MyDD :: Bush Aids the Hurricane

Bush Aids the Hurricane

by Chris Bowers, Sun Aug 28, 2005 at 10:17:29 PM EST

President Bush on Sunday urged people living in the path of Hurricane Katrina to take the storm extremely seriously and to move to safer ground. "We cannot stress enough the danger this hurricane poses to Gulf Coast communities," Bush said.

"We will do everything in our power to help the people and the communities affected by this storm," Bush said as Katrina bore down on a stretch of coastline that includes New Orleans, a city sitting below sea level with 485,000 inhabitants.

However, when it comes to actually being prepared for situations like this, Bush has done quite a bit in his power to make certain that the government's ability to help local residents has been reduced. First, he helped displace and thin out the ranks of Louisiana's national guard, which typically is deployed to help residents facing natural disasters such as Katrina:

America's citizen soldiers of the National Guard and the Army, Navy and Marine Reserves increasingly are casualties in the war in Iraq. And the nation's reliance on the Guard and Reserves is changing them.

Currently, members of the Guard and Reserves make up four of every 10 military personnel in Iraq. It's the largest long-term deployment of the nation's reserves in 50 years. And their casualties reflect that.(...)

In no state have those deaths registered more than in Louisiana. Louisiana, along with New York, has lost more guardsmen and reservists - 23 as of July 24 - than any state in the nation, and all but one of those deaths have come in the last eight months.

Not only are these deaths and deployments thinning out the ranks of the National Guard, but they have also hurt recruitment and retention, further thinning ranks:

Recruitment is down dramatically, mostly because prospective recruits are worried about deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan or another country. In recent years, Guard members and reservists have served extended tours in Bosnia, Kosovo, East Timor and Haiti.

"I used to be able to get about eight people a month," said National Guard First Sgt. Derick Young, a New Orleans recruiter. "Now, I'm lucky if I can get one."

Retention is down, too, as Guard members and reservists take into account the impact deployments, some as long as 18 months, have on their families and their civilian careers. Guard officers said the retention rate is higher among those who already have been to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Of course, that is not the only way Bush's policies in Iraq have hurt our ability to deal with problems such as Katrina here at home: (emphasis mine)

In fiscal year 2006, the New Orleans district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is bracing for a record $71.2 million reduction in federal funding.

It would be the largest single-year funding loss ever for the New Orleans district, Corps officials said.(...)

There is an economic ripple effect, too. The cuts mean major hurricane and flood protection projects will not be awarded to local engineering firms. Also, a study to determine ways to protect the region from a Category 5 hurricane has been shelved for now.

That's not all. As Scott already noted, the oil-loving GOP stripped renewables out of the recent Energy legislation:

Working furiously to try to strike a deal on broad energy legislation, Congressional negotiators on Monday killed two major provisions aimed at curbing consumption of traditional fossil fuels like oil, natural gas and coal.

House members rejected an effort to incorporate a plan passed by the Senate to require utilities to use more renewable energy like wind and solar power to generate electricity. They also defeated a bid to direct the president to find ways to cut the nation's appetite for oil by one million barrels a day. (...)

The energy bill has come under criticism from some lawmakers and conservation groups for doing too little to cut into the nation's dependence on foreign oil while increasing oil and gas production. The two provisions dropped Monday were seen by the environmental community as among the few bright spots in the energy bill.

This is a big deal because Katrina could cripple the national oil industry:

If Hurricane Katrina holds true to predictions and tracks north through the toe of Louisiana's boot, much of the nation's oil and natural gas infrastructure will be exposed to 140 mile per hour winds, 30- to 50-foot waves, and water current speeds of around 20 knots all the way from the surface to the sea floor.

"This storm is going to pass through the meat of the oil and gas fields. The whole country will feel it, because it's going to cripple us and the country's whole economy," said Capt. Buddy Cantrelle with Kevin Gros Offshore, which supplies rigs via a fleet of large crew vessels.

Already, oil prices are skyrocketing to record highs. As of this writing, the price of a barrel of oil has risen to an astonishing $69.75. Katrina is going to take a big bite out of the economy, one that will be felt not just by residents of the Gulf Coast, but also by the entire country in the form of rising gasoline prices. By eschewing social investment in favor of handouts to oil companies and a military disaster in Iraq, Bush and the Republicans in D.C. have enacted a series of policies that have significantly weakened the ability of residents in the Gulf region to deal with natural disasters like Katrina.

Considering this, perhaps it is fitting that by jacking up oil prices Katrina will probably take a big bite out of Bush's already plummeting approval ratings. As pollkatz reminds us, the price of gasoline is clearly one of the biggest factors influencing Presidential approval ratings. With hundreds of thousands of people displaced, it is at least somewhat heartening to know that Bush is going to pay a price for his destructive policies.

