NO Disaster: An Eventual Triumph for Bushco

[Avalux]

I tried, but sleep did not come easy last night; so many thoughts speeding through my head – the result of a report on Fox News about cleaning out the Convention Center in New Orleans. The realization of how the entire disaster will be spun by Bushco hit me like a ton of bricks.

The report came from Geraldo Rivera, who introduced a new Fox News correspondent (ex Marine), embedded with troops in New Orleans. The guy was flush with excitement, and gleefully described “securing” the first floor of the Convention Center, troops going in with night vision goggles and guns drawn.

“Did it remind you of a combat operation?” Geraldo asked.

“Oh yes, yes it did. There was a chill in the air, very dangerous.” Said the ex-Marine embed, grinning and almost frothing at the mouth. “We’ve managed to secure the first floor, but we haven’t gotten to the second floor yet. That will be tomorrow. There’s word gangs have formed up there, so we must be very careful”.

I felt like I had been punched in the stomach when I heard that. Fox News then went on to the Astrodome in Houston where everyone was so happy; churches in the area are helping and even bringing in buses so folks can go to church.

At first, I thought the response by Bushco was a result of gross incompetence, but I have abandoned that line of thinking. After all, even as much as I despise George Bush, part of me doesn’t want to believe the federal government’s delay in disaster response was intentional. I do believe it now though. And I also believe that the events in the days and months to come have been carefully planned out. They’re using all of us as one big PsyOps experiment.

There are still people in New Orleans. The National Guard is pouring in along with AD troops. Entry to the city will be impossible, so as they’re ‘disposing’ of bodies and rounding up the ‘gangs’ that have formed, media access will be prohibited, except for state sanctioned Fox News. No dead body photos. No identification.

Those ‘gangs’ that remain will be demonized as the enemy, it will be easier to do since most of them are black men. A struggle between them and the troops will be fabricated to show just how heroic the troops are, while the evil citizens of New Orleans try to harm them. Bonus: it’s a way for Bushco to get new military recruits.

While this propoganda is in full swing, those who have been rescued will be taken care of by the good-hearted American people. It will be a feel-good campaign designed to blow smoke up our asses by Bushco. A focus of the effort will be the conservative Christian presence. The fundies will welcome the displaced into their homes and brainwash them. Bonus: new Republicans votes.

Then, Bushco descends on New Orleans (once the troops have removed the dangerous gangs) and starts rebuilding. They will take full credit for recreating the city and making it better. All of this will culminate in holding the Republican National Convention there in 2008.

The following will be true.

New Orleans will belong to the Republicans. It will be a beacon of their hard work.

The true number of dead will never be released. People will not be able to claim their loved ones.

The Iraq mess will be ignored.

Any blame for Bush will be swept under the carpet as he gloats and takes responsibility for the rebuilding effort.

The American people will believe those left in New Orleans were evil and if killed, deserved to be. It will give Buscho a precedence for using force against American Citizens.

Those who got out were ‘saved’ by the fundies after being treated ignored and treated like animals. People will be grateful for just about anything after they’ve been traumatized and lost everything. Most of the media attention will be focused on this part of the story. It wasn't about race at all they'll say - look how we're helping them.

Any blame will be laid at the feet of the local and state governments. A legitimate investigation will not occur.

So that’s it folks. That’s where I think we’re headed over the next months to years. If the media plays along, we are screwed; they’re really the only hope for derailing what’s in the works. Any hope I have for the American people to rise up and stop it is gone and those of us who get it don't have a chance.

[msongs]

1. don't you wish America had an opposition political party instead of

the dems?

Msongs

[Rebel_with_a_cause]

2. Only for Americans who are "into" self-abuse

[dogday]

3. I am going on out a limb here and say this one will be different

If we have to contribute to an organization to show a video of these people suffering to remind people what our government did not do, then so be it. We need to interview these people who were locked in the SD and let them tell us about the conditions and then we need to bring it on home and tell people, this could of been any city USA. If this had been a terror event, they would of left us to fend for ourselves for several days....

[Avalux]

6. I hope you're right.

I really do. I'm not usually so cynical; I just feel so helpless right now.

[Lindsay]

4. I think that's the plan.

I am not sure it will work this time.

