BillsNYC Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 To start, would love to open it to discussion, and will take one for the team and be the jerk who starts the political discussion about a tragedy. My brother emailed me yesterday: "can we compare haiti to new orleans? aid is there but there is not competent emergency plan to distribute ? even though the UN bldg was flattened -- what have they been doing for years -- considering past hurricanes etc .." This whole thing is almost identical to Katrina, which the media pinned on Bush. Who takes the fall for the lack of preparedness this time, and why was the Bush admin criticized for taking so much time to get supplies in and the same thing is happening now? Also, just like South Park called out in the Beaver Dam episode, the media is again inflating stories. They were reporting 500,000 dead, now Red Cross is saying 50,000. Still a high number, but c'mon. They're now reporting looting, but don't appear to actually be witnessing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 The only comparison you can have between the two is that both areas were devastated by mother nature. Other than that...nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Frenkle Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 Well, one occurred in America, while the other occurred in Haiti, a third world country. The question you're really asking yourself is: Is it OK to blame Obama for the response in Haiti in the same way Bush was blamed for the response in New Orleans? The answer is no, but I doubt that will stop you or your comrades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 To start, would love to open it to discussion, and will take one for the team and be the jerk who starts the political discussion about a tragedy. My brother emailed me yesterday: "can we compare haiti to new orleans? aid is there but there is not competent emergency plan to distribute ? even though the UN bldg was flattened -- what have they been doing for years -- considering past hurricanes etc .." This whole thing is almost identical to Katrina, which the media pinned on Bush. Who takes the fall for the lack of preparedness this time, and why was the Bush admin criticized for taking so much time to get supplies in and the same thing is happening now? Also, just like South Park called out in the Beaver Dam episode, the media is again inflating stories. They were reporting 500,000 dead, now Red Cross is saying 50,000. Still a high number, but c'mon. They're now reporting looting, but don't appear to actually be witnessing it. Simply put: we have higher expectations for responses to natural disasters within our borders, rather than without. And we shouldn't, since every event is different. And really...you're talking about one event that was an ongoing and continuous disaster that multiple layers of government failed to prepare and coordinate for desipte having substantial warning; versus another event that was unexpected and unpredictable, in a region that has virtually no ability to prepare for, plan for, or respond to such an event. Apples and oranges - the only real difference is that the US government traditionally can exercise more authority in Haiti than New Orleans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 I wonder how President BO will spin his bringing The Devil himself - George W. Bush into the humanitarian effort to raise money to alleviate the enormous suffering in Haiti. That has to be giving the lefty-loonies apoplexy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster4324 Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 Simply put: we have higher expectations for responses to natural disasters within our borders, rather than without. And we shouldn't, since every event is different. And really...you're talking about one event that was an ongoing and continuous disaster that multiple layers of government failed to prepare and coordinate for desipte having substantial warning; versus another event that was unexpected and unpredictable, in a region that has virtually no ability to prepare for, plan for, or respond to such an event. Apples and oranges - the only real difference is that the US government traditionally can exercise more authority in Haiti than New Orleans. :unsure: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Frenkle Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 I wonder how President BO will spin his bringing The Devil himself - George W. Bush into the humanitarian effort to raise money to alleviate the enormous suffering in Haiti. That has to be giving the lefty-loonies apoplexy. W owes humanity to this point and should work whatever black magic he's still capable of to help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 Simply put: we have higher expectations for responses to natural disasters within our borders, rather than without. And we shouldn't, since every event is different. And really...you're talking about one event that was an ongoing and continuous disaster that multiple layers of government failed to prepare and coordinate for desipte having substantial warning; versus another event that was unexpected and unpredictable, in a region that has virtually no ability to prepare for, plan for, or respond to such an event. Apples and oranges - the only real difference is that the US government traditionally can exercise more authority in Haiti than New Orleans. Yet... IMO... I firmly believe that NOLA would have weathered Katrina and made it through... Actually, during the event, it looked like that was exactly taking place... Then wham-o, unexpected failure accured (pumps and levee... Levee breaches because of slow weakening dangerous plant root systems). NOLA should have made it through. There is a reason why the Corps lost its first lawsuit ever with regard to Katrina. Unexpected system failure, IMO caused the diasaster. One can pretty much equate that to the unpredictable nature of earthquakes and they effect theyt have on poorly designed, over-populated, poor areas. In my eyes, both disasters weren't totally caused by the physical events themselves, but were caused by the systems in place that failed. Even Jim in Anchorage brought up a good point about the 1964 AK quake... How that was a 9.2 and Haiti was in the 7's... Some buildings are still standing in Anchorage from that disaster... And yet, a much, much weaker quake makes Port-Au-Prince look like hell on earth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 Go back... I said this before Katrina... We weren't spending money on the right things in NOLA. Instead of making the 3,000 oil changes, we went for the fuzzy dice. It wasn't going to be the storm itself, I also said that BEFORE THE STORM. Again, NOLA should have made it out of the woods. I work for the USACE, I actually called my father before the storm hit and told him: "Just watch, the Corps will swing for what is going to happen." Almost, 5 years later they lose their first ever suit and the words the court uttered was: "They created a hurricane highway." Yes, to a very exact point they did create a hurricane highway... Yet, still NOLA should have made it through if neglect to other parts of the system didn't suddenly rear its ugly head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drnykterstein Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 Either way, I don't think anyone would argue that we have treated Haiti much better than we treated NO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster4324 Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 Either way, I don't think anyone would argue that we have treated Haiti much better than we treated NO. Really? What have we done for them so far? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 Really? What have we done for them so far? Maybe they mean before the disasters?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster4324 Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Maybe they mean before the disasters?? You are dumb enough to argue we have helped the people of Haiti prior to now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 You are dumb enough to argue we have helped the people of Haiti prior to now? No. We haven't helped them at all is what I am saying. Seems poor people always end up living in the areas that can be compromised the most by events like the two mentioned. Least it isn't like the old days where they actually blew the levees, flooded the poor and spared the well off. Maybe we are gaining an ounce of kindness towards humanity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 We haven't helped them at all is what I am saying. Actually, we've poured a ton of American taxpayer dollars into the country - the majority of which has ended up in the hands of corrupt government officials. Basically we've treated them to the same spoils the liberals are guilty of here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster4324 Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Actually, we've poured a ton of American taxpayer dollars into the country - the majority of which has ended up in the hands of corrupt government officials. Basically we've treated them to the same spoils the liberals are guilty of here. Please, the Republicans are only slightly less guilty of the same sort of thing. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsNYC Posted January 17, 2010 Author Share Posted January 17, 2010 Actually, we've poured a ton of American taxpayer dollars into the country - the majority of which has ended up in the hands of corrupt government officials. Basically we've treated them to the same spoils the liberals are guilty of here. We poured a ton of tax dollars into New Orleans - much of which ended up in the hands of corrupt government officials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster4324 Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 We poured a ton of tax dollars into New Orleans - much of which ended up in the hands of corrupt government officials. We spent more on ice for NO (that never made it there) than we have on Haiti so far, how do you feel about that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magox Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 This whole thread consists of series of incorrect statements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frit0 Bandit0 Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Poverty, Creole language, Voodoo, French, welfare and crime? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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