“There’s nothing wrong with America that can’t be fixed by what’s right with America.” - Bill Clinton.
Hurricane Katrina destroyed thousands of lives. Together, we’re trying to raise $1 million and prove that the liberal blogosphere can and help our fellow citizens in need. Donate Now.
Here’s some of what the money - hungry robber barons of corporate America have done so far (as reported in Newsday):
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said initial corporate donations to the relief effort could total more than $100 million, including $5 million from Chevron Corp., $3 million each from JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Citigroup, $2 million from Pfizer Inc. and $1 million from insurer State Farm.
The Walt Disney Co. contributed $2.5 million, $1 million of which will go to the American Red Cross and the rest for rebuilding efforts and volunteer centers helping affected communities.
Nissan North America sent 50 trucks. Anheuser-Busch offered more than 825,000 cans of water. Sprint Nextel Corp. donated 3,000 walkie talkie-type phones for emergency personnel.
Frank_D…We all know they just want to get the oil flowing again.
I find it telling that the 3 responses to this post up until mine criticize liberals. Not even one post can they take time out of their hate.
neoconsrloopy,
That you have the nerve to accuse others of rampant hate is beyond the pale. Ever read your own posts?
I’m very happy to see this. To date, much of the liberal blogosphere has not stepped up to the plate. But, it’s never too late, and I applaud this effort.
So, criticism = hate? I thought you guys were supposed to be the sophisticated thinkers, in this great war of ideology. I think not.
Not stepped up to the plate? You mean not post at great length how great we are and how we should be congratulated on how great we have been — like the conblogs?
Well, Phil, one of us posts at liberal blogs about how lousy liberal blogs are at raising money.
One of us posts at liberal blogs questioning the leadership of the Democratic Governor of Louisiana because she shed a tear in sympathy of her consitituents.
Which of us is it, Phil?
Time to go to the optician JD, isn’t it?
Uh, sorry to disappoint you neoconsrloopy [note to self: do I really want to converse with someone whose name is an insult to others?], I don’t hate anyone and my post expressed no hate.
If that makes you feel better, scratch, if that makes you feel better.
loopy : The words liberals and Democrats are not even in their posts. Apparently you are reading something into the words as written.
Neoconsrloopy…
Good news for both of us! If you interpret my mildly sarcastic remark as “hateful,” then I can recalibrate all your posts these past months and determine that you are only moderately disappointed in the Bush presidency.
“To date, much of the liberal blogosphere has not stepped up to the plate”
You’re an idiot, JD.
Meanwhile, if he can’t distinguish between reasoned criticism and hate, who’s really got the problem, here?
First of all, a “giving” competition for liberals tells me one thing: They’re so often accused of being generous with other people’s money (i.e., government funds) that a few of them felt a pang of conscience this time around, and they’re saying, “See, we’re generous; we can donate our own money.”
My point was that corporate donations were well into the millions, and more coming, before the left wing blogosphere campaign even started.
The right wing blogosphere didn’t categorize their campaign as right wing — they just did it.
Hate? Compared to the stuff lefties, including you, Loopy, have been saying about Bush, since Katrina hit — hardly.
loopy : nowhere in Frank’s or scratch’s posts do I see anything critical of liberals.
Guys, go easy on the cons. They’re witnessing the collapse of the Bush presidency, a fantasy world they’ve invested a lot of emotional capital into. That’s why all they can talk about, in this time of tragedy, is liberals. For them, an imaginary symbol of villainy is really the only thing they have to latch on to.
Frank_D, Phile et. al. –
Could someone please tell me the difference between going straight to the Red Cross website to give money and having to stop at Instapundit first then go to Red Cross to give money? It isn’t like Katrina has been “a silent killer” for god sakes. It isn’t like, say, MS which effects people everyday off the radar hence the need for annual telethons, walks and other media-grabbing fundraising events. Anyone can turn on CNN and see the need 24/7, go the computer and donate. Making a big show of posting two dozen links to a bunch different organizations is nice but how could it possibly increase anyone’s awareness of Katrina right now? Why is one link to the Red Cross worse than two dozen links to two dozen institutions? Your whole argument here — that liberals aren’t giving money — is not only without evidence, it’s without reason.
