Cavalry ready this time, U.S., state say (FEMA: ''We are prepared'' )

[sabra]

http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/news/nation/12690572.htm

Cavalry ready this time, U.S., state say

Federal and state officials said they are prepared to respond in force to any devastation by Rita, despite the strain of providing relief to the Gulf Coast for Katrina victims.

...

''We are prepared,'' said Debbie Wing, a FEMA spokeswoman in Washington, D.C.

No one wants even the slightest echo of the disaster in Louisiana, experts say. They add that, given widespread condemnation of FEMA's slow response there, federal officials are not about to risk a repeat in the Keys and will respond aggressively to Rita.

''I'm confident there won't be a FEMA problem,'' said Gov. Jeb Bush, noting that FEMA and state officials have already established a joint command to respond to the storm.

And luckily for Keys residents, the cavalry is available and ready to go.

[Vincardog]

1. Gee who whould have thunk it?

[Gunit_Sangh]

2. Of course not

They f*** up again, they know they are burnt toast.

[Betsy Ross]

3. Well sure they're ready

They are still passing through Florida on their way to NO.

[achtung_circus]

4. And is the "clientele" in the Florida Keys

significantly, economically, racially, voting pattern or any other descriptor different than that in New Orleans??

Does a bear shit in the woods?

[Boomer]

5. Translation: Katrina is old news

Yes, I'm sure FEMA will be ready for Rita. They'll just divert resources from Katrina rescue for the better publicity and photos ops of a new hurricane.

[Carla in Ca]

14. Rita is a double-edged sword for *

Great response = why did the people affected by Katrina not get this?

Bad response = Government STILL can't get it right.

I hope, whatever the case, more people get out and are assisted in an evacuation if they need it. I also hope * sinks lower in the polls.

[Kralizec]

24. Very good point. n/t

[Burried News]

6. Back in the saddle again? Right - Giiddyyup.

Maybe Rove can photoshop this for another bullhorn moment.

[elehhhhna]

7. Screw that! They're still not handling Katrina!

[Az_lefty]

8. yea their prepared to take care of Florida and Texas...

but to hell with the poor black folks in NO and Gulf Port.
:puke:

[caledesi]

10. This is a lose-lose situation for *.

If Rita makes landfall in Texas and Fema is right on top of it, * will be accused of favoring TX and middle-class people.

If they screw up again, * still loses.

[celestia671]

16. I don't think it's just poor blacks that no one cares about...

It's this entire region (La. and Ms.) I've lived in La. for almost twenty years and this state is almost always last to get anything, from federal funding for highways to dsl technology. (It just became available here in cenla). I work at the Ramada Inn in Natchez and we get our share of tourists. There are some that treat us like we're stupid hicks. I can call customer service for Dish or Bellsouth, etc, and get talked to like I can't understand anything. People from the North assume we're all racist, inbred rednecks, which annoys me to no end!

Other La folks on this site: You know what I'm talking about.

[liberalhistorian]

19. Wait a minute, you mean you

are NOT racist, inbred rednecks? :evilgrin: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[celestia671]

25. Ha! Ha!

So very very funny!:rofl:

[DearAbby]

9. At least Rita had the good manners to come when no one was on VACATION

:sarcasm: Dont'cha feel safer now, with them on the job?

[tanyev]

11. So Katrina was just a bad dress rehearsal?

Yeah. Riiiight.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

12. Then why are they still fucking up so badly in NO ?

(And not to forget all surrounding areas, into Mississippi and beyond...)

[Barrett808]

13. Tom Toles nailed this: "We stand ready..."

http://www.ucomics.com/tomtoles/2005/09/09

[drthais]

15. THIS time!?????????????

it's still freakin LAST TIME, you idiots!

[Arkana]

17. You expected something else?

What were they gonna say? "No, we'll be caught on our asses this time too."

[pro_blue_guy]

18. Um.......

Rita is forcasted to enventually hit Texas. Hmmm.......President Bush's home state. God forbid those people have to go through hell like in New Orleans.

[Arkana]

22. What does that have to do with anything?

[liberalhistorian]

20. Well, of course they're ready,

since it's gonna hit the ritzy parts of FL and Dubya's TX, and FL is Jebbie's state.

[hatrack]

21. Of course - middle-class white Texans and Floridians at risk

Ain't no mountain high enough to keep federal aid from flowing to those storm-tossed regions! :eyes:

[WestMichRad]

23. Yeah, sure. The FEMA employees are already deployed.

They'll just move along to the next disaster site, and let the folks of LA, MS and AL fend for themselves...... After all, they have only so many people to go around, and they refuse outside assistance, right? I hope an earlier responder is right, and this turns into a lose-lose situation for the administration.

I'm truly sorry for the people who have to endure the suffering - you all certainly deserves better than the faux leadership that we're stuck with!