Landrieu Blasts Bush for Photo-Ops and Lack of Help

http://www.fromtheroots.org/story/2005/9/3/19542/97952

U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu, D-La., issued the following statement this afternoon regarding her call yesterday for President Bush to appoint a cabinet-level official to oversee Hurricane Katrina relief and recovery efforts within 24 hours.
Sen. Landrieu said:

“Yesterday, I was hoping President Bush would come away from his tour of the regional devastation triggered by Hurricane Katrina with a new understanding for the magnitude of the suffering and for the abject failures of the current Federal Emergency Management Agency. 24 hours later, the President has yet to answer my call for a cabinet-level official to lead our efforts. Meanwhile, FEMA, now a shell of what it once was, continues to be overwhelmed by the task at hand.

“I understand that the U.S. Forest Service had water-tanker aircraft available to help douse the fires raging on our riverfront, but FEMA has yet to accept the aid. When Amtrak offered trains to evacuate significant numbers of victims – far more efficiently than buses – FEMA again dragged its feet. Offers of medicine, communications equipment and other desperately needed items continue to flow in, only to be ignored by the agency.

“But perhaps the greatest disappointment stands at the breached 17th Street levee. Touring this critical site yesterday with the President, I saw what I believed to be a real and significant effort to get a handle on a major cause of this catastrophe. Flying over this critical spot again this morning, less than 24 hours later, it became apparent that yesterday we witnessed a hastily prepared stage set for a Presidential photo opportunity; and the desperately needed resources we saw were this morning reduced to a single, lonely piece of equipment. The good and decent people of southeast Louisiana and the Gulf Coast – black and white, rich and poor, young and old – deserve far better from their national government.

“Mr. President, I’m imploring you once again to get a cabinet-level official stood up as soon as possible to get this entire operation moving forward regionwide with all the resources – military and otherwise – necessary to relieve the unmitigated suffering and economic damage that is unfolding.”

Today’s aerial tour of the 17th Street levee will be featured tomorrow on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Later, Sen. Landrieu will also appear on CBS’s 60 Minutes.


http://www.fromtheroots.org/story/2005/9/3/19542/97952

Don't take her niceness as a fault. Southern ladies do what they need to then they kick ya in the groin.

Statement sent to Senators Landrieu, Feinstein and Boxer and Congressman Conyers:


September 2, 2005

To: The Senate of the United States of America

As adult, tax-paying, voting, citizens of the United States of America, we are outraged at the spending priorities and gross negligence of the Bush Administration! We are calling on the U.S. Senate to take charge and immediately change the administration of the federal government and the course of our nation.

First, on the unbearable grief of 9/11 to manipulate this country into a war based on lies and diverting billions of taxpayer dollars to an immoral occupation of another country for the economic interests of the oil industry has to be one of the most costly mistakes and immoral acts in American history in terms of lives destroyed and the long term effects on American citizens. Where were these funds diverted from?—taking care of our people at home. The devastation and death brought by Hurricane Katrina directly brings home the colossal arrogance and stupidity of going to war in Iraq. The massive resources in people and money diverted to the quagmire in Iraq are now needed at home.

Today, President Bush asserted “we have plenty of resources to do both” - fight the war on terror and help the people affected by the hurricane. This man is out of touch with reality. If the money had not been wasted on military folly in the Middle East and national guard bogged down there helping Iraq become free for Islamic governance, the response with the horrible loss of life, and destitution created by Hurricane Katrina would have been far better planned and coordinate. Even Mr. Bush had to admit today the federal response was “not acceptable.” A nurse at a hospital in New Orleans just said on MSNBC “We feel totally abandoned by the government.” Who is in charge of the government? The Bush Administration. They must be held responsible and accountable.

This Administration and Congress has, on the one hand, given massive tax cuts to the most wealthy and diverted the majority of the remaining federal budget to war, and on the other hand, has cut protections at home to provide for basic health and welfare of our citizens, especially our most vulnerable citizens – children, seniors and the working poor. Clearly, funds were not spent on an emergency preparedness plan for predictably devastating hurricanes in one of the most vulnerable and poor major cities in our nation.

