FACTCHECK.ORG -- Is Bush to Blame for New Orleans Flooding?

[radfringe]

Is Bush to Blame for New Orleans Flooding?
He did slash funding for levee projects. But the Army Corps of Engineers says Katrina was just too strong.
Factcheck.org --September 2, 2005

Summary
Some critics are suggesting President Bush was as least partly responsible for the flooding in New Orleans. In a widely quoted opinion piece, former Clinton aide Sidney Blumenthal says that "the damage wrought by the hurricane may not entirely be the result of an act of nature," and cites years of reduced funding for federal flood-control projects around New Orleans.

Our fact-checking confirms that Bush indeed cut funding for projects specifically designed to strengthen levees. Indeed, local officials had been complaining about that for years.

It is not so clear whether the money Bush cut from levee projects would have made any difference, however, and we're not in a position to judge that. The Army Corps of Engineers – which is under the President's command and has its own reputation to defend – insists that Katrina was just too strong, and that even if the levee project had been completed it was only designed to withstand a category 3 hurricane.

[wli]

1. There were projects to get it to withstand more also slashed. n/t

[still_one]

2. but even with all that

why did it take so long to bring help in after the storm?

[blogslut]

3. think...

they'll factcheck that?

[Sugarbleus]

4. LOL....good question....n/t

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[punpirate]

7. Contrary to your opinion...

George Bush can eat shit. It's more than a lot of people in NO have had to eat lately.

[EFerrari]

8. This would be a good time to ask God to help

your pResident. And to forgive him, too.

[panzerfaust]

15. Help from God?

This would be the same God who just killed thousands in the US south, and smote millions more with his Wrath?

The same God who killed hundreds of thousands in the Boxing Day Tsunami last year?

The same God whom, we are taught, drowned the world's ENTIRE population of men, women, children, and animals except for those lifted to safety by The Ark because he was unhappy with his creation and so, like an enraged two year old, smashed it?

The one that, as the Kat bore down on the Gulf Coast, our Great Leader told us to pray to?

That the God who's going to help?

The only beings who can help those in need are not supernatural - but are our fellow human beings.

Want to help the dead and dying? Don’t clasp your hands in prayer – use them to pick up the phone and make a donation to a relief agency. The effect will not be immediate, but the wait for the imaginary helping hand of God will be eternal.

My hospital is, finally, starting to get patients evacuated from the areas devastated by the Judgement of God. Perhaps I should go to church this morning and pray – or perhaps I had best drag my ass into the hospital and help.

The first might save my soul, but I’ll pick the second and risk an eternity in Hell for breaking the Sabbath.

I wonder if Bush is up yet?

[ThoughtCriminal]

10. DHS Responsiibilities READ IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/theme_home2.jsp

In the event of a terrorist attack, natural disaster or other large-scale emergency, the Department of Homeland Security will assume primary responsibility on March 1st for ensuring that emergency response professionals are prepared for any situation. This will entail providing a coordinated, comprehensive federal response to any large-scale crisis and mounting a swift and effective recovery effort
--------------------------------

This means that Bush's idiot political appointees were the ones who dropped the ball.

[moof]

11. A, the chickenhawk you mention is not "our" & not even President

B. So long and good luck getting the suds out of your grey matter.
C. What do you call a Klingon weapon

[Karmakaze]

13. Ah, the voice of delusion...

"There is no devastating evidence that global warming exists as a man-made occurrence or that global warming even exists."

Actually, there is HUGE amounts of evidence that global warming exists, and there are in fact no claims from scientists that it doesn't - the only thing being questioned is whether human activity is causing it or not. So perhaps you should lay off watching Fox and actually get educated on the subject.

"If people pollution is the cause of global warming consider that Kyoto does not cover the world's worst polluters – Brazil, China, India, Iran, Our President not signing Kyoto had nothing to do with causing this hurricane."

So because your neighbour is a thief, then that makes you being a thief ok? Great excuse there buddy, but I ain't buying it.

"Those are devised by the State and Local governments. The plans if followed they would have worked perfectly well-- Mandatory Evacuation--- what part did they not understand?. It is in no way that it’s our President’s fault that about 25 percent of people and the Mayor of New Orleans neglected to follow the plan."