Posting a link to FEMA on your site is great as well but what good does it do for the 25,000 people in the Superdome who don’t have internet access — or food or water or sanitation? I posted this elsewhere but what good are blogs to disseminate information when most of the people most effected don’t have internet connections? It’s all helps in some way — and I’ve seen some interesting and useful uses of the internet on both sides — but is it enough to justify some righteous tirade about how liberal blogs aren’t doing enough? Again, as posted elsehwere, I live and work full-time in Los Angeles. I gave what I could directly to the Red Cross and will give again when I can. What more do you want me or anyone else without the time, training or resources for more direct involvement to do? Quite frankly there is nothing more most of us can do. You want me to put someone up in my apartment until they can find a place to stay? Sure. Who? Where are they and how do you get them to Los Angeles? Who’s going to pay for their travel and their meals? Is there a blog that can arrange all this? Is this the most effective way to help someone, relocating them to the otherside of the country to live with a total stranger? Again, I gave money and wil give more when I can. What more do you want me to do? Start a blog with a link to FEMA? WTF would that do?
In criticizing Bush’s policy priorities leading up to this disaster and in assessing the federal government’s managing of it, we lay the foundation for future discussions about how we learn from this and move forward. You guys take any critcism of Bush as Bush hatred. Why? Is there nothing that he’s supposed to take responsibility for, no one he is to be held accountable to? The man said this morning on the Today show that no one could have anticipated that the levees wouldn’t hold. Are you kidding me? No one? No one anywhere? This is effective leadership?
Condi takes the Big Apple by storm…er, I mean…uh, here read this one from Gawker too:
Honestly, those new Ferragamo’s are just ….to die for!
I don t think anyone anticipated the breach of the levees.
-George W. Bush, Sept 1, 2005, on Good Morning America.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4204754.stm
Simply indefensible. This is the end of the Bush presidency, the worst in the past 100 years.
Why do donations have to be liberal or conservative? It’s like each side is just trying to outdo each other instead of giving because you want to help out the victims.
I think it is a good idea to have this collection, but, I just don’t understand why it needs to be political. How about just trying to raise $1M to help the victims instead of using it to try and prove a point (and if you do have to prove a point, then I’d like to see something like “proving that the right and the left wing blogs can come together during a tragedy to raise money for disaster relief”).
Don’t get me wrong, though; this goes for the right-wing blogs too.
Now, watch this serve….
Hey Frank! Breaking news about Condi over at Drudge’s!!
As they say….developing….
TomY,
Hey, that was me you quoted! Please redirect your hate where it belongs. Thank-you.
Gee, Quaker, what do you want from her, she’s got to get on with her life, right? And these people in NO, can’t they eat cake?
I wonder when people will stop being conservatives and liberals/republicans and democrats and just be Americans for a while. No matter what Bush did or Hillary said or this that the other transpired before this massive disaster the fact of the matter is there are millions of AMERICANS who are in need of financial, psychological, physical and spiritual help. I doubt any of them are worried about anything other than SURVIVING. Political, ideological conversation has it’s place but sometimes differences should be put aside and people should work together and think in a spirit of harmony and nationalism. I believe everyone can find it in their hearts to contribute in some way to helping the people directly affected by this tragedy. Some may take different approaches and different amounts of time and money to help but in some way all AMERICANS should and will do their part in contributing. Even if it’s wishing good thoughts for the displaced people in the south who lost everything. Some of them weren’t even spared their lives.
Our National Embarrassment
I am watching CNN this morning and the video coming from New Orleans and the Hurricane Zone is horrible. People are dying. People are without food and water. People are without hope… NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (CNN) — Thousands of people…
Wow. Understatement of the millenium.
Still waiting for examples of Secretaries of State in Democratic administrations cancelling all of their social engagements anytime a natural disaster struck in the U.S.
Funny, the only images of Democratic Secretaries of State that come to mind are Madeleine Albright clinking champagne glasses with murderous dictator Kim Jong Il (”I’m So Ronery”)
Oh, wait, there’s Madeleine Albright again, chasing after Yasser Arafat (another murderous dictator) when he walked out of a meeting, while she was allowing the second intifada to spin out of control.
