Home
Archive
Columnists
Video
Blogs
Discuss
About
Search
Donate
Advertise
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Register to Vote: Rock the Vote, powered by Working Assets Wireless
Advertisement
  • AlterNetYour turn

Support AlterNet
Do you value the information you're getting from AlterNet? Please show your support with a tax-deductible donation.


Feedback
Tell us how we're doing.

How Not to Prepare for a Hurricane

The Progress Report. Posted August 30, 2005.


President Bush vacationed while hurricane Katrina ruined homes and lives. This behavior is par for the president's course.
Advertisement

In 2001, the Federal Emergency Management Agency ranked a major hurricane strike on New Orleans as "among the three likeliest, most catastrophic disasters facing this country," directly behind a terrorist strike on New York City.

Yesterday, disaster struck.

One of the strongest storms in recorded history rocked the Gulf Coast, bringing 145 mph winds and floods of up to 20 feet. One million residents were evacuated; at least 65 are confirmed dead. Tens of thousands of homes were completely submerged.

Mississippi's governor reported "catastrophic damage on all levels." Downtown New Orleans buildings were "imploding," a fire chief said. Oil surged past $70 a barrel. New Orleanians were grimly asking each other, "So, where did you used to live?" (To donate to Red Cross disaster relief, call 1-800-HELP-NOW).

While it happened, President Bush decided to … continue his vacation, stopping by the Pueblo El Mirage RV and Golf Resort in El Mirage, Arizona, to hawk his Medicare drug benefit plan.

On Sunday, President Bush said, "I want to thank all the folks at the federal level and the state level and the local level who have taken this storm seriously." He's not one of them. Below, we present "How Not to Prepare for a Massive Hurricane," by President Bush, congressional conservatives, and their corporate special interest allies. 

SLASH SPENDING ON HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS IN NEW ORLEANS:  Two months ago, President Bush took an ax to budget funds that would have helped New Orleans prepare for such a disaster. The New Orleans branch of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers suffered a "record $71.2 million" reduction in federal funding, a 44.2 percent reduction from its 2001 levels.

Reports at the time said that thanks to the cuts, "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." (Too bad Louisiana isn't a swing state. In the aftermath of Hurricane Frances -- and the run-up to the 2004 election -- the Bush administration awarded $31 million in disaster relief to Florida residents who didn't even experience hurricane damage.)

DESTROY NATURAL HURRICANE PROTECTIONS: The Gulf Coast wetlands form a "natural buffer that helps protect New Orleans from storms," slowing hurricanes down as they approach from sea.

When he came into office, President Bush pledged to uphold the "no net loss" wetland policy his father initiated. He didn't keep his word.

Bush rolled back tough wetland policies set by the Clinton administration, ordering federal agencies "to stop protecting as many as 20 million acres of wetlands and an untold number of waterways nationwide."

Last year, four environmental groups issued a joint report showing that administration policies had allowed "developers to drain thousands of acres of wetlands."

The result? New Orleans may be in even greater danger: "Studies show that if the wetlands keep vanishing over the next few decades, then you won't need a giant storm to devastate New Orleans -- a much weaker, more common kind of hurricane could destroy the city too." 

GUT THE AGENCY TASKED WITH DEVELOPING HURRICANE RESPONSES: Forward-thinking federal plans with titles like "Issues and Options in Flood Hazards Management," "Floods: A National Policy Concern," and "A Framework for Flood Hazards Management" would be particularly valuable in a time of increasingly intense hurricanes.


Digg!

Liked this story? Get top stories in your inbox each week from AlterNet! Sign up now »


Advertisement

 

Comments Turn comments off sitewide Give us feedback »
Comments closed.
The comments for this story have been closed. Thank you to everyone who participated.
View:
Off topic but...
Posted by: sbc_prod on Aug 30, 2005 11:24 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I would like to be informed as to how much overseas aid we are receiving for cleanup of this hurricane. Any time there is a disaster ANYWHERE else in the world the U.S. is there helping, whether its on a private or publicly funded level. Where is our help?

