In the ownership society, the Republican utopia, you are on your own.
Wilma Skinner would like to scream at the officials of this city. If only they would pick up their phones.
“I done called for a shelter, I done called for help. There ain’t none. No one answers,” she said, standing in blistering heat outside a check-cashing store that had just run out of its main commodity. “Everyone just says, ‘Get out, get out.’ I’ve got no way of getting out. And now I’ve got no money.”
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Exactly. If Bush hadn’t been elected, that homeless guy they talk about in the article wouldn’t have used what little money he had to buy a half-gallon of whiskey.
Just for the record, speaking as someone who thought all three levels of gov’t screwed the pooch in New Orleans but was told by all of my liberal friends that it was just the Feds that fucked up, can you go check your liberal talking points and find out if it’s okay to blame the state goverment a little bit in Texas since their governor is a Republican?
That person didn’t sound “articulate.” Is that a compliment?
Well, let’s see …
If I had a choice between either:
a) “owning” my home, “owning” a bank savings account, “owning” a car, and most importantly “owning” a sense of responsibility for myself, or
b) relying on the government to give me spending money, food stamps, a housing subsidy, medical care, transportation, and generally expecting someone else to do everything for me
… which lifestyle would put me in a better position to survive a disaster like a hurricane and flood?
Of course everyone can’t be self-sufficient, and those who need help deserve it, both from government and from private individuals who can become involved in their lives and give them a sense of self-worth.
But creating a system that fosters dependence and completely eliminates responsibility is simply a slow social suicide. And putting on the blinders and chanting “Impeach Bush, Impeach Bush” isn’t going to solve anything.
Texas is experiencing a serious problem with their evacuation plans. Although the Democrats are probably foaming at the mouth in anticipation of flooding and deaths so they can blame them on Bush and FEMA, the truth is that Texas authorities are responsible for the welfare of their citizens. Ultimately they bear the responsiblity for the problems with the evacuation.
But you’ll also notice that the Texas highway patrol, Department of Public Safety, National Guard, and local police departments are working around the clock to help people stuck on congested roads and to protect property left behind. 1/3 of Houston’s police force didn’t disappear. Buses for indigent and homeless residents were rolling 96 hours before predicted storm landfall. Manditory evacuation orders were given 72 hours before storm landfall. And the drainage stations on the coastal levees have reserve supplies and fuel to keep their pumps working for three days without electricity. In short, Texas is much better prepared than Louisiana.
Perhaps a lot of this has to do with Katrina being a serious wake-up call to other coastal areas. That is a good thing – no one wants thousands more to die in a southeast Texas flood. Anyone who tries to cook up a conspiracy theory based on more effective storm preparation in Texas is just plain crazy.
It IS all the Republicans’ fault this woman has no money or any sense of self-sufficiency.
I’d be curious to know how long she done be on the public dole and iffin this done caused her to think EVERYTHING should be done handed to her.
Here’s another one for you from Texas (from the message boards on the Houston Chronicle — inspired quite a thread):
“I am shocked at the irresponsibility of Gov. Rick Perry. I don’t get paid until Friday’s and today I can’t get gas and I cannot get food or water for my family here in Texas City. Why wasn’t I given some money by the Texas or Federal Gov. in order to buy the necesarry supplies for my family? I was offered a ride on a bus in order to evacuate the area but the toilet was far too small for a person my size to ever use and I’m not going to trust my babies to strangers. Why weren’t we given helicopter rides like the folks in New Orleans? All week long people got free helicopter rides in New Orleans and they got 2 thousand dollars. I feel like I got ripped off. This country and this government don’t give a damn about black people OR about poor people!”
The horror! Ass size determines who can be evacuated?
Down with assism!
Blue can’t you tell that was obviously a joke? Judging from the rest of the thread, it reeled a lot of people in.
Flood in ________ (fill in the blank). Poor and eldely hardest hit.
And this news? Was it different when Democrats were in charge?
It is funny how Mike states that responsibility is so important, but supports the most irresponsible admin ever…hmmm…Mike must be the uber rich – those are the only ones that get any love from the cons…
Hey Oliver, why don’t you do something about it then? Find out who she is. Tell David Brock to call his sugar daddy and get the woman some help.
But I suppose it’s easier just to sit back on your ass and whine about it being the fault of Republicans.