Remember those floods in Iowa this summer?

Well guess what? Bushco is being its usual incompetent self sending recovery funds to Iowa. Guess what? We have a Democratic governor. Looks like the same game they played in Louisiana - tying funds up in bullshit red tape and then blaming the Deocratic governor for not following protocol blah, blah blah.
We went to a fund raiser where Governor Chet Culver spoke and he got visibly agitated as he spoke about the BS he has had to put up with from the Dept of HUD. Funds are tied up and they refuse to do anything about it.
Culver said he tried to call them on a weekday this week at 3:30 central time (4:30 edt). First he got a recording. When it dumped off to a recorder, the message box was filled.
Well guess who will be blamed when it gets cold and Iowans are still without homes and heat? Bushco is betting it will be Culver.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080906/NEWS10/809060327/1001/NEWS
(edit to add link to similar story)

I applaud you for directing attention to this.

Culver is a good guy. He is a Progressive Democrat. A decent, non-establishment Democrat.

I imagine he hasn't played the game enough, and he's probably learning what happens when he doesn't.

I'm glad that Culver is making known what the Federal government is doing. Problem is, there are many
Republican in Iowa who won't want to hear it. They won't believe that precious Chimpy is dragging his
monkey hands. They won't see the truth.

I hope Culver keeps speaking out. He must do this.

Dave Loebsack and Bruce Braley were really on top of the situation.
From what I heard from my kids who live in Indiana, Mitch Daniels (former Bushco budget guy) is getting taken care of. He is up for re-election and his "actions" in the flooding in southern Indiana has gotten rave reviews. And Indiana could be a swing state.

I never thought about that, but it makes sense.

Wow. I'm stunned, but not surprised.

If they can get Iowans pissed off at Culver and Democrats in general--then they could possibly affect the Presidential election.

Bush hates Americans. He's willing to cause their suffering, just to affect an election.

We're just ants to them.

God lovvya corn subsidies.......

You ain't gotta friend. You were just all 'used'. Sorry truth

Most likely they had nothing to do with any corn subsidies, nor do they probably any money from them. But they will be damned cold this winter.

in accepting corn subsides. Hell, they couldn't have survived otherwise.

Don't give up/don't give in!!!!!

It's late, I'm tired (as are we all)......I'm 'wanting' for an inspiration.

Let it be....let it be. :-)

M_Y_H

in accepting corn subsides. Hell, they couldn't have survived otherwise.

Don't give up/don't give in!!!!!

It's late, I'm tired (as are we all)......I'm 'wanting' for an inspiration.

Let it be....let it be. :-)

M_Y_H

Thank you. Is there anything that we can do?

K&R

FEMA says some other department is at fault and the other department blames FEMA. They can't even decide who is going to bulldoze down the homes or if they are going to bulldoze or let the homeowner handle it. Can't decide if they are going to allow people to repair or rebuild. Those who have not bought homes in other towns out of frustration, are pacing around, eager to get to work. They won't even let them back to the homes in Illinois except for an hour or so, last I heard. No one will give answers.

Also, I think it stinks that they have FEMA people come in to fill out forms and answer questions, but many of the towns are having to hire special companies to come in and fill out the paperwork, because it is so confusing. Why doesn't FEMA handle it? Why are the forms so complicated?

They also can't answer questions on levees, so people can't make decisions. I don't think FEMA realizes winter is just around the corner.

They make their own bad publicity. I know they have improved, but once the immediate threat is over, they are bored with it.

I'm sure Gov. Culver is jumping through all the hoops to get results, but what can you do? Their arrogance is incredible. This is the Midwest and they act like the people are ignorant. How sad and elitist.

They are still recovering and waiting for repairs and things that should have been done months ago!

I'd put some major heat on your congressional delegation!! You've got some seniority and a

bi-partisan group. Don't make Culver do all the work. Those people should have knowledgeable

staffs that can do some pushing and digging!!!!!!

and he has quickly backed down on threats of action. Bushco just ignores the Dems because Dems in general have backed before. Harkin, Loebsack and Braley have been busting their asses. Grassley burns hot and cold. He appears to be more worried about a convenience store closing in his home town. But I don't think Bushco pays much attention to Grassley either since they have neutered him before.

worked together to get special permission for...are you ready? People to be able to get their converter boxes for their TVs (when they change to HD) because so many lost their coupons in the flood. Apparently, the cutoff date was past? Whatever.

Another story in this vein is that FEMA was saying the people had to have proof they lived in the house they were filing for coverage. They could have a utility receipt, voter registration, telephone bill, canceled checks, etc. When you only had a few minutes to get out of your house and your house is 10' under water, that's kinda hard to do. The fact that the people in the hall could vouch for you, as well as the sheriff, fire chief, minister, etc., didn't seem to matter.

Common sense could sure save us a lot of money in this government of ours.

http://www.thehawkeye.com/Story/IA-PelosiAidLetter-090708

Gulfport's frustration:
http://www.thehawkeye.com/Story/flood-henderson-090608

Oakville's frustration:
http://www.thehawkeye.com/Story/Flood-Oakville-tags-082808

Those are just a couple examples of tiny villages and the frustration they are going through, so you can imagine what larger cities are experiencing. Gulfport, IL has a couple bars and strip joints, but the general population consists of long-time residents with families like anywhere else.

If anyone is interested in seeing photos or reading the archives on the Flood of 2008 in SE Iowa, here is the link to that section of The Hawk Eye:

http://www.thehawkeye.com/specials/flood/

but this time there won`t be anymore of this shit from the republicans...several counties in illinois got turned down too....have`t read much from wisconsin

Of course that was back when we had a real president
http://operationeden.blogspot.com/2005/12/eight-years-two-americas.html

Before arriving in Grand Forks, Clinton had authorized FEMA to provide 100 percent of the direct federal assistance for all of the emergency work undertaken by federal agencies in the disaster zones (the normal reimbursement rate is 75 percent). The National Guard had been mobilized months earlier -- its ranks full and available to the people it served -- and was responsible for a huge percentage of preparedness activities before the flood.

It was responsible for executing the remarkable evacuation of Grand Forks (until New Orleans, the largest evacuation of an American city since Atlanta in the Civil War) and provided immediate search and rescue support as the floodwaters deluged the city.

surprise they would politicize emergency management if they thought it would help them pick up a governorship. They don't care about anything but accumulating power.


Edited for bad grammar and spelling.