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: Off topic but... Posted by: bettsoff
» RE: Off topic but... Posted by: hhartman
» RE: Off topic but... Posted by: NewHere
» RE: Off topic but... Posted by: verona
» RE: Off topic but... Posted by: simplisticton
» RE: Off topic but... Posted by: slashpot
The brink of despair
Posted by: Olympiada on Aug 30, 2005 11:33 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This is sick and disturbing. I am reminded of some theology...the evil in the world is enormous, it is too much to bear. Meditating on the suffering in the world can drive one to the brink of despair, and then what?
Talk about powerless...war...hurricane...which by the way I found out about on a friend's blog, before I heard about it on the radio...these times sure seem apocalyptic to me.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

First Things First
Posted by: NoPCZone on Aug 30, 2005 11:52 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
When are the states going to use their legal authority (eminent domain) to clear these resorts, apartments, vacation homes and the like off of and away from barrier islands and coastal wetlands? The US Government is charged with promoting the 'general welfare' of the nation. By extension, that mission is extended to the state and local governments organized below it. Buy these people out, restore the beaches and wetlands to their original condition as closely as possible and prohibit development in such sensitive areas in the future. I am tired of tax dollars being used to bail out people who choose to build in known flood zones, mudslide zones, barrier islands and other highly vulnerable areas.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

What We Need
Posted by: nakis on Aug 30, 2005 12:36 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
is some clear and well spoken Bushisms.

People voted to have their standard of living, health and well being kicked in the cajones.

So what they need now is some good ole boy Bushisms to tide them over.

It's incredible. But you know, it's the liberals, gays and abortionists fault. Really. It's not cause and reaction. It's not sowing what you reap. It must be God punishing the wicked.
Um, isn't Louisiana a red state?

No offense to the people suffering this tragedy. It's just hard not to angry when you see the results of bad things done by bad people and people have to suffer for it.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: What We Need Posted by: rhastings
The article is incorrect
Posted by: InvisiblePimpernil on Aug 30, 2005 1:19 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
FEMA was prepared for this. Bush is headed back to monitor this disaster. Corporate America is jumping in with both feet with major donations, etc. Where's Hollywood and the left cabal? Whining as usual.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: The article is incorrect Posted by: NewHere
» RE: The article is incorrect Posted by: InvisiblePimpernil
» RE: The article is incorrect Posted by: NewHere
» RE: The article is incorrect Posted by: maxpayne
» RE: The article is incorrect Posted by: jessland
» RE: The article is incorrect Posted by: maxpayne
» RE: The article is incorrect Posted by: kelly.nickell
» RE: The article is incorrect Posted by: Olympiada
Now it's time to send in the recruiters...
Posted by: lefty_eastbay on Aug 30, 2005 2:36 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Now that these rednecks have nothing to stay at home for, they should all enlist in the Army and head over to Iraq.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

How safe are we with this village idiot heading up the relief effort?
Posted by: kelly.nickell on Aug 30, 2005 4:57 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
If you think about just how vulnerable we are right now with a great deal of what’s left of our national guard focusing on this hurricane; just who has our back now?

Arbusto got damn lucky on this one. This is the man that has fought every thing coming down the pike that would do us any good, including the formation of the Department of Homeland Security. After cooking the info from the agencies that do this sort of a thing for a living and ignoring people that could explain to him the difference between a secular Iraqi and an Arab of fundamental religious leanings.

Investing in ways to protect ourselves with science, pragmatic thought, and faith used to assist us in fundamental ways. We once cared about truth, honor, character, and a whole litany of other things that we valued in each other. Now we are surrounded by far too many that are stupid to the point of arrogance in ignoring the fact that if it were not for a bunch of whiny liberals, a whole slew of stupid little neocons would have to get their Gucci’s dirty pulling the poor and destitute off of the roof tops of their homes in what is clearly a sign of God, if you can get Pat off his meds long enough to explain this wrath. That is also, if it didn’t interfere with that 11:00pm viewing of Hannity and Colmes.

