Texas Officials Blame Agency Gutted by Trump for Results of Deadly Storm
Source: meidas news
Experts warned for months about cuts to NWS and NOAA
Ron Filipkowski Jul 05, 2025
As the best and the brightest were being fired at the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration by senseless and draconian ‘DOGE’ cuts earlier this year under Trump, with no reason given except for the need to cut a paltry amount of the government’s budget, experts warned repeatedly that the cuts would have deadly consequences during the storm season. And they have.
......................
And the chickens have come home to roost. Hundreds of people have already been killed across the US in a variety of storms including deadly tornadoes - many of which were inaccurately forecasted. And we are just entering peak hurricane season. Meteorologist Chris Vagasky posted earlier this spring on social media: “The world’s example for weather services is being destroyed.”
Now, after severe flooding in non-evacuated areas in Texas has left at least 24 dead with dozens more missing, including several young girls at a summer camp, Texas officials are blaming their failure to act on a faulty forecast by Donald Trump’s new National Weather Service gutted by cuts to their operating budget and most experienced personnel.
At a press conference last night, one official said: “The original forecast we received on Wednesday from the National Weather Service predicted 3-6” of rain in the Concho Valley and 4-8” of rain in the hill country. The amount of rain that fell in these locations was never in any of their forecasts. Everybody got the forecast from the National Weather Service. They did not predict the amount of rain that we saw.” .................................................
Read more: https://www.meidasplus.com/p/texas-officials-blame-agency-gutted?r=9qw74&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true
This is significant--and official blaming the horrible tragedy on the Trump cuts in funding!!
Sadly, the kids are DEAD!!
When experts warned for months that the NWS “is being destroyed†by Trump’s personnel cuts, Howard Lutnick assured Congress that forecasting won’t be affected. Now TX officials are blaming a faulty forecast by NWS for the deadly impact of a storm. open.substack.com/pub/meidasto...
— Ron Filipkowski (@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social) 2025-07-05T11:20:48.712Z
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twodogsbarking
(14,364 posts)The wettest water ever. Even water experts have never seen such wet water.
Justice matters.
(8,621 posts)As in "Everything T**** Touches Dies"
sop
(15,159 posts)brakester
(384 posts)MLWR
(400 posts)Don't blame me; I voted for the Black lady who was never going to do anything close to this.
Paladin
(31,013 posts)The couple whose daughter was at that Hill Country summer camp, the daughter who is still missing and more-than-likely dead?
By the way, I'm one of 4.8 million Texans who voted for Kamala Harris for president. How fucking dare you use this unspeakable tragedy to trash the entire population of my state, as if we're all just a bunch of trump ball-lickers? Shame on you.
twodogsbarking
(14,364 posts)
LiberalArkie
(18,579 posts)twodogsbarking
(14,364 posts)For many working people it is the day off in between two days off. Working for decades I salute you all. Too much time in America is spent working to just exist. Seems unfair given the wealth that could benefit so many. Reagan was so far worse than the world will ever acknowledge.
murielm99
(32,124 posts)I understand, too. I live in Illinois, but we farm. We get painted with the same red brush as our MAGAT neighbors.
Paladin
(31,013 posts)But when that sort of ugly prejudice is coupled with dozens of missing-or-dead children, it's pretty hard to ignore. Sorry for your problems in Illinois; hang in there.
chowder66
(10,928 posts)
littlemissmartypants
(28,434 posts)I understand. I'm a farmer in North Carolina and though many farmers voted for evil, I voted against it and all farmers are frequently blamed for our horrible predicament regardless.
Condolences to all of those affected by this tragedy.
❤️
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that."
~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Strength to Love, 1963.
efhmc
(15,661 posts)were there during this storm. I pray not.
LetMyPeopleVote
(166,210 posts)There are a number of families in Houston who are worried. Luckily my middle child's classmate's children are too young to go to camp Mystic.
I also voted for Kamala Harris and was a Clinton delegate to the 2016 National Convention
There was no intent to "trash the entire population of Texas," just to point out how the cuts to the NWS are probably responsible for the lack of better response. Trump said he would do this, and the majority of Texas voters voted for him.
