Miles Obrien on CNN said the Katrina victims have to sign a waiver to...

[NNN0LHI]

...recieve the $2000.00 debit cards that says they will not request any more assistance from the government if they accept it. I guess thats what the chaos was about yesterday at the Astrodome? A million dollars on average for each 9/11 victim and 2 grand per family for these victims. Something doesn't seem right here. I think some lawyers had better get their asses down there pronto.

Don

[bettyellen]

1. riot?

[NNN0LHI]

9. I changed it to chaos. The media was saying riot yesterday so it stuck n/t

[bribri16]

34. God, I wish Johnny Cocharan were alive to helpp these people with legal

matters. Maybe his firm will step in....but then, they are lawyers and poor people can't afford lawyers.

[Skidmore]

2. I wonder if that waiver included a clause that they wouldn't

sue either--remember the whole point of the 9/11 settlements were to avoid litigation. These people should sue the pants off of FEMA officials and * and his cabinet.

[NNN0LHI]

5. He didn't say but I bet its in there n/t

[Skidmore]

8. I wonder if the locking survivors in to get cards was an

attempt to prevent scrutiny of the document. I'll be the unrest started occurring when someone read the fine print. I wish the press would talk to someone in that building who did read or sign one of those. Did they give them a copy for their records?

[Solly Mack]

3. those corrupt little fuckers

[durablend]

4. HA HA--TOLD YOU SO!

I wonder what else is in the fine print (that the government KNOWS the intended can't/won't read)

GEE--WHAT A SURPRISE!

:sarcasm:

[w13rd0]

6. SHOCKING!!!

OMFG, let's let employers pay the displaced pennies on the dollar AND let's make them sign a waiver declaring that they will take their "four acres and a mule" and fuck the hell off...

Isn't that what this is? "four acres (of swampland) and a mule"???!?!!?

[NNN0LHI]

7. He is on it now. He keeps saying "UP to $2000.00" also which I assume...

...means not everyone is even getting the whole 2 grand.

Don

[GOPisEvil]

17. $2000 max for a family, I believe.

Approximately $300 per person is what I hear the amount to be.

[CrispyQ]

21. $300 per person??????

We're spending $5 fucking BILLION a month in Iraq & our own citizens hit by the worst natural disaster in our history are getting $300 per person & have to sign a waiver tht they will not ask for more assistance?


I hate these fuckers! I hate them, I hate them, I hate them!

Arghhh!!!!! :banghead:

[GOPisEvil]

30. IIRC, Swamp Rat and his father got $600.

I read that here yesterday. I could have read that wrong, and I am 1/2 asleep, but I think I'm right.

[Toots]

55. You mean a DUer actually signed their form accepting this one time payment

I love the government and think it does wonderful things when it functions properly. I love having a decent sewage system and safe drinking water and a Post Office and a Highway system across country and all the wonderful things a compassionate government can do but I am not of the belief the government should give me money if my house were to burn down or be destroyed for what ever reason. I understand this situation is a bit different and disaster relief should be available but where do we draw the line? I was opposed to 9-11 victim's families getting millions of dollars unless the goivernment felt responsible for the attack. I would rather give these people thousands of dollars and stop all wars we are engaged in but I have very deep concerns here. If the government is guilty of neglecting it's duty of protecting the citizens then substantial payment should come forth. I don't mind giving a helping hand but I don't want Halliburton to abuse the situation and apparently that is what is happening. Why not pay a decent wage for people struggling? Why do they have to cut wages except to enrich the contractor on tax payers money. I want that money to go to the people and not Halliburton.

[Roland99]

49. Oh now this is BULLSHIT!!!

[Guaranteed]

10. That is a fucking outrage. nt

[merwin]

11. Reminds me of the $300 checks that were sent out to everyone...

that he conveniently forgot to mention we had to pay back come tax day.

[Vinca]

12. Calling all trial lawyers, calling all trial lawyers . . . nt

[PowerToThePeople]

13. That's BS

Not even enough money to get into an average apartment. (first/last/deposit) They ned clothes, food transportation and more.

[in_cog_ni_to]

14. No-fucking-way! THAT'S BLACKMAIL!

Those people are in desperate need and are being given an ultimatum, eat now or later? OMG. That's disgusting. Would this waiver hold up in a court of law? Not that laws mean anything to repukes, mind you. :grr:

[Joe Chi Minh]

84. Under duress.

[lpbk2713]

15. I don't see how they could get it to hold up as a binding agreement.

The recipients are signing under heavy duress. They are in dire need of the basic necessities of life and they have to sign a document in order to receive them. Also, husbands and wives and partners are split up in different locations. One could sign and one might not agree to it and not know the other did.