[Beam Me Up]

22. What can we do to stop this plan from working? We MUST stop this!

[donco6]

5. A very plausible scenario, however . . .

. . . what impact will the dispersed NO population have on the rest of the country? Will they really be singing Bush's praises in Houston, Denver, OKC, Atlanta - wherever they end up?

And the media doesn't seem to be buying it all hook like and sinker.

Don't get me wrong - I've watch Bush make cake from caca one too many times to think he can't do it again. But I just don't think it's going to be so easy this time.

[Birthmark]

7. Nope. Never again.

That shit won't fly in post-Katrina America. Watch.

[durablend]

16. It already is...just watch.

[ima_sinnic]

8. people need to ask why, ultimately, RUMSFELD is in charge

... the public needs to know that our disaster rescue operations are treated as a military combat exercise rather than search and rescue. They haven't really made the connection that the whole thing, not just the "quelling of the insurgency" is being run by Office of Special Plans. At least this is my distinct impression. I can so easily picture Bush’s Field Marshal giving the chilling orders to blockade rescue and aid convoys, delay food and water drops, and also hype up resultant “anarchy” scenario. Yes, NO is a magnificent theater for advancing their cause.

[Avalux]

13. I agree.

Rummy's presence is very disturbing. And the lockdown on the city...the only reporters allowed in are ex-military they've hired for Fox News. That guy Geraldo interviewed was NOT a journalist.

[Harry S Truman]

9. It hit me this week.

I've just figured it out...this country totally blows.

[MnFats]

10. for me geraldo and shephard smith actually scored some points..

...when they upbraided Sean Hannity last night...i think it was tape from the previous night.
....they were on different levels at the convention center reporting on the misery of the people there....Smith reported that victims had actually been LOCKED IN the convention center without food, water or any sanitary facilities....geraldo the sensationalist held up a 10-month-old kid and demanded to know why people couldn't simple walk someplace where they could get food and water...people were dying inside the center..

Hannity was trying hard to stop the torrent of unfavorable images for Bushco...Hannity says 'Let's try to get some perspective here...there are supplies starting to arrive now...'
Smith interrupts him, almost shouting. He is pissed: "You don't need perspective! This is reality!'

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. I respectfully disagree

I am optimistically believing that this disaster will be the worst thing to happen to the idiot in charge.

[Cocoa]

12. so far the media isn't playing along

of course, the corporate masters could soon reassume control of the whores and the media could at any time do an abrupt 180 and start playing along.

I guess we should keep our eyes open for signs of them turning around...

[Zensea]

14. Let me get this straight

You've given up on the American people?
Aren't you jumping to a worst case scenario?
So Bush tries to spin it a particular way, based on the continuance of these hypothetical gangs & you automatically assume that people will just go along?
First, you're positing the existence of something that hasn't happened yet and then you're asuuming a particular response. But you don't really have any evidence, it's just your opinion.
I've already seen plenty of examples of the American people not going along with the spin, so I could argue the other direction. I think it's likely that people will see the response as the problem, not the situation of the people who are stranded.

"The following will be true"

It's always hard to predict the future.
Sounds to me like you've given up a little bit too early in the course of events.
I hope you regain some optimism.

[Avalux]

17. Thanks.

Maybe I posted this so folks would disagree with me; and you're right it is my opinion. It's a worse case scenario that could happen.

[Zensea]

18. Glad you took it as friendly advice

I was afraid I might come across as being argumentative, which was not my intent.

[dogday]

19. It took the USA 2 days to send supplies for Tsumani

do I need to say more?

[lonestarnot]

15. You are wrong.... cat's already out of the bag! Tooo many people hurt!

[divineorder]

23. There's ripple effects too

1) Unemployed but educated professionals who run out of money and can't find work
2)The economic effects of having America's biggest port out of commission for months and alternative ports clogged and a poor rail system making shipments slow and slowerr
3) The impact on the travel industry on losing NO as both a vacation destination and air hub, not to mention all of the money that won't be spent on hotel rooms, conventions, souvenirs and other attractions.
4)Effects on the entire travel industry as people completely avoid the entire Gulf Coast until at least the end of hurricane season (Nov 30)
5)The stories of survivors, told in all sorts of media, to all kinds of people-watch there will be a book, a movie and a blog for survivors.
5)People can talk to these people without spin. Iraq is a place few Americans have ever gone to, even fewer know someone who lives there or used to. 9/11 created no refugees from anywhere, either. People have <I>relatives</i> in New Orleans, which is only a day's drive or less from just about anywhere in the Lower 48. People have had business connections, visited New Orleans, enjoyed the culture and the cuisine

People will be looking for, and looking for accountability for, missing relatives for years. People will be trying to start over for years. People will be needing medication for years. This stuff will be up close and personal for millions of us, so the story will NOT go away.