Paladin
(31,013 posts)I am also aware that a sizeable number of us voted against trump's sorry ass. That was the point I was trying to make, and I stand by my efforts to do so. It is a point worth making, time and again, because there is a longstanding effort here at DU to "trash the entire population of Texas," and I will continue to object to it.
I’m as tired of seeing “Tex-ass” as someone from Marblehead would be of seeing “M-ass-achusetts.”
Several years ago, my wife and I were in a train from Washington to New York. During an extended stop in Philadelphia, two really offensive racists with heavy Boston accents got on our car and started hurling racial epithets at the car’s black steward. These guys seemed slightly drunk and possibly violence-prone, with a “whatcha gonna doaboutit” swagger. The steward left the car and returned with two white cops who looked like they were passed over for the role of “The Incredible Hulk” for being over-qualified. The cops told the racist assholes to grab their stuff and accompany them off the train. Their feeble arguments got them nowhere. When they were gone, the steward casually announced, “they ain’t ridin’ today.” The rest of us in the car gave him a sustained round of applause.
Texas by no means has a monopoly on this kind of boor.
ananda
(32,566 posts)And the areas affected were all deep red also.
can call Sarah-Huck-a-Pig, Governor of Arkansas? and they can cry on each other's shoulders...........Trump denied FEMA help to Arkansas after a bunch of terrible tornadoes, after Sarah had defended trump daily for years on TV..........Now it's Texas' turn despite what Texas/Abbott have done for Trump these past years........
It is a shame, that INNOCENT CHILDREN..... are subjected to the wrath of Trump/Republican's despicable actions/in-actions.......
Dr. T
(299 posts)for those who are already born.
regnaD kciN
(27,178 posts)…but about scaring young women into “saving themselves for marriage.”
WhiskeyGrinder
(25,288 posts)
CrispyQ
(39,960 posts)Land Doesn't Vote
Traditional maps
I love the Land Doesn't Vote map but the media prefers the bottom map & so does the GOP. It gives the appearance the country is mostly red when it's not.
BTW, these are from 2020. It pisses me off to no end that the Democratic Party doesn't update & distribute this map set after every election. They didn't put this map out either, morons. We're supposed to be the smart party but the repubs have beat our pants off in messaging & narrative.
Anyway, welcome to DU!
Now you know why you got flamed a bit. 
thought crime
(488 posts)
Diamond_Dog
(37,599 posts)What say you, Texas republicans? Is this acceptable to you?
Baitball Blogger
(50,445 posts)
underpants
(191,408 posts)However, Trump was seen dancing on the balcony of the White House last night celebrating the latest round of cuts in his budget bill that just became law so billionaires and corporations can have huge tax cuts. People are dying and more will die because of their recklessness, just like we saw during covid. And now millions won’t even have health insurance to deal with the consequences.
Link to tweet
?s=46&t=3VBm1LJ8j8qLp6JTs_8J2A
Botany
(74,704 posts)Lying their asses off as “the female talent” shows off their legs.
underpants
(191,408 posts)Botany
(74,704 posts)
underpants
(191,408 posts)Behind the scenes of Fox News at the beginning. It’s mostly about the sexual harassment but it shows some of the techniques Ailes (Nogn Lithgow) put in place. They were young communications majors who didn’t know how Fox would work out and they wanted careers. They’d be given copy based on and repeating lies innuendo spin etc and told to “just say ‘Some people are saying’ and you’ll be in the clear”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombshell_(2019_film)
Botany
(74,704 posts)llmart
(16,620 posts)Let me preface my remarks with the fact that I've never watched an entire FAUX "news" program. Every once in awhile I inadvertently catch a clip like this one. So I watched it and am still sitting here with my jaw dropped after the "you can just see the warmth in their marriage". OMG!
No wonder they call his followers cult members. You'd have to be pretty damned indoctrinated by FAUX to believe that these two people have any warmth to them let alone with the rest of their family.
llmart
(16,620 posts)His trademark "dance" is the dumbest damned thing I've ever seen.
Aviation Pro
(14,516 posts)…..