Ed; .... but then, the way Smirky is stacking the courts.....

[JHB]

19. So? Legal challenges would take years. By that time...

...It'll be somebody elses' problem, not *'s.

[Southpaw Bookworm]

51. And how many of these evacuees

Would be able to afford a lawyer to begin with?

[NNN0LHI]

20. Bush has been waiving "certain" laws left and right lately

He even waived the minimum wage law. So I think we can be pretty sure there is something about binding agreement laws too. After all these are Republicans doing this.

Don

[Spike from MN]

16. Will Halliburton, Bechtel, and all the other corporations

that will get contracts to rebuild NO have to sign a similar waiver?

[Skidmore]

18. Does DUer have any reasonable working relationship

with any of the Dem congress people or senators. If so can you see if they can pursue this or obtain a copy of that waiver and get it published with appropriate analysis and critique? We need to move on this TODAY--EARLY today.

[C_U_L8R]

22. They did the same thing to us after 911

No indemnity = no aid

They aren't helping... they're just beating on the little guy.

[berni_mccoy]

23. Recommended

This needs more attention! :kick:

[Child_Of_Isis]

24. Wonder if "assistance" means housing also. n/t

[highplainsdem]

25. Recommended. This needs to be mentioned every time

anyone refers to those so-called "handouts."

[Tesla]

27. I knew they would find a way out!!!

How cheap is that!!!!

Can you imagine thinking the way they do....ewwwww I need a shower.

[MSgt213]

26. This can't be correct. How are they going to handle the waiver if they

mail checks or direct deposit?

[skooooo]

28. by signing the check...

[MSgt213]

39. I don't think it will be that simple and I think this entire thing sucks.

[skooooo]

41. I hope it won't be that simple...

But by using the money offered them, the feds. can argue that the people have been compensated, and if they weren't satisfied with the amount given, they shouldn't have accepted the money.

That's how it works in court.

[MSgt213]

44. What you are saying is sadly true, but I can't help but think this is an

effort to ensure the most poor are getting this money under duress. I have this feeling that this plan was thought up to get the poor out of the way quickly so the real looters (big business) can quickly steal the real money.

[Douglas Carpenter]

29. if this is true --- oh my God

[KyndCulture]

31. WTF???????

omg! 2000? that's it... that's insane.

[theHandpuppet]

32. The average apt. rental in Houston is $713. per month

Not counting any deposit, of course. Considering the fact that many families will have to stay in Houston for several months until and if they can can return to their homes, that means they will have spent nearly 3/4 of that money for a deposit and one month's rent before they even buy food and clothes. Hooking up the utitlies/phone will gobble up the rest of that two grand. So they can eat and live on the streets or find an apt and starve.

From what I understand from the news reports last night, the govt wants all of the citizen-evacuees out of the Dome by next weekend so the Texans can play football. Yes, believe it! So these folks are going to be shuffled around once again, who knows where, with the clothes on their backs and just enough money to survive for a month.

My government DISGUSTS me.

[txaslftist]

70. I suspect that "average" rental is going to be going up...

...courtesy of the compassionate landlords.

[scarletwoman]

33. Is there any documentation on this? I don't doubt you in the least,

I'm just thinking that having this in print somewhere will make efforts to get the word out about this outrage much easier.

Voted to recommend. Word about this REALLY needs to get out!

sw

[NNN0LHI]

43. Waiting for the CNN transcript. Its not up yet n/t

[rainbow4321]

35. Ineligible if they have "already gotten aid"

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory/3344346

Most evacuees at Houston's largest shelters have already done the paperwork, and some have even received checks or aid directly deposited to their bank accounts, making them ineligible for the debit cards

[chicagiana]

40. Now we see why Texas "volunteered" ...

Rick Perry was complicit in this arrangement to lure the evacuees in and than poison them. This probably explains why these people weren't being "released" as Ed Schultz was describing yesterday.

No each and every one of them must be "processed". They must sign away their rights to legal recourse from Rick Perry's jail.

[Halliburton]

36. this is pathetic

$2000 aint enough. these people don't have a car or even a house. and how the hell are they distributing these debit cards? I thought they couldn't figure out a way to distribute them, so they decided to mail checks to people.

[neweurope]

37. And yesterday we had these informations on DU:

Just reported that ONLY those in the ASTRODOME who've not received checks yet will be able to do so. All others will be mailed checks, even though they have no physical address!!"


