If we had a real President

email received this am:

If We Had a Real President

by Stirling Newberry

Thu Sep 1st, 2005 at 08:05:42 PDT

This is the speech he would give in response to Katrina.
Stirling Newberry's diary :: ::


My fellow Americans, it has never been my policy to lie to you, neither
to exagerate the dangers we face, nor to minimize the challenges that
lay before us. Two days ago, with almost biblical force, the Hurricane
Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, including Mississippi and Lousiana. The
damage was no less than what a war would have caused - a millon are
left homeless, and millions without power and the other sinews of
modern life.

As importantly the oil wells and refineries are out of commission. The
port of New Orleans, vital for bringing goods in and out of the United
States, is out of commission. This is a disaster which has hit in one
place, but which reaches out to the rest of the nation, and indeed the
world.

In the wake of September 11th, Americans pulled together to face the
crisis, and willingly set their personal interests aside to meet the
dangers we faced then. I am going to ask them to do the same now, so
that a temporary disruption does not grow out of proportion. I ask all
Americans to act out of restraint and be mindful of what they use, so
that there will be enough to support the vital reconstruction effort
that we are about to embark upon.

Therefore, I am taking the following steps immediately, and will
follow with others shortly.

I am requesting to the Speaker of the House, and the President pro tem
of the Senate to call Congress back into session, in that they may be
able to pass such measures as are necessary and proper to meet the
crisis.

I am requesting that congress appropriate a sum of money for federal
transporation projects, to be paid for by a 5% across the board cut on
all transportation projects in the recent transportation bill. This
money to be released immediately to pay for the restoration of
transport in the Gulf.

I am asking Congress to pass an adendum to the bankruptcy bill,
delaying by 6 months the effective date for those federal districts hit
by Katrina, for both personal and corporate bankruptcies.

I am requesting that Congress restore funding to both flood control
and the Army Corps of Engineers, to be paid for by a 1% sur-tax on
incomes over 250,000 in the next fiscal year.


Every city in America belongs to all Americans, I promise, here, that
we will rebuild, not only historic and famous cities, but each and
every city that has been touched by this disaster. I am requesting that
the governors of the states affected submit to the Department of
Homeland Security budgets for that reconstruction, to be included in
the budget that I will next submit to Congress, or, if urgent, in a
supplemental request.

I am ordering the Department of Justice to coordinate with the Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court to set up temporary federal courts near
the disaster area with all due haste, and will, within 15 days, submit
to Congress a list of temporary jurisdictions to be created for the
duration of the emergency.

I am requesting that all interstate highways be placed on strict speed
limit enforcement, and that where practicable, state legislatures
consider lowering the speed limit for the duration of the shortage by 5
mph, to save gasoline. I hope that every state will do this
voluntarily, in the spirit of unity that this crisis should inspire.

I am ordering the defense department to end the call ups of
reservists, and instead activating all medical and law enforcement
units available to be sent rescue and restore order. I am authorizing
the activation of the IRR to relieve personnel who are qualified for
these duties, and ordering other agencies to make administrative
personnel available to the Department of Justice, the Department of
Homeland Security and the Department of Defense to free up personnel
who are so qualified.

I am directing the Departments of Energy and Commerce to begin strict
enforcement of anti-gouging measures on oil. If need be there will be a
rationing system put into effect, but we would hope that Americans, in
the spirit of patriotic restraint, will make this unnecessary.

I have formed a disaster group at the cabinet level, to be headed by
the Secretary of Homeland Security, to coordinate the response.

I am placing the effected counties of Louisiana and Mississippi under
martial law. And, as is constitutional, suspending writs of habeus
corpus where the courts are not open. I am ordering every federal
agency with law enforcement capabilities to place at the disposal of
the Home office personnel to be allocated to the disaster area, or
relieve those who can be sent to that area. I am ordering that all
courts and financial institutions be secured from looting or other
forms of vandalism.

I am placing a freeze on all federal wage increases, and having the
salaries of all officials who work in the White House, including
myself, to have 20% held back to contribute to the costs. It is a small
gesture, but at a time when Americans are generously opening their
wallets and giving to such organizations as the American Red Cross, we
can do no less.

I am ordering a review of all federal construction, with non-urgent
projects to be delayed, in order to make available more resources for
the reconstruction effort.

I am ordering that centers be established to house those afflicted,
and that military bases make available to the Secretary of Homeland
Security a list of beds and other units available for sheltering the
homeless.

I am ordering that all federal agencies make available to the
Secretary of Homeland Security generators and other equipment that can
be used to restore power to medical facilities and other vital
services.

I am requesting that the secretary of energy procure ethanol for
mixing with gasoline, and making ethanol considered to be compliant
fuel in all markets.

I am suspending all military maneuvers not related to on going
operations authorized by congress.

I am ordering the Secertary of Transportation to make available on the
Eisenhower Interstate System open trucking lanes which will be used to
expedite the movement of goods to the afflicted areas.

I am requesting that the EPA and Department of Interior make available
their environmental engineers to the afflicted areas to begin the clean
up and containment of toxic waste and other hazardous materials.

I am suspending interest on all debts due the Federal government in
the afflicted areas for the next 30 days, and delaying any declaration
of default for the same period.

Other nations have graciously offered to help us, and I am ordering
the Department of State to take all such requests, and streamline any
paperwork that the Department of Homeland Security feels would be of
value. I am ordering that we recompense those who come to help us fully
and fairly, so that that aid may be available to other nations less
prosperous than we are.

These measures are temporary, and will last only as long as there is
disruption from the storm. Additional steps may be needed to meet this
emergency. America is bound together by history and by the bonds of
commerce. We will meet the challenge, we will rebuild and restore what
was destroyed. We will also mourn those lost, and grieve with every
family. And so in closing I am declaring that this Labor Day Monday
will be a day of fasting and prayer, in rememberence of those departed,
and thankfulness for the bounty of our nation that will allow us to
overcome these trials, and emerge stronger than before.

This I promise, so help me God, that we shall spare no effort to save
the living, to respect the dead, to bring life to this region, and to
spread the sacrifice.

Let us take a moment, and pray for the safety of those who now
struggle for life, and for the courage of those who now, as the arm of
our great nation, reach out to rescue them. With them go our prayers,
our support, and the light that America brings to the darkness.

Thank you, my fellow Americans, for your time, your aid and your
understanding.

and the mayor of NOLA on Monday Night or Tuesday Morning and ask them if they need the help of the Federal Government.

'08.

Thanks.

You should now take the time to write *'s response and see how different it is in comparison to what a 'real' president should do.