Support your president, he needs all the help he can get.

[John Mastrocco]

Well, part of the solution is to assign blame. With blame you can figure out where the breakdowns occured. The blame may actually be secondary to the solution, but it happens that humans can focus on that better than trying to find the real problem, so why not use that focus where we can? So lay blame. Finger point. But don't stop there. Figure out how it can be done better the next time.



Oh, yeah - and if you ahd any hand in it at all, don't forget to point the finger at yourself as well.



I'm actually encouraged we may learn something from all of this.

 

[Bill V]

The mayor of New Orleans was admitting long ago that there were a lot of things that he could have done better. Not only did he do it before Bush took any responsibility, he did it before Bush even admitted that anything had gone less than perfectly.



But of course some people on this site are going to pretend that he never did that, seeing how he's not Republican and all...

 

[Dre L]

Now this is great, and I don't even like Bill Maher:



From Bill Maher's show:



New Rule: America must recall the president. That's what this country needs. A good, old-fashioned, California-style recall election! Complete with Gary Coleman, porno actresses and action film stars. And just like Schwarzenegger's predecessor here in California, George Bush is now so unpopular, he must defend his jog against...Russell Crowe. Because at this point, I want a leader who will throw a phone at somebody. In fact, let's have only phone throwers. Naomi Campbell can be the vice-president!



Now, I kid, but seriously, Mr. President, this job can't be fun for you anymore. There's no more money to spend. You used up all of that. You can't start another war because you also used up the army. And now, darn the luck, the rest of your term has become the Bush family nightmare: helping poor people.



Yeah, listen to your mom. The cupboard's bare, the credit card's maxed out, and no one is speaking to you: mission accomplished! Now it's time to do what you've always done best: lose interest and walk away. Like you did with your military service. And the oil company. And the baseball team. It's time. Time to move on and try the next fantasy job. How about cowboy or spaceman?!



Now, I know what you're saying. You're saying that there's so many other things that you, as president, could involve yourself in...Please don't. I know, I know, there's a lot left to do. There's a war with Venezuela, and eliminating the sales tax on yachts. Turning the space program over to the church. And Social Security to Fannie Mae. Giving embryos the vote. But, sir, none of that is going to happen now. Why? Because you govern like Billy Joel drives. You've performed so poorly I'm surprised you haven't given yourself a medal. You're a catastrophe that walks like a man.



Herbert Hoover was a shitty president, but even he never conceded an entire metropolis to rising water and snakes.



On your watch, we've lost almost all of our allies, the surplus, four airliners, two Trade Centers, a piece of the Pentagon and the City of New Orleans...Maybe you're just not lucky!



I'm not saying you don't love this country. I'm just wondering how much worse it could be if you were on the other side. So, yes, God does speak to you, and what he's saying is, "Take a hint."

 

[John Mastrocco]

Bill Maher is an ass. An intelligent ass, but an ass. (Does that make him a smart ass?)



But in this case I think he's letting his dislike of the President cloud his judgement just a trifle.



Am I the master of understatment of what?

 

[Fer Echegaray]

Rocco wrote:

I'm actually encouraged we may learn something from all of this.

Amen to that, at home we're reviewing our emergency plan, and refilling the emergency supplies.



We're not counting on any exterior help, Why should we? The governator is busy trying to avoid gay marriage, licenses for undocumented aliens and god forbids any money for schools or firefighters.



Now, where did I leave that box of ammunition?...

 

[Dre L]

Sunday, September 11th, 2005

A Letter to All Who Voted for George W. Bush



To All My Fellow Americans Who Voted for George W. Bush:



On this, the fourth anniversary of 9/11, I'm just curious, how does it feel?



How does it feel to know that the man you elected to lead us after we were attacked went ahead and put a guy in charge of FEMA whose main qualification was that he ran horse shows?



That's right. Horse shows.



I really want to know -- and I ask you this in all sincerity and with all due respect -- how do you feel about the utter contempt Mr. Bush has shown for your safety? C'mon, give me just a moment of honesty. Don't start ranting on about how this disaster in New Orleans was the fault of one of the poorest cities in America. Put aside your hatred of Democrats and liberals and anyone with the last name of Clinton. Just look me in the eye and tell me our President did the right thing after 9/11 by naming a horse show runner as the top man to protect us in case of an emergency or catastrophe.