Oh, wait, that must be Bush’s fault too. My bad.
Not at Spam-a-lot?
Not having pushy shoppers thrown out of Ferragamo?
Not whacking a few volleys with Monica (Seles! I know what you’re thinking!)
You remind me. Which cabinet position does Mr. Clinton hold?
Hey Quaker, I just saw Bill Clinton on television laughing it up as he was leaving the Oval Office after standing with the President in solidarity with the ongoing relief efforts. How dare he laugh at a time like this! And on national television, no less.
Also, maybe you can explain to us what the Secretary of State has to do with domestic disaster relief. And maybe you can refresh our memory about all those Democrat Secretaries of State who interrupted their lives during disasters, or cloistered themselves, or maybe even took part in relief efforts during their administrations.
And for those who lack any imagination….here are a couple of quesitons for reflection:
The Secretary of State oversees the National Security Agency, IIRC? If you were a terrorist mastermind bent on destroying America, when would be an opportune time to launch an attack?
Frank?
Yoohoo…
Perhaps some other countries–maybe some of our neighbors or member of the “coalition” would like to help in this time of crisis. But how could we possibly coordinate such an effort with other countries?
If only we had a cabinet officer to do stuff like that….
And Tuco, if you’re going to play “but what about the Democrats,” remind me when the last time was we had a city of more than a million people virtually wiped off the map. Then we can make some valid comparisons.
TomY : Apparently, you did not read my original post, which was specifically referring to Frank and scratch’s comments. Oh, how rich the irony is … I will graciously accept your apology for calling me an idiot.
Savor the irony, JD. At least you’re having fun. Personally, I can’t get past the fact that our president is caught in the headlights again, jut like on Sept. 11. Goddammit this is sad. What’s going to happen to all those people at the Convention Center?
Quaker…
The Secretary of State has nothing to do with the National Security Agency.
No? My mistake. I thought Dr. Rice’s experience as National Security Advisor is what qualified her for her current position.
I was misinformed.
Hey! What do you know?
Condi, put down that tennis raquet. The phone’s ringing off the hook!
What we have here is a failure to anticipate -
From Condi Rice and her statement that no one in the administration could have anticipated that terrorists would use airplanes as missles thus explaining the failure to prepare for that disaster. To Rumsfeld and others in the administration not anticipating and preparing for the level of insurgency in Iraq thus explaining the deepening quagmire we face there and the ever increasing loss of life. And now President Bush -
“I don t think anyone anticipated the breach of the levees”.
New official motto for the Bush administration - “D’oh!” Which would be funny if it wasn’t so damned serious.
Quaker:
You’re not going to impress me by making yet another silly argument to cover up for the first silly argument you made.
Can you please enlighten us all on the responsibilities of the State Department during a domestic natural disaster? If you want, you can go to http://www.state.gov and come back to us with a report.
So let us know the answer to that first, and then when you come back, why don’t you tell us specifically what the Secretary of State should be doing right now, you know, after you’ve researched what it is the State Department does.
By the way, in 1994, while Warren Christopher was Secretary of State, the seventh most expensive natural disaster of the 20th Century occurred. Did Warren Christopher divert his attention from his duties as Secretary of State in the aftermath of this disaster. Please get back to us with a report.
So let me get this straihgt, everyone is suppsed to pitch and help except the Secretary of State?
Good lord, if this is how this administration responds to a natural disaster how can we trust them to respond to a terrorist attack? Al-Qaeda is watching this fiasco unfold and licking its chops. We are screwed.
That is all they have Quaker - the only thing left is but “oh what about them” - SICK - they are sick sick people…and should be shunned my polite society.
Oh and about that security thing:
Nope. No reason for Condi to get back to work. That bad, bad liberal Drudge should just back off.
Oh, in my last post, I meant to say the the seventh most expensive natural disaster of the 20th century occurred in the United States during Warren Christopher’s watch.
Where was he after that disaster, Quaker?
Tuco hates liberals. We get it. But more germane to the situation is the fact that Bush is way out of his league, something he has to ignore or his little rodent head will explode. I wish I could ignore it too, Tuco, because it’s a tragedy. I can’t even be angry about it, just sad. What’s this country coming to?