Mr. Bush claimed on ABC’s Good Morning America broadcast after the flooding in New Orleans “No one predicted that the levees would fail.” He simple lied. His own FEMA Administrators predicted in 2001 that New Orleans was one of three top locations in the country vulnerable to a catastrophic event from a hurricane. And, what did the Bush Administration do with that report. Prepare and fund an Emergency Preparedness Contingency Plan, fund the shoring-up of levees to withstand a Category 4 or 5 hurricane, knowing the levees around New Orleans were structured to protect against up to a Catergory 3 hurricane. This fact was well known and documented. The Bush Administration response – cut the Army Corps of Engineers budgets every year since 2001, specifically for the recommended levee upgrades. Stupidity, incompetence, arrogance or indifference all amount to the same horrible fact – the Bush Administration committed criminal negligence.

That there was no plan and the rescue has been so inept, incompetent and a miserable failure brings into sharp focus the need for immediate resignation of the entire Bush Administration and the reordering of national spending priorities. If it were only this disaster, one could understand the federal government’s failure to plan properly and respond swiftly and effectively. Yet, we have seen just in the last four years three of among the worst calamities in our nation’s 224 years. 9/11, Iraq and Katrina happened on the Bush Administration’s watch. They must accept personal responsibility for their gross negligence in all three tragedies. The only honorable thing for the Bush Administration to do is resign in disgrace.

THEREFORE, WE CALL ON THE UNITED STATES SENATE TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BY:
§ DEMANDING THE IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION OF THE ENTIRE BUSH ADMINISTRATION – ELECTED AND APPOINTED
§ SETTING A NATIONAL ELECTION FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT USING PAPER BALLOTS FOR A DATE BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2005
§ IMMEDIATELY BRING OUR AMERICAN TROOPS HOME FROM IRAQ TO HELP IN THE RECOVERY FROM HURRICANE KATRINA
§ RE-DIRECT FEDERAL FUNDS ALLOCATED TO THE IRAQ WAR AND USE THOSE FUNDS TO PROVIDE MEDICAL CARE, SHELTER, FOOD AND PROTECTIONS TO THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF GULF COAST REFUGEES
§ USE THE FUNDS RE-CLAIMED FROM WAR MAKING TO REBUILD THE GULF COAST AND INVEST IN AMERICA’S FUTURE – EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, INFRASTRUCTURE, HOUSING, FOOD PRODUCTION, AND A NEW GENERATION OF INNOVATION

The Senate is the one institution in our country that can save our nation from this nightmare. This administration’s ineptness, indifference and grotesque negligence is quite literally killing our people – our precious young people in Iraq, our seniors who must chose between life-saving prescription drugs and food, our children and working poor. We cannot tolerate having our most vulnerable people left to die on the concrete outside the New Orleans convention center or the on the freeway waiting for water, food and transportation that does not come for four days. Shame, shame, shame! We are better people than that and demand a government that cares for and acts on behalf of our people.

Poverty rates have increased during this administration watch while they gave away our meager tax revenues to the rich and no-bid billion dollar contracts to their corporate sponsors at Haliburton and other donor friends. Now, we are told the Navy has given a no-bid contract to Haliburton’s subsidiary KBR to clean-up the mess left by the hurricane. Seems Bush and Cheney’s friends clean-up in war and natural disasters at our expense. This is the most immoral administration in our history and must be shown the door.

Act now, our nation’s survival depends on your leadership!

the only real voice has been the black caucaus

He blamed Bush's lack of leadership and said so.

Imagine that. A Dem who actually points out that the Emperor has no clothes.

actually I believe he is going to run in 2008

that gals got quite a left hook!

BAM, take that Dubya.

Remember when she was rallying ppl during the last election?

She has it Going On!

A Younger and VERY level-headed Hillary.

than Hillary.

So, I'd say she's her own person.

It's too bad she had to vote for Bush's agenda all this time before she realized what a piece of shit he is.

A few nights ago she was on TV saying how THANKFUL she was for "President" Bush. I'd say Mary Landrieu can kiss my ass but she's been kissing Bush's ass for so long that I don't want her lips anywhere near me.

I was not expecting Landrieu to take such a strong stance against Bush. I never would have thought she would have called him out on the photo op. I am glad she did this. I wish she would do it more.

He doesn't understand the magnitude of the suffering. He thinks if he gives them some water, some MRE's, and an Astrodome seat to relax in that people will be high fiving him for Accomplishing another Mission.