I want you to put aside your self-affixed label of Republican/conservative/born-again/capitalist/ditto-head/right-winger and just talk to me as an American, on the common ground we both call America.



Are we safer now than before 9/11? When you learn that behind the horse show runner, the #2 and #3 men in charge of emergency preparedness have zero experience in emergency preparedness, do you think we are safer?



When you look at Michael Chertoff, the head of Homeland Security, a man with little experience in national security, do you feel secure?



When men who never served in the military and have never seen young men die in battle send our young people off to war, do you think they know how to conduct a war? Do they know what it means to have your legs blown off for a threat that was never there?



Do you really believe that turning over important government services to private corporations has resulted in better services for the people?



Why do you hate our federal government so much? You have voted for politicians for the past 25 years whose main goal has been to de-fund the federal government. Do you think that cutting federal programs like FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers has been good or bad for America? GOOD OR BAD?



With the nation's debt at an all-time high, do you think tax cuts for the rich are still a good idea? Will you give yours back so hundreds of thousands of homeless in New Orleans can have a home?



Do you believe in Jesus? Really? Didn't he say that we would be judged by how we treat the least among us? Hurricane Katrina came in and blew off the facade that we were a nation with liberty and justice for all. The wind howled and the water rose and what was revealed was that the poor in America shall be left to suffer and die while the President of the United States fiddles and tells them to eat cake.



That's not a joke. The day the hurricane hit and the levees broke, Mr. Bush, John McCain and their rich pals were stuffing themselves with cake. A full day after the levees broke (the same levees whose repair funding he had cut), Mr. Bush was playing a guitar some country singer gave him. All this while New Orleans sank under water.



It would take ANOTHER day before the President would do a flyover in his jumbo jet, peeking out the window at the misery 2500 feet below him as he flew back to his second home in DC. It would then be TWO MORE DAYS before a trickle of federal aid and troops would arrive. This was no seven minutes in a sitting trance while children read "My Pet Goat" to him. This was FOUR DAYS of doing nothing other than saying "Brownie (FEMA director Michael Brown), you're doing a heck of a job!"



My Republican friends, does it bother you that we are the laughing stock of the world?



And on this sacred day of remembrance, do you think we honor or s

 

[Eric Pennal]

Bill Maher is a smart ass. But the problem isn't that he's letting his dislike of the President cloud his judgement - the problem is, too many people are willing to overlook Bush's ineptitude.

 

[John Mastrocco]

How to win friends and influence people:



Post a letter from Michael Moore to the MYST website.







However, try to read the post without thinking of the author just to see if there might be some sense in there. I'm not saying there is, just wanting to see what everyone else thinks.



But I think the last 4.5 years have proven one thing - Republicans or Democrats: In the end you can take all the sincerity in Washington, DC, put it into a flea's navel and still have room left for a Chief of Staffs heart.

 

[Dre L]

Keep posting, we're going for a record here.



Hmm, maybe I should remove the author...

 

[Dale Carter]

I was pretty shocked at first becasue I consider nobleman a very thoughtful and intelligent person. To think that something so bereft of reason and intelligence could come from him was appalling. Then I realized he was just posting someone elses words. Didn't realize it was Moore, but it could have been him or any other Air America type.





I will take one point



"How much worse could it be if you (Bush) were on the other side?"



Perhaps the Taliban, Al Quaeda and Saddam Hussein would like to field that question.

 

[Eric Pennal]

OMG!



You're still using the "tough on terrorism" angle? That's starting to get a little old. Al Qaeda gave Bush the biggest political gift of his career on 9-11. Apparently, that's all his presidency boils down to.

 

[Fer Echegaray]

I just wonder, if the same amount of money poured into Iraq had gone to Afghanistan, Would Osama still be free?



If only a couple billion dollars along with some 500 USA inspectors were sent to Iraq to search for WMDs before pulling out those of the UN and send the troops, Would it had made a difference?