Even though it’s off topic, I can’t let Tuco get away with this one:
What meeting was that, Tuco? What were they discussing? Who set up that meeting?
You forgot to say.
Good leaders understand that symbolism matters, Tuco. Now, we don’t have any right now, so that’s why this gang is cavorting and frolicking while the bodies accumulate. Defend it if you like, but if you think the refugees from New Orleans are going to care about Warren Christopher or whatever you’re nattering on about, you’re sadly mistaken. This is a tragic week, not a time for trivial entertainments.
And your evidence that the State Department is not coordinating that response is exactly what? That Condoleeza Rice was spotted attending a play in New York City? I guess that makes sense, in a liberal sort of way. I mean, if you guys apparently believe that the President of the United States does all of the work of the Federal government, why shouldn’t the Secretary of State be responsible for the entirety of the work that the State Department does?
Quaker, you’re not even a convincing liar. First of all, what you “imagine” and what is true may turn out to be two different things. Secondly, you know damn well that the liberal moonbats would be howling to the moon if Bush decided to elevate the security level, even if he had good reason for doing so.
Go and try to pawn that crap off on someone more gullible than me.
Tuco,
Please refer to the link above regarding offers of help from other countries. I would suggest that the Secretary of State should provide coordination of our country’s response to those offers. Further, as I have already made clear, in a time of vulnerability, I would imagine that the National Security Council (of which the Secretary is a member) would be on a heightened alert status.
As for comparing Dr. Rice’s performance to that of her predecessors, I leave the field open to you.
Quaker asked:
And Tuco happily obliges:
From Time Magazine, October 16, 2000.
What should she be doing, frameone? Do you want her to wear sackcloth and ashes and ululate in grief until help arrives? Have you laughed, had an alcoholic beverage, listened to music, seen a movie since Sunday? If so, shame on you.
Bill Clinton laughed heartily in the Oval Office today. How do you explain that?
Did Warren Christopher forswear having a good time in the aftermath of the seventh most expensive natural disaster of the 20th century, or did he continue to behave like a human being?
Tuco: reply to your second post is pending moderation.
Now for the Albright job:
Let’s see, first you posted this:
And when pressed, you admit that you forgot to mention that 1) Ehud Barak was in the meeting 2) that the meeting was held to negotiate an end to the intifada 3) that Albright ran after Arafat to drag his sorry butt back into the meeting–and she succeeded 4) and that Albright was the prime mover who brought the principals face-to-face in the first place.
Now, what was your point again?
This is unbelievable. Or perhaps all too believable. Tuco et. al. have spent the last two days harranging the liberal blogosphere for not doing enough but it’s a-okay for the Secretary of State be taking in Broadway shows and buying designer shoes while on VACATION during this crisis. Now that’s a fast about face even for conservatives. How’s that whiplash doing Tuco?
According to conservatives, she should be out there having a grand old time while Americans drown and die. You are simply a ghoul, Tuco.
Are you on drugs? When pressed, I admitted I forgot? Where exactly did that take place? What is the relevance of Barak being in the meeting to my point, below?
Succeeded in bringing him back to the negotiations (while looking like a fool) and failing to stop the intifade, or don’t you remember that these talks failed?
And the outcome was the intifada spiralling out of control. Now, I only facetiously accused her of allowing that to happen in the previous post, just to show you how stupid it sounds when liberals blame Bush for bad breath.
But if you think that the 2000 talks with Arafat were a success, you’ve got other problems to contend with.
Yes, I suppose she might squeeze it in between shopping and tennis.
No one knows that better than I. Trust me on this.
I wasn’t talking about changing the flavor-of-the-month chart. I was talking about the NSC. Shouldn’t they be doing some, you know, security stuff while the country is vulnerable? Shouldn’t cabinet members be like, demonstrating leadership anstuff?
Hey, like you said: sometimes I imagine stuff that just isn’t true.
BTW: Now you’ve got my curiosity up. What was Warren Christopher doing during that big ol’ disaster? Getting a makeover at M-A-C?
Why not? Third time’s a charm!