Now where are the other brave Democratic politicians who'll follow her example?

eom

Maybe now people will understand why no Democrat should go along with bush on anything. Ever.

When you support bush, 1,000's of people die. It is that simple.

along with Chertoff !

But maybe *ush really doesn't know what to do, doesn't know that he's SUPPOSED to take some action, respond to the SEnator's requests. Maybe he really thinks all he has to do is a photo-op (that's "hard work" for him) and he has no concept there is any more to life or his job than catapulting the propaganda. Which would also mean he thinks he can shape the facts of the real world to be whatever he wants (Saddam= Al-Que ida, no global warming, etc) and also means everything for him really is about loyalty to HIM-- you either support him or you're an enemy and he and Rove will destroy you. If he's conflated himself with the USA, he actually believes if you challenge him, you're challenging the USA and are unpatriotic or worse. SCARY THOUGHTS

I think you hit the nail on the head. I've always been a believer in the theory that more things were caused by stupidity than evil.

Though I also think that his attitude is why he was chosen to run. He'd be willing to "appoint" people to do the hard work of running things ("I'm a hands off kind of guy")while he basked in the glory of being POTUS. The string pullers (whoever they really are) don't care who gets the 'glory'; they get their satisfaction in other ways...

look at you for VP with Kerry, a much better running mate than Edwards, I might add.....

I was a little disappointed in your "fawning" over the boy who would Be king when he smirked and postured before coming down to see ya....

But now, You and Clark....


Clark and Landrieu

Clark and Landrieu

Clark and Landrieu

Of course you don't, because you're a coke-addled, dry-drunk shit-for-brains. America needs to be rid of you.

when she voted on the last few very important votes, that I started in fact to question what she was about.
And then during the crisis, I completely agreed with Anderson Cooper.
I am glad she finally has the courage to say what is right.

she was real nice to him and praised him for his "help" he might actually do something? It is really hard for many people to believe he is as uncaring and incompetent as people say he is, you know. After all, how could someone be that bad? Now, perhaps, she knows for certain, and has given up the sugar for the vinegar.

Usually, being nice works with most people. It doesn't work with President Nero. I think that, to him, anything outside his circle of interest is just an annoyance.

then she's got real faulty logic as do many other people. If he had one iota of caring and competence she wouldn't need to praise him to get help for this desperate situation and if he didn't have caring and competence then she'd be wasting her time groveling. Well, she sure found out what kind of a heartless, phony fuck he is, didn't she.

had to try.

I'm just so flaming furious and frustrated right now.

She knows that Bush is a vindictive spoiled man-child, and that if she didn't make nice-nice, the Guard and other aid wouldn't be sent in.

Now that troops are patrolling the streets, and people being moved out, she can execute that "Southern Woman Groin-Kick"... (I love that image!)

the Republican from LA was given television time. That's too bad because Senator Landrieu has a more accurate perception of the issues. Thank you very much Senator for your concern regarding your constituents and all of the Americans affected by this colossal failure of the Federal Government to respond to this disaster.

This is a very impressive statement; I don't think I've ever heard her talk this way. I think everybody really got slapped in the face by horrific reality this week, and after this despicable smirking lack of response to the increasing disaster, something has changed here, something about Bush and Republicans has been exposed, and it cannot be pretended away again. The sights and sounds of flood waters that remain, day after day, dead bodies in the streets, ignored, people fending for themselves, starving and parched, as if this were the Gilded Age and there were no Federal Government to help--these things cannot be forgotten, and Bush will never again seem like a merely stupid goof, but now a true, murderous abuser.

Time to put away all the "bi-partisan cooperation," and "framing," and being "media savvy" and all the rest; something has changed and the tide has turned. Step back, look at them as they are, act like an adult, and fight. Now we can believe, after this tragedy, that events are on our side.

It reminded me of the same thing - "the Gilded Age."

"Bush will never again seem like a merely stupid goof, but now a true, murderous abuser."

"Time to put away all the "bi-partisan cooperation," and "framing," and being "media savvy" and all the rest; something has changed and the tide has turned. Step back, look at them as they are, act like an adult, and fight. Now we can believe, after this tragedy, that events are on our side."

You nailed it.

I've been critical of her in the past and was irritated by her thanking of Bush earlier this week, but I have felt a lot of sympathy for her. It must be devastating and maddening to see this going on in your city.