Yes, Hurricane Relief Decisions Can Be Made By Color
And I'm not talking about white, black, or brown. I'm talking about red or blue. And yes, I'm trying to preserve the original context of the message from Joseph Cannon in The Brad Blog:
My original reaction to the Katrina catastrophe was going to be: "NOT ONE DIME."
For an hour or so, I contemplated the idea of turning it into a crusade: No-one in the blue states (where the money is) should give one dime of aid to the victims of this hurricane, which devastated Bush-friendly regions.
Why did I flirt with such a callous attitude?
Because it should be obvious to all that this tragedy was not just an act of God. Dubya and his diety conspired to transform mere disaster into an unprecedented mega-catastrophe.
Scientists warn us to expect more Katrinas. Global warming -- the existence of which W would prefer to rationalize away -- caused the temperature of the sea's surface to rise in the Gulf of Mexico, thereby transforming what should have been a manageable hurricane into a monster.
The National Guard was off in Iraq stealing oil -- and everything else in that nation -- all to benefit Haliburton and the oil companies. They could have been in N.O. earlier, building levies, overseeing evacuation.
Bush financially eviscerated the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The money went to his Iraq debacle....
So why was I thinking of starting a movement against giving aid to the stricken areas?
Because these are red states. They voted for Bush. These ninnies obviously wanted these policies, and they deserve to live with the consequences of their votes.
A large part of me still believes that many of these W-worshipping numbskulls deserve to suffer and to die. They brought it on themselves. Let them look to Jayzuss for aid: It's time they stopped leeching off the more productive blue staters....
So, at least, I started to write. But then (to paraphrase the old song) I thought I'd better think it out again.
Many of the victims, the ones who have suffered the most, are poor. The hardest hit were the blue state folk living among the red state maniacs. New Orleans, we should note, went heavily for Kerry.
And that's why we must help. Although it was very tempting to say otherwise.
But let us make one thing clear: We WILL politicize this issue.
The Republicans did not shirk from making political use of 9/11, and we should not shirk from reminding the country that Bush turned what should have been a mere problem into Ragnarok.
Conservatives may accuse us of lacking taste if we use this sad occasion to point out sadder facts of political life. Cable news pundits will try to pretend that now is not the time for partisan politics.
If they say that, screw 'em.
So, in summary, we should aid hurricane victims BECAUSE they're blue?
For the record, Little Green Footballs did quote the part where Cannon said that we should offer help because "New Orleans...went heavily for Kerry."
Kerry, for the record, has somewhat more class:
"Hurricane Katrina devastated significant portions of the Gulf Coast and disrupted millions of lives but she didn’t and couldn’t destroy the spirit of endurance, bravery, generosity and compassion we have been witnessing during the relief and rescue operations. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the citizens of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama as they struggle with the aftermath of this devastating storm, and to their loved ones and families viewing the disturbing photos coming out of the region. Now is the time for all of us to come together to help the evacuees, refugees and survivors and rebuild the communities that have lost so much.
"While it is heartbreaking to see the loss and destruction families are facing, it has been inspiring to see the commitment of people across state lines as they work to make things better for those who are suffering. We also would like to commend the brave men and women who are leading the rescue operations; from emergency service officers to health care professionals to the power and water teams working around the clock to save lives. Mayors, sheriffs, governors, and countless federal, state and local workers and volunteers have demonstrated incredible dedication and leadership.
"We know that many Americans want to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina as they rebuild their lives. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which is responsible for coordinating relief efforts, announced that the best way to help rescue and relief efforts is to donate to volunteer relief agencies so they can help more people.
"For more information on how you can help, visit FEMA’s website or visit the American Red Cross.
"America is united strongly behind the people of the Gulf Coast and from that unity we draw strength. Thank you for your support for the victims of Hurricane Katrina."
John Kerry and Teresa Heinz Kerry
As does Jimmy Carter:
President and Mrs. Carter and the staff of The Carter Center extend condolences and deepest sympathies to the victims and their families of Hurricane Katrina. President and Mrs. Carter have made a personal contribution to the relief effort and have sent condolence letters to the governors of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. They strongly encourage quick and generous assistance from government relief agencies and fellow Americans.
The Carter Center is not a relief or aid organization and does not engage in emergency relief efforts. President and Mrs. Carter urge individuals to donate to the relief efforts through any of the organizations listed on the Federal Emergency Management Agency Web site. (Click here for the complete list of relief organizations suggested by FEMA: http://www.fema.gov/rrr/help2.shtm.
And regarding the allegations that our rejection of the Kyoto protocols caused Hurricane Katrina, here's what the International Herald Tribune says:
Bush takes heat on global warming
By Elisabeth Rosenthal International Herald Tribune
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2005
As politicians and commentators around the world took in pictures of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, many seized the opportunity to blame the fierce storm, at least in part, on the Bush administration's environmental policy.
The United States is one of the few nations that have not signed the Kyoto Protocol, which seeks to limit global warming by reducing the levels of industrial emissions that most scientists now believe promote climate change.
"Katrina Should Be a Lesson to the U.S. on Global Warming," read a headline on the Web site of the German magazine Der Spiegel....
In fact, while it is impossible to link Katrina specifically to warming, scientists said, most now concur that global warming does tend to increase the intensity of hurricanes, if not their frequency.
"There is new research that shows there may well be an increase in the destructive power of hurricanes because of global warming," said Wayne Elliott, a meteorologist with the British weather service.
But the experts add that it is scientifically unfair to blame any one hurricane on the warming trend....
But the connection between global warming and Katrina was made prominently in many media outlets in European countries, all of which have signed the Kyoto accord and in which Bush administration environmental policies are widely unpopular.
In Italy, the Lega Ambiente, a powerful national environment lobby, called Katrina "a dramatic event on par with Sept. 11," referring to the terrorist attacks of 2001, and demanded change from the U.S. government....
In parts of the world where U.S. environmental policy is regarded as morally irresponsible, the possibility of a connection was the talk of the day.
President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela, a frequent critic of the Bush administration, wagged a finger: Noting that the United States had not signed the Kyoto treaty, he said that global warming was behind the ferocity of recent hurricanes, according to The Associated Press in Caracas, and blamed "capitalist consumerism" that he said was championed by Americans.
Regarding Kyoto, here's what Ed Koch has said about Al Gore's stand:
President Clinton and Al Gore were unsuccessful in getting the signers of Kyoto to include the developing nations. Knowing that the Kyoto Protocol would not be passed without the inclusion of developing countries in some way, Clinton did not even send the Protocol to the U.S. Senate for ratification.
Gore now blames Bush for not getting the parties of the Protocol to include developing countries under its mandates. This is an outcome which neither he nor Clinton had been able to accomplish during their eight years of office from 1993 to 2001. How could Bush be expected to succeed where they had failed?
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