Consider me very pissed off, and ready to kick the crap out of the next neocon that wishes to hijack truth in favor of what he heard from Rush today. FEMA couldn’t have dealt with a class 5 hurricane passing through the heart of New Orleans. Talk to anybody that drags an emergency trailer down a highway and he can explain to you the principles involved in getting those trailers down highways that are submerged. It’s really quite simple.

KN

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Humanitarian Crisis
Posted by: Olympiada on Aug 30, 2005 5:38 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
All right folks, what is the best way we can use our energy? to be mindful. cause when hurricanes are going, when terrorist bombings are going on, you can bet the whole globe feels it. evil is raging right now and we need to be mindful. look at it on a spiritual level. check yourselves. are you more agitated? check that...this is a dangerous time. be on your guard.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Addressing basically all the comments
Posted by: thenewguy on Aug 30, 2005 6:57 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Bush did what he could to help the situation. The storm did weaken before it hit New Orleans... it did that because of the shallower water and the buffer zone as was spoken about earlier, and yeah if that buffer zone wasn't there, it'd have been a lot worse.

Bush declared a state of emergency before the storm even hit, so that emergency management officials could do their thing more efficiently.

What else was he supposed to do? State and local officials are the ones who know that area best and who have the most power. It wasn't Bush's fault that the city wasn't evacuated fully.

It's unacceptable that people weren't evacuated from New Orleans? Were any of you tracking the news during this thing? First of all, it wouldn't be smart to evacuate a city of over a half million people if it's not known that it will be necessary. The storm was supposed to hit Florida as a minimal category one, move into the Gulf, and then hit the Panhandle as a minimal category one. It didn't take the track that forecasters suspected... even when it looked like it was going to come close to New Orleans, it wasn't so powerful that a massive evacuation effort was necessary until the DAY before it hit. If you don't recall, on Saturday night, it had winds of 115 mph... twelve hours later, it was up to 175 mph. Nobody could have known that it was going to go from category two to category FIVE.

The levee system was build to hold a storm of strong category three status... a massive category four was well beyond its abilities. Mind you, this storm was HUGE. It had incredible winds, but the storm surge extended all the way into the Florida Panhandle, HUNDREDS of miles away from the storm's landfall point. The President somehow has something to do with this?

To be honest, I thought the original post was a joke... it was frightening to realize that it wasn't. Seriously folks, before you go on the internet posting mindless crap, pay attention to the news, find out what's actually happening, not just what's going on in your wild little minds.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» wild little minds Posted by: Olympiada
whoops, forgot part
Posted by: thenewguy on Aug 30, 2005 7:06 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
oh yeah.

Also, even though there were mandatory evacuations, forty percent of New Orleans residents decided to stay in their homes. They had to sign release forms to be allowed to stay there.

Those who couldn't afford it were given transportation to the super dome if they wanted it. Some declined. What else do you want?

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: whoops, forgot part Posted by: NewHere
» RE: whoops, forgot part Posted by: thenewguy
» RE: whoops, forgot part Posted by: NewHere
» Mockery Posted by: Olympiada
Ain't that America...
Posted by: opensaysamy on Aug 30, 2005 7:14 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I'm a student in North MS, and the psychological landscape here is pretty strange right now... people are in class, but don't know where their families are, whether they're even alive-- or whether they will be alive in the next few days-- don't know whether their homes are still standing. Friends in the National Guard (who aren't in the Middle East) are being deployed to Gulfport... this is a complete disaster, and the tragedy of it is that, while the storm could not have been prevented entirely, its impact could have been lessened.

What's more: I am disgusted at the copious amounts of coverage that the looting/ "lawlessness" in New Orleans is receiving. I can't believe that the NOPD is worrying so much about finding places in which to detain people, and protecting property that is already partially destroyed or will soon be destroyed thanks to flooding. Don't they have slightly more pressing issues to attend to? A lot of these "criminals" have indeed lost everything; they don't even have safe food or potable water. I don't condone violence, but I don't particularly feel sorry for the officers at whom the looters shot....

And of course, they didn't even bother to try to evacuate the prisons on the Gulf prior to the storm, because the lives of drug dealers, drug users, prostitutes, and thieves aren't worth saving.

