Posted on 09/02/2005 5:00:38 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
Today show Tide Shifts: Relief Efforts Out, Blaming Federal Government In
Anyone seen Kathleen Blanco lately? Remember her, the Democratic Governor of Louisiana, the lady who put in a few shaky, overwhelmed performances at the beginning of the Katrina catastrophe? She seems to have disappeared off the MSM radar screen.
How about the Mayor of New Orleans, another Democrat? How many Americans can even name him? Compare and contrast with the role Rudy Giuliani played in the wake of 9/11.
Instead, Today's focus this morning was almost entirely on the shortcomings of the federal [read Republican-led] government in its response to Katrina.
Katie Couric spoke of "the growing chorus of criticism over the government's response this national crisis."
Chorus-leader Couric first grilled FEMA Director Michael Brown. Criticized about the lack of law and order, Brown said that by Sunday there would be 30,000 National Guard troops on the ground. That wasn't good enough for Katie, who after saying she didn't want to "belabor the point" went on to do just that, carping that "it seems like a pretty long lag time."
Katie then turned to the lack of funding to improve the levee system. "Why weren't federal funds allocated for that?"
Brown: "with all due respect to you, I'm focused on life-saving efforts now."
A clenched-jaw Couric cut him off rudely: "but that might have saved lives, Mr. Brown."
Next up was an interview of Tim Russert by Matt Lauer. He joined in the chorus of criticism, focusing on the lack of pre-positioning of supplies. "This is the United States of America appearing to be incapable of rescuing and saving its own people after five days."
Lauer then offered up some editorializing of his own. He noted that "the great majority of the peole we see suffering now are black and poor."
He then, incredibly, added: "these are the people who don't have the safety net in their daily lives. How much of a wake-up call does this have to be for people in our country."
No safety net? It's been estimated that since the beginning of LBJ's "War on Poverty" in the '60s, the federal government has spent $5-6 trillion on a variety of 'safety net' programs, from Medicaid, to AFDC, to food stamps, etc.
Even Bill Clinton, who signed an historic welfare reform bill, was eventually forced to recognize that making people dependent on government had been a failure, exacerbating the very problems the programs sought to address.
But Lauer seemed to draw just the opposite conclusion. When he spoke of the lack of a safety net and a "wake up" call, the apparent implication was that the federal government should be spending more than ever on welfare.
There undoubtedly have been mistakes made on all levels of government, and there will be plenty of time to analyze and criticize.
But the MSM already seem to be developing their strategy: focus the criticism almost entirely on the federal government, rather than on the notoriously corrupt, Democrat-led New Orleans and Lousiana governments. And offer up as a solution more government welfare spending. When socialism fails, try more socialism.
Finkelstein has degrees from Cornell University and Harvard Law School. He lives in Ithaca, NY where he hosts "Right Angle," a local political talk show. Finkelstein specializes in exposing liberal bias at NBC's Today Show.
Very well put, IMO.
How many years has this country been having hurricanes?
And out of all those years .. and all those hurricanes
Can anyone name me one time when we have had such problems dealing with relief efforts ??
Can anyone name one time when the very people who are trying to rescue folks have EVER been shot at ??
There wasn't even these types of problems with Hur. Andrew
Think about it .. 30,000 troops have been sent to just ONE CITY
Because the Officials in LA couldn't get things under control in the beginning
30,000 troops for one cities .. which could be used in the other parts of the gulf that have been hit by this storm
These libs wanted to make a society depended on the government and they got it
I really appreciate you watching Katie for us...I can no longer stomach such media drama queens. Wonder why she isn't in New Orleans heat and humidity? Did she have on her big girl glasses this morning?
Thanks, LV - it's my twisted pleasure. In fact, Katie did seem to have some odd glasses on this morning. Perhaps someone can post a screen capture.
Bump your post. It does look like a loser for Bush. He needs to get his "war room" on the ball.
Its about outcomes not intent.
The MSM makes me physically ill. They, along with their socialist colleagues in the Democratic party, are actually welcoming this disaster as an opportunity to bash President Bush. What a bunch of traitors!
You missed the point. The failure was the state's and the city's, not Homeland Security. I suspect if DHS had know that NOLA would totally fail in its responsibility they would have reacted a lot quicker.
I'm watching FNC coverage of a convoy of National Guard troops moving in.
How soon before the MSM changes its emphasis from complaining about the lack of law and order to complaining about police/National Guard brutality?
The coverage I'm hearing on the radio (including Mitt Romney filling in for one talk-show host today and Peter Blute -- former Republican congressman, who's co-host on another show) blames Bush without even mentioning his early declaration of emergency to free up FEMA and funds and his leaning on Nagin and Blanco to call for any kind of evacuation. This even in response to callers who go the "Bush is on vacation" route!
I hear the "lack of funding" is a cut in funding Bush made in the 2006 budget.
I seriously wonder how a full evacuation of the city could have been managed even before the storm. (Of course, I'm in Boston -- when one of the four subway lines is out of commission in an otherwise functioning city and buses fill in, there's utter chaos; no one knows where the buses are leaving from or going.)
I think one significant comparison with 9/11 is that after 9/11, we had at least three or four months without the left harping and sniping -- they actually wanted to see things fixed.
Katrina is an act of nature.
Let's not forget President Bush called Louisiana a disaster area BEFORE the storm even came ashore...and order a mandatory evacuation.
The African-American welfare state is the albatross around this country's neck. Socialism is on display and it isn't pretty.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
True. The Left did not wait to rear it's head. You can always count on them!
With all due respect, I'm not sure Clinton was convinced of the efficacy of welfare reform. I suspect one reason he finally signed the bill, after vetoing it twice and getting one or two minor changes, was to aid in his re-election.
Whatever the case may be, you're doing a fine job. I suspect I would have a cardiac blowout from a high blood pressure spike if I watched that sh*t personally.
So, are these prosperous newsies donating some of their own substantial amounts of money to the relief efforts that are going on? As long as they're being so critical, we might as well try to find out what THEY are doing.
I would call a press conference, if I were president, and tell the media that "The National Guard will shoot black looters, white looters, Hispanic looters, and anyone else caught lugging around a TV that's not his." Then the media could put THAT in their pipe and smoke it!\
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