophe, simply and clearly magnifies our countries #1 challenge,
“What Hurricane Katrina exposed was the psychological consequences of the welfare state and the Have’s v.s. Have Not’s
The welfare (or lack of) state—and the brutish, uncivilized mentality it sustains and encourages—is the man-made disaster that explains the moral ugliness that has swamped New Orleans. And that is the story that no one is reporting.” -end quote-
If we as a Nation choose to ignore the poor/uneducated/helpless, then what we have seen in New Orleans, is just a warm up on what to expect in the coming decades (you pick the city), if we as a society continue on the path we are on today!
We in USA are going to be forced to make some TOUGH choices:
(as a very rough example I have chosen- Brazil and Sweden)
We (USA) as a people, must decide whether we continue to move closer to Brazil mindset OR move closer to (say) the Swedish form of Government,
There will be a steep price ($) to pay, no matter which path we ultimately choose as a nation
Brazil (Virtually no central Gov’t = low or no tax on the wealthy= Zero safety net for its poor, which represents the majority of the countries population)
“Organized crime groups in Rio de Janeiro and other major Brazilian cities have become increasingly involved in politics in recent years. But now Brazilian gangs with known ties to Colombian militants and corrupt military officers in Paraguay and Argentina also are adopting a populist political rhetoric to justify their criminal activities. If the gangs take the next logical step -- to link politically with Brazil's Landless Movement -- within a couple of years, President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva's government might be facing a security nightmare that could destabilize Brazil politically and undermine its economic growth.” –end quote-
As a US citizen living in a future society that chooses to govern more like Brazil, then yes, you will get to keep ALL of your money..but you will also be forced to pay an extremely high percentage of it out in Personal Security, such as lions roaming free on your property to guard one's residence-security guards to protect against kidnapping for ransom on your daily shopping/dining/school outings, etc, etc.
Or
Sweden (Large Government presence = much higher tax rate than we (USA) are used to paying = significant safety net for its poor)
‘hence a significantly more civil society in which one is not scared for their life, to go alone (with security and piece of mind) to shop at the local market, walk down a street to have luuch at a restaurant with your friends, or send your kids to school without fear of kidnapping for ransom, etc., etc.’
We (all) as a society, have to (will be forced) get our heads out of the sand and make some critical decisions regarding which route our society chooses to take!
Status Quo on this huge issue, will not be an option.
Gus
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Even John F. Kennedy understood the value of lowering tax rates. He was quite possibly the last Democrat to understand that raising taxes hurts a country more than it helps.
Helping the poor is a necessity. I'm strongly in favor of public education for this very reason. I'm also in favor of student loans, grants, help with continuing education, etc. The question becomes, should government PROVIDE for all this, or should they put in place an environment in which people are able to provide this for themselves? An environment in which people can help themselves? That is a fundamental disagreement between Democrats and Republicans.
A former sports shooter
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yep - we have wide angle, and it's for stuff just like this, i understand - but enough's enough. no winners no losers, we're all photographers here
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