Why Bush Doesn't Get It

Why Bush Doesn’t Get It

We need more people in government that can speak for minorities and the poor.  Right now we only have ONE African-American Senator.  If you aren’t familiar with him, he was elected in 2004 to represent Illinois.  Check out what his perspective can bring to the national debate.

While appearing on ABC News “This Week”, Obama was asked about whether racism played a role in the poor planning and response to Hurricane Katrina victims in New Orleans. While Obama didn’t want to use the word “racist” to describe the government’s response, he offered these very realistic observations.

“Whoever was in charge of planning was so detached from the realities of inner city life in New Orleans ... that they couldn’t conceive of the notion that they couldn’t load up their SUV’s, put $100 worth of gas in there, put some sparkling water and drive off to a hotel and check in with a credit card,” Obama said.

“There seemed to be a sense that this other America was somehow not on people’s radar screen. And that, I think, does have to do with historic indifference on the part of government to the plight of those who are disproportionately African-American.” He added that “passive indifference is as bad as active malice.”

Rather than being outright racists, I think this “passive indifference” is what has characterized Republican administrations from Reagan’s, George H.W. Bush, and the current administration.  The poor and minorities that have NOT yet pulled themselves into the middle or upper classes are not understood well by the people in the White House.  Their world-view does not include a realistic understanding of what it is to be born without privilege.  

One cannot be a “compassionate conservative” without this understanding.

Stupid Quotes About Hurricane Katrina

Stupid Quotes About Hurricane Katrina
From Daniel Kurtzman,Your Guide to Political Humor.
I saw this on about.com and couldn’t resist posting them.  Yes, these are all real.
Mr. C

20 Mind-Numbingly Stupid Quotes About Hurricane Katrina And Its Aftermath
1) "I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees." –President Bush, on "Good Morning America," Sept. 1, 2005, six days after repeated warnings from experts about the scope of damage expected from Hurricane Katrina (Source)2) "What I'm hearing which is sort of scary is that they all want to stay in Texas. Everybody is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway so this (chuckle) – this is working very well for them." –Former First Lady Barbara Bush, on the Hurricane flood evacuees in the Houston Astrodome, Sept. 5, 2005 (Source)3) "It makes no sense to spend billions of dollars to rebuild a city that's seven feet under sea level....It looks like a lot of that place could be bulldozed." –House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), Aug. 31, 2005 (Source) 4) "We've got a lot of rebuilding to do ... The good news is — and it's hard for some to see it now — that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before. Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house — he's lost his entire house — there's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch." (Laughter) —President Bush, touring hurricane damage, Mobile, Ala., Sept. 2, 2005 (Source)5) "Considering the dire circumstances that we have in New Orleans, virtually a city that has been destroyed, things are going relatively well." —FEMA Director Michael Brown, Sept. 1, 2005 (Source)6) "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job." –President Bush, to FEMA director Michael Brown, while touring Hurricane-ravaged Mississippi, Sept. 2, 2005 (Source)7) "I have not heard a report of thousands of people in the convention center who don't have food and water." –Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, on NPR's "All Things Considered," Sept. 1, 2005 (Source)8) "Well, I think if you look at what actually happened, I remember on Tuesday morning picking up newspapers and I saw headlines, 'New Orleans Dodged the Bullet.' Because if you recall, the storm moved to the east and then continued on and appeared to pass with considerable damage but nothing worse." –Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, blaming media coverage for his failings, "Meet the Press," Sept. 4, 2005 (Source) 9) "I mean, you have people who don't heed those warnings and then put people at risk as a result of not heeding those warnings. There may be a need to look at tougher penalties on those who decide to ride it out and understand that there are consequences to not leaving.” –Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), Sept. 6, 2005 (Source)10) "You simply get chills every time you see these poor individuals...many of these people, almost all of them that we see are so poor and they are so black, and this is going to raise lots of questions for people who are watching this story unfold." —CNN's Wolf Blitzer, on New Orleans' hurricane evacuees, Sept. 1, 2005 (Source) Heard another stupid quote? Send it to politicalhumor.guide@about.com
20 Mind-Numbingly Dumb Quotes About Hurricane Katrina And Its Aftermath
11) "Louisiana is a city that is largely under water." —Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, news conference, Sept. 3, 2005 (Source) 12) "It's totally wiped out. ... It's devastating, it's got to be doubly devastating on the ground." –President George W. Bush, turning to his aides while surveying Hurricane Katrina flood damage from Air Force One, Aug. 31, 2005 (Source) 13) "I believe the town where I used to come – from Houston, Texas, to enjoy myself, occasionally too much – will be that very same town, that it will be a better place to come to." –President George W. Bush, on the tarmac at the New Orleans airport, Sept. 2, 2005 (Source) 14) "Last night, we showed you the full force of a superpower government going to the rescue." –MSNBC's Chris Matthews, Sept. 1, 2005 (Source)15) "You know I talked to Haley Barbour, the governor of Mississippi yesterday because some people were saying, 'Well, if you hadn't sent your National Guard to Iraq, we here in Mississippi would be better off.' He told me 'I've been out in the field every single day, hour, for four days and no one, not one single mention of the word Iraq.' Now where does that come from? Where does that story come from if the governor is not picking up one word about it? I don't know. I can use my imagination.” –Former President George Bush, who can give his imagination a rest, interview with CNN’s Larry King, Sept. 5, 2005 (Source) 16) "...those who are stranded, who chose not to evacuate, who chose not to leave the city..." –FEMA Director Michael Brown, on New Orleans residents who could not evacuate because they were too poor and lacked the means to leave, CNN interview, Sept. 1, 2005 (Source)17) "We just learned of the convention center – we being the federal government – today." –FEMA Director Michael Brown, to ABC's Ted Koppel, Sept. 1, 2005, to which Koppel responded " Don't you guys watch television? Don't you guys listen to the radio? Our reporters have been reporting on it for more than just today." (Source) 18) "I actually think the security is pretty darn good. There's some really bad people out there that are causing some problems, and it seems to me that every time a bad person wants to scream or cause a problem, there's somebody there with a camera to stick it in their face." –FEMA Director Michael Brown, CNN interview, Sept. 2, 2005 (Source) 19) "I don't make judgments about why people chose not to leave but, you know, there was a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans." –FEMA Director Michael Brown, arguing that the victims bear some responsibility, CNN interview, Sept. 1, 2005 (Source) 20) "Thank President Clinton and former President Bush for their strong statements of support and comfort today. I thank all the leaders that are coming to Louisiana, and Mississippi and Alabama to our help and rescue. We are grateful for the military assets that are being brought to bear. I want to thank Senator Frist and Senator Reid for their extraordinary efforts. Anderson, tonight, I don't know if you've heard – maybe you all have announced it -- but Congress is going to an unprecedented session to pass a $10 billion supplemental bill tonight to keep FEMA and the Red Cross up and operating." –Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), to CNN's Anderson Cooper, Aug. 31, 2005, to which Cooper responded:"I haven't heard that, because, for the last four days, I've been seeing dead bodies in the streets here in Mississippi. And to listen to politicians thanking each other and complimenting each other, you know, I got to tell you, there are a lot of people here who are very upset, and very angry, and very frustrated. And when they hear politicians slap – you know, thanking one another, it just, you know, it kind of cuts them the wrong way right now, because literally there was a body on the streets of this town yesterday being eaten by rats because this woman had been laying in the street for 48 hours. And there's not enough facilities to take her up. Do you get the anger that is out here?" (Source) Heard another stupid quote? Send it to politicalhumor.guide@about.com