Tags: Republicans (all tags)

Permalink :: 18 Comments :: Post a Comment

Not cool (3.00 / 1)

Chris,
Hurricane Katrina has the potential to be a major catastrophe, with a great deal of destruction to life and property. Let's not play politics with an act of God. Saying "Bush aids the hurricane" really isn't appropriate, nor is being heartened by whatever happens to Bush's approval rating following this. We should be focused on how we, acting together, can help the citizens of New Orleans, not how to blame our political opponents for it. Raising donations, recruiting volunteers, or sponsoring a blood drive would be an appropriate and useful exercise of our community. Besides, progressives often get made fun of for spinning wild conspiracy theories blaming Bush for everything from the loss of life after the 2004 tsunami to the Apollo 13 accident, and there's no reason to add fuel to that fire. There's enough to criticize Bush for without having to resort to something as ugly as politisizing a natural disaster, so let's stick to criticizing him for those mistakes, and helping those who are going to be hurt by Katrina.

by IntCrit on Sun Aug 28, 2005 at 11:21:50 PM EST

Re: Not cool (3.00 / 0)

Look, Republican policies have clearly damaged local and national responses to disasters like this. If our national guard wasn't overseas, they would be able to help more. If Republicans hadn't cut funding to local relief efforts, such efforts would be more effective. If we had done more to invest in renewable energy, it wouldn't ahve such a widesweeping efect on the nation.

While Republicans did not cause the hurricane, their policies will result in a mroe devasting hurricane to both those directly in its path and the nation as a whole. That's a fact.

And Republicans have played politics with hurriances before, with a major impact on the 2004 election. Considering your willingness to pop in here and chastise me for my comment, I'm surprised you didn't know that.

by Chris Bowers on Sun Aug 28, 2005 at 11:32:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Not cool (none / 0)

This time, I'm not so sure. I think the people of the Gulf Coast, and elsewhere in the U.S., have been exposed to this disaster by Bush.

I am fearful that the first effect could be the loss of tens of thousands of lives. And the market also could take lives, given the fragility of the economy.

I think I'm pretty much "over" this one-sided business of "good taste," after all these years of pathetic behavior by the regime.

by blues on Sun Aug 28, 2005 at 11:33:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Not cool (none / 0)

I agree. Not cool.

Daily Kos has a link to the Red Cross to make a donation.

by Alvord on Sun Aug 28, 2005 at 11:47:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Very cool (none / 0)

Let's not play politics with an act of God.

I guess you missed the Weather Reporter In Chief's announcement about Hurrican Katrina. I was walking past the living room television and CNN has Bush playing weatherman and then he goes into a cliche filled tirade about Iraq.

Chris is criticizing Bush for his mistakes in weakening our national response to natural disasters in a large number of ways.

by Gary Boatwright on Sun Aug 28, 2005 at 11:53:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Not cool (none / 0)

Bad policies get a free pass because they are weather related? Did you only read the headline?

by jacob wi on Mon Aug 29, 2005 at 02:45:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I'm Scanning For News About Hurricane Katrina. (none / 0)

Fox "News" is saying that 20,000 to 50,000 could perish. (Not the wealthy ones, I assume, though Fox took time out to mention that some wealthy ones were staying (Yea right...).)

About the oil -- AP is ssaying things like this:

"'If this thing knocks out significant quantities of refining capacity ... we're going to be in deep, dark trouble," said Ed Silliere, vice president of risk management at Energy Merchant LLC in New York.

'The market has been on edge for months, with traders and speculators buying on the slightest fear. With Katrina, all those fears could be realized' Beutel said.

'Basically I could spill a can of oil at my local gas station and you'd see the price of crude go up by $1 per barrel,' he said. "

Of course, the point about the fact that current "policies" are focing people to shun the National Guard, and all available troops are you-know-where, when we really need them, is absolutely true.

(As I scan, oil has just now topped $70.00 per barrel.)

by blues on Sun Aug 28, 2005 at 11:24:54 PM EST

Not to be callous (none / 0)

But a new HBO special on Rome is starting. There's not a damn thing I can do about hurricanes in California. Worrying about a problem never solved anything.

I'll be watching Rome. They're having a great season premiere party in Hollywood.

by Gary Boatwright on Sun Aug 28, 2005 at 11:57:32 PM EST

Thanks you saved me the time (none / 0)

cut and paste

DAGGER

by goplies on Mon Aug 29, 2005 at 12:01:21 AM EST

Hillary Clinton was out in front (none / 0)

on this issue and just got back from seeing the devastation caused by global warming first hand in Alaska.

When you consider that global warming has caused the warming of Gulf waters which aids the strengthening of hurricanes like Katrina, the issue of global warming will FINALLY be a huge issue. And Hillary is well-positioned on this.