1) Acting in her capacity as the nation’s top diplomat, coordinating offers of assistance from other countries
2) Acting in her capacity as a member of the National Security Council to prevent terrorists from seizing on this moment of vulnerability to attack the country.
Getting a Brazilian?
C’mon, the suspense is killing me.
Is anyone of you ever going to explain to me what it is that she should be doing?
And where was Warren Christopher in the aftermath of the seventh most expensive natural disaster (which occurred in the U.S.) in 1994?
Tuco, no one is saying that we aren’t supposed to laugh or go shopping. Shit I bought my 4 year old nephew a Star Wars toy yesterday for his birthday. But then again, we’re not talking about reverence here, were talking about doing some goddamn work to help AMERICANS WHO ARE DYING. You’ve been berating everyone here for not doing enough to help the victims. What would you have US do? I’ve given money. I need to work full-time so I can’t fly there to help directly. WTF else am I suppsed to do? What? Now, Rice, I can think of a thousand things she could be doing directly related to her position in the government. I hear that we aren’t allowing the rescue teams that Canada has offered to enter the country. Maybe Rice could be figuring out how to let Canada help. Maybe she could be coordinating other international offers of relief. Maybe she could be of help as a former NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR assisting in communications and planning. Maybe, god almighty just maybe, she could actually creative and FIND something to do if only to make this disaster of an administration look just a little better. Instead, where is she? Out shopping, doing nothing. What are you expecting? All of us citizens to pitch in and do everything we can while the actual people in charge are allowed to get away with doing the bare minimum to nothing at all? Where the hell are your priorities? Why are you are making excuses for failure? It’s simply unbelievable.
Really?
Well, if you’re interested, I can give you a whole list of places to look.
Now: Warren Christopher?
I’ve never seen anyone so proud of themselves about looking like a complete fool.
Tuco not even your namesake could stomach the BS you’re spinning here today.
Why am I not surprised? You can parrot a spurious meme all day long, but when questioned about it, you have nothing to say.
And where the heck is Frank? Maybe he’s getting a pair of Ferragamo’s for himself.
Shorter TomY: I can’t think of a response to Tuco’s post.
Filling in for Condi while she’s on vacation?
In which you simply repeat inanities you’ve already posted without responding to my questions.
The fact that you can’t figure out what I’m talking about means I’m dealing with a lightweight.
Good luck to you.
Leaders lead. Nothing else to say.
Shorter Tuco: I declare that you are wrong, without offering any logic or fact. Insult insult insult. I win!
You want answers? You asked what she should be doing. I answerd.
On the other hand, if you’re still looking for an answer to your Warren Christopher trivia question, I’ll admit to being stumped. Fill us in. Then tell us why it matters.
Okay, you mentioned about three or four. All of which make no sense at all.
You heard wrong. Another spurious rumor ciculated in the moonbat blogosphere that turned out not to be true. Sorry you’re the last person to find out. Next…
Exactly what she’s doing. Next…
Say, frameone, you know she’s the Secretary of State, don’t you? Do you really think that the relief effort is so short of communications and planning personnel that it needs to disrupt the operations of the State Department, by using the Secretary of State to perform a function that is not her job, all because frameone is concerned that she doesn’t have anything to do?
Earth to frameone: Shopping and going to plays are normal human activities and don’t infer that the person who is doing them has nothing else to do.
I don’t often lose it when I respond to inane comments by lightweights, but SHE’S DOING HER FRIGGIN’ JOB!
Quaker : What evidence do you have that the NSC is in fact not doing anything?
“It doesn’t matter” … not at all surprising. Proves that you are willing to attack her regardless of the veracity, or lack thereof, of the allegations.
Is the Secretary of State or the Department of Homeland Security in charge of these things? Do you think that every person in the State department just quits working when Sec. Rice leaves the office for the day?
Doggone it, Tuco. O-Dub, that shiftless rascal, hasn’t cleared my 5:30 post yet. I can’t bear to keep you waiting for the answers you so urgently request. So here it is again without the links:
Yes, I suppose she might squeeze it in between shopping and tennis.
No one knows that better than I. Trust me on this.
