| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"stoney" |
| Date: |
11 Sep 2005 09:35:58 PM |
| Object: |
OT: Louisiana senior senator turns up heat on Bush |
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9270364/
Louisiana senior senator turns up heat on Bush
Democrat Landrieu escalates rhetoric against president on Katrina
response
The Associated Press
Updated: 3:22 p.m. ET Sept. 11, 2005
WASHINGTON - Louisiana’s senior senator on Sunday escalated the
Democrats’ rhetoric against the Bush administration’s hurricane
response. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., accused the White House of a
“full court press” to blame state and local officials for the initial
sluggish rescue effort.
The government’s emergency managers came under fire from the lone
black senator, Democrat Barack Obama, who said they were clueless
about the inner-city in New Orleans when they failed to plan for the
evacuation of poor people.
The White House sought to deflect criticism ahead of President Bush’s
third trip to the stricken Gulf Coast, saying blame could be assessed
later.
“It’s not the time for blame. It’s the time for helping the people on
the ground that have been severely impacted by Hurricane Katrina,”
White House spokesman Ken Lisaius said. “We’ll continue to provide aid
and assistance to those who have been severely impacted.”
Landrieu said officials at all levels eventually would share blame for
an inadequate response, but she cited only the administration for the
finger-pointing that followed the killer storm.
“While the president is saying that he wants to work together as a
team, I think the White House operatives have a full court press on to
blame state and local officials whether they’re Republicans or
Democrats. It’s very unfortunate,” she told CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
She said Washington was obligated to support local and state
officials, “particularly in times of tragedy and stress, not to pile
on them, not to make their suffering worse.”
GOP senator: Relief gets ‘failing grade’
Sen. David Vitter, R-La., said on ‘Fox News Sunday” he would give “the
entire big government organized relief effort a failing grade, across
the board.” But, he added that state and local governments shared in
the blame, too.
Landrieu’s office said the senator based her accusation in part on
comments by the Homeland Security chief, Michael Chertoff, and by
administration allies on Capitol Hill, who cited the responsibility of
state and local officials in planning for and responding to disasters.
She also cited several news stories about a White House campaign to
deflect criticism.
Obama was asked on ABC’s “This Week” whether there was racism in the
lack of evacuation planning for poor, black residents of New Orleans.
He said he would not refer to the government response in that way, but
said there was a much deeper, long-term neglect.
“Whoever was in charge of planning was so detached from the realities
of inner city life in New Orleans ... that they couldn’t conceive of
the notion that they couldn’t load up their SUV’s, put $100 worth of
gas in there, put some sparkling water and drive off to a hotel and
check in with a credit card,” Obama said.
Obama laments ‘historic indifference’
“There seemed to be a sense that this other America was somehow not on
people’s radar screen. And that, I think, does have to do with
historic indifference on the part of government to the plight of those
who are disproportionately African-American.” He added that “passive
indifference is as bad as active malice.”
The House Democratic leader, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., proposed an
independent commission to watch for contractor scams in hurricane
repairs.
“Already we have seen despicable stories of those trying to profit off
desperate Gulf Coast residents,” she said. Her plan would investigate
waste and fraud as soon as contracts are awarded.
Bush pledges a ‘more vibrant’ Gulf Coast
In his weekly Saturday radio address, President Bush said Americans
will come together and make the Gulf Coast “more vibrant than ever,”
just as they rebuilt after the devastation brought by terrorist
attacks four years ago this weekend.
“Even in the deepest darkness, we can see the light of hope, and the
light shows us the way forward,” he said. “We will honor the memory of
those we have lost; we will comfort the victims of Katrina; and we
will make the Gulf Coast more vibrant than ever.”
Bush marked the fourth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist
attacks by remembering the victims of that tragedy and Hurricane
Katrina.
“Our greatest resource in such times is the compassionate character of
the American people, because even the most destructive storm cannot
weaken the heart and soul of our nation,” the president said in his
address. “America will overcome this ordeal, and we will be stronger
for it.”
Harsh criticism from Democrats
Democrats said Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress did not
learn a painful lesson of Sept. 11 — America must be ready for
disaster. Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, in the Democratic party
radio address, said victims of the hurricane are suffering because the
government was unprepared.
“This year, Republicans in Congress cut first-responder homeland
security programs by $604 million, and an additional cut of $1.1
billion was requested by the president for fiscal year 2006,” Thompson
said.
“This is funding for resources on the local level to defend our
families, protect our communities and respond during times of crisis.
Diminishing the ability of our sheriffs, police, firefighters and all
first responders to get the job done is simply unacceptable.
“We need a real citizen preparedness plan — one that takes care of
children, the elderly and the disabled,” Thompson said. “Mothers and
grandmothers should not drown in nursing homes because help never
arrived.”
Bush did not note widespread complaints about government handling of
the disaster, instead calling on Americans to help with recovery by
contacting the USA Freedom Corps volunteer network.
He said he signed spending bills this week that will provide an
additional $52 billion for response and recovery and called for
special evacuee status for people in the disaster areas so they can
more easily collect federal benefits.
Bush links Sept. 11, Katrina
Bush often talks about Sept. 11 when he is under public scrutiny, and
Sunday’s anniversary was a natural occasion to reminisce about the
attacks as he faces criticism for a slow government response to the
hurricane and subsequent flooding. In his radio address, he drew
similarities to the two catastrophes that hit the United States four
years apart.
“Today, America is confronting another disaster that has caused
destruction and loss of life,” the president said in his Saturday
broadcast. “This time the devastation resulted not from the malice of
evil men, but from the fury of water and wind.”
Bush’s plans for Sunday’s anniversary include a memorial church
service and moment of silence at the White House before he makes his
third trip to the states hit by the hurricane.
“Four years later, Americans remember the fears and uncertainty and
confusion of that terrible morning,” he said. “But above all, we
remember the resolve of our nation to defend our freedom, rebuild a
wounded city, and care for our neighbors in need.
© 2005 The Associated Press
--
Contempt of Congress meter reading-offscale.
Hello, theocracy with a fundamentalist US Supreme
Court who will ensure church and state are joined
at the hip like clergy and altar boys.
America 1776-Jan 2001 RIP
"As democracy is perfected, the office of president
represents, more and more closely, the inner soul
of the people. On some great and glorious day the
plain folks of the land will reach their heart's
desire at last and the White House will be adorned
by a downright moron." --- H.L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)
Religion is the original war crime.
-Michelle Malkin (Feb 26, 2005)
.
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| User: "duke" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Louisiana senior senator turns up heat on Bush |
12 Sep 2005 10:08:13 AM |
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On Sun, 11 Sep 2005 14:35:58 -0700, stoney <stoney@the.net> wrote:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9270364/
Louisiana senior senator turns up heat on Bush
Democrat Landrieu escalates rhetoric against president on Katrina
response
The Associated Press
Updated: 3:22 p.m. ET Sept. 11, 2005
WASHINGTON - Louisiana’s senior senator on Sunday escalated the
Democrats’ rhetoric against the Bush administration’s hurricane
response. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., accused the White House of a
“full court press” to blame state and local officials for the initial
sluggish rescue effort.
President Bush declared New Orleans a disaster area 36 hours BEFORE the katrina
hit.
duke
*****
"The Mass is the most perfect form of Prayer."
Pope Paul VI
*****
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