BlowHardOnKatrina

The real disaster was not the hurricane. It is the government's - FEMA, Homeland Security, Congress, George Bush, the New Orleans' Police Department - failure to lead and to act that is the true disaster. Here are my thoughts, opinions, and insight on the problem.

Friday, September 02, 2005

I, like most of you, am stunned by the devastation in the Gulf of Mexico. The absolute failure of government in helping those who need relief is inexcusable. Shame on George Bush!

In this blog, I will vent my feelings, thoughts, and frustration with the government and press related to Katrina.

posted by BlowHard @ 9/02/2005 07:39:00 AM  

4 Comments:

  • At 12:17 PM, Blogger Tim said…

    Hey! Neat idea!

    Let's see if I've got this straight:

    Number 1: you're someone with an opinion and you're not afraid to share it

    Number 2: you probably don't really understand the magnitude of a relief effort this size

    Number 3: despite number 2, you persist with number 1

    Sorry, this idea's already been taken by the network news. Bummer.

    Hmmm

    -

     

  • At 12:41 PM, Blogger BlowHard said…

    You're right. I don't understand everything it takes to manage a relief effort this size. But I do understand, and recognize the results of, failure to act at all.

     

  • At 1:33 PM, Blogger Tim said…

    I don't mean it as a flame (do we still use that word? Wasn't that an e-mail/IM term?) when I say that I'm glad that you know you don't understand the size of the effort. (Although I was a little sarcastic with my first response--sorry about that).

    The worst part about the news is the commentary that comes from a "journalist" sitting at an air-conditioned desk commenting on why no one is "doing anything." I'm tired of people acting like there are fleets of helicopters and truck loads of aid resources just sitting there waiting to be delivered to a few people.

    There *aren't* fleets of helicopters and there *aren't* just a few people.

    Fun math exercise: 30,000 people into 30 helicopters that hold 15 people (that's a high number) equals more than 60 trips. When you consider that most of those 30 helicopters are still doing search and rescue work and the ones that are transporting are dealing being fired on it gets even worse.

    I think that "reporting" that ignores simple math is a dis-service to the public--it just inflames the anger of people that don't know better.

    All that said, though, I agree with you--it looks like more than one ball was dropped. Someone screwed up big time and people have died as a result.

    I can't help but think that some of the local "outrage" is partly a CYA/diversion type move since the local leaders obviously didn't plan for this large of a disaster either.

    Here's another question: in 15 years, will there be similar outrage if another hurricane hits the "rebuilt" New Orleans and the relief effort is deemed subpar? Will folks really have a valid complaint?

    Hmmm.

    I like your blog and look forward to tracking it in the future.

     

  • At 3:07 PM, Blogger BlowHard said…

    hmmm,

    You make an excellent point. While they were stuffing all of those people into the Superdome and the convention center, they should have been stuffing supplies and security in as well.

    The local government, the state government, and the federal government should have had the trucks of water and food waiting in Dallas and/or Houston, loaded and ready to roll.

    There's plenty of blame to pass around. Just not to those who followed the orders of their community leaders, trusted them, and then got left to fend for themselves.

     

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