No money left to bus out the poor in New Orleans?

[gatorboy]

Isn't that what the government is for? Emergency situations like this?
I was watching CNN and they seemed more concerned with what happens to the tourists compared to the poor of New Orleans. Fend for themselves seems to be the answer they're given. Even Bush had no real words of support. All he could say was get to higher ground. Well, Duh! But how can you get to higher ground if you don't own a car??? Arghhhh!
This will be the real test on how much this administration cares about its people.

[havocmom]

1. And the whole world is watching

say it loud and often, along with asking "Where's the Guard?"

[expatriot]

13. Where's the fucking entire lower 48's Air National Gaurd?

This is no fucking rhetorical question that's answer is Iraq. We need to be flying everybody out.

[havocmom]

22. Where's the guard is the question that made me love my Gov!

He has been pounding on doors in DC asking about getting the MT guard back (with their helicopters) before fire season. Guess what, we've got fire and ONE helicopter. Montana is the fourth largest state for area and we have ONE helicopter left here for what's left of our Guard.

Those rich folks with the new fancy houses are gonna be pissed! Gotta make sure they remember this when the GOP comes around with it's hand out $oon.

Get on your governor's ass about working to get your local guard back stateside. Raise bloody hell about it as soon as the damage reports come in from the Gulf Coast this week!

Where's our Guard?

[wanpete]

2. very little coverage at all of poor NOLA residents....

CNN had cameras on Bourbon Street for pete's sake!:banghead:

Guess the poor and homeless just don't make for interesting news stories.

[Cobalt Violet]

5. Have they yet to interview a single poor person?

[wanpete]

17. havent seen one yet!

[NaturalHigh]

3. I was wondering about that too.

I'm not sure how they could have gotten all of those people out on short notice, but I would think there might have been a plan in place.

[Chico Man]

4. I was watching the live broadcast from NO...

They showed a black man riding a bike through the city and couldn't imagine why he wasn't in his car filled with gas and supplies fleeing the storm. Did it ever cross their mind that he doesn't have a car?

Then they showed a black family hanging out on their porch, bags packed, and called the image "disturbing".

Got my blood boiling...

[MissWaverly]

6. I am sure that those fighting in Iraq from New Orleans

are really impressed with Bushco's efforts to help their families,
most soldiers do not come from George's wealthy elite base.

[Lars39]

7. As someone remembered on another thread, Cuba managed

to evacuate over a million people in a short span of time.
It is possible.

[Cobalt Violet]

8. They have to save all the money to rebuild the rich peoples' homes.

[liberal N proud]

9. The bu$h Regime and his repuke buddies at CNN don't care about

any poor people, their policies reflect that and the fact they would not help the poor evacuate is no different.
The neo-con view is that the poor are a burden on the nation and if they are gone, the rich can get a bigger tax cut.

[Deja Q]

10. You mean * did nothing more than tell everyone to seek shelter,

with the usual blathering of affirming life adjectives?

[Child_Of_Isis]

11. All you have to do is look at the long line of folks

waiting to get into the Superdome. Mostly brown folks. It was a most disturbing sight and says a lot about NO.

[Catherine Vincent]

18. I noticed that too.

It looked to be mostly African Americans.

[Child_Of_Isis]

20. It's a very powerful statement.

I would like to know why. After all of this is all over, I may go to NO (if it survives) and camp out by the Mayors office until he explains to me why most of his AA population is too poor to get out of the area. I am just that disturbed and repulsed! I swear, from the lines it looks to be 99.99% black. It's shameful!

[WePurrsevere]

12. "Bush has slashed Clinton's Disaster Mitigation Program"

posted by Barbaraann - Links and discussion here: DU thread

The fact is this admin and the neo-cons don't care jack about the people unless they have beaucoup bucks or there's a great photo op.

