| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"Harry Hope" |
| Date: |
14 May 2007 11:03:06 AM |
| Object: |
The lies rightards like to tell about Kansas Governor Sebelius |
Last week the town of Greensburg, Kansas, was destroyed by a powerful
tornado - the entire town was literally wiped out.
And once again, the recovery effort may be hampered by the Bush
administration's misbegotten occupation of Iraq.
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) appeared on CNN last week and had the
following conversation with correspondent John Roberts:
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/07/sebelius-tornado/
ROBERTS:
We spoke with your (INAUDIBLE) general, Major General Bunting, a
little while ago.
You have illuminated a problem that you've got here in terms of the
National Guard's ability to be able to react to this crisis because of
the Iraq war.
What's going on?
SEBELIUS:
Well, states all over the country are not only missing personnel,
National Guard troops are - about 40 percent of the troops on the
ground in Iraq and Afghanistan - but we're missing the equipment.
When the troops get deployed, the equipment goes with them.
So, here in Kansas, about 50 percent of our trucks are gone.
We need trucks.
We're missing Humvees, we're missing all kinds of equipment that can
help us respond to this kind of emergency.
ROBERTS:
So how is that going to hamper efforts both in the recovery and the
rebuilding?
SEBELIUS:
Well, as you travel around Greensburg, you'll see that the city and
county trucks were destroyed.
They - the storm hit them, as well as anything...
ROBERTS:
Fire trucks and everything is gone.
SEBELIUS:
So we're borrowing equipment from around, but National Guard are our
first responders.
They don't have the equipment they need to come in.
And it will just make it that much slower.
The White House immediately hit back at Sebelius, with press secretary
Tony Snow dismissively suggesting that "If you don't request it,
you're not going to get it. ... As far as we know, the only thing the
governor has requested are FM radios. There have been no requests to
the National Guard for heavy equipment. ... We are eager to provide
what Kansas needs. But again there are also - you also have to go
through the process of making the request first."
http://www.examiner.com/a-716375%7EWhite_House_Disputes_Guard_Shortages.html?cid=rss-Politics
I guess Tony didn't get the memo:
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/08/snow-sebelius
Dec. 30, 2005: Sebelius writes to Rumsfeld requesting new equipment.
"The Guard was critical to responding to recent blizzards and floods
in Kansas, yet its ability to respond to similar situations is being
diminished by a lack of equipment," wrote Sebelius. Included with her
letter was a list of equipment Kansas had lost to the Iraq war.
Jan. 23, 2006: Sebelius personally urges Bush to increase National
Guard funding. In an one-hour motorcade ride in Kansas with Bush,
Sebelius expressed concern about "a reduction of National Guard troop
strength in its next budget." Bush assured her he was "dealing" with
the shortages.
June 28, 2006: Sebelius sends Army Secretary list of equipment lost in
war. In a meeting with Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey, Sebelius told
Harvey that the state had lost about $140 million in National Guard
equipment to the Iraq war. Her office then sent him a list of the lost
equipment.
Sept. 2006: Sebelius lobbies for replacement of National Guard
equipment sent to Iraq. "Kansas' congressional delegation, Sebelius
and governors from around the country have been lobbying the Pentagon
for increased funding to replace National Guard equipment that has
been left in Iraq or damaged beyond repair after repeated use in war."
Feb. 27, 2007: Sebelius pushes White House and Congress for more
funding. "Now the Guard needs Washington's help," Sebelius said in
press conference on Capitol Hill. "The President and Congress need to
step up to the plate and give our Guard members the support they
deserve."
And let's not forget that in 2006, all fifty governors wrote a letter
to Our Great Leader "imploring him to immediately begin reoutfitting
their depleted National Guards" - and nothing was done.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-070513govs-guard-story,1,3999163.story?coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=3&cset=true
So much for, "If you don't request it, you're not going to get it."
Looks like you're not going to get it if you request it either.
By EarlG
Democratic Underground
http://www.democraticunderground.com/
Harry
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