"FEMA gave $21 million in Miami-Dade, where storms were 'like a severe thunderstorm' "
Sun-Sentinel reporters found that the federal government approved $28 million in storm claims there for new furniture and clothes and thousands of new televisions microwaves, refrigerators and other appliances. The Federal Emergency Management Agency paid for new cars, dental bills and a funeral even though the Medical Examiner recorded no deaths from Frances."


----------


Remember Fallujah

Biush to The Hague!

[deadparrot]

38. Are you shitting me?

The crimes of this administration just keep getting worse. :puke:

[Coexist]

42. I can't find a link to an article about this -

anyone?

[Southpaw Bookworm]

52. See this post for transcript

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4708092&mesg_id=4709082

[earth mom]

45. I. AM. SO. PISSED!!!

:wtf:

This is beyond evil!!! I have no words!!!

:grr: :grr: :grr:

[DS1]

46. I'd sign it, and then organize a class-action lawsuit on behalf of

all recipients claiming coercion into signing a contract, during a known time of duress.

[NNN0LHI]

48. As someone it will take years for a lawsuit to make it through the courts

What do they do until then with no money, no place to live, no medial care, or anything to eat? They will be dead before their depositions are taken.

Don

[NNN0LHI]

47. Here is the transcript

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0509/09/ltm.01.html

<snip>M. O'BRIEN: Well, they're not even getting the cards. They're not even getting the cards. It's some people are getting them, some people aren't. I hear that they have to sign a waiver saying they won't ask for any additional aid. Who is going to want to do that? There are all kinds of...

JINDAL: Well...

[intheflow]

56. It sounds like just hearsay from the transcript.

I'm just sayin'... the Corporate Media report all kinds of bullshit hearsay as if it were straight news. I'm a Red Cross volunteer, we're working with FEMA on distributing the cards, and I didn't hear anything about a waiver during my training yesterday. But then, I'm not working with the survivors yet, and we all know that FEMA stands for Fucked Emergency Management Agency.

[sunnystarr]

64. When a reporter is saying "I hear that..." it is reporting.

Similar to unconfirmed sources say ...

This is big news. It should have been clarified and expanded upon. It's very unprofessional to drop a bomb like that and leave it hanging without any clarification.

Either they should confirm that it's the fact and report it as such or not say anything at all.

[tk2kewl]

50. Just sign in really sloppy script...

and don't sign your name.... sign "this is bullshit"

I know someone who did this on a liability waiver once. No one bothers to look too closely. I am sure they don't have notaries checking and stamping these forms

[2Design]

53. wouldn't unemployment give them more than that (bait and switch)

especially if it is per person versus this which is per family - so the headline grabber for good will is a bait and switch

[Vinnie From Indy]

54. Who would be surprised if the 2K deal also took their land?

$2,000 per lot in New Orleans is pretty cheap if the goal is to reclaim the land for development and force out the poor people.

[me b zola]

57. I heard on the news yesterday

When they were discussing the debit cards a reporter asked if all of the survivors in other locations were also receiving the cards. The on the scene reporter said that Houston was a "test case"

I guess they just wanted to see if people would notice, if anyone was going object and speak out.

[checks-n-balances]

58. How the HELL did they come up with this so FAST when they couldn't help

Katrina victims when they needed it most?

Obviously their priority was to plan all of this with the big bankers while they left thousands to die with Katrina (who just happened to be poor). How convenient - they can effectively drown those probably on gov't assistance while drowning "big government" (i.e., FEMA, which is incompetent now that they gutted it) in the bathtub.

They didn't come around with any help until they had an economic plan.

Barbara Bush sure thinks that "those people" are getting a great deal. Tell us about it, Mrs. Antoinette.

How much more evil can these rightwing criminals get?

[LibDemAlways]

59. This is criminal.

Back in the 70's my grandmother's basement and first floor were flooded by a hurricane in Pennsylvania. The feds handed her $5000.00 on the spot with no strings attached. And this was during the Nixon administration.

If the Bush Crime Family thinks these storm victims who've lost everything are going to be satisfied by an "up to" $2000.00 debit card, they are seriously delusional.

[jmatthan]

60. Doesn't the law of coercion apply in the US?

eom

[Schema Thing]

61. FAKE YOUR OWN SIGNATURE, Katrina Victims

This is outrageous.

[glugglug]

62. I highly recommend anyone who signed it

to apply for aid anyway, since it's a pretty easy case to say the agreement was signed under diress and therefore void.

[NNN0LHI]

65. Many US soldiers tried that under duress thing already with the government

It didn't pan out for them. I don't think I would be giving legal advice on this unless I was an attorney. Which I am not.

