Is America third world country?

[gollygee]

What the hell is going on? Is anyone else watching CBS News? Jesus.

[Karmadillo]

1. Compare our efforts to Cuba's

http://www.oxfamamerica.org/whatwedo/emergencies/asian_floods_2004/background/cubalessons

<edit>

...Cuba is unusually good at withstanding these calamities, and suffers much fewer dead.

Oxfam’s report, entitled Weathering the Storm: Lessons in Risk Reduction in Cuba cites a number of attributes of Cuba’s risk reduction program that can be applied by other countries. Three in particular are transferable to Asia and other regions:

*Disaster Preparedness: Cuba was especially good at mobilizing entire communities to develop their own disaster preparations. This involves mapping out vulnerable areas of the community, creating emergency plans, and actually simulating emergencies so people can practice evacuations and other measures designed to save lives. When disaster strikes, people know what to do.

*Commitment of Resources: Cuba’s strong central government prioritizes resources for its civil defense department. This helps the country to build up a common understanding of the importance of saving lives, and the citizens trust that their contributions to the government are well used for this purpose. Their collaboration on developing emergency plans helped build confidence in the government, so people trust in the plan they helped develop.

*Communications: The communications system for emergencies in Cuba builds on local resources. Using local radio stations and other media to issue warnings on potential hazards also reinforces the disaster preparations. Since the local population is already involved in mapping risks and creating emergency plans, they are more inclined to act on emergency bulletins. Good communications, packaged simply, and built on existing, commonly used resources, is another way to build trust in disaster preparations.

Cuba is a unique example. There is a strong central government committed to protecting all its citizens, even the poorest and most isolated who are typically the most at risk. The most common natural disaster in Cuba is a hurricane, a threat visible for days and even weeks in advance. Yet building a culture of disaster preparedness, and involving local communities in mitigating risks, are strategies that can be applied in many other places, regardless of how rich or poor a country might be.

[1932]

11. Polraization of wealth is going to turn out to be a big part of this story

Wonder if we're going to have to wait for scholars in the EU -- the most developed and educated population in the world to tell it 100 years from now, or if we're going to figure it out sooner so that we won't descend into oblivion as a nation (and so that we have universities 100 years from now).

[crispini]

2. We are now.

:cry:

[KansDem]

3. America has a first-world military and a third-world government.

The two don't mix very well.

[wli]

4. yes n/t

[AzDar]

5. Since the 2000 election. eom

[oasis]

6. Was it John Edwards who gave a speech about two Americas?

[1932]

12. One America evacuated by car (some by limos -- remember that story)

the second America stays behind and dies a slow death of from heat exhaustion, starvation, and dehydration.

How's that for a contrast: the women and son (a Tulane student) who hired a limo for $5000 to drive them to Chicago.

[BronxBoy]

15. Please post a link

I'd like to start collecting these stories

[1932]

16. It's in the archives here-- from Monday or earlier

probably in GD

[xchrom]

7. thanks to reagan, bush 41 and his evil spawn

bush 43.

when will america learn -- conservatives are not on their side?

oh yeah -- never.

[im10ashus]

8. I feel the same.

And I was watching NBC News. I officially have lost it. I am just, WOW, WTF is going on? WHERE is the help? WATER would be nice. Just air drop it from the helicopters for chrissake.

[aquart]

9. Another George achievement.

[anarch]

10. yes it is

from the fascist government only in place to protect the wealthy, right on down to the living conditions in a number of our urban centers. Maybe it takes a disaster this big and obvious for people to really see it.

[Doctor_J]

13. I clinched this one last night

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4534633&mesg_id=4537491

You're goddamned right it's a 3rd world country.

[hatrack]

14. We are now, and we're chock-full of greedy opportunistic assholes

After 25 years of rhetorical "Every man for himself!", we're getting our first real taste of just what that really means.

It tastes like polluted flood water and it smells like shit.