How many licks to get to the chewy center?



I guess will never know



:huh::lol:

 

[Dre L]

OMG IT TAKES 3, 3 GODDAMMIT 3, THE FRIGGIN OWL ANSWERED IT FOR US.



One, TWO-WHOOO, Three, CRUNCH, 3 GODDAMMIT.



:lol:

 

[Dre L]

Crap, I better put the author back in. Thank you for your kind words.



I think the Taliban, Al Qaeda, Hussein, some of the Bush family, various Americans, Castro, all pretty much agree he's incompetent and wouldn't give him a chance to bat for their side.



The only reason I started this post was due to some of the posts along the lines of "Where's everyone (other countries) when we need help? Not to mention his own mother getting him in hot water. Some replies were downright scary. (the mom thing was just comic gold though, Jay Leno couldn't have said any more prayers for that one.) But anyway, it seems that many countries were offering assistance, but we were not accepting fast enough, or just insulting them all together.



We have known for years that it would take several days to fully evacuate an entire major city.



So I leave you with this... with all the knowledge that the levees would not hold, that the storm was coming, and it was BIG, with the knowledge that people were going to need to be evacuated forcefully, and transportation provided for those that could not get out on their own, for advanced knowledge of a major disaster like this, why aren't there mandatory government regulations on how ALL agencies should respond at every level, to ensure the safety of anyone that is trying to walk out of town?



Meanwhile FEMA's saying "D-UH, That isn't my job, that's his job" "The Red Cross is sitting there saying "D-UH, we just help with the disaster after it hits." and some idiot mayor is sitting in the muck saying "I DON'T GIVE A F*** WHO'S JOB IT IS OR WHO F'D UP, GET IN HERE AND GET US OUT." Meanwhile the prez sits around for days and doesn't even once act like a leader and snap people in line.



But let the airlines, or the truckers go on strike, oh no, he steps in and solves everyone's issues in a day. Do people really believe that the 2 arguing parties all started panicking when the prez called, "man the president just called, we need to settle this now, screw everything, you say this, and we'll say this." NO, it was more like "hey guys, scrub my back on this one, meet each other half way, end this strike, and I'll get some form of relief for both sides. Okay, make me look good, business is counting on you."



With the $30 million dollars allocated to NYC for securing the mass transit system, and a billionaire businessman mayor managing everything, how does a bum set fire to a vital switch room and damage train service for years? How would un-authorized persons even get near said room?



Why? Because it's all one big mind job for the illusion of control. Run swat teams all over every now and then, make a rainbow of fruity colors for our alert system, and appoint a bunch of czars that have no clue and will never listen to their peons because they don't have enough money to make security happen anyway.



The NYPD even had to step in and refuse to endorse the "new tower" because they designed it to be built it right next to the street again.



Why not just say Homeland security alert orange = some commuters may get blown up and red = important rich people may get blown up.



I'll tell you why Bush is in office, Osama Bin-Laden got him elected, by saying that we should vote for Kerry. No, no, no, we need to vote in Dubya now, not gonna do it, not gonna listen to the terrorist. Bush rigged the election twice, and I want Osama dead even more than before, but Bush still can't get him. You know why Osama did that? The Ying and the Yang, he needs Bush to keep fighting him so that he can stay a leader, otherwise what's his use?



NO ONE CARES ABOUT MARS RIGHT NOW. It's not all Bush's fault, but damn, get up there and snap all these agencies in line, and DO YOUR F'N JOB.



All cause one guy steps down taking the heat and another steps up saying "D-UH, It's my turn now."



Either hire a terrorist to be your sec

 

[Jeff C]

100.

 

[Dre L]

 

[Tom Schindler]

I am enjoying this thread. Very informative.



I read in the paper today that Fidel Castro secured many Cuban nurses to help with the hurricane victims. For such a horrible person that our government would like us to beleve he is, that is awefully respectable of him. Many other countries have offered thier help.



We need all the help we can get.





Tom

 

[John Mastrocco]

Bet we turn him down.