Don

[jackstraw45]

63. I KNEW it!!!!

The bastards!!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4687262&mesg_id=4687262

[spuddonna]

66. Those bastards!

Yes, sign here so you waive your legal right to SUE THE PANTS OFF THE GOVT THAT FAILED YOU!!!
:mad:

[Nothing Without Hope]

67. Oh. My. God. So it's a buyoff of all further responsibility, and cheap at

that.

This needs attention urgently. They are basically blackmailed into signing away their rights to aid because they will starve and have no clothes if they don't sign the waiver.

[mzmolly]

68. No way! This is blackmail!

I agree that attorneys need to get themselves down there.

[Supersedeas]

69. Assitance GOUGING - those who can afford getting by without $2K assistance

get real assistance later, those who need immediate cash now are required to waive their rights to real assistance later.

You really need water? Spend your last $6.00 a bottle here!!!
For those who have water set aside, we have new refrigerators waiting in the back.

Rep. Barton - who do you prosecute?

[txaslftist]

71. Slick but stoooopid.

Geez. He's in the middle of the biggest pr fiasco EVER, and he's letting his people pull this kind of shit?

Welcome to Dumfuckistan, USA.

[samsingh]

72. now this really, really pisses me off.

[catmandu57]

73. Well, there it is then

Written large FUCK THE POOR. Here take this chump change and go die somewhere, we don't want you here and you can't go back home. How many poor were evacuated from NO 100,000? more? Now they're going to be turned out into the streets of amerikkka just like the millions of other invisible homeless.

Ultimately every dime of money spent on Katrina will end up in the rich piggies accounts, it will all find it's way home like homing dollars.
This is so fucking sad, you know the rest of the world is watching this shit and shaking their heads asking what the fuck is wrong with the americans?

[LSK]

74. starving the beast continues

This really shouldnt surprise anyone. This is how the Bush crime family operates. They probably absolute hate even giving away that $2000. And in their sheer stupidity, they tried to lock up the Astrodome to cover this up. Like it wouldnt come out. How these bumbling thieves got his high in power is one of the great mysteries of the world.

[bloom]

75. kick

:kick:

[demo dutch]

76. FEMA gave away MILLIONS to people in FL

[Pacifist Patriot]

77. They gave away boatloads to people in Miami-Dade

who didn't even rate hurricane force winds!!!!

This pisses me off so much. Especially since I qualified for FEMA aid but decided not to take it because we really could scrape by without it.

[havocmom]

78. FL = more electoral votes

LA and MS = SOL

[Pacifist Patriot]

79. Timing is also everything.

Labor Day 2004 = 8 weeks to election day

Labor Day 2005 = SOL

[havocmom]

89. Yeppers, location & timing

gotta have 'em or you're screwed by corporate America

[Blue_In_AK]

80. Thank you for pointing that out about the 9/11 victims...

Nothing against the victims of 9/11, but the disparity here is just way too glaring NOT to be mentioned.

[newswolf56]

81. Predictable. Yet another ugly chapter in Bush's war against the poor.

[snot]

82. If true, that's obscene!

[snot]

83. PLS HELP Blast Media and Gov'l Reps re- this asap! Here's the links:

We're not in a position to know what's really happening without getting the media or gov to get these people on the record & investigate. But for people who have lost everything, $2,000 is ridiculous. Barely enough even to get them back to N.O. after being flown to Utah against their wishes. (And meanwhile Trent Lott's house will be rebuilt.)

To contact various media outlets, you can go to
http://www.democraticunderground.com/cu/cu.php?az=blast...

To contact your governmental representatives including
the White House, go to www.congress.org

[Double T]

85. We need to save MOST of the 60+ Billion Dollars for more corporate....

welfare for the rich. Why waste any more money on the poor who NOW have less than nothing. I am NO LONGER PROUD to be an American; our government is an ABSOLUTE DISGRACE!!!!!!

[katinmn]

86. We really have to throw these assholes out of power

They are so blantantly fucked up.

[Horse with no Name]

87. I knew there would be a catch

I knew it.

[johnaries]

88. Well, whaddaya know? I'm a PROPHET!

See my post below:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4692470#4714715

"If rescue operations were privatized, everyone would be forced to sign a release form before they would be rescued. Don't want our Private relief companies getting sued!"

Of course, I guess most of us could've seen this coming...

[Blue_Roses]

90. what a fucking travesty

these greedy bastards:mad:

[Twist_U_Up]

91. bizarro world

these fuck wads NEVER STOP every fucking day its something un fucking believable

wtf