Botany
(74,704 posts)It is really embarrassing.
llmart
(16,620 posts)He's too narcissistic to realize he's embarrassing.
sop
(15,159 posts)Botany
(74,704 posts)Any man who dresses like he does, wears orange paint, and has a hairstyle like he does and
looks into the mirror and thinks, “now there’s a good look” is bat shit crazy.
Batshit_Bruin_CA
(79 posts)I still concur.
--Batty, opinion unchanged.
oasis
(52,471 posts)A whole new dimension of “lame”. 
Justice matters.
(8,621 posts)while kids die in Texas due to his abject cuts. 
llmart
(16,620 posts)I'm not surprised since all he thinks about is himself. Hell, even if his own kids died he wouldn't feel anything.
Justice matters.
(8,621 posts)would stay in cages at the concentration camp in FL...
The convicted idiot did not answer the question at all...
He just wanted to say he has a very good life, sort of.
It's always and forever only about himself and nobody else.
Bengus81
(9,002 posts)We know their nut job Trump humpers Ben. We know they LIE at every turn and have since you were ten years old. Dems don't want to watch that shit...and I don't.
NJCher
(40,676 posts)For exactly that reason.
SCantiGOP
(14,533 posts)Rarely watch videos, especially if they have capital letters, exclamation points, and BS like “Trump totally destroyed by ……”
I made a post about that crap months ago on Bluesky. I also hate that they all will start talking about the subject of the video than say, "but before we get to that I want to show you..." then there's 5-10 minutes of other crap. I know the YouTube algorithm rewards video of certain lengths more than others and the creators get more money if people are watching for longer but if I watch at all anymore I skip around to just the relevant part.
Back last fall Meidas Touch said they weren't going to show Trump anymore. I was like hell yeah finally a channel I'll be able to stomach. That unfortunately didn't last long. I pretty much just stick to the Damage Report now. John is usually pretty good about keeping his clips on topic. Wish he'd cut ties with TYT though and go independent.
Looking for the post to add here and realized it annoyed me enough to post about it twice either that or my memory is slipping and I had no idea I had already said something about it. Anyway here's one of them.
It's a couple weeks late but any chance we could get a New Year's resolution by progressive/leftist YouTube channels to honestly title their videos? Every one has words like COLLAPSE, SHOCKED, STUNNED, CATOSTROPHIC, BRUTAL, etc. in them and the video never lives up to the promise.
— 4amKent (@4amkent.bsky.social) 2025-01-20T06:06:50.007Z
CrispyQ
(39,960 posts)What I don't get is the vids have CC, so why is it so hard to get a transcript? ?????
Trueblue Texan
(3,467 posts)murielm99
(32,124 posts)
Farmer-Rick
(11,865 posts)But you weren't. He had a very similar little dance. And Hitler's girlfriend joined in too.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DeypJfOKeSJU%26t%3D48s&ved=2ahUKEwiNityj-qWOAxW9m4kEHcDxMb8QwqsBegQIExAG&usg=AOvVaw2w0naBgqmu-aK_rkQWCfUy
sop
(15,159 posts)I hope I live long enough to dance during Trump's funeral.
I'll dance, drink champagne, whoop it up, have a parade, and sing "Happy Days are Here Again".
Farmer-Rick
(11,865 posts)Remember when pedo Trump removed funding from pandemic preparations and then we had a pandemic?
So look carefully at all the disaster funding he's removing. It's coming to a place near you.
LetMyPeopleVote
(166,210 posts)
BidenRocks
(1,836 posts)I can't handle any more.
Victims families deserve an Obama or Biden.
Instead we get blame and self-agrandizement.
I had a 2 day business trip to Houston some years back.
It flooded the 2nd day.
Everyone knows you don't build in a flood plain but Texas will do whatever. See also the power grid decisions.
It really is a whole other country. (Said their ads)
OMGWTF
(4,839 posts)Do you realize that fascism has been codified into law? I guess every 250 years we have to rid ourselves of a fking king.
underpants
(191,408 posts)gab13by13
(28,827 posts)caused because billionaires need more money.
Would Krasnov let the billionaires' tax cuts expire if he knew ahead of time those young girls could be saved?
