Homeland Security fails its first test

[soupkitchen]

Completely unprepared to deal with the reality on the ground despite a week's (some would say many years) warning.
Good job Bush Administration.

[opihimoimoi]

1. I totally agree....they are in charge of ALL the agencies....who da guy

anyway?

[Hubert Flottz]

3. They are IDIOTS!

The GOPers gave the jobs to their cousins and brothers, instead of people who really were trained to do those jobs!

[LiberalEsto]

8. It's true. I worked briefly on a Homeland Security contract

I used to work for a government contracting firm in DC and they were doing a small project for HS. I helped out at a couple of meetings.
What a bunch of incompetent, uncooperative assholes! Everyone was so busy protecting their own turfs and egos, that nothing could get agreed upon and no work could get done. HS is a massive fraud and waste of tax dollars. It helped destroy many valuable government agencies that were forced to become part of this bloated boondoggle.

[Tesla]

2. Maybe if we change Katrina's name to "Insurgence" we might get a responce!

If it was a "Terrist" He would have wanted to be right on it.
No photo-op places without geting his feet wet!!!

[suegeo]

17. Katrina is an extremist storm

Therefore, since some storms might be planning to evolve into hurricanes, who will then develop weapons of mass destruction programs (like wind and rain) we will now commence bombing, oh, I don't know, pick a country, any country.

Let Freedom Rain (stet)! Wings can finally take dream.

PS Don't forget to pray.

[handprintfish]

4. Ok DU, Let's show'em How it Should be Done

All Right DU, Consider this our "enlistment form".

We've been pissing and moaning for two days about how GWB has "done nothing", was "not prepared" for Katrina, and is "letting people die" in NOLA. So here's our chance:

Pack up the Prius with food, water, blankets, OTC medications, generators, camping equipment or just leaflets with pictures showing the evils of BFEE and get your asses down Nawlins way. The Administration is too incompetent and slow to do anything, and you're so concerned about the good people of the Big Easy, so turn off that computer, haul your asses out and put your money and your help where your mouth is. You've been screaming at the top of your lungs about people's lives being at stake, and according to you George is doing zilch about it. How can you sit comfortably at home and do nothing?

C'mon, we all know better than GWB what has to be done. We've been second guessing the whole operation since it started. "Shoulda, woulda, coulda" that's all that's been heard Go down there and show 'em how it's done.

Put your money, time and labor where your mouth is. Don't let them call us a bunch of "ChickenHelpers", to steal a phrase.

[Deja Q]

7. Carpooling would save on gas too. I'm hip to it. Are you?

Welcome to DU! :party:

BTW: I don't drive a Prius, is Nawlins an avenue adjacent to Bourbon street?

And who hasn't been second-guessing?

[handprintfish]

10. Nawlins = New Orleans

You must have never visited The Crescent City? Your life is poorer for not having been there. I fear it won't be the same, care free city that it was.

But we can help bring it back, but we have to stop complaining, and start doing!

[crispini]

11. I'll be there tomorrow or Saturday to help my relatives.

Honestly, I wouldn't advise that anyone try to get as close as NOLA, but some of the outlying communities where the situation is less bad could use some help. Take GAS, they are out of gas all over LA. Also chainsaws and generators.

And why do you think leaflets would help? I suspect you are a troll, but I'll answer you anyway.

But I have a question for you: Do you really think the government has done a good job here?

[handprintfish]

12. All things can be done better

Devastation on this scale, there will always be ways to do things better. So yes, they could have done things better. But does that mean that it is a complete failure? I don't think so.

People who need help will speak up, while others will do it themselves to recover.

[crispini]

13. Are you watching the same TV I am?

These scenes of mass devastation, crowds around the superdome wanting help? This is horrifying. They just don't have enough people down there. We need people down there.

Yeah, people who need help will speak up. But there is no one to help them. Did you see Shep Smith yesterday broadcasting from that overpass? Sick people out there and nobody stopped to help for HOURS.

[handprintfish]

14. Not Enough Help

Like you said, not enough help. And even with all the local, state, and fed help dispatched to the area, there still will not be enough help. So that is why I posted the message. That is great that you are going to the area to help, and bringing supplies. More of us should.

[crispini]

16. Uh, no, only people who will be careful and know what

they are doing should go, and preferably they should call the red cross and go with them. That's exactly what the situation does NOT need, a bunch of people who don't know enough to take plenty of gas and food to go down there and get into trouble.

I still wanna know if you think the government response is OK so far. I am pretty underwhelmed myself. It looks like the flipping third world down there. It's like Mad Max! Even if every DU'er got up tomorrow and headed down there it would not be enough -- they need BIG BIG HELP -- the kind that only a BIG government can provide. Our "CEO" is not a very good MANAGER. He's sent all our resources to Iraq.

"It appears that the money has been moved in the president's budget to handle homeland security and the war in Iraq. Nobody locally is happy that the levees can't be finished and we are doing everything we can make the case that this is a security issue for us."
--Walter Maestri, emergency management chief for Jefferson Parish, Louisianna, June 8, 2008.

I gotta go, good luck on your trip. Peace.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[whistle]

5. This proves that HLS has been all talk and feel good propaganda....

...the agency has no teeth and no real resources to deal with any security issues in the homeland.

[ThoughtCriminal]

6. Why is FEMA inept?

GOP political appointees instead of professionals and the DHS borg.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2005_08/007014.php

[elehhhhna]

9. 2nd nom. for the obvious. DHS=boondoggle.

[myrna minx]

15. This is proof positive that Homeland Security is a total

sham. What if this had been a terrorist attack? This was a horrific natural disaster, and all of these "agencies" had absolutely NO PLAN. This just makes me sick.