Hundreds of thousands of people don't have ANYTHING left. Hundreds, if not thousands of people will die in the aftermath of this storm. But lawlessness in a place soon to be underwater is our main concern, ladies and gentlemen. *cut to Pfizer commercial*

Ain't that America....

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

List Item: Hurricane Hunter Funding
Posted by: DaigleD on Aug 30, 2005 8:20 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This was the first storm season my father didn't fly as a Hurricane Hunter. He hit 55 and retired from the 53rd WRS (hurricanehunters.com) after 30 years, thousands of hours of flight time, and about every peace time medal you can earn in the military. Although NOAA seems to get all the press and media they actually fly about 1 hour to every 1000 of the Air Force Reserve. That's at 10,000 feet directly through the eye of the storm making a cross pattern every 105 or so miles out. Considered the pride of the Gulf Coast and heroes at least in TX, MS, AL, LA, and FLA the Hurricane Hunters have always had to fight desparate political battles to maintain their funding. Ironically the Hurricane Hunters have been championed by the likes of Trent Lott and Livingston, whose falling out of favor seriously jeapardized their mission from the "fire em all and let God sort em out" policies of our favorite SecDef Donald Rumsfield. Apparently, when the military wants to cut funds, there is no interest in any military mission that helps limit destruction rather than create it.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Bush Diverted Levee Funds to Iraq
Posted by: haystack1317 on Aug 30, 2005 9:32 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
If you want to know the truth about the actual support of the Bush administration for these problems, go to www.editorandpublisher.com and check out this story:

Did New Orleans Catastrophe Have to Happen? 'Times-Picayune' Had Repeatedly Raised Federal Spending Issues


Bush specifically and knowingly asked for major reductions in the funding of SELA , the organization responsible for protecting New Orleans from a major flood, from 2003 onwards in order to have more money for Iraq. Bush proposed cutting the budget to less than 20% of what was needed at one point and last year showed the sharpest decline ever for the projects, despite increasing hurricane problems.

This is the reality. There is nothing hypothetical about it. People are dying as I write this because the levees failed. The levees were known to be in disrepair, yet Bush used money set aside for repairing them for the war in Iraq. We cannot let them sweep this one under the rug. Somehow, this has to reach the national mass-news media and the average citizens of this country. Bush has unbelievable amounts of blood on his hands already. You can add the blood of those dead in New Orleans.

Also, to anyone who finds it appropriate to label Louisiana a "red state" right now. How dare you? Have you really bought hook, line, and sinker into the mind-numbing kindergarten-level labels that the media wants you to believe in? Do you think the majority of those who were too poor to leave New Orleans and are now being rescued have anything to do with "red" or "blue"? These labels are used as tools for manipulating people. They are not accurate. For example, Louisiana has a female Democratic Governor. What sort of Governor does California, perhaps someone's view of the ultimate Blue State, have? Why would anyone interested in actual political discussion succumb to using these incredibly simple labels, which, by their very nature, serve the right wing?

I live in Louisiana, 120 miles from New Orleans, and I've been hearing helicopters flying overhead for hours now. Refugees are pulling onto the roads here and parking with no idea of where to go or what to do. That anyone would bring the "red" state thing into it is just ridiculous.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Spiritual
Posted by: Olympiada on Aug 30, 2005 9:35 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
All right, those who of you who are 'spiritual progressives' it would be better to spend our energy to maintain peace during this national disaster. There is only so much fulminating you can do about Bush and how productive is that?

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Possession around the world
Posted by: drmeow on Aug 30, 2005 9:47 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I find myself thinking of Peter Menzel's "Material World" project:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/worldbalance/material.html

