'They're not giving us what we need to survive'

In Britian this morning, they are reading about the failure of the Bush Administration to do the one thing it had convinced Americans (and the world) it could do - protect the citizens of the United States from disaster. Some quotes from the Guardian.

“Those trapped inside the two main shelters, the Superdome and the Convention Centre, paint a picture of a city that was subsumed beneath waves of violence, rape and death and accuse the police and National Guard of standing by, ignoring their pleas for help.

[…]

But it is clear from talking to survivors that what happened in New Orleans last week was far more extensive, bloody and terrifying than the authorities have admitted so far.

[…]

'The police were in boats watching us. They were just laughing at us. Five of them to a boat, not trying to help nobody. Helicopters were riding by just looking at us. They weren't helping. We were pulling people on bits of wood, and the National Guard would come driving by in their empty military trucks.'

[…]

Until Friday morning only two buses had arrived at the Convention Centre to transport those inside out of the city, according to several trapped inside. The revelation suggests that the police and National Guard's inability to handle the crisis stemmed from chronic paralysis at the highest levels of the relief operation.” (my emphasis)

No one can look at the government response to this disaster and honestly believe that serious, professionals were running the operation. From the President down through his political crony appointments, the people selected to run these critical functions were clearly inadequate for the task.

The fact that key members of the government such as the Vice-President and Secretary of State simply blew off the whole crisis until it became political untenable for them to continue to vacation, indicates the lack of concern these public servants have for the public they were elected or appointed to serve.

We can't let people forget how we feel today. The Bush Administration has shown its turn colors to the entire world. Like a magician who bungles a trick, everyone now sees the phonies that lie behind the public faces of these frauds.

We have to call for their impeachment and conviction in loud, clear voices. If the Democrats won't help us do the job, we will have to do it through our own actions. It is time to take our country back from these sorry assed excuses for Americans.