I just heard on the news that some people are refusing to evacuate New Orleans. This can’t be true, can it?
I understand some people can’t be evacuated. But refusing to leave?
BTW- In the aftermath of the hurricane, when Bush goes to Louisiana, who do you think will be the first to say ‘Bush will take time from his vacation to see these victims, but he won’t take time from his vacation to meet Cindy Sheehan, a victim of his policies?’
Your choices:
1.) Someone at the DU.
2.) Someone at dKos.
3.) A front pager at dKos.
4.) Some random blogger.
5.) Someone at the Camp Crawford circus.
6.) Cynthia McKinney.
After further thought, my guess is someone at the HuffPo.
*** Update ***
The natives are restless and cussing out Fox News.
*** Update ***
Who will be the first to blame this on the nation’s moral slide?
mac Buckets
Since that would be a pretty insane thing to say, I’d usually go with the most insane nutter. Since McKinney is just one person, though, I’ll go with 4) Some Random Blogger, and I’ll parlay that with a prop bet on Amanda at Pandagon.
jobiuspublius
John, you sneaky guy you. I was about to complain that it’s time for some fresh meat, but, man you came through!
========================================
‘Bush will take time from his vacation to see these victims, but he won’t take time from his vacation to meet Cindy Sheehan, a victim of his policies?’
========================================
They’re all going to be so jealous that you beat them to it.
demimondian
Wow! That’s some good snark!
My bet it on some right wing site, say LGF, making up a story that you’ve seen a headline stored away at dKos to release when Bush shows up, showing that Kos and Armando were planning to exploit the tragedy for political purposes even before the storm hit.
Zifnab
If you want to get technical, I think you were the first to say it.
Boronx
Who will be the first winger to use the imminent destruction of New Orleans in a plea for “staying the course” in our illegal and destrous occupation of Iraq?
My guess is George W. Bush, and further, I’ll bet he’s already done it.
Boronx
…disasterous…
normalguy
I blame Bush for this, hopefully it will go straight to Crawford…
And how dare NOAA, and Katarina, besmirch Ms. Sheehan’s good name…
Joe Albanese
I wonder if there is any story out there that John can’t use to take another swipe at the Cindy Sheehan movement.
Actually it would have been a better opportunity to attack the good Rev. Robertson. Didn’t he once say that a hurricane hit Orlando because of Disney’s policies towards gays? and we ALL know how sinful and evil New Orleans is during Mardi Gras. Hey, maybe he has a point?
rilkefan
The right wing is going to plenty worked up about the resulting call for more attention being paid to global warming.
Anyway, you’ve got it backwards.
rilkefan
“going to get plenty”
Also there will be people saying, “We’re staying in Iraq in the face of the insurgent hurricane”, so brace yourselves.
M. Scott Eiland
I was listening to a live report from the scene that said there were two idiots out on surfboards–I hope that no rescue personnel are put at risk should the schmucks find themselves about to win Darwin Awards. I’d have zero problem with them being left to their fate and the attention of the authorities being focused on the people sensible enough *not* trying to get themselves killed.
Seal Pool
What a boring question.
Geek, Esq.
I think a French newspaper will reveal that Bush actually met with Sheehan in 1999, but that no proof now exists to verify it.
BumperStickerist
Why wait to look at the Hurricane/Impending Destruction of New Orleans as Political Event?
From a Kos FrontPage/Promoted Diarist today – easy to find, no rooting around in the subcomments to find a disparaging thing, et
preserve as many dems as we can.
and
I don’t mean that lightheartedly.
Cite
Nice, DarkWylde,
….. very nice.
Ancient Purple
I’m still trying to figure out why Fearless Leader had to interrupt a prior vacation in Crawford to fly back to Washington, DC to sign the Shiavo bill, but couldn’t be bothered to race back to DC to make his disaster declarations regarding Katrina that is going to his NOLA head on.
Instead, he did that from the comfort of his Crawford ranch.
Well, at least his bizarre sense of priorities is still intact.
Axien
Zifnab beat me to it.
Fledermaus
John, it’s clear that people are staying because if they evacuated that would just show a lack of resolve and allow the hurricane to win. Furthermore it would also serve to embolden all the other hurricanes.
Alexandra
Is this the best you can do in expressing your concern for what’s happening in New Orleans?
