We really learned alot from Katrina. Didn't we? Huh,huh? CNN

[Skidmore]

has been really puffing up Rick Perry and his magnificent reaction to Rita. Yup,they had a much better evacuation plan down there in Texas. At best it was marginally better, and in a weaker storm that didn't hit Galveston directly. And lo, and behold, in swoops the "Fearless Leader" on wings of gold and restates the obvious--there was a storm and people were in danger.

Please, someone with some name recognition, come out and call these idiots on this crap.

[skids]

1. By my count the Houston evac was much worse than NOLA.

NOLA got 80% out. Houston?

NOLA had a zoned evacuation plan and organized, timed contraflow that emptied the area by sections. Houston had miles of gridlock.

There's really no comparison here.

[babylonsister]

3. I live in Houston and have to agree, skids.

Houston was a disaster IMO. Between the 12 hour wait to drive 40 miles to the lack of gas and planning, it was ridiculous. I was very frightened but we wouldn't budge with that traffic. We left early Friday morning and went SOUTH because the storm had no chance of doing a 180 and going that way. Corpus Christi had been evacuated earlier in the week; there were plenty of hotel rooms and we didn't hit any traffic whatsoever. WHY didn't the powers that be suggest that route, instead of recommending people head towards where the storm was going? Made no sense to me, and still doesn't.
A couple of people died in Houston waiting in traffic; carbon monoxide poisoning. Several others who were old and/or ill died from heat distress. I sincerely hope these issues are addressed for the next time, and with global warming, you can bet there will be a next time.

[Skidmore]

4. Thanks for the personal account. Apparently the only deaths

they are county are the folks in that bus. I wonder how many other deaths like the two you mention above there were.

[Pithy Cherub]

2. Texas republican Governor Hairball presided over the WORST

evacuation in modern history. The untold damage is to all the people who will not evacuate next time because of their jacked up evac this time during Rita. All republicans are trying to "work hard" at seeming competent rather than being competent.

Houston's mayor has already called them out - maybe because the mayor is one of those rare elected straight-talking Dems!