Republican or Democrat, you have to ask yourself; did we respond fast enough?
I live in South Florida and was recently hit by Katrina. It snuck up on me during school the day before (it hit Florida) as a severe tropical storm. Katrina was a tropical storm so many people didn't take the storm seriously. Then it hit hurricane status as a category one hurricane. South Floridians on category ones usually take it lightly but after Thursdays landfall, it was apparent that Katrina should have not been taken lightly.
Trees and fences fell down. In fact, a grand old Oak tree in my yard--that has survived countless hurricanes before--fell for this one. Objects the size of motorcycles were picked up by the wind. Power was out and flooding took place. This was what an unplanned, underrated category one did to us.
Katrina left South Florida a category two. It was forecasted to hit the coastal areas around the Gulf. The scale of its effect was apparent from what it left behind in Florida. New Orleans is six feet below water, surrounded by the Mississippi. Civil engineers knew that the levies were made to withstand category threes. Not category fives. Water was bound to drown the city.
The threat assessment on the hurricane by the US government should have been more dire. Response should have been faster. In fact, evacuation should have been done by force, if possible. Government help eventually came though. Days after the devastation.
People may say that's expected. But everyday, hurricane survivors are dying. Took four days after the hurricane hit for an assesment by the President. Four days for assesment of his own people. For days of people dying. People still dying because supplies haven't reached everyone yet.
Katrina was seen coming as a category five. Why weren't our troops amassed along bordering states ready to storm in after katrina blew over?
What's more discouraging is that even though alot of political moves have been made to have the US quickly respond to disasters, be it dirty bombs or what not, after this one it would be scary to see how we would respond to a a surprise disaster.
We are quick to respond to global conflicts that could secure our nation economically, but when it comes down to our own people, OUR OWN PEOPLE, we're worth waiting for four more days and 1/20th of the cost of war in Iraq.
Is the U.S. responding fast enough knowing how dire the situation was going to get?
I live in South Florida and was recently hit by Katrina. It snuck up on me during school the day before (it hit Florida) as a severe tropical storm. Katrina was a tropical storm so many people didn't take the storm seriously. Then it hit hurricane status as a category one hurricane. South Floridians on category ones usually take it lightly but after Thursdays landfall, it was apparent that Katrina should have not been taken lightly.
Trees and fences fell down. In fact, a grand old Oak tree in my yard--that has survived countless hurricanes before--fell for this one. Objects the size of motorcycles were picked up by the wind. Power was out and flooding took place. This was what an unplanned, underrated category one did to us.
Katrina left South Florida a category two. It was forecasted to hit the coastal areas around the Gulf. The scale of its effect was apparent from what it left behind in Florida. New Orleans is six feet below water, surrounded by the Mississippi. Civil engineers knew that the levies were made to withstand category threes. Not category fives. Water was bound to drown the city.
The threat assessment on the hurricane by the US government should have been more dire. Response should have been faster. In fact, evacuation should have been done by force, if possible. Government help eventually came though. Days after the devastation.
People may say that's expected. But everyday, hurricane survivors are dying. Took four days after the hurricane hit for an assesment by the President. Four days for assesment of his own people. For days of people dying. People still dying because supplies haven't reached everyone yet.
Katrina was seen coming as a category five. Why weren't our troops amassed along bordering states ready to storm in after katrina blew over?
What's more discouraging is that even though alot of political moves have been made to have the US quickly respond to disasters, be it dirty bombs or what not, after this one it would be scary to see how we would respond to a a surprise disaster.
We are quick to respond to global conflicts that could secure our nation economically, but when it comes down to our own people, OUR OWN PEOPLE, we're worth waiting for four more days and 1/20th of the cost of war in Iraq.
Is the U.S. responding fast enough knowing how dire the situation was going to get?
Think about it:idea: . It just might be true:tup: . 