 

[Ryan Schaecher]

So, we're down to "He sux cause his poll numbers are low" and "Michael Moore Says He sux"



Boy, those are great example of "how bad Bush is". I've said it before, look at the meat and potatoes of any poll and you'll see big time problems:



-Most polls are taken during the work day, which as is well documented, produces obscure results usually tipped towards the Liberal attitudes. You can speculate why, that is another debate.



-If you have ever been a part of polls, you know that the typical questions are:

1) Is the president doing a good job? -Yes -No -Do Not Wish To Answer -

2) When it comes to performance, is the president doing well? -Yes -No -Do Not Wish To Answer

3) Is the president fulfilling the job requirements of the office? -Yes -No -Do Not Wish To Answer



-If the polls say 1/3 as Yes, 1/3 as No and 1/3 as "Do Not Wish To Answer", then the media will say that his unpopularity is at 66.7%, when actually the polls only say it's at 33.3%.



-The same poll will say ten differnt things to ten different people



-Polls are never 1/3 Republican, 1/3 Democrat, 1/3 Independant



-Polls are a small (usually around 1001 people or so) representation of the country. 1001 people is a sample too small to show ANYTHING, it's less than 1% of the population. There are more tha 10,000 towns/cities with 10,000 people or more in this country.



-Anyone being president by poll is asking for trouble



When was the last time the media reported positive stories from Iraq for more than 1 consecutive day? Never mind the fact that 13 of 17 provinces are peaceful and relatively safe. How many soldiers come back from Iraq and say that our mission is failing? It's only the media and the left wing politicians. Do our soldiers want to be there? Most probably not. But all of them VOULENTEERED to be there. Did GWB want to go to Iraq? debateable. Is GWB a good president? I believe so.



Remember, many of these attitudes of the press and such are the same attitudes that people had about Reagan and Trickle Down policies, Cold War policies, etc. Unpopular at the time but look at what's happened since- The Soviet Union collapsed (ie, we won the Cold War), we had more than 10 years of terrific economic growth (which were haulted by the Clinton/Gore tax increases and 9/11).



Before you spout Michael Moore propiganda, you really need to look at facts. Things can definately be better both here and abroad. I believe the president is actually trying to do change things and do something about the problems. The Democrats and Michael Moores and nobleman's of the country are just criticizeing and not offering ideas.



I am not a Democrat or Republican, but a conservative. I voted for Democrats in the last election because they were more conservative than the Republican choice.



I am all for listening if you have CONSTRUCTIVE criticizm and new ideas about how to do things better. To say <caveman impression> "Ug - Bush Bad" "War Bad" "Republicans Bad"</caveman impression> doesn't help anything. Under Clinton, when the Republicans criticized a policy of the president, USUALLY (not always) they had an idea of how to change. Gingritch(sp?) and the Contract With America criticized the Democrats yes, but it offered new ideas that the Dem's have seem to have forgotten how to do.



Is the presidnet perfect? Nope. But he's doing something besides sitting on his ass and calling for a "indepentant commission" (like Reid/Clinton) to look at a natural disaster. THe last "independant commision" worked real well, didn't it? You had the author of the piss-poor politics on the commission, amung other things. It's more collosial waste of tax money.

 

[Dre L]

We did, we insulted him actually.



Although Cuban President Fidel Castro has said through the media he is willing to send more than 1,000 doctors to treat victims of the hurricane, the State Department official said no official offer has come in from the Cuban government. (Full story)



"Fidel grandstanding on a tarmac with his doctors in front of a camera is not considered a legitimate offer of U.S. assistance," the official said.



"There has been zero communication from anyone in the Cuban government offering anything specific. The Cuban government has our number if it really wants to help."



The United States has accepted aid from another leader with whom it has had strained relations, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who offered $1 million from Citgo, Venezuela's state-run oil corporation.



Another offer being made by Venezuela to supply search-and-rescue assistance has been made directly to the state government in Louisiana.



I don't know, but if someone offers 1000 docs on TV, you could always have someone take him up on it, and work out the paperwork on the side.



I think they're afraid the docs would defect and we'd have 1000 cuban doctors in the US permanently, OH NO, it's not like they're programmers or IT staff, they're just doctors.