posted
Blanco's response to the collection of the dead was, aside from the topic itself, funny.
The state asked FEMA not to collect the bodies; let the state do it.
FEMA said, it's not our job anyway. Go ahead!
Then the governor complained to the press that FEMA was disrespecting the dead by not collecting their bodies, and since she has compassion, she'd order the state to do it.
One thing she has learned, though: the non-apology. Popularized by the Clinton admin, now part of the Bush admin. I wonder if it will work for her, as it seems to for Bush?
Posts: 1877 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
When absolutely everyone says that it wasn't a job well done, taking reponsibility is just a way to proclaim "I'm not totally mad." in hopes of taking the edge off the gross blunder so that at least denial of reality can't be effectively wielded as a sword by opponents in the next election season.
But as PeggyNoonan, purely Republican soldier in the partisan battles since Nixon, has written: Wednesday's and
quote:...Tuesday's statement was a day late and a buck short. When you say "I accept responsibility," you are slyly complimenting yourself: I'm the kind of fellow who nobly accepts culpability. It's more to the point and more effective to be straight and unvarnished: "The buck stops here. The blame is mine."
Bob, I may never know, unless I get feedback from a listener to the network. I don't listen to radio much and I haven't listened to this news network at all. It was one of those interviews where they snip out pieces to use for other news pieces. (this is always scary - since they can take whatever they want and leave whatever they want out.) When you're live, you sink or swim all on your own.
quote: And I'm so glad you don't sugar coat it. I think the tragic stories that are unfolding about the people who were in hospitals and nursing homes in NO are just the tip of a rather ugly turd that is going to float to the surface. Most of the evacuees went to states with really bad records on cutting social services. They have needs that are going to stretch the local budgets to the breaking point.
"Sugar-coating" isn't in my job description.
Seriously, disability groups that have been active in issues related to euthanasia and the battle around Terri Schiavo have a unique opportunity to evoke some cognitive dissonance in some Christian conservatives. It's hard to dismiss us out of hand when we use the words "lie down and die" to describe the message of severe budget cuts.
I really would like to know sometime why some of the same people who want prayer in schools, the ten commandments displayed on government property, and (for some) outright outlawing of adult sexual practices hold to a different standard about "Christian values" when it comes to taking care of those who are poor, elderly and disabled. Why is it that this should be a matter of private conscience as to how much people give to charity? Why not reflect those values in our tax code and our social services?
::Have the ability to enrage a roomful of people of just about any political persuasion::
Posts: 4344 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Actually Will B, Blanco is complaining that FEMA, which has a contract with the company that Blanco hired to do the body removal, and is the same company used durin 9/11 in Pennsylvania and used in the Indian Ocean for the tsunami, will not honor that contract and pay the company. The company (whose name escapes me at the moment) is threatening to pull out if it isn't paid, and FEMA refuses to pay them, even though they have a contract, and they are supposed to.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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quote: If it were to be shown a year from now, for instance, that there was some huge, specific foulup we could point to that really did lay the entire disaster at the federal government's door — something that wasn't actually Bush's fault in any way, and is completely unknown to him now — I can imagine that he (and any fair-minded individual) would be glad that he left some room in his statement.
You know what, any "fair-minded" individual would be fine with the President accepting blame for a situation, only to find out later that it wasn't his fault. In fact, I believe it to be almost universal that if you take responsibility for a problem, and it them comes to light that you weren't at fault at all, your "image" is even better than before. Because not only were you a stand-up guy who admitted mistakes, but you accepted responsibility for something that wasn't even your fault and did something about it.
That is what a President is supposed to do.
Posts: 9871 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
Everyone should buy this week's copy of Time Magazine. There's an indepth analysis of what happened and who did what, when they did it, and what should have been done.
In many ways, the local and state governments performed admirably, given the situation, but screwed up in many more. Either way, I'd suggest everyone go out and get it, it's a good read, and puts a lot of this argument to rest.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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quote:(AgapePress) - Stephen Drake, a research analyst for the anti-euthanasia organization Not Dead Yet (NDY), says a major story affecting disabled people slipped under the media radar earlier this month. His group stands up for the rights of the disabled -- including their right to receive proper nutrition -- and opposes euthanasia and so-called "medical killings."
Drake says Missouri Governor Matt Blunt and the Republican-controlled State Assembly made massive slashes in the State Medicaid program. The legislation, which took effect September 1, cut certain health-care items designated as "optional equipment," including feeding tubes, nutritional formula, and ventilators, the NDY analyst notes, "meaning that things that were supplied that are absolutely essential for people to survive are now things people have to reapply for authorization for. And the authorization rate -- the re-approval rate -- has not been encouraging."
It's not bad, but she avoided my budgetary analysis - giving away the surplus, running a deficit, paying for Iraq and New Orleans, etc. - with the idea that the more affluent could pay more taxes rather than hit people who are already down.
Still, it's a start...
Posts: 4344 | Registered: Mar 2003
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quote:Instead, we have the GOP floating (there's that word again) proposals to end wage supports (i.e., minimum wage) and send out school vouchers.
Personally I think school vouchers are absolutely necessary right now. How are these school systems supposed to take in all these students without any way of paying for it? Where's the money to buy textbooks going to come from? I don't know about Texas and other places that have taken in a lot of people (we only have relatively few in Alabama) but most school systems around here are already stretched to the breaking point with such seemingly simple things as classroom space and desks.
You can't just go to a school system and say "Oh, 10,000 evacuees are relocating to this county and we'll need you to educate all their kids. But see they don't live here, so there's no additional tax revenues coming in or anything, so no more money for you, just make do. Okay? Thanks!"
A government voucher, that the parent can take and give to the school that is taking in their kids so the school can use the funds to buy textbooks or even to the point of hiring additional staff and arranging temporary classrooms sounds like something we could actually use right now.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Like I said before, I can pretty much find ways to honestly antagonize a roomful of people across the political spectrum.
The "culture of life" term is most closely associated with the Catholic Church. Most of the Catholic activists I know - pro-life and social justice activists mostly - don't agree at all with conservative fiscal policies that seek to balance budgets on the backs of the poor, elderly and disabled.
The interesting thing is that this actually got published by this particular news service. I can't wait to see the email I get over the next few days. Posts: 4344 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
My annoyance is not at you. As a reasonably devout Catholic (and sometime activist) myself, I am infuriated with politicians who get people to vote for them on a "culture of life" platform in order to pass legislation that disregards the lives of the poor, elderly and disabled - or criminal, or Iraqi. Perhaps if we paid more attention to the needs of living people somewhere in between birth and life support as well...I would be less cynical
You do have my sincere congratulations on getting your piece published.
posted
No offense taken. I'm not Catholic, and I wouldn't fit most people's definition of "pro-life."
I am honestly surprised this story (which I didn't write or pitch - the reporter called me out of the blue) running in this particular venue. I'll have to watch if some of the prolife bloggers I'm familiar with pick up on this.
Posts: 4344 | Registered: Mar 2003
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