Botany
(74,704 posts)We are way down the rabbit hole of Christo fascism.
... not a chance. NOTHING that doesn't directly and immediately benefit Trump matters to him in the slightest. If he's true to form, he won't even take the time to acknowledge their deaths.
In the words psychologists use to describe him, "Malignant Narcissist", malignant is a clinical term. A pejorative to be sure, but with clinical detachment. It's tunnel-vision selfishness on steroids and PCP, fueled by depraved indifference to the effects his actions have on others. In short, he couldn't care less.
Lovie777
(19,320 posts)warning: more accurate weather forecast diminished because of shithole and the republican party greed for more tax cuts for the rich, FEMA now funding more concentration camps and not helping with the USA disasters, more illegal deportations, not limited to criminals but to innocent people/citizens, now they are after naturalized citizens with the same lie re: criminals (we know how that worked), the slow destruction of SS, Medicaid, Snap, etc. (reimbursed for tax cuts to the rich), bullshit tariffs, and now a police state (ICE) funded with more tax payer money which WE THE PEOPLE pays in taxes.
There are more defunding to education, child care, healthcare, et al.,
People losing their jobs.
A president who is suppose to be for all the USA, but hates majority of us.
the nelm
(116 posts)(Would it be a little karmic justice this hurricane season if Merde a Lago got flattened? [minus any casualties])
llmart
(16,620 posts)I can think of one "casualty" I would celebrate.
DBoon
(23,940 posts)A well funded weather service might convince people that fossil fuel use is leading to disasters.
Diraven
(1,446 posts)And conclude that the weather agencies should be shut down completely. Knowing Texas.
aggiesal
(10,176 posts)
sinkingfeeling
(55,877 posts)travelingthrulife
(2,862 posts)that's right! Democrats! It's their fault.
Lovie777
(19,320 posts)but the magas have a new target for now, Mamdani, and therefore in their effed up world, it's his fault as well.
democrank
(11,640 posts)Trump should be behind bars
aeromanKC
(3,672 posts)The carnage of blood on Trump's hand has only just began.
Response to aeromanKC (Reply #23)
krkaufman This message was self-deleted by its author.
BradBo
(746 posts)
moonshinegnomie
(3,511 posts)then the NWS service issued a flood warning at 1:15 am
city officials didnt bother to send a warning for 4 hours
https://www.kxan.com/investigations/conflicting-officials-social-posts-leave-evacuation-delays-questions-in-kerr-county-flooding/
ill just not that kerr county is ultra maga territory
Mike 03
(18,542 posts)The quote makes it sound like the official doesn't think that was much, and that much more fell. How much rain actually fell?
All I know is that if we saw a forecast telling us six to eight inches of rain were going to fall where I live, I'd be shitting bricks and packing up the car.
moonshinegnomie
(3,511 posts)especially on saturated ground. it sbeen raining on and off for several days. Im about 2 hours away from there. weve gotte about 5 inches so far this month and they just issued a flood warning for us for another 1-3 inches in the next few hours.
its not like this is unprecedented around here. weve been in austin for 15 years. weve had 3 storms i can remember that dropped over 10" in a few days. when we first moved here our realtor even joked that the weather here is drought interrupted by periods of flooding.
We got 6" of rain during the month of September one year & it took two years to fix the trails that got flooded out & one trail got closed permanently. I can't imagine that much rain in a day or two. 
Strelnikov_
(8,006 posts)And 6 to 8 on already saturated ground is . . .
If NWS issued a forecast as such, this is on the locals, if anyone. Emergency management is a local function.
As you note, I would be making preparations if in a flood prone area. I know of State Park campgrounds that would be evacuating with a forecast like that.
Smelling locals trying to pass the buck, just like at Uvalde. Guess those cowboy hats are a shield from taking responsibility.
bucolic_frolic
(51,383 posts)Nixon was blamed, I suppose this will be a write-off ho-hum.
Ol Janx Spirit
(326 posts)
And the fact that most victims were attending a Christian girls' camp means...it was all part of some grand plan...I guess.
Same theme: everything bad is Satan; everything good is God. It's hard to argue with anyone entrenched in that logic.