While I pray for the people of New Orleans, the one tiny silver-lining may be the highlighting of the urgent action needed on global warming.

McCain is defining Obama, and Obama is neither defining himself, nor McCain. This is awful.

by jgarcia on Mon Aug 29, 2005 at 12:06:06 AM EST

Oh, and I am sorry, but when (none / 0)

people's lives are lost because of fucked-up policies by this administration it is our DUTY as the opposition party to take Bush to task about this. So that it doesn't happen again. We owe that much to the people who will be affected by this storm.

I am glad that Democrats like Chris Bowers here and the folks at Kos are bringing this shit up. It needs to be brought up. And we need to hang these issues around Bush's neck!

McCain is defining Obama, and Obama is neither defining himself, nor McCain. This is awful.

by jgarcia on Mon Aug 29, 2005 at 12:10:48 AM EST

eh the ones who should take credit are.. (none / 0)

LA's Govenor and NO's Mayor they have done a great job of getting out there and tell people to get out while our President from his Vacation home talked about Iraq for an hour.

Running the Davis, Nelson Klein team in Florida.

by Liberal on Mon Aug 29, 2005 at 01:14:51 AM EST

Army Corps of Engineers (none / 0)

There're are plenty of people who think the Corps
has caused more problems than it's solved with its engineering project and also has veered away from its original mission.

by phillydem on Mon Aug 29, 2005 at 01:34:11 AM EST

To see what Bush thinks about hurricane relief (none / 0)

just look at how victims of last year's Florida hurricanes have been helped or not helped.

The one real life example that I have to give is that the guy who is painting my house right now -- here in upstate NY -- has yet to see any insurance money for the loss of his home (he resided in Palm Beach County). One reason that he, a life long Floridian, moved to New York is the huricanes and the way he has been screwed by the system for last year's damage.

As an aside, he also added that he moved because Florida schools are horrible in comparison to New York Schools.

by LionelEHutz on Mon Aug 29, 2005 at 01:50:17 PM EST

Gee-Dub (none / 0)

is a national disaster.

Yeah, I'm cynical.

by catastrophile on Mon Aug 29, 2005 at 04:20:28 PM EST

LA Guard on duty IN IRAQ (none / 0)

From ABC ch. 26 in New Orleans:

LA National Guard Wants Equipment to Come Back From Iraq

August 1, 2005, 9:07 PM CDT

JACKSON BARRACKS -- When members of the Louisiana National Guard left for Iraq in October, they took a lot equipment with them. Dozens of high water vehicles, humvees, refuelers and generators are now abroad, and in the event of a major natural disaster that, could be a problem.

"The National Guard needs that equipment back home to support the homeland security mission," said Lt. Colonel Pete Schneider with the LA National Guard.

Col. Schneider says the state has enough equipment to get by, and if Louisiana were to get hit by a major hurricane, the neighboring states of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida have all agreed to help.

"As Governor Bush did for Ivan, after they were hit so many times, he just maxed all of his resources out, he reached out to Louisiana and we sent 200 national guardsmen to help support in recovery efforts," Col. Schneider said.

Members of the Houma-based 256th Infantry will be returning in October, but it could be much longer before the rest of their equipment comes home.

"You've got combatant commanders over there who need it they say they need it, they don't want to lose what they have, and we certainly understand that it's a matter it's a matter of us educating that combatant commander, we need it back here as well," Col. Schneider said.

And even if commanders in Iraq release the equipment, getting it home takes months.

"It's just the process of identifying which equipment we're bringing home, bringing it down to Kuwait, loading it on ships or aircraft however we're gonna get it back here and then either railing it in or trucking it in, so we're talking a significant amount of time before that equipment is back home," Schneider said.

by Power of Equality on Tue Aug 30, 2005 at 12:08:23 AM EST

Re: LA Guard on duty IN IRAQ (none / 0)

See for yourself:
http://abc26.trb.com/news/natguard08012005,1,370864.story

You think this is bad, pray the New Madrid Earthquake doesn't go, or the Senate's Bi-Partisan Security Panel's "most likely scenario" never happens. And how about that border with Mexico?

I've always thought the Guard was to Guarding America. Florida't three hurricanes last year should've proved the Guard belongs in America.

The good news is that this may only cost $26 Billion. That's nothing... compared to Iraq.

by Power of Equality on Tue Aug 30, 2005 at 12:23:11 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Nat'l Guard has enough troops on hand (none / 0)

"Despite a heavy deployment of National Guardsmen to Iraq and Afghanistan, more than enough troops are on hand to assist with safety, security and relief efforts in areas impacted by Hurricane Katrina, a National Guard spokesman said Monday."

-MSNBC report

Here's a link to the full story:

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9117367/

"Don't get stuck on stupid" - Lt. Gen. Honore

by RepTroll on Tue Aug 30, 2005 at 01:08:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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