[Pithy Cherub]

20. Republicans will definitely try, but this went to the heart and soul

of what this nation means. CNN (more watched probably today) had a report from Tom Foreman who talked about the visceral anger around the country. The report also showed the lies FEMA director and Chertnoff told by showing clips of even the weather forecaster on August 28th saying storm of catastrophic proportions. They noted how republicans are criticizing and the republican senator from Louisiana gave the federal government an F. The worst is yet to come for republicans.

The discussion on race and class will be an ongoing painful national dialogue. But the pictures are in everybody's head. Historic changes come after seeing pictures like that - the dogs and the water hoses being used on black children in the South. In New Orleans, the eyes and tears of the living children and their dehydrated mothers resonated around America that the government failed the most vulnerable.

It has given fodder to our international friends and foes who will be able to haul out the pictures when America is deemed arrogant and insolent. Bill Clinton will have to turn to peacemaking in America - and he is yet to show how deeply angry he is because there is a time and place for that and his post presidential legacy will include this chapter of American history. Oprah has yet to speak and its for a reason, time and place. Jimmy Carter has yet to speak, the time and the place. We have yet to say what we feel as a country about what happened, not while in the midst, but after. Feeling the story is what will permanently change hearts and minds. America feels today and that is beyond the republican party's ability to manage.

In essence, let us not underestimate the staying power or wrath of the American public when deeply aroused. This was visceral and in your face - the reporters who were there are not the same people today or ever again. FOX may be in the process of committing television hari kari because of the inability to go deeper but stay on the surface and try to return to what was, which is no more.

As Patti LaBelle, beautifully sings, A Change is Coming...

[Avalux]

21. I needed to hear this.

And I really want to believe what you've written. Thanks.

[Beam Me Up]

25. You are saying this is a "radicalizing moment"?

I don't mean to put words in your mouth, it was a phrase used some back in the 60s to indicate a turning point in a person's awareness. The Free Speach Movement in Berkeley gave many white, middle class students a turning point in their thinking about the structures of power in this country. As you pointed out, the same thing happened for many people in relation to the Civil Rights movement. My PERSONAL turning point came in 1966 when I, a lily white farm boy from Indiana, got first hand experience of what it was like to live in a Black Ghetto in South Chicago. From that moment I "understood" WHY black people were so angry--I hadn't experienced that before.

Now America has seen two things: The abject suffering of the poor and the attempt by our Federal government to 'spin' not only its indifference to it but its contribution to it.

The OP, however, is making the point that this is intentional: IN THE CLASS WAR THAT IS EMERGING IN THIS COUNTRY, WE HAVE LOST OUR FIRST CITY.

I believe that the American people can still turn this situation around IF THEY WANT TO. But first they have to understand clearly what is at stake and they must be given SOME sense of direction, of how to proceed. Personally I think we should return our attention to Cindy Sheehan--that is to say, AS THE ROLE MODEL FOR DEALING WITH AMERICAN FASCISM. In a way that is what the dehydrated mothers and starving children of New Orleans are: Cries of outrage from victims OF this fascism reflected back to the people of America.

The one thing the Fascists fear is that WE THE PEOPLE will become united against THEM. They want to keep us divided along class/race/gender/religion/sexual preference (etc.) liens. We must work to REUNITE THE PEOPLE.

[dogday]

24. Ask the question, why did it take over 3 days to get to NO?

no one has answered that. Remember NO was already declared a disaster area before the hurricane which meant it was entitled to NG and other help. NG can't move without the President's authorization. If they say it takes time, remember it took them only two days to pack supplies and get them to the victims of the Tsunami...