Street Fighting Man
 

Yeah, well "Social Darwinism" isn't so much an unstoppable law of nature as a series of decisions made by people as to who is going to have resources allocated to them. And I'm not sure what "these things" are, but if we're talking about the slow pace of the evacuation and the deterioration of conditions for those still trapped in the city I'd have to disagree. A massive, coordinated response is what we have a government for.

Again, I can't help but think that "cost feasibility" wouldn't be an issue if it were a different class of person roasting out there.

I think most people were ready to leave that shithole two days ago at least and would have taken the ride if it was available. It became a life and death issue at least that long ago.

Street Fighting Man
 

So Air America is too extreme for middle of the road Dems, so is the DU. Where do you guys go for your biased-but-not-crazy-biased news? Say it with me Ironhead:

CBS/ABC/NBC/PBS/WP/NYT/CNN

Again:
CBS/ABC/NBC/PBS/WP/NYT/CNN

More emotion:

CBS/ABC/NBC/PBS/WP/NYT/CNN

Street Fighting Man
 

Ok, you win. Posting drunk on a Friday morning trumps posting drunk on a Thursday night. I can only bow to the master.

Street Fighting Man
 

For what it's worth, since my last performance review no drinking during the workday. I stick to darvocets- maybe a codiene chaser-no smell.

Street Fighting Man
 

Which government? We have a state government as well as a local government. Where are they in implementing the disaster plans they too might have put some thought into?

Street Fighting Man
 

You're mostly correct... But I don't think there are ever enough resources to deal with this sort of thing. This is like 9/11. The "system" ain't built for this contingency. That is where I think Social Darwinism comes into play. After the protections of the govt safety net have been exhausted (as they were the minute the levee broke), the first victims are the most vulnerable.

I don't think the slowness of response is deliberate or negligent. I think people are overwhelmed. Coordinating this thing is like herding cats... thousands of them.

I disagree that most people would have taken the ride. From what I've been hearing, a lot of people thought this was another false alarm.

Street Fighting Man
 

Don't get all defensive. Here's a disaster plan - mobilize the National Guard, whatever part of our Army, Air Force and Marines that's still here, and commandeer every bus, truck, van, boat and Vespa scooter you can find. Load it will bottled water and slim jims. Drive it to NO. Drop off the food, pick up as many people as you can carry. Repeat as necessary. Do this two days ago. Sounds dumb, right? Insufficient consideration for adverse conditions, cost, etc. Believe me, if there was a will, there would be a way.

You used to have him. You blew it.

Street Fighting Man
 

I'm not being defensive; i'm questioning a) why you put the blame (apparently) on teh federal gov't and b) whether your expectations are realistic.

If you look at the maps, basically every decent sized road into NO is at least partially submerged. When the trucks drive in, they meet with sniper fire and unruly crowds (yes, the latter could be dealt with through more troops). Remember 9/11? NYC had prepped with this great command center for just such an event. Except that it got crushed by two falling buildings before they even got going. It's not like anyone could have massed trucks of water and food in Baton Rouge just before the storm, ready to go in.

Street Fighting Man
 

No, not really. What happened that day?

Really? What about the day after? Or the day after that?

Street Fighting Man
 

Dimwit, what happened in NO was not expected. Mississippi got hit harder and had no similar problem. NO turned into a lake when a part of its infrastrure broke.

Next day who would bring in the water? Everyone who could had headed in the other direction. Nat'l guard have to be called up and taken away from their lives. That takes a few days.

Street Fighting Man
 

The roads weren't in better shape the day after the storm.

And where is this food coming from? The warehouse in Baton Rouge where they stockpiled all the food for New Orleans? What you're asking for is to spend $several billion in advance of a storm on the chance it will be as devastating as this one was. Hurricane Andrew, which was as powerful and created as much destruction, didn't kill so many people or leave so many people in this situation.

But I'm sure FEMA could use someone of your prescience.

I'm not going to defend some moron whom you saw on TV, and I'm not going to say that five years of wetland protection and restoration would have left New Orleans dry. But the fact is, the Bush Administration has been looking the other way on that shit, and the reason you worry about it is because sooner or later this day comes.

At least they have their Second Amendment rights to fall back on. The founders have their backs.

(1) That.is.modern.day.liberalism;

and

(2) New Demo motto?