Hmm maybe. Ok so let's say the Mayor fucked up - does that mean that the people who were affected should be left to die by YOUR president? And yet the people of Iraq should have gotten help to overthrow their leader? Nice of you to think more highly of the people of Iraq than your own fellow Americans. What a patriot.

"You say it’s our President’s fault that caused the gangsters to shoot at rescue helicopters taking people from rooftops; I say the violent rap music and video games had a little to do with that, along with making the gang bangers rape young girls in the Superdome along with the removal of a conscience building God from their schools."

Funny thing that - the Bush gang said that happened - the FAA who by law must get all reports of such incidents, deny it. Lying to cover for their failings is a common Bush gang (and their followers) practice. What was that commandment again? Something about not bearing false witness?

"With the appointments our president has made proves him to be one of the least racist President’s of our time. He appoints people based upon their ability. President Clinton had only one non-white on his cabinet Jocelyn Elders and we all know how that turned out."

Like the head of FEMA who had never had ANY experience in emrgency planning before his appointment, and was fired from his last job for mismanagement?

"I have been in the National Guard for over 20 years and 3 and ½ days for a deployment from the call to being on the scene is remarkable."
Hmm is that right? Hurricane Charley struck Punta Gorda on Friday, August 13, 2004. By 3am Saturday morning, less than 24 hours after the storm, the first National Guard contingent arrived and later that day C-130's full of emergency supplies started arriving.

"In September 1989, I was a State Trooper in SC when Hurricane Hugo hit Charleston SC."

Hmm, did you know that US relief arrived in Sumatra after the Tsunami quicker than it arrived in New Orleans?

"The USS Abraham Lincoln’s five-ship battle group arrived off Sumatra within four days of the tsunami, and about a dozen SH-60 Seahawk helicopters have been rushing food, water and medicine to people along the island’s battered coast every day since then."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6754820/

"That is just another example of how the chain of government is just as strong as its weakest link. Can you imagine these folks and Hillary in charge of your healthcare?"

You right wing retard types have a real fixation with Hillary don't you? And you are right this IS an example of how the chain of government is as strong as its weakest link - Bush and his flunkies being that link.

"The “Raging Cajun” Lt. General Russell Honore’ will restore order and have NO, LA, and MISS back on it’s feet in no time thanks to the Presidents’ leadership in picking him."

Oh bull - Bush had nothing to do with picking Honore - that is yet another right wing retard tactic - claiming responsibility for the GOOD things they had nothing to do with, while denying responsibility for the BAD things they caused.

Crawl back under your rock.

[pretzel4gore]

6. yes, he wasn't elected in 2k

that means he never represented a true majority, and has thus been acting as a rogue agent of mayhem, or something equally sinister. to run a modern nation like the USA would be a thankless, brutal job requiring 18 hour days and no vacations.....bill clinton did it, but clinton was very smart (a rhodes scholar) whereas geeb (brother of john ellis bush, or 'jeb') is a dingbat
(the very fact bush was not elected seems to escape notice: in a democracy, the 'mandate' isn't a licence to kill, it's a fukking burden that weighs more the better you do- it crushes you outright if you're a failure- iow being president of the USA would be the hardest job on earth. bush is a fool: if he stole a job digging a ditch through mohave desert, it would have been wiser of the guy!)

[ThoughtCriminal]

9. Strength of storm in New Orleans NOT Category 5

"...even if the levee project had been completed it was only designed to withstand a category 3 hurricane."

So the argument goes, since Katrina was Category 5, the levees would fail anyway.

BUT WAIT A MINUTE!

Katrina weakened to Category 4 BEFORE landfall AND passed farther east. Peak winds in New Orleans were ~100 MPH - Not Category 5 - (155+MPH). A category 3 storm has sustained winds of no more than 130 miles per hour.

The cause of the breach is something that needs to be examined more closely.

[dxstone]

12. VERY GOOD, criminal!

An elementary observation, but one that could easily escape detection in such an argument...
Hats off to you!
:toast:
d

[still_one]

14. again, why did it take so long after the event to help the people

what was the redesigned homeland security doing?

[SofaKingLiberal]

16. check this out

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4605183