It's time to..........

[fishweewee]

Have we ever had a natural catastrophe in recent history that has taken out an entire U.S. City? N.O. was only ONE of several areas drastically hit by this storm. I don't think we have precedent for this, give the prez a break, there's only so much he can do in so little time. This is being billed as the WORST natural disaster in U.S. history!

[fishaholic18]

The end is near! Fish Hard!
And look at the HOTTIE thread!

[Bronko]

I can imagine the ease with which you all would have accepted the current administrations purchase of five thousand rescue boats, a fleet of amphibious personel carriers, floating bridges, rebuilt levies, increased national guard presence in New Orleans and the appropriation of billions of US taxpayer dollars just waiting for a category 5 hurricane to slam into new Orleans. If Bush propsed any of this 6 months ago you would have all been calling for a straight jacket. This administration has many faults, however responding to catastrophic tradgedy is clearly not one of them. (See 9/11, the tsunami, the Sudan and countless other heroic acts of selflessness doled out around the world on a daily basis). I have seen some stupid comments on this board, but blaming the administration for their response to this tradgedy only a few days since the hurricane takes the cake. Save you rabid anti-GW rhetoric for your lay-up arguments like WMD and your gal Cindy Sheehan. This storm has/will cause damage the like of which our country has never seen. To be playing armchair quarterback 72 hours after the fact is borderline insanity.

[Pete_G]

With all the talk of revolution and all, it seems like a good time to post it:

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security..."

I agree with Flaptail. Viva la Revolution!

[Iwannakeeper]

Ok....so you say you want a revolution....wwww....eee..llllll...lllll

So we all want a revolution. That should go smoothly. Aside from the sheer number of deaths that would result from both sides. Lets assume the freedom fighters win. Now what....do you think the future political leaders could come to a solution.

One side is still going to lean left, the other right. Sure you might find plenty willing to meet in the middle ground, but I think you might find that people are sort of opinionated.

If I was going to agree to a revolt. I would want to make sure that we went back to our original constitution and original government.

I do not want my $$$ seized through taxation and then redistributed to the less fortunate. If anything was going to cause me to revolt it is the wealth redistribution and most other social programs. I don't want welfare in my new government. I do not want socialized medicine. I do not want any more Socialism in my new government. I want to basically close our borders. I want to be an isolationist. And that is just one example.

Do you think the people of this country could collectively come up with a better system?

[Bedford Blues]

Our present system is welfare for the Rich !!! Tax loopholes etc.

[Pete_G]

It's great to see all the people across the nation who were afraid to speak out coming out of the woodwork.

Not really the best time of course, but it's resulting in some long overdue dialog about what is really going on in this nation.

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by Iwannakeeper

Ok....so you say you want a revolution....wwww....eee..llllll...lllll

So we all want a revolution. That should go smoothly. Aside from the sheer number of deaths that would result from both sides. Lets assume the freedom fighters win. Now what....do you think the future political leaders could come to a solution.

One side is still going to lean left, the other right. Sure you might find plenty willing to meet in the middle ground, but I think you might find that people are sort of opinionated.

If I was going to agree to a revolt. I would want to make sure that we went back to our original constitution and original government.

I do not want my $$$ seized through taxation and then redistributed to the less fortunate. If anything was going to cause me to revolt it is the wealth redistribution and most other social programs. I don't want welfare in my new government. I do not want socialized medicine. I do not want any more Socialism in my new government. I want to basically close our borders. I want to be an isolationist. And that is just one example.

Do you think the people of this country could collectively come up with a better system?

We have done it a couple times already. National sales tax is long overdue and junk the IRS too many loopholes and tort lawyers. Socialized medicine here could not be compared to countrys who have it and are less fortunate and not as terchnology endowed as we are. It could work and should be. Natiuonal defense is needed more now than ever in the last 60 years but our focus must be on the new conflict not the old military doctrine. Our enemies are invisible and we must find a way to make them visible and when found leave not a trace of thier ever have walked this planet. Religion must be looked at and the affect it has on the minds of those who are easily swayed by preachers in 1000 dollar suits or turbans who seek to control thier very minds and hearts. Respect, kindness and caring for each other must be the national priority not the passages of the bible as defined by tel-evangilists. If I had to say what I believe in most those three things are my guiding light. God or whatever force there is I am sure would agree with those fundemental values as a guide for everyones lives. Pat Robertson and Osama Bin Laden are not really that far apart in thier methodologies.

Above all, the truth plain and simple is what is easily brushed aside in govt. these days.

I do agree that it is now time to close our borders, rethink our national path and put America and Americans first.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by fishweewee

Have we ever had a natural catastrophe in recent history that has taken out an entire U.S. City? N.O. was only ONE of several areas drastically hit by this storm. I don't think we have precedent for this, give the prez a break, there's only so much he can do in so little time. This is being billed as the WORST natural disaster in U.S. history!

Other than maybe Galveston (which has what, maybe a quarter of the population of NO?), there isn't another major US city that could be entirely taken out by a hurricane. Ben, hate to say this, but no hurricane expert anywhere is at all shocked at what happened down there--it's been predicted and modeled for years, and it happened exactly according to the "book".

Camille, the only prior comparable storm in my lifetime, was maybe half as big across as Katrina, and places like Biloxi and Gulfport were in fact devasted back then. As bad as Andrew was, it was a tiny storm in diameter and its swath of devastation was basically from Homestead to Coral Gables. People in Lauderdale or Boca only experienced gale force winds. What has changed since then is, the coastline has become more developed, everywhere. Mississippi being no exception. People bought houses without giving any thought to what would happen if a Big One came ashore.

But, the bottom line is, Nixon did more in a shorter time after Camille for the affected areas than GWB did. Hell, he didn't even cut short his 6 week vacation and fly back to DC until last Wednesday.