Dumas tornadoes on Anderson Cooper tonight

[AbbyR]

Just thought I'd let those of you who have expressed interested in the situation in Dumas, where we apparently are not a disaster, in spite of surviving two tornadoes and losing multiple homes and 80 percent of our business district. CNN has been here today and our congressman, Mike Ross, will be on Anderson Cooper tonight. Mike Ross also says that he will be on the House floor, showing pictures of the tornado destruction and the FEMA trailers.

I had an old guy come in to the newspaper office a few minutes ago. He has constantly berated me on my attitude and writing about Bush. Today he came in and apologized, and said I was right all along. He lost his house, can get no help. I've had dozens of lifelong Republicans come in and say the same thing.

[sinkingfeeling]

1. I'll be looking forward to seeing the story. Bebee's request for housing via FEMA

trailers and a mere $1.5 million in assistance seems reasonable to me.

[BOSSHOG]

2. God Bless ya'll

I drive through Dumas a couple of times a year from Mississippi through Highway 65 and up to my old home Fayetteville, then to the in laws in Kansas. Last May we were driving north through the most godawful storm about 11 in the morning. It got so bad so fast I couldn't pull off the road. Thunder, lightning, hail and I swear I could have reached out and touched the clouds. I wish you the best. I'll shoot a message off to my congressman about your plight. Every little bit helps.

[AbbyR]

3. Thank you

We are trying to be the squeaky wheel - nothing else appears to be working. We would love it if EVERYONE would squeak a bit for us.

[BOSSHOG]

4. Nothing wrong with being the squeaky wheel

You are in need. Criminal conservatives don't have to squeak to be oiled. We live in South Mississippi. After katrina we felt that old time compassionate conservatism sweeping all over us.

[Lisa]

6. and why do they make needing assistance out to be a bad thing?

I've been re-reading Bush's comments during his visits to the other affected areas, and I'm kind of shocked. He's acting as if the feds have nothing to do with any of this, and that charities like Habitat for Humanity, and private individuals, will take charge of the rebuilding. And I'm getting the distinct impression that he thinks the communities that can't do this on their own are somehow incompetent or lacking in moral fibre. I've seen some other rubbish (I won't dignify it by calling it "journalism" or even "opinion pieces") that claims Mississippi and Louisiana must be lazy/stupid if they haven't recovered from Katrina yet, and heaps disdain on survivors for asking for federal checks.

I mean, it's not as if people who lost their homes somehow brought it upon themselves by bringing on divine punishment .... um .... actually, that's kind of the attitude that some of Bush's supporters have, isn't it.

And here I thought one of the major reasons for having a national government -- having a country, period -- was for dealing with situations like this. Silly me.

[BOSSHOG]

7. Its rather bizarre behavior in my opinion

I have gotten the feeling the past six years that conservatives think the federal government only exists for them. I've also become hardened in my liberalism. If we can spend a billion plus a week in Iraq, then we can send some bucks to disaster areas in our country. People should do what they can for themselves but when referring to the federal budget, as limbaugh would say, its your money.

[Lisa]

5. why did it take CNN (and the feds) so long?

I'm so sorry, AbbyR. I hope that everybody has been accounted for, and that more help will be arriving soon. When I think of the vapid fluff they've been showing -- lottery jackpots and celebrities in court -- oh, of course they couldn't drop such vital and pressing news coverage for "not a disaster".

I guess Bush will show up eventually, and mumble something about how great it would be if ordinary citizens just pitched in and rebuilt everybody's homes -- then sidle away again as if he were just some casual bystander.

[Art_from_Ark]

8. Compare that to the government's response to the Arkadelphia tornado

10 years ago:

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wmar01cl.htm

Of course, that was when we had a REAL "Capital P" President, who believed in having competent people in important positions.