Hurricane Katrina: Political Aftermath

[socaldem]

What will the political aftermath of Hurricane Katrina be?

Katrina looks to be a horrible tragedy and I sincerely hope that the majority of the people of Eastern Louisiana somehow pull through.  I hope that the political leadership down there has done everything they can to help prepare for the situation and to calm and rebuild in the hurricane's wake. 

What is the general assessment of the politicians down there in this time of crisis?

Is President Bush paying enough attention to the natural disaster?

And, though it may be too crass and too soon to discuss, are there any big political winners who have shown leadership in a time of crisis or losers who floundered when they were in the spotlight?

[KEmperor]

Why do you feel the need to make this a political issue?  How are hurricanes a partisan issue?  Do you believe that things would be handled any differently if someone is a Democrat or a Republican?

[Gabu]

What will the political aftermath of Hurricane Katrina be?

Katrina looks to be a horrible tragedy and I sincerely hope that the majority of the people of Eastern Louisiana somehow pull through.  I hope that the political leadership down there has done everything they can to help prepare for the situation and to calm and rebuild in the hurricane's wake. 

What is the general assessment of the politicians down there in this time of crisis?

Is President Bush paying enough attention to the natural disaster?

And, though it may be too crass and too soon to discuss, are there any big political winners who have shown leadership in a time of crisis or losers who floundered when they were in the spotlight?

Everyone involved is doing the best that they possibly can do, which is all we can hope to get from them.  Whether or not it's adequate remains to be seen.  Pointing fingers at this point is not going to solve anything and is, I would personally say, not at all appropriate.  The people of Louisiana are going to want leaders to look at for guidance in the weeks following the wake of Katrina.  Let's not make their pain even worse by pointing at some of these people and saying that their performance has been bad.  It may be the truth, and the accusation may be absolutely right, but it will also do absolutely nothing.

The least we can do for the people of Louisiana is to give them our hopes, our thoughts, and - if it's your thing - our prayers, and for at least a few weeks, hold back on our criticism.

[jokerman]

Why do you feel the need to make this a political issue?  How are hurricanes a partisan issue?  Do you believe that things would be handled any differently if someone is a Democrat or a Republican?

Obviously a Republican would take the U.S. Naval Fleet out in the Gulf to challenge the hurricane and launch a "pre-emptive strike."

[Ebowed]

Why do you feel the need to make this a political issue?  How are hurricanes a partisan issue?  Do you believe that things would be handled any differently if someone is a Democrat or a Republican?

Obviously a Republican would take the U.S. Naval Fleet out in the Gulf to challenge the hurricane and launch a "pre-emptive strike."

LOL!!

[ATFFL]

Why do you feel the need to make this a political issue?  How are hurricanes a partisan issue?  Do you believe that things would be handled any differently if someone is a Democrat or a Republican?

Obviously a Republican would take the U.S. Naval Fleet out in the Gulf to challenge the hurricane and launch a "pre-emptive strike."

LOL!!

You laugh, but there are some plans to develop bombs that woudl disrupt the eye of a hurricane while it was forming.  This would prevent storms from forming, or so the theory goes.

[MODU]

No negative political aftermath for any politician, unless they had said "Stay home, you'll be ok." 

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Good for New Orleans, the storm suddenly weakened and veered to the east.

[MODU]

Yeah, but Mobile was slammed.  Personally, I wouldn't have minded if New Orleans was reclaimed by the sea.  That's what they get for building a city 6 feet below sea level, and bordered from the north and south by bodies of water.

[socaldem]

Why do you feel the need to make this a political issue?  How are hurricanes a partisan issue?  Do you believe that things would be handled any differently if someone is a Democrat or a Republican?

Well, I didnt mean that it was a negative political issue necessairly... its just that when watching the coverage I was rather impressed with the statements by New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and even by Baton Rouge's Kip Holden while Blanco's performance in front of the camera was underwhelming.... yes, I'm obviously sympathetic, but sometimes I think it would have been better if she had delegated the job to make some of the important announcements to someone else...

Another important thing is how hurricanes affect congressional races.  My understanding is that they generally boost incumbent chances.  Will the adversity help Rep. Melancon, whose district was hit worst, solidify his position in congress?  Will Bill Jefferson, who is facing FBI investigation, get a boost from the hurricane in that Louisianans will be less prone to support challengers during rebuilding.  Or, perhaps, Ray Nagin's performance in the crisis will help boost his chances of challenging Jefferson in a primary, something I think would be quite welcome...

[angus]

Is President Bush paying enough attention to the natural disaster?

oh, the bushies are going to be all over this.  State of Emergency is already enacted.  and if hillary's smart, she'll be on the next flight to Baton Rouge as well, standing beside the Guvnah and crying big alligator tears for the flood victims.