It's polytheism, but don't try to tell them that....
For me it is just another extremely sad and possibly avoidable tragedy. I grieve for everyone involved.
ancianita
(41,013 posts)Last edited Sat Jul 5, 2025, 01:31 PM - Edit history (1)
when the TX AG files a lawsuit.
A vast swath of this country have suffered disaster in the felon's second term. We know he doesn't give two shits about Americans when weather catastrophes like tornadoes, wild fires, or floods hit.
The felon's message: No one's coming. Y'all are on your own.
The only help will be from fellow Americans in these agencies who send timely warnings to affected states. Their preventive efforts might lessen some deaths and search and rescue money and manpower.
To mitigate some of what NOAA's warning systems have mitigated, we'll have to depend on each other among federal and state help agencies to establish durable communications in the next three years. Or more. Heaven only knows for how long, really.
Grim Chieftain
(377 posts)and he is still in the Oval Office. What the hell does it take to remove a clear and present danger from the presidency?
ancianita
(41,013 posts)To your question about what it will take to remove him, you know that institutions of government (and even elections) are not working to remove him, so what entity is left? And if that entity removes him -- either an assassination or the US military --- who/what will then remove the rest of the dangerous henchmen system he's had in place. Moreover, who will remove the oligarchs who've paid for all this?
Grim Chieftain
(377 posts)It's terrifying.
ancianita
(41,013 posts)you should know it's no good or help to call it terrifying. We can't let fears block our ability to think our way through this, and then out of it. We have to keep thinking ahead to what's coming and prepare to act with continuing
-- protests,
-- donating,
-- high midterm turnout,
-- investigations of midterm election fraud, and
-- helping our neighbors.
Feeling terrified or afraid stops all action. We have to stop scaring ourselves about the present and future, put feelings aside, grow up and join with others.
We have to act in solidarity.
Grim Chieftain
(377 posts)I am a baby boomer who has been protesting, phone banking, holding and attending rallies, calling and writing representatives since the seventies. I've been a member of the ACLU for decades. My husband was a legislative recruiter for the Democratic party and also a Democrat mayor in a very red state. We organized our county's "get out the vote" for several of our candidates and have knocked on countless doors. As a professor I have incorporated the principles of freedom, democracy, inclusion, ethics and activism in all my teachings.
My comments above were those of frustration, nothing more.
ancianita
(41,013 posts)Sorry to offend, though I didn't mean to. As a fellow boomer I understand our frustration, and just wanted to point out that in the day-today, we can't let understandable negative emotions control us, is all.
Grim Chieftain
(377 posts)The frustration is taking a toll on many of us. Thanks for the kind reply.
LisaL
(47,280 posts)What can go wrong?
COL Mustard
(7,493 posts)I'm saddened by the loss of innocent life and have empathy for the families. I have zero sympathy for the Trump voters who elected him and his reign of chaos. This is one consequence of what they voted for.
ETA: Give it time. They'll try to find a way to spin this back on Biden...if they haven't already started.
LetMyPeopleVote
(166,210 posts)
ananda
(32,566 posts)And of course, our entire state government is deep red.
So... I predict that nothing will change.
Oh.. and I just got a flash flood warning on my phone.
I guess it's coming to Austin now.
We'll see how that goes too.
Martin68
(26,146 posts)
txwhitedove
(4,148 posts)of thoughts to mull around for all. Texas Hill Country prone to flooding: "Flood Facts: From 1998 to 2000, floods in Texas have taken over 100 lives, displaced more than 50,000 people and cost over 7.5 billion dollars. Nationally, deaths from all natural disasters are declining – except for flash flooding.
Texas holds six of the top 12 world records for rainfall of short duration and has floodplain acreage the size of North Carolina. “Flash Flood Alley” is a one-hour film that follows the lives of five Texans who rebuild after the great Central Texas flood of 1998. Read about this important film, see very helpful documents, media releases and film clips: http://floodsafety.com/media/ffa/contents_index.htm"
Easy to online search. Historic flooding for over 100 years. I lived in rural Texas on south end of hill country, and got caught in one of those big rain run offs.
mcar
(44,926 posts)ancianita
(41,013 posts)They didn't listen, and now they suffer for their ignorance. At least we Democrats know the cause of all this.
Blue states have been readying to mitigate weather catastrophes. So far, most of the damage has hit mostly maga states.
mcar
(44,926 posts)We warned them. 
ancianita
(41,013 posts)We'll see if they vote accordingly in the midterms. Some hardcore states like FL and TX might not change, but others might.
NowsTheTime
(1,155 posts)Changing climate means changing weather.
1) Climate warming is causing changes to weather in different regions of the world. In particular, it is causing more extreme weather events than we have seen in the past. These extreme weather events can have impacts on human health, limiting access to clean drinking water, food, and shelter and taxing people’s ability to cope with heat, drought or flood.
2) More rain and flooding: With more evaporation, there is more water in the air so storms can produce more intense rainfall events in some areas. This can cause flooding – a risk to the environment and human health.
3) More extreme drought: Warmer temperatures cause more evaporation, turning water into vapor in the air, and causing drought in some areas of the world. Places prone to drought are expected to become even drier over the next century. This is bad news for farmers who can expect fewer crops in these conditions.
4) Stronger hurricanes: Warmer ocean surface waters can intensify hurricanes and tropical storms, leading to more hazardous conditions as these storms make landfall. Scientists continue to research how climate change affects the number of these storms, but we know that the storms will be powerful and destructive in the future.
Heat waves: It is likely that heat waves have become more common in more areas of the world.
republianmushroom
(20,614 posts)Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(125,876 posts)I'm not hopeful
LetMyPeopleVote
(166,210 posts)
ancianita
(41,013 posts)though they damn well know they're as responsible for these deaths as the felon that they & TX rethugs voted for.
throwin' this in from upthread ...
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=3491232
LetMyPeopleVote
(166,210 posts)Link to tweet
Maybe Trump shouldn't have defunded the NWS.
orangecrush
(25,585 posts)moonshinegnomie
(3,511 posts)Early Week: NWS offices (San Antonio & Austin) flagged heavy rain potential by Sunday, extending alerts through Wednesday.
By Tuesday–Wednesday: Messaging mentioned Thursday flood risk.Thursday: Flood watches were issued. By late afternoon, a “Slight Risk” of excessive rain (WPC 2/4) was highlighted—which in hindsight may have underplayed the potential.
How Did the Weather Models Perform?HRRR: Wednesday night runs showed 7–9″ bullseyes; by Thursday morning, projected 10–13″, and later up to 20″ in key flash-flood zones.
HREF: Also signaled >10″ potential early Thursday using probability-matched mean—providing solid foresight for forecasters
flash Flood Warnings kicked off just before midnight Friday as rain rates exceeded 3–4″/hr.Flash Flood Emergencies were declared around 4 AM Friday in Kerrville and near San Angelo as over 10″ fell
in addition the NWS issued a flash flood warning at 1:15am
local officials didnt tell people to evacuate til 4-6 hours later
https://www.kxan.com/investigations/conflicting-officials-social-posts-leave-evacuation-delays-questions-in-kerr-county-flooding/
Old Crank
(5,900 posts)Anything to prepare for this type of catastrophy?
This problem was known for months. Have they even had meetings to set up a plan to deal with the new environment?
mdbl
(6,907 posts)and them vote for people who support his ambitions about only caring about himself.
IbogaProject
(4,634 posts)They brought this as they are so craven a greedy they'd rather not pay a little more to help others but instead are still trying to accumulate ever more than they can reasonably expect to use.
Picaro
(2,094 posts)Kristi Noem (aka the puppy killer) is there with Abbot doing some epic ass covering.
Cha
(312,980 posts)Crimes Against Humanity. 
LetMyPeopleVote
(166,210 posts)One of the provisions of Project 2025 was the dismantling of NOAA and NWS. We are seeing the results
Link to tweet
stollen
(905 posts)Last edited Sun Jul 6, 2025, 01:30 PM - Edit history (1)
And these idiots are busy covering their tracks.
When it comes to gun massacres they say it is "too early" to get into a blaming discussion. Not when you have to CYOA, obviously.
