Reviewer takes a swipe at DEMOCRATIC response to Katrina?

[globalvillage]

Three snips from a review of Spike Lee's film trash Dem's response.

:wtf:

Worth A View: Spike Lee's Katrina Film

snip
Where were Al Gore, John Kerry, John Edwards and Hillary Clinton when it was clearly time to criticize the Bush administration's response?
snip
Yet Lee seems to have heard more outrage from the Rev. Al Sharpton and Harry Belafonte than I've ever heard from prominent Democrats.
snip
Indeed, where the hell was the government? But, for God's sake, where were the Democrats?

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/08/22/opinion/main1923876.shtml

[TayTay]

1. Yeah, I saw that and fumed.

Nobody ever does any pure research anymore, sigh! Sen. Kerry was in Iraq when Katrina hit. I know because I sent e-mail and called his office (as a constituent) and screamed at someone to do something. (I was, at that time, having an aneurysm over the treatment of US citizens by the heartless and hapless Bush Administration.) Ahm, the good Senator from Massachusetts was in IRaq when Katrina hit. (Hard to fault him for that.)

It is my understanding that Kerry came home and started working on organizing help for Katrina victims in the gulf area. He sent down planeloads of supplies, organized companies and communities in Massachusetts to give equipment, food, etc that could be delivered to the area.

And the good and true Senator from Massachusetts kicked the ever-lovin' bejesus out of Bush Admin officials who were not coming across with the cash for Small Businesses in that area. Hector Barreto, then head of the SBA, was hit one side and down the other for his ineptitude and incompetence in getting money to victims so they could rebuild their businesses and lives.

The hearings are here: http://sbc.senate.gov/democrat/events.cfm
http://sbc.senate.gov/democrat/correspondence.cfm

September 22, 2005
Hearing:
"The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Small Businesses"
Participant List and Testimony
Chair Snowe's Opening Statement
http://sbc.senate.gov/HTML/hearings/109.html

11/08/05 Hearing Strengthening Hurricane Recovery Efforts for Small Businesses DC

09/22/05 Hearing The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Small Businesses DC


Documentation on requests for help starting September 1, 2005

09/13/05 SBA Second Request to Extend the Disaster Loan Deadline for Victims of Hurricane Katrina 10/14

09/01/05 SBA Extending the Disaster Loan Deadline for Victims of Hurricane Katrina 09/02

08/12/05 SBA Increased Employee Relocation Expenditures

10/14/05 OMB Redirecting $720 Million in Funds to Small Business Hurricane Relief 11/28

10/12/05 SBA Small Businesses Access to Prime Contracts for Hurricane Katrina Relief 11/15

10/06/05 SBA Raising the Maximum Disaster Loan Amounts Available to Homeowners and Renters 12/28

09/26/05 SBA Request that IRS Provide Assistance to SBDCs in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama

10/26/05 Approps Urging Retention of Small Business Hurricane Katrina Relief in the CJS-SSJC Conference n/a

05/26/06 BLS Request for Monthly Business Activity Updates on New Orleans n/a

05/24/06 Approps Request for SBA Disaster Loan Funding in Wake of Recent New England Floods and Start of 2006 Hurricane Season 06/28

04/17/06 GAO Request for Review of SBA's Loss-Verification Staffing Policies in Wake of Hurricane Katrina 04/25

04/07/06 SBA Current Funding, Reporting Status of SBA's Disaster Loan Program 04/25

03/23/06 FEMA Expressing Concern that Small Businesses are not being allowed to participate in the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast Region 08/15

03/01/06 SBA Request for Daily Account of SBA Disaster Loan Funding 08/01

02/14/06 Sen. Frist Passing Legislation to Prevent Shutdown of SBA's Disaster Loan Program n/a

02/13/06 Comm. Temporary Fee Reduction for Gulf Coast Small Businesses Seeking Export Assistance n/a

02/10/06 Pres. Bush Averting Shutdown of SBA's Disaster Loan Program 03/01

02/08/06 SBA Expediting Loss Verification and Loan Processing for Gulf Businesses 02/28


Legislation filed and/or pending: http://sbc.senate.gov/democrat/legislation.cfm

S.3487 Small Business Disaster Loan Reauthorization and Improvements Act of 2006 release • statement • cosponsors • summary

S.2595 504 Loan Program Modernization Act of 2006 release • statement • cosponsors • summary

S.2594 7(a) Loan Program Reauthorization Act of 2006 release • statement • cosponsors • summary

S.2482 The Gulf Coast Open for Business Act of 2006 release • cosponsors • summary

S.1807 Small Business Hurricane Relief and Reconstruction Act statement • cosponsors • summary

SA.1717 To help small businesses damaged by Hurricane Katrina statement • release • cosponsors • summary

SA.1695 To help small businesses damaged by Hurricane Katrina statement • release • cosponsors •


Also issued a report on the progress of rebuilding the Gulf, apropos Small Business Committee jurisdition:

• REPORT: Promises Made, Promises Broken: The Bush Administration's Record on Rebuilding the Gulf Coast http://sbc.senate.gov/democrat/index.cfm

There is more, but this is a good start.

[blm]

2. You should send a detailed response TO the article's writer, Alex Kellogg.

I believe Kerry first sent the plane of supplies before he left for Iraq and crafted his Katrina legislation on the trip back from Iraq, because he certainly was prepared with the package as soon as he landed.

[TayTay]

4. Good idear. I will send out a letter

Sen. Kerry was in Iraq last year the week after Katrina hit. (He left on that trip with Ted Stevens and I forget who else. It was the trip that got mentioned in the Georgetown speech in Oct.) He left the Sat or Sun when Katrina was just hitting and came back within 5 or 6 days.

I, ahm, called, ahm, his office in , ahm, Boston and sort of was losing my mind. (That's why I remember this so well. :blush: Well, he is the sitting Senator from Mass, my Senator and I called Uncle Ted's office too! Ahm, where are you people, New Orleans is drowning, call for a special session, call out the Guard, DO SOMETHING. Ahm, gee, I was, ahm, agitated.)

Oh, the Senator is in Iraq. Yeah, ahm, yeah. ahm, nevermind. Ah, it's just that New Orleans and the Gulf area are drowning and there aren't that many sane people in Washington and he's missed right now. Sigh!

Oh yeah, I remember that one.

[karynnj]

5. Stevens and Warner

[ProSense]

6. Would you

mind posting this information here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2801792&mesg_id=2801792


Thanks!

[sandnsea]

3. Damned Democrats not kicking Bush in the ass hard enough

Donkey was probably on strike.

Too crazy for words. :crazy: