Excuses instead of Leadership
This certainly isn't the time to start pointing fingers and laying blame for the chaos and mismanagement following the enormous devastation caused by Katrina. Right now the most important task for this nation is to make sure our citizens are safe and secure. And so many are finding ways to help.
But it is difficult at times to keep your blood from boiling at the callousness of some. Thousands suffering and dying along our Gulf coast. Millions of Americans are confronted by images of continuing misery in New Orleans and President "Results are not acceptable" Bush is laughing about it.
We've got a lot of rebuilding to do. First, we're going to save lives and stabilize the situation. And then we're going to help these communities rebuild. The good news is -- and it's hard for some to see it now -- that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before. Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house -- he's lost his entire house -- there's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch. (Laughter.)
I really wanted our little blog to be about of little world here in the Schutte house. I can get worked up about politics every now and then but I've tried to mostly keep that separate from this place. But I've got to rant for a moment here because the situation is causing me to feel physically ill. The images out of the affected area are really bad enough but our nation is longing for leadership and we have this?
When it came out that the Whitehouse had warning that "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S" we were given the excuse that we didn't know when and we didn't know where. When Iraq descended into chaos the excuse was "Freedom is untidy".
So what's the excuse now President Bush? FEMA was put under Homeland security so any sort of disaster could be dealt with quickly. Why the hell were you selling your Medicare plan on Monday after a major hurricane hits the region? And saying no one knew the levees would break seems a bit unbelievable seeing that study after study after study said the danger was real.
Excuses instead of leadership.
Not to say we're all helpless. Maybe after we've all done what we can to help the victims of Katrina, we can call our senators and write letters to the local paper's editor asking that instead of those ending the estate tax, maybe we could use those funds to make sure another disaster like this doesn't happen again.
This weekend I'll upload some more pictures from around the house and I'll try to get back to more pleasant topics. Until then thanks for checking in with us.
Added from the As if there wasn't enough evidence of complete and utter incompetence department:
Navy ship nearby underused
Craft with food, water, doctors needed orders.
ON THE USS BATAAN -- While federal and state emergency planners scramble to get more military relief to Gulf Coast communities stricken by Hurricane Katrina, a massive naval goodwill station has been cruising offshore, underused and waiting for a larger role in the effort.
But somehow that will be the mayor of New Orleans fault too.
posted by Tom @ 1:18 PM
15 comment
15 Comments:
You said:
"Not to say we're all helpless."
News is, we are all helpless, that is why we need God.
You further said:
"Maybe after we've all done what we can to help the victims of Katrina, we can call our senators and write letters to the local paper's editor asking that instead of those ending the estate tax, maybe we could use those funds to make sure another disaster like this doesn't happen again."
Let me ask you this, and by the way, the written word does not lend itself to tone of voice, I say this respectfully, are you willing to pay higher taxes? Just that one question? Are you willing to pay higher taxes? If you answer no there is a follow up question. If you answer yes, then I would ask that all taxes be raised and then what will the poor do then?
You quoted:
"We've got a lot of rebuilding to do. First, we're going to save lives and stabilize the situation. And then we're going to help these communities rebuild. The good news is -- and it's hard for some to see it now -- that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before. Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house -- he's lost his entire house -- there's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch. (Laughter.)"
I do believe President Bush is refering to Senator Trent Lott's house, which can be rebuilt, just like all the other stuff that will and can be rebuilt, lives however are far more affected by the loss of loved ones, which I know President Bush was not laughing about. There is a difference. If one is too up tight about the material in the world, then how will we ever be relaxed enough to love other people? It's a house it can be rebuilt, and hey perhaps numerous houses will be built better than the first. Job (from the Bible) lost everything, and got everything back... and then some. By the way, like I stated earlier, the written words serves tone no justice, we don't know how he laughed, we just know that he did. Whas it a light hearted chuckle that was construed as a laughter; was it an all out belly roar; was it a nervous laugh that some pass to fill space. We must remember that President Bush lost his older sister at a young age which deeply affected him; he tries hard to keep the morale up. This man geniunely loves people. He does care. But he does make mistakes like all the rest of us. Romans 3:12 "All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
There are things in this world that we simply have no control over. Life would be pretty ridicolus if we went around trying to shore up every "possible" threat i.e. making everything safe, putting warning labels on everything and so on.
Israel year after year wanted a king; a king who would bring peace and protection. And when God sent them the King He said He was going to send, they nailed Him to a tree. Rightly so, as God had planned it and knew what the people would do, for it was not a kingdom here on earth that was being set up, but in Heaven where peace reigns for eternity.
See what happens to truth when it is presented, it is often rejected.
Thank you for visiting my site and thank you for allowing me to post a comment here.
I pray blessings for you and your family.
Neat graphics by the way.
Donnie- Let me first say this is one of the great things about the Internet. As is my weakness I was surfing around hitting the next blog button and I came across your site and read your thought and you've read mine. This is dialog. This isn't a shouting match or quick one-liners. This is what our country ought to be. We're two fathers both wanting a better world for our children.
Perhaps rather than saying helpless, hopeless would have been a better word.
To answer your question about taxes, in times like these when our country is going to take some serious rebuilding? Yes, I'd be willing to sacrifice some more. I can't imagine any American who see the thousands of people whose lives have been completely overturned would not be willing to make more sacrifices if it could bring some hope for those people. I don't accept that all taxes have to raise equally however. My family is like a lot of families out there that isn't to the point of struggling financially but a lose of 10% of our income would have sever consequences on our budget. There are millions in this country that a 10% cut in their income would mean they'd have to choose between food or medicine or rent. There are others in this country that a 10% lose in their income would have no effect on their daily life. The estate tax effects only those that inherit estates valued over 1.5 million dollars. This isn't a tax on the average family farm- this is a tax on the extremely well to do.
I've got no grip with people who have been successful- I don't want to punish those that have made it- but I believe those that have been 'blessed' the most should be prepared to shoulder their fair share. Every Sam Walton, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet has benefited from this great country of ours. Asking them to do their part doesn't seem unreasonable.
As for our President and his remarks today, I must admit I can't look into his heart and know what he's really feeling. But I did see him speaking on C-Span (it may be available on their site) and while it is possible that his tone was meant to break the tension or bring some light-heartiness to a dismal situation, the effect was he appeared to have no understanding no empathy for the thousands who also lost their homes but don't have another house or two like Senator Lott.
And I don't ask for our Government to ensure our protection from every conceivable threat. But since the Department of Homeland Security was created one of its stated goals is minimizing the damage from natural disasters. I don't think it's too much that we as American ask our elected officials first do what we can to prevent unneeded suffering from another natural disaster before we comfort the comfortable.
While we have different views on many aspects of life, I appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts. I am genuinely thankful for your thought and prayers and I hope the best for you and yours. As long as guests mind their manners they're welcomed In the Schutte House.
Thank you as well, Tom.
Oh, but we are a hopeful people, when our hope is in the Lord. We are hopeless when we put our hope in things of this world, namely infalliable men and women like you and me.
In response to taxes. I think, as history shows, that our founding fathers knew that it was wrong for the government to take money from people to re-distribute. They knew, as they all had a biblical view on life, that he who has the money, makes the rules--and this leads to tyranny. Thier hope was that all of us would be God-fearing people where the Church (not the building because a Church isn't a building, it is made of people in Christ), would distribute (this includes money and material goods) as needs arise. Our founders also hoped that we as a people, being God fearing, would love our neighbor as ourselves. Unfortunately, this isn't the case. The government, at the beckoning of many people's complaints and perhaps even the greed of some, and because many have fallen away from the Word of God, the government is becoming the god of many, whom many go to to remedy every whim.
Thanks again. And may the Grace of God abound.
Donnie- I am not arguing the case for redistributing wealth. I'm arguing that right now it's obvious that the nations priorities ought to be on getting this country back on it's feet and do what we can to ensure we don't have more preventable disasters.
It is spelled out in our Constitution:
Section. 8.
Clause 1: The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States.
In a utopia we could rely on the good will of our fellow man to do the right thing, but as you say this isn't the case. The time will come when we'll all have to ask whether we want the government to remedy every whim but today-right now-we can all see that our government, and let us remember that the great experiment of this country is that you and I are the government, has some misaligned priorities. Tuesday the Senate is set to vote on whether to eliminate the estate tax. Doing so drains another 75 Billion dollars from our treasury. Don't you see that it might be wise to hold off on such a vote until we at least knew the total damages Katrina caused?
I won't get much into politics as it'll send me searching for my Klonopin in my purse... What I don't understand is why emergency supplies like WATER could not have been dropped. It is a disaster, there will be a loss of life, but it seems as if we could have acted faster. We can deploy thousands of troops to the other side of the world faster than we can get water to disaster victims. That, my friend, is shameful.
By the way, this is your blog - use it how you wish! =) I understand wanting to keep it in line with your family but this does affect your family. It reminds us all of how fragile the balance really is.
Limewire, Shameful is certainly one of the many words that fits.
I know you've recently had your share of 'reminders' and are pretty familiar with how fragile that balance is. There's been a lot of looking up at the stars lately.