For those people who were able to evacuate, depending on the size of their car, even after having lost almost everything they own, they may still have more than the average citizen in many other countries around the world.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Disaster
Posted by: derrickchapman on Aug 31, 2005 4:18 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I was deployed with the USAF Reserve to Italy when Hurricane Andrew destroyed Homestead FL and Homestead AFB in 1992. The local USAF commanders were more concerned with how they would look if we abandonned our traininig mission to overfly Yugoslavia (while the Serb-Croatian-Bosnian Christians and Muslims were religiously trying to kill each other). The makers of national policy (be they Republican or Democrat) are not very good at responding at a human level. Their careers are on the line. They would rather find an excuse or a scapegoat than trying to do the right thing. It won't matter to them that and MS need military troops to stop looting, manage traffic, and provide basic services. They'll use this emergency to say "If only we had more money..." so they can waste it on foreign military sales, over-rated and over-priced super-weapons, and govt subsidies to oil companies and military suppliers. The rank and file military troops get nothing except a guaranteed tour of Iraq to keep GWB from looking like a whore for the oil industry.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Who's drowning whom?
Posted by: rayo on Aug 31, 2005 9:17 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It appears that the outcome of Grover Norquist's infamous desire to drown the government in the bathtub was, in fact, the sort of cuts in federal spending that aggravated this natural disaster. It seems that those who drowned were the unfortunate residents of New Orleans, rather than the government.

Also, why is no one talking about the racial and socioeconomic tensions that pervade this tragedy?

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Bush goes golfing while Chertoff scratches his head
Posted by: mundo on Sep 1, 2005 10:36 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Excellent article. I am amazed that more journalists are not revealing the fact that Bush was golfing and then later giving an anti-Sheehan propaganda speech where he made ridiculous comparisons to World War 2, as well as his usual references to 9-11 and "terrist" fear mongering, to be followed up by a unbelievably callous photo-op of Bush strumming an acoustic guitar with a country band, his left hand fixed in a G chord, which blatantly displayed Bush's favorite gesture of hubris, 'flipping the bird'. You really should post that photo in this article.

BTW,I googled "Bush + "golf" and came up with next to nothing. I did find this article though. Please someone write an article that includes Bush's activities the day of and after Katrina. Golf, guitar strumming, WW2/9-11 speech, beauracratic red tape of new Bush FEMA policy of sole authroity to Homeland Security, and Michael Chertoff's subsequent lack of a single clue, and lastly, the days of no communication networks set up for any law enforcement and emergencies. Grassroots progressives were able to have newscasts and podcasts from a ditch in Crawford, Texas... yet Bush and his band of billionaires have yet still to donate a nickel.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

professorferaldi
Posted by: fairydust on Sep 4, 2005 10:39 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Re: overseas aid for hurricane Katrina victims: Venezuela was one of the first contributors with a smooth million. Aid has been offered from everywhere including from areas of the tsunami victims. Our president even turned some of down. You know how he likes to go it alone! George Bush turned down Cuba's offer to send doctors, nurses, food and medical supplies when our medical staff at Nawlins' Charity Hospital were injecting themselves with sugar water just to function and BEGGING for help and supplies.

Look around the globe and you will see that help is pouring in even from countries considered "3rd world." Wake up to the reality of the 3rd world plantation in America!

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

professorferaldi
Posted by: fairydust on Sep 4, 2005 10:42 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
That's a great idea. Research and synthesis on the activities of America's "selected" leader during crisis. I think I might just have to rise to the task and you will see it here when I am finished!

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Nagin did little for Black Poor, Now curses others, seeking absolution
Posted by: brianstop on Sep 5, 2005 8:15 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
In the midst of all this "slow response" talk, I wonder how Nagin, with hundreds on school buses still neatly parked in the flood waters, gets off the hook for doing next to nothing to evacuate the poor of his city with 4 DAYS WARNING OF A CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE.

Had I abandoned a potential 100,000 souls to death, I would also be screaming that no one was doing enough to save them now. Remember, this was a category 5 hurricane headed directly for New Orleans at one point. Had that been the scenario--the dead in the street might have tripled or quadrupled (or worse).

Most of the dead are a result of indecisiveness on Nagin's part. Much of the suffering is a result of a pathetic response on FEMA's part.

Get them out of the city. Help the poor leave and force the dumbout--and the situation is 1/10th as dire as it is now.

Anyone who can't see that the real crime here, the real cause of the devastation of human lives lies directly at the foot of Nagin, must be blind to the actions of some and love to point out flaws in others.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

What was Bush doing last Friday?
Posted by: Country on Sep 7, 2005 9:38 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=453&row=2

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]