I wasn t talking about changing the flavor-of-the-month chart. I was talking about the NSC. Shouldn t they be doing some, you know, security stuff while the country is vulnerable? Shouldn t cabinet members be like, demonstrating leadership anstuff?
Hey, like you said: sometimes I imagine stuff that just isn t true.
BTW: Now you ve got my curiosity up. What was Warren Christopher doing during that big ol disaster? Getting a makeover at M-A-C?
So now frameone has moved from Canadian rescue teams not being allowed entrance into the US to the Dept. of Homeland Security having not yet requested the Candians help. Which is it? Are we rebuking their attempts to help, or concentrating on the job at hand prior to reaching out to other countries. Should they focus on getting food, water, supplies, troops, and medical care to the needy, or spend their time calling other countries?
It doesn’t matter. When Condi gets back on Tuesday, she can sort it all out then.
Via the New York Post today:
“September 1, 2005 — SECRETARY of State Condoleeza Rice, here on three days’ vacation to shop and see the U.S. Open, hitting some balls with retired champ Monica Seles at the Indoor Tennis Club at…”
So this would be one of those inviolate working vacations that the Bush administration is so famous for? Hey, Tuco, the heavyweight intellect, you and I get to go about our daily lives (which is why all your carping about liberals not doing enough was such crap), but leaders of this administration do not. Americans are dying, you asshole. Could you tell me how Condi was planning on doing her friggin job from the tennis courts? Coudl you tell me how one responds to rapidly changing events with a racket in your hand? I can’t believe your sitting wherever your sitting and defending a key member of the Bush cabinet being on vacation today.
And BTW, as of Wednesday afternoon, the Canadians were telling the US they were ready to help but:
“McLellan, the federal cabinet minister, said Tuesday she told Michael Chertoff, the American secretary of homeland security, that Canada is ready to provide assistance if needed. She said Canadian health authorities have offered to send emergency medical supplies from the country’s emergency stockpile.
Officials in McLellan’s office said as of Wednesday afternoon the Americans hadn’t made any requests for help.”
None. In fact, I hope they’re quite busy. I was answering Tuco’s earlier question: “maybe you can explain to us what the Secretary of State has to do with domestic disaster relief.”
I was going for irony there, JD. If you’ve been following this thread, you already know that I think it matters a great deal what Dr. Rice is doing to help. It’s Tuco that thinks she needs to get on with her life.
It’s my position that there’s enough work to keep ‘em all out of the theatres and shoe stores.
Right out of the gate, comes Phile to throw politics into one of our nation’s worst natural disaters. Unprovoked, Phile jumps headfirst into lowball politics and demonstrates the worst of America.
Here, we all have a chance to shine. To show the world what it means to be an American–how we value a sense of community and brotherhood.
Along comes Gomer Phile to prove to us all that even in the worst crises, there’s always at least one idiot out there reasserting his constant need for attention. Even if it’s negative attention, which after all is better than no attention at all.
JK
Tuco, JD:
From Friday’s New York Times:
Now can we agree that there’s something useful for Dr. Rice to be doing during the crisis?
I spent the day out of town, and away from my ‘puter…
I was having a good time with my sons at a water park…
Until I can think of some action to take to help the people in the Gulf area (Mississippi suffered more than Louisiana, you know), feeling bad and moping around accomplishes nothing. That’s the linerals’ game… “I feel miserable about it, therefore I have done something about it.
The conservative way is to do something about or not do something about it.
You can believe that when I lay down on the beach chair, and watched the water flying all over the place, I thought, “I’ll bet they could use all this water in New Orleans,” but it was just recycled water, and a lot of little kids were having fun. Why should they suffer for a hurricane so far away from their little world?
I’ll think of something to do — and it won’t be giving money to the corrupt Red Cross — maybe I’ll contribute to Catholic Charities. At least then I can be sure the money will go to the hurricane victims, instead of being set aside for future emergencies, while the donors think their money is going to the hurricane victims.
Do you think Condi laughed at the “Bring Out Your Dead” sketch in Spam-a-Lot??
I have no idea…
I don’t know or care to know anything about Spam - a Lot.
I’m sure you were making some attempt at sardonic