Fiddlelady11
(78 posts)For this. Metaphorically speaking…
Deminpenn
(16,888 posts)declaration for Federal disaster aid.
I suppose the irony was lost on him.
wolfie001
(5,682 posts)Racist redneck mother f6cker! 
MissouriDem47
(215 posts)Feel for those that didn't vote for TACO.
damifino10
(116 posts)The body count in total is not being reported and/or attributed to this evil person. Covid was a huge
matter ignored by trumped his stupidity. Well, his isn't through. Many of the decisions he and his murdering administration have made guarantee that the body count is going to explode.
It appears that many of us are doomed.
bmichaelh
(865 posts)Some people in this nation are just greedy.
They do not realize that the one of the lives that they could save could be the next great scientist or next great inventor, etc.
There will be horrific costs in this country caused by DOGE.
There will also be some silent costs that media will not cover.
For example, I am a lymphoma survivor.
I was first diagnosed with an indolent lymphoma, called follicular lymphoma in 1990.
In 2002 and 2019, it returned and was transformed into a more aggressive lymphoma, called diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
I went through 4 different therapies in 2019 over 2 years; all failed.
In 2021, a new therapy worked; the drug had been approved by the FDA the year before in 2020.
So cancer research saved my life; cancer research that Trump has cancelled.
LetMyPeopleVote
(166,210 posts)Some experts say staff shortages might have complicated forecasters’ ability to coordinate responses with local emergency management officials.
🚨 NYT: As Floods Hit, Key Roles Were Vacant at Weather Service Offices in Texas
— MeidasTouch (@meidastouch.com) 2025-07-06T04:33:59.776Z
Some experts say staff shortages might have complicated forecasters’ ability to coordinate responses with local emergency management officials.
Gift link:
Link to tweet
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/05/us/politics/texas-floods-warnings-vacancies.html?unlocked_article_code=1.UU8.Zjkx.evidtrUYt_ZY&smid=tw-share
The staffing shortages suggested a separate problem, those former officials said — the loss of experienced people who would typically have helped communicate with local authorities in the hours after flash flood warnings were issued overnight.
The shortages are among the factors likely to be scrutinized as the death toll climbs from the floods. Separate questions have emerged about the preparedness of local communities, including Kerr County’s apparent lack of a local flood warning system. The county, roughly 50 miles northwest of San Antonio, is where many of the deaths occurred......
The National Weather Service’s San Angelo office, which is responsible for some of the areas hit hardest by Friday’s flooding, was missing a senior hydrologist, staff forecaster and meteorologist in charge, according to Tom Fahy, the legislative director for the National Weather Service Employees Organization, the union that represents Weather Service workers.
The Weather Service’s nearby San Antonio office, which covers other areas hit by the floods, also had significant vacancies, including a warning coordination meteorologist and science officer, Mr. Fahy said. Staff members in those positions are meant to work with local emergency managers to plan for floods, including when and how to warn local residents and help them evacuate.
That office’s warning coordination meteorologist left on April 30, after taking the early retirement package the Trump administration used to reduce the number of federal employees, according to a person with knowledge of his departure......
John Sokich, who until January was director of congressional affairs for the National Weather Service, said those unfilled positions made it harder to coordinate with local officials because each Weather Service office works as a team. “Reduced staffing puts that in jeopardy,” he said......
An equally important question, he added, was how the Weather Service was coordinating with local emergency managers to act on those warnings as they came in.
“You have to have a response mechanism that involves local officials,” Dr. Uccellini said. “It involves a relationship with the emergency management community, at every level.”
But that requires having staff members in those positions, he said......
Typically, Mr. Sokich said, the Weather Service will send an official to meet regularly with local emergency managers for what are called “tabletop operations” — planning ahead of time for what to do in case of a flash flood or other major weather disaster.
But the Trump administration’s pursuit of fewer staff members means remaining employees have less time to spend coordinating with local officials, he said.
I have been through a number of hurricanes/storms including Ike, Allison, Harvey and lately Berly. There were weather service people coordinating with local officials during all of these storms. Here the DOGE and trump cuts meant that the weather service did not have the staff available to coordinate with the local officials.