What I’m wondering is: What happened to the public planning for this kind of disaster? Why are so many people stranded in this high-risk place–why was there not more planning for buses, etc.? This evening I read that people who are going to be bunking in the Superdome have to bring their own food and water for five days. How is that an efficient way of doing things? Whatever happened to FEMA, or at least the Red Cross. Here are people leaving their homes with whatever they can carry–probably their few precious possessions–and they have to worry about bringing bottled water and Ritz crackers for five days? And how are they supposed to prepare five days worth of food? Are they supposed to carry their hibachis and five days worth of coal? This isn’t an earthquake–it didn’t happen in one minute. The government has had several days to plan for this kind of catastrophe. And it sounds as if they’ve done a piss poor job of it.
gswift
There’s invariably some nutcases that refuse to leave. In 1980 there was that old guy Harry Truman that refused to leave his cabin at the base of Mt. St. Helens.
gswift
The wikipedia entry on Truman says he was a native of West Virginia.
Awesome.
demimondian
Yes, it can. Google for “Richeliu Apartments” and “Hurricane Camille”.
The interesting thing about that story is that the popular version is not true. It is true that there were people in the building and that some of them died, but the people who stayed behind weren’t fools — they had been helping to prepare the town, the building was a civil defense shelter, and they should have been safe.
jobiuspublius
” Axien Says:
Zifnab beat me to it.”
====================================================
OK, I need to correct this theft now. I was first. I beat everyone to it. That includes you two.
Geoduck
Sadly, I gather that some people simply have no place to go.
Vladi G
Some obscure person on the left that no one has ever heard of and that no one will remember in two years will say it. Then the right wing blogosphere will turn this person into a minor celebrity as they claim again and again and again that this person speaks for the entire left wing of the political spectrum. This is known as the “Churchill effect”. See: bumpists post above as a token example of this.
Then when some right wing religious nutjob with a viewing audience of a couple million people says the hurricane is God’s wrath on the gays and the abortionists, everyone on the right will talk about how that person has no influence over anyone.
jobiuspublius
But, Alexandra, Dear Leaders first commandment is: Goverment shall do no no wrong. Don’t worry, it’s the way of Dear Leader. It’ll all work out. Let’s hold hands and pray. Ok, everyone? Kumbayaaaaaa……
Bob
What someone’s going to say is, “Where’s the damned National Guard?”
rafael
About people refusing to leave, this stupid shit always happen. In Puerto Rico you usually had more deaths because of this than anything else. People would refuse to leave, then call for help in the middle of the hurricane, putting the civil defense volunteers and police in danger.
Then there’s also the usual dumbass who waits till the last minute to cross a bridge, even though the river is overflowing. Oh, and the ones that go out to watch, who have been outrageously overlooked by the Darwin Awards.
But the funny stuff happens AFTER the hurricane, when radio programs open the lines for people asking for help. It’s a good way to report fallen electrical lines, broken water pipes, etc. But you always get some empty headed idiot who has serious issues with priorities. My favorites were:
1. The moron who called to ask when would they restore CABLE service because he was bored and there was nothing to do. The dj ripped him a new one.
2. This lady that called to report that she had NO ELECTRICITY in her house. After a hurricane, imagine that. She was complaining that all the meat she bought was going to spoil. (They make it really clear that you shouldnt buy perishable goods.) The radio guy mostly just laughed at this one.
Axien
I stand corrected. Not only was I late, but I was wrong as well.
cac
My 82 yo dad from Illinois is a Red Cross volunteer and goes to all the hurricanes.His group is already in Florida waiting until the storm passes and then will move in where they are needed. Their process is very organized. Thanks Dad.
RiverRat
I would hope that wingbat/moonbat ideologues accept their shared humanity for at least the next 24 hours and shut the fuck up about war, politics, and anything but helping, in whatever way possible.
Far right or far left you’re still human; or are you not?
W.B. Reeves
One can only hope.
B. Ross
Wasn’t it Bubble Boy who cut funds for FEMA?
You know, to fund that war he wanted to get back at his Daddy. Oops. Only Daddy turned out to be the smart one, not Bubble Boy. Oops.
So now–we’ve turned from surplus into bankruptcy, peace into war, Osama Bin Forgotten, and there aren’t funds for: FEMA and Hurricane Katrina, protecting mass-transit systems, keeping air and water clean, and all the rest of that pro-actual-people crap, or, really much of any frickin’ thing.
OH GOD I FEEL SO MUCH SAFER NOW.