Who is to blame for unpreparedness?

I haven't posted anything on Hurricane Katrina yet.

It has been hard for me to say in a short space everything that I would like to say on the subject. It has been horrible to see the suffering and agony of the citizens of the Gulf Coast. Like a lot of Americans, we sent in a contribution to the Red Cross and wish we could do more.

Like a lot of Americans, my family watched in horror as people died, mourned, and waited and waited and waited for help that didn't seem to be coming.

There was a lot more that should have been done at all levels of government, but I found myself most angry and appalled by the lack of response by the Bush administration in the first days of the tragedy. With the thoughts constantly in the back of my mind about all the money, servicemen, and equipment we have in Iraq, I wondered where are the choppers, the transport planes, the ships, the military, FEMA, etc.

Finally, some help has made a dent in some of the human suffering, but how many died and will continue to suffer grief and loss because precious days and hours were wasted? Why did it take the mayor and other people from the region to be yelling and swearing and begging for help for there to be a response equal to the need? Did race and poverty play a role?

I'm not sure whether or not race did, but I certainly think this tragedy exposed the ugliness of the poverty we have allowed the U.S. economic system to perpetuate. People suffer needlessly all the time in the United States because of their economic situation. We need to do more for our poor. The wealthy don't need a permanent estate tax cut (for just one example).

If these events don't make Americans wake up to what is going on around them, I don't know what will.

What are you reactions? Do you find fault with the government's response? Who is to blame? How have your reacted to the suffering you have seen.

Share your comments and thoughts with me.

UPDATE: Sept. 6 - 6:15am
There are lots of people criticizing Bush and the governement out there, but here is one well-respected journalist Tim Russert:

“Matt, something terrible happened here – the fact is state, local and federal government did not protect its people. It’s why governments were created.”
-Tim Russert, NBC News – September 6, 2005

and the conservative Wall Street Journal editorial page printed this:

“…Voters will forgive a President many mistakes, but no leader can survive a public judgment that he is unsure of himself and hostage to events…
-Wall Street Journal

Baghdad and Philadelphia - New York Times

More views comparing the two conventions appeared in the NY Times.