Posted on 09/24/2009 9:14:43 AM PDT by Madstrider
Now that most of the flood waters in the Atlanta suburbs have receded the residents are struggling to find what, if anything, they can salvalge from their homes. Many of the homes weren't in a flood zone and so the owners weren't required to carry flood insurance. This isn't a case of people building homes in flood prone areas. This event was unprecedented in its proportions.
The official federal reponse has been a phone call from President Obama to Governor Perdue in which the President expressed his condolences. We've also been assured that Mr. Obama's people are watching the situation.
All of this may sound familiar to citizens of the upper midwest. After that region was ravaged by floods in the spring the good Mr. Obama took the time to mention their plight in his weekly radio address, before jetting off to Europe.
Perhaps the child king doesn't realize that when a President visits areas devastated by natural disaster he brings with him the upper crust of national and international media. It focuses attention on the victims. The stories of heroism and tragedy are told to a larger audience. People of goodwill across the country are moved to action sending relief supplies and making charitable donations.
But Mr. Obama had an agenda this week at the United Nations which is apparently more important to him than attending the needs of his countrymen. Or are we his countrymen, after all, Mr. Obama has proclaimed himself a citizen of the world.
I'm reminded of Bobby Jindal the Governor of Lousianna who skipped the 2008 Republican Convention when a hurricane roared out of the gulf to threaten his state. Mr. Jindal was slated to give an important speech at the convention and would have garnered nationwide attention. But the Governor knew that his duty was to the people of Lousianna. Bobby Jindal traded the bright lights of the convention for a rain slicker and a place on the front lines of his state's response to the impending hurricane.
In contrast to Governor Jindal the President seems aloof, at the very least. I'm trying to be charitable to Mr. Obama but it's difficult when you take into consideration that this man thinks of himself as a advocate for volunteerism. The champion of volunteerism's response to people in need is, lip service? I'm just a simple man but I think that's hypocrisy.
Mr. Obama has done little to curry favor with the people he is supposed to serve. By his actions this President has acted more like a ruler than a public servant.
Amazing how different the government has treated Atlanta compared to New Orleans.
It's crazy to expect Obama to be capable of more than this.
Shame on them for letting a crisis go to waste. I guess there are bigger fish to fry this week.
If downtown Atlanta or certain neighborhoods like Techwood, College Park, or the seedier parts of Dekalb County along Memorial Drive were under four feet of water, instead of suburbs like Kennesaw, Roswell, Stone Mountain, and Marietta, you might see a slightly different response.
}:-)4
Just one more town he doesn’t have to ruin himself.
Not in a flood zone?? Obviously not the case.
WHERE’S FEMA?
Captain Obvious stopped by to leave a message:
Imagine the difference in the response to the lack of response if George Bush was still in the Oval Office.
Captain Obvious, over and out.
Fantastic POST! thank you!
I live in Kennesaw, GA— below are links (and some video) to the flooding literally 100 yards from my home.
I spent the entire night (Sunday night) listening to the police scanners in Paulding and Cobb County. There were people stranded everywhere in Paulding. Cobb had sent 2 boats over to Paulding to help with rescues, but it would take over an hour before the boats could get there. So, a man in Paulding got his own personal boat out, and went to help. His boat could hold 20 ppl. He saved one group of 10-15 ppl who were all tied together with rope clinging for life, as well as others.
I am also announcing my own APPRECIATION DAY for the ATL area. On Monday, September 28, I would invite everyone to take some cookies, bread, doughnuts, or something to the nearest Police or Fire Dept. Or bring nothing and just show up to thank these heroes in person.
Listening to that scanner all night was an experience I will never forget. I AM PROUD of the heroes we have on our front lines here....VERY PROUD!
here is the link to the pics and video
http://picasaweb.google.com/axreese/MondaySeptember212009?authkey=Gv1sRgCJm1lYv4s8OZogE#
When Democrats hit the campaign trail next year and people like Mr. Obama invoke heartland names such as Peoria the citizens of Davenport, Iowa and Austell, Georgia need to speak up and remind this nation of their hypocisy.
You folks are missing the point - Katrina was never about how competent Democrats are (kinda of silly given the Chocolate City Mayor) but how mean and stingy Republicans are. Downtown Atlanta isn’t going to start voting Republican (the rest of GA yes, not Atlanta) and will not ever be heard publically critizing the bammy. They will however, get some walking around money for their misery. One other observation, do you think the media will ask why the FEMA response was slow and incompentent? Won’t happen, the media will do all they can to shield their boy from consequences. This means something really big has to happen to America for the media to even begin to question their “man made god”.
God bless and help the people in Georgia impacted by the flood! You are in my prayers.
Our Governor asked for Federal disaster assistance several days ago, apparently the phone call to Washington went unanswered as the child king and his entourage were busy in New York.
In short sir, there has been no Federal assistance. I don’t know where FEMA is, I can only tell you that they are not here.
Our daughter/husband and infant son live on Clairemont in Decatur. We were down there yesterday and no water issues encountered.
Traffic still a nightmare in morning and evening but that’s just Atlanta. :)
Our daughter/husband and infant son live on Clairemont in Decatur. We were down there yesterday and no water issues encountered. I think I20 west was opened about noon or so.
Traffic still a nightmare in morning and evening but that’s just Atlanta I think. :)
In rural areas, the water carved new gullies right through crop fields, swept out chunks of roads, and washed out bridges.
The governor got a disaster declaration in two days. FEMA appeared and set up offices in 5 days. We got federal assistance to the county for debris removal, and shelters, loans to people left homeless, and lots of help.
The contrast between how we were treated and what's going on in Atlanta is quite stark, and the only real difference is who is in the Oval Office.
If you are not in a flood zone, flood insurance is dirt cheap, and well worth the small fee should that sort of condition arise.
Clarkdale Elementary School, near Powder Springs, appears to be a total loss. The site was built up prior to the school's construction forty-six years ago. Since that time many hurricanes have rolled up out of the gulf to drench the Atlanta area with rain and that school never come close to being flooded. Interior shots reveal that the tiles of the suspended ceiling were completely washed away. What has happened is beyond the experience of anyone.
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