I feel sure the people of New Orleans who are about to be sacrificed feel uh, safer now, too–or, well, I’m sure they feel something.
jobiuspublius
September tha Eelevunth changed everything. It’s an ownership society now. You own your own misery. Because we’re an empire now. We make reality for the reality based community to study and then we make another one before they can finish the last one. Tee hee hee hee.
jobiuspublius
But, it’s all the terrorists fault. Look! One just scuried across my toes.
KC
Hopefully this isn’t a matter of political warfare. After all, I’m sure the people in New Orleans don’t have politics on their minds right now.
Bruce From Missouri
This is where I rudely say that it would be nice if the Louisiana National Guard was at full strength to help with the evacuation instead of getting blown up in Iraq.
Go ahead and blow your gasket now, John.
Bruce
Brandon
Even if some moonbats feel the need to exploit yet another tragedy for political gain.
I hope you guys on the left are proud of yourselves.
Bruce Moomaw
You’re assuming that Bush will go to Louisiana, John. Since this would require interrupting his vacation, I wouldn’t count on it.
bains
For goodness sake John, why look elsewhere when you’ve got a symphony of barking moonbats right here.
bains
… hoping for a high death toll so they can blame Bush.
Joe Albanese
bain:
Is there anything that the right won’t use to attempt to portray the left as evil. John, from the looks of comments like bain’s it seems you had it all backwards.
jobiuspublius
bains, Brandon, what the hell do you know about the national guard?
bains
Merely prognosticating Joe.
I dont think the left is particularly evil, just opportunistic, as is the right. And portions of the left will frame this story as somehow the rights fault.
As a side note, if New Orleans isn’t devastated, I’m sure some idiot will try to blame FEMA, NOAA, the Mayor of NO, or whoever for undue hardship caused by the mandatory evacuation.
Defense Guy
Alexandria is mistaken regarding those in NO having to bring their own food and water to the Superdome, the rations they are eating and the water they are drinking is provided by the taxpayers. I am crossing my fingers and praying it won’t be as bad as some are predicting.
[snark] Hurricanes have no politics, and as usual those without souls try to paint everything as political. Also, please remember that many Democrats grow up to be fine Republicans. Call it political evolution. [/snark]
ET
My mother and her husband live there and left for Houston. My brother chose the check he and his famioy (4 little girls under 7) into a hotel. I love my brother but this is just dumbass.
Joe Albanese
Defense Guy says:
Some might call it early onset alzheimers.
Defense Guy
Ha. What were we talking about again?
ppGaz
A C-130 “Context Hunter” airplane is going to fly through this thread in an effort to determine whether the thread has any actual point.
The aircraft is equipped with sensitive electronic devices which can detect and analyze even the most microscopic point, including points made entirely by accident.
Alexandra
Defense Guy–I hope you are correct. I heard my information on CNN. Can you please share your source or a link?
Defense Guy
Alexandra – I heard an interview with the man in charge of the national guard this morning. I will see if I can find a written source.
Profbacon
I am hoping and praying for the people caught up in this and hope that the city stands tomarrow.
But I will make a bet with John. A member of God’s Own Circus will call New Orleans the modern day Sodom and Gamorrah and it’s distruction was warented because of the the Gay section on Bourbon Street and Tit flashes for a nickel-worth of beads… BEFORE a Leftie does what he described.
Defense Guy
Alexandra – I found the quote you were talking about, so it appears I spoke too soon. The mayor of NO asked people to going to the dome to bring enough food and water for 3-5 days. In the interview I heard this moring, the national guard is feeding and providing water, and so far anticipates no shortages.
Another Jeff
Alexandra and Defense Guy,
I think you’re both actually right. i did hear the people were told to bring five days worth of food, but as early as late yesterday, the National Guard was also bringing food in.
Alexandra
Thanks Defense Guy and Jeff–That is great news amid the sad news!
Alexandra
Dear Jeff and Defense Guy–Thanks a lot. That’s somewhat reassuring news amid the sad news of the day.
Boronx
Let’s stop calling them “Right” and “Left”
On oneside you have conservative strong-america types aligned with peaceful moonbats, and on the other side you have religious fanatics aligned with radical imperialists.
The left-right spectrum doesn’t reslly cut it anymore.
Brian
No, no, no. You have it all wrong. The real story here is Karl Rove. He seeded the clouds so that this hurricane will get Cindy Sheehan and Iraq off the front pages. It is that simple.
Tim F
Disagreed about that. LA has never been a focus of rightwing anger so they have no incentive to make ghoulish hay out of its misfortune. As opposed to, say, New York or Boston.
Steven
And the winner is….someone at dKos
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/8/29/35217/3990