Shameful is a good word but here's a few more, shall we say, heated words on the subject.
Don't read it out loud in front of the kids Tom.
And you know what, Tom? I never thought, at that time, that there would be so many looking up at the same stars suffering from such devastating loss. How can we all be so different yet so alike at the same time? May I ask how your children are doing with this? Often young minds are so resilient.
Our children are doing alright; just trying to figure out how to react. Helena has decided to go through her toys so that she can give some to those kids that don't have any anymore.
I decided that we wouldn't watch any more of the news about NO while Helena was awake. On Friday, she started building a tower from blocks and then playing "Hurricane Helena", picking put the tower (grocery store, house, etc) and throwing it around, breaking it apart. Last night, she was playing "flood" in the bathtub...Just not sure, but I think that this is her way of dealing.
Good post, Tom.
Disgustipated on this end.
Glad to see that there is SOME relief.
We have had quite a few evacuees come through town... the lucky ones, the ones that at the minimum that had credit.
The images on the screen have been hard to bare over the last few days. Had to go into mental blackout. Easier for me than those that were in that hell... and what I am defining as hell is not the hurricane (per se) but the chaos created by FEMA, et al ineptitude.
Hope you guys are having a nice weekend.
Lisa, it is incredibly sweet that Helena wants to send her toys! As far as the acting out - kids have the right idea, sometimes I think adults would deal better if they'd allow themselves that luxury instead of trying to hold it all in.
See how prone we are to mistakes; I misused the word infalliable. I meant falliable, as we are. Please forgive me.
Tom, this post says what I was trying to drive at the other day. Please read it. Before we start blaming and criticizing, perhaps we should seek the root of problems. We cannot control what happens what happens in nature, we can control how we respond.
In reference to your update. I read the article and having been in the Navy, as I began the article I was distracted by the constant thought that there has to be more to this than what it first alluded to. There could be a number of reasons that is keeping the ship from pulling in or keeping people from actually coming on board, keeping in mind that FEMA has it's say, but as the article said, it is the only ship there, more are on the way. It is like the buddy system. The Navy likes to have other ships in an area to help. Keep in mind too, that if they just start getting people out there and something goes wrong and there are no other ships to assist, then there will be something else for the crtics to chime in on even though they were doing what everyone said that they should do (not that this is their motive why they aren't doing it I don't think they are swayed by (un) popular demand. They have their reasons and everyone is trying the best they can. Pointing out every nook isn't doing anyone a lick of justice. All of this rigmarole leads to more lives being put in jeopardy. Let's let the people do the best job they can and not look for things to point out. There are a lot of good stories to report on. Like the kid who drove the bus to Houston. Check that story out. Everyday Heroes.
Just some more thoughts in response.
Donnie-
For those who don't click on the article let me summurize it as such: The real fault of the misery along the Gulf Coast isn't only from the storm or from the less than perfect response but rather the real problem is the welfare system.
From the article "they sit around with their hands outstretched, thinking the government owes them something. They suck the system dry and take hard-earned money away from those who actually work to support themselves and their families."
Leaving aside the racist undertones from article, frankly the government does owe it citizens something. What was the $400 BILLION we've spent on Homeland security for? I wish I could say I can't believe how the same people who say "this isn't the time to start criticizing" when the blame is pointed at the President start pointing the finger at others, even the victims.
As for the Navy ship, you say they might be waiting for more ships in case something goes wrong? Ummm, guess what? Thousands of people are dying from thirst and disease! Something has gone wrong! I hope you're wrong that the fear what critics might say isn't stopping them.
This is the worst distaster -natural or not- ever in the countrys history. There will be blame to go around. But Being a Leader means taking responsiblity.
I did look at that story of the kid who "commandeered a school bus". Hasn't the President said that looting will not be tolerated?
From the BBC speaking to Lt. Commander Sean Kelly:
"Northcom started planning before the storm even hit. We were ready when it hit Florida, because, as you remember, it hit the bottom part of Florida, and then we were planning once it was pointed towards the Gulf Coast.
"So, what we did, we activated what we call 'defense coordinating officers' to work with the states to say, 'OK, what do you think you will need?' And we set up staging bases that could be started.
"We had the USS Bataan sailing almost behind the hurricane so once the hurricane made landfall, its search and rescue helicopters could be available almost immediately So, we had things ready.
"The only caveat is: we have to wait until the president authorizes us to do so. The laws of the United States say that the military can't just act in this fashion; we have to wait for the president to give us permission."
But instead the President was on vacation or drumming up support for Medicare.
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