NYT Editorial: Man Made Disaster

[speedoo]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/02/opinion/02fri1.html

Hard hitting editorial on the misuse of the National Guard.

(snip)

One lasting lesson that has to be drawn from the Gulf Coast's misery is that from now on, the National Guard must be treated as America's most essential homeland security force, not as some kind of military piggy bank for the Pentagon to raid for long-term overseas missions. America clearly needs a larger active-duty Army. It just as clearly needs a homeland-based National Guard that's fully prepared and ready for any domestic emergency.

(snip)

[despairing optimist]

1. Nominated for its good sense.

So much emotion, understandably, on DU. This shows a positive way to channel it. Thanks for posting.

[fearnobush]

3. ditto

I've always fought tooth and bone with the freeper type crazies over this issue that the Ntl Grd are America's milita to protect her at home from ANY!!!!! threat. Now we have a gaurd that looks and is run like a third world country because the Impeacheble One stole them for his evil war. Now Mr Bush, you've got American civilian blood on your hands due to your evil and corrupt policies - We are coming after you. You must be Frog Marched

[Arugula Latte]

2. Yeah, thanks, NYT! Weren't you the paper that cheerled us into Iraq?

nt

[BQueen]

4. What we need is a competent federal government

>>>>But it's already a very costly game of catch-up. The situation might have been considerably less dire if all of Louisiana's and Mississippi's National Guard had been mobilized before the storm so they could organize, enforce and aid in the evacuation of vulnerable low-lying areas. Plans should have been drawn up for doing so, with sufficient trained forces available to carry them out.

It's too late for that now. But the hard lessons of this week must be learned and incorporated into the nation's plans for future emergencies, whether these come in the form of natural disasters or terrorist attacks. Every state must now update its plans for quick emergency responses and must be assured by the Pentagon that it will be able to keep enough National Guard soldiers on hand to carry out these plans on very short notice.<<<<<

Translation: Don't ever count on the Feds -- states, step in and make responsive FEMA-type plans for disasters and/or attacks at least loosely coordinated with surrounding states, with bigger plans on hand to give, wholesale, to the foundering Federal agency figurehead if something monumental happens. (Threaten said figurehead with whatever you have to in order to force them to DO THEIR FRIGGING JOB!)

It's maddening. Norquist's vision is coming true -- they have undermined the social contract to the point that the federal government is no longer functioning, and the states and private individuals are FORCED to act in the breach. This will then be used as *evidence* that those horrible programs were never "necessary" to begin with, even though the public outpouring was engendered by their own systemic/strategic failures.

It's like when your dad screwed up the laundry on purpose so your mom would never ask him to do it again...on a global fucking scale.
:banghead:

[Why Syzygy]

6. I'm all for getting the "feds" out of the picture

They are nothing but FUCKUPS!

Is this disaster / tragedy a role play for Patriot Acts I & II?

There could be terraist in NOLA ya know.

Every day in George FUBAR Bush's world brings new grief and nothing else.

[longship]

5. This needs to go on Greatest.

Nominated and :kick:ed.