Just when I didn't think it was possible for me to be more disgusted with this ANTI-American fascist bunch... I am. :nuke:

[Stinky The Clown]

14. Tweety just asked some numbnutz from FEMA about the poor

Director Numbnutz is saying:

We do worry about them, Chris

mentioned Florida (fer krissakes)

working closely with our partners in Louisiana to have commodities on hand

FEMA ..... The president ...... FEMA ....... The President ...... The Federal Family ....... leaning forward to help those most in need .....

In short ...... platitudinous bullshit ands NO FUCKING PLANS.

This country is SO fucked.

[countingbluecars]

15. The government should have sent available guard members

to drive school/city buses full of people out of harm's way (get buses moved to higher ground at the same time).

[Lorien]

19. Amazing that this occured to DUers as soon as it started

heading N.O.s way, yet no mention of the same idea by the MSM. They truly don't care. :grr:

[Cassandra]

24. The last weather emergency they had in NO...

they "forgot" to send buses for the poor until the last minute. :eyes:

[RagAss]

16. jeeezz...Even Castro sends buses to get his people out....!!!!

n/t

[johnfunk]

21. You forget: this is Bushworld - the poor are EXPENDABLE

... just like political capital. Be it New Orleans or the war of petroaggression in Iraq, it's the poor who pay the price for the Bush Crime Family's laissez-faire power trip.

[journalist3072]

23. A very telling picture on MSNBC.com

MSNBC.com has a photo of people filing into the Superdome to seek shelter.

I want everyone on here to take a look at that picture, and tell me what stands out in your mind....

It's very sad. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9108975/

[ElsewheresDaughter]

26. photos of the poor who are left in storms path in New Orleans here

Thousands of people wait outside the Louisiana Superdome to be let in for shelter from Hurricane Katrina




area residents, seeking refuge from Hurricane Katrina wait to get inside the Superdome


man waits outside the Louisiana Superdome to be let in for shelter







The Hunter family wait outside the Louisiana Superdome

[Roland99]

25. Jesus Christ People!!!!! THINK for a moment!!

The models until this weekend had the hurricane curving toward Panama City, FL (or thereabouts) and it didn't hit Cat 5 status until very early this morning.

Now, in 12-15hrs you're going to get enough buses to transport 1/4 - 1/2 million people to a safe distance?

How are you going to coordinate the pick-up locations?

How are you even going to identify the people?

Where are you going to take them?

How are you going to provide medical care, if necessary?

How are you going to alert whereever you're going to prepare for several thousand people and have food, water, blankets, toilets, etc. ready?


THE LOGISTICS ARE NOT FEASIBLE GIVEN THE TIMEFRAME!


The is NOT some GOP conspiracy to kill off black Democrats.


Good fucking grief!!

[gatorboy]

27. How are you going to coordinate the pick-up locations?

Have you seen the news? The Superdome seems like a good start. :eyes:

And considering that busing system already in place in N.O. isn't going to be of much use for anything else tomorrow when it's 20 ft underwater, why not use them to start evacuating?
Did you see how fast emergency systems were put in place on 9/11? It can be done. They may not save all but they can at least try to save all they can.

[CC]

28. Trains

At one time when the last passenger trains were going out of business the government took over, Amtrak. They didn't do it for convenience or to save the railroads. They did it so that if a large population center needed emptied in a hurry they could just add more cars and send masses of people to safety. Railroads also got aid so that the would be available to move large quantities of supplies to where they were needed. Course most people have forgotten why trains weren't allowed to go by the wayside, specially this government. Trains can carry hundreds of cars per locomotive, more than one locomotive can be placed in a line of cars. NO still has plenty of RR tacks and trains could of been used. I have been listening to Norfolk Southern and Amtrak employees having a fit all day over the fact that trains haven't been used.

[Streetdoc270]

29. The superdome is a good shelter

its is rated for over 200 MPH winds. plus has the logistics (bathrooms, medical rooms, food prep areas) to house a large crowd. Much better than the local HS gym!