You laugh, but there are some plans to develop bombs that woudl disrupt the eye of a hurricane while it was forming.  This would prevent storms from forming, or so the theory goes.

okay, but for a party that opposes "playing god" with fetal tissue, that's a bit strange...

where to begin?  Meteorology 101.  First, hurricanes are your friend.  They act as nature's air conditioning.  It's an engine that runs on heat.  They cycle warm air from the tropics into the mid-latitudes.  The so-called thermohaline circulation runs a sort of Atlantic conveyor belt, part of a global system in which a continuous flow of upper-level water is drawn from the tropical Atlantic torard the Pole.  Without it, there'd be no summer in places like Newfoundland.  Cold dry air coming from Canada exracts heat from water.  And I'm sure we don't want to tamper with this process.  In fact, one might argue that our contributions to global warming have increased the frequency of hurricanes.  If you look at sea-surface temperatures (SST), you'll note a cool period to about 1994.  Not coincidentally, there were very few category 3-5 storms during that period.  By 1995, the mean SST was about, oh, 83 degrees or so.  In 1996 when I was living in Boston, a huge storm came in October, flooding Kenmore station and closing down the Green line for 3 days!  11 inches of rain fell one day.  The whole East Coast may have just been lucky for 30 or 40 years.  Or, maybe our own contributions to rising SST have caused more storms.  You can verify that from about the mid 90s onward, we've had higher SST and more frequent category 3 or more storms.  But, in any case, last year probably wasn't a fluke.  Expect more over the next several years.  And not just florida.  From Boston to Bonaire, and everywhere in between, expect to ocassionally have to run for higher ground.  2004 was just a wake-up call.  But not one that says:  Hey, build better bombs.  Maybe it just says:  Are you sure you want to buy that condo in Key West?

[Cubby]

I saw Mary Landrieu on CNN this morning (or was it MSNBC?) She looked like she had been up a long time and was worried. I don't think there will be a political component to this storm, except if Bush uses the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Since Florida swung so far to the GOP last year in the Pres. Race, do you guys think that was mostly from the 4 hurricanes aftermath or would it have happened anyway?

[© tweed]

I saw Mary Landrieu on CNN this morning (or was it MSNBC?) She looked like she had been up a long time and was worried. I don't think there will be a political component to this storm, except if Bush uses the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Since Florida swung so far to the GOP last year in the Pres. Race, do you guys think that was mostly from the 4 hurricanes aftermath or would it have happened anyway?

It would have happened anyway.  Look at Jeb's convincing 2002 re-election.

[opebo]

Yeah, but Mobile was slammed.  Personally, I wouldn't have minded if New Orleans was reclaimed by the sea.  That's what they get for building a city 6 feet below sea level, and bordered from the north and south by bodies of water.

New Orleans is practically the only redeeming aspect of the entire South!  They're awfully lucky to still have it.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Yeah, but Mobile was slammed.  Personally, I wouldn't have minded if New Orleans was reclaimed by the sea.  That's what they get for building a city 6 feet below sea level, and bordered from the north and south by bodies of water.

New Orleans is practically the only redeeming aspect of the entire South!  They're awfully lucky to still have it.

That's exactly why they want it wiped out. It looks like the Republicans' wishes are coming true.

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http://www.bayoubuzz.com/articles.aspx?aid=4864

[Gabu]

That's exactly why they want it wiped out. It looks like the Republicans' wishes are coming true.

Republicans want New Orleans to be destroyed?  That is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing I've heard you say yet.

[MODU]

That's exactly why they want it wiped out. It looks like the Republicans' wishes are coming true.

Republicans want New Orleans to be destroyed?  That is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing I've heard you say yet.

Look at the source.  hahaha

[MODU]

I found a link to an interview with the New Orleans Mayor.  It's about 22 minutes long, and he just goes down item by item detailing what has happened to the city.  It's a good watch/listen.  It is grimm, but very informative.

"Mayor Interview"

[12th Doctor]

Is President Bush paying enough attention to the natural disaster?

Yeah, Bush should have played a heavier hand in dealing with the hurricane.  How does one "pay attention" to a natural disater and, even so, how does one do anything about it?

Unfortunatly, it will have an impact.  The price of oil will go up and the Democrats will take advantage of the situation to turn the countries anger on Bush.  Acctually, the Democrats won't even have to try, as most people won't understand the connection anyway, or say that it is some kind of an excuse.

[minionofmidas]

Angus is right o/c. The warmer the sea gets in the tropics, the more hurricanes you're going to get. And the warmer the air in western Europe in summer gets, the more likely summer floods like that of the Elbe 2002 will get - these are caused by a freak phenomenon of a high first pushed off to the South, then suddenly moving North again, which used to be once-in-twenty years sort of thing but has been happening more like once-in-three years recently.

As to political capital, obviously you can't lose from not preventing the hurricane, but you can gain from reacting well or looking as if you reacted well. (Hey, ask Brandenburg PM Matthias Platzeck...)

[??????????]

That's exactly why they want it wiped out. It looks like the Republicans' wishes are coming true.

I have a question for you Fern.

If you had a brain..would you take it out and play with it? Seriously.

[minionofmidas]

Well, it's not as if jfern invented this (though Republican was wrong, he shoulda said conservative.)

Personally, I wouldn't have minded if New Orleans was reclaimed by the sea. 

I have a question, States and Gabu. If you had the chance to verify something jfern said before slamming him, would you? Seriously.

[MissCatholic]

God Bless everyone in New Orleans. my favorite American city.

[KEmperor]

Yeah, I voted for Nagin when he first ran.  He's a good guy.  As for Jefferson, unless he gets a serious primary challenge, he's a lock.  Anyone with a D next to their name is going to win the second district.

[12th Doctor]

That's exactly why they want it wiped out. It looks like the Republicans' wishes are coming true.

I have a question for you Fern.

If you had a brain..would you take it out and play with it? Seriously.

How much you wanna bet that we will soon see stories circulating on the internet about how the damage to the levees resembles explosions conducted with timed charges?