By MARC McDONALD
The 2006 hurricane season officially begins only 10 weeks from now. Forecasters predict it will be harsh. And despite what George W. Bush says, the U.S. is ill-prepared.
Weather data company MDA EarthSat reports that this year, the U.S. could again face storms as strong as Hurricane Katrina, which killed over 1,400 people and destroyed most of New Orleans and other parts of the Gulf Coast.
Granted, it's only a forecast---but recall that last year's hurricane season was more devastating than forecasters had predicted. Forecasters had anticipated eight to nine hurricanes in 2005. In reality, the U.S. was slammed by 13 hurricanes, the most ever.
In addition, 2005 saw an unprecedented three hurricanes reach Category 5 status. It was almost as if Mother Nature was saying "Screw You!" to those Republicans who doubt the existence of global warming.
If we're indeed facing a repeat of the devastating 2005 hurricane season, this is grim news for Americans. After all, victims of Katrina's devastation are still digging out of the rubble. Over 1,300 people are still missing.
And, with less than three months before the start of the 2006 hurricane season, New Orleans' levees still have not been rebuilt to withstand a hurricane of even less strength than Katrina. Indeed, two teams of independent experts recently reported that large rebuilt sections of the levees will be substantially weaker than before Katrina hit.
Anyone looking for answers about why the U.S. remains ill-prepared for the upcoming hurricane season needs to look no further than the Bush White House's recent report on Katrina. The 228-page report, released in February, was nothing more than a transparent cover-up that held no government officials accountable and proposed no sanctions of any kind.
Anyone who has followed the tragic incompetence of the Bush White House for the past five years can't be feeling confident as we head into another hurricane season. Bush's staggering incompetence as Katrina roared toward the U.S. was demonstrated in the recent release of video footage that showed desperate disaster officials warning Bush that the storm could breach levees and put lives at risk. As the tapes show, Bush didn't ask a single question and then lied as he assured soon-to-be-battered state officials: "We are fully prepared."
I get the feeling that things won't be much different this summer, as Bush retreats to his Crawford ranch for his annual five-week vacation. If history has taught us anything, it's that Bush doesn't learn from his mistakes---and time and time again, it's the American people who suffer the consequences.
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8 comments:
In the aftermath of Katrina, there were a lot of emails circulating around the Net (including a number that wound up being forwarded to me) that blasted the hurricane victims and essentially blamed them for their own woes. One email I got viciously attacked those who died in New Orleans and said that the "stupid Negroes" who were "too lazy" to leave town got "what they deserved." Even more troubling was the fact that this email was forwarded to me by someone I know who considers himself a devout Christian. (Needless to say, he's also a fanatical, rabid supporter of Bush). In fact, reading these vicious emails, I can't help but think that Bush-supporters were actually angry at Katrina victims because they somehow made their hero Bush look bad. These Kool-Aid drinkers are some sick, twisted folks.
In defense of devout Christians, I would like to say that we are not all of the same sour ilk.
As a Christian myself, I believe a real Christian:
Opposes preemptive war (at the very least)
Knows that no one should get "what they deserve," and works through prayer and actions to try to help anyone who even looks like they might be on the verge of getting what they deserve.
Realizes that Jesus wasn't doing stand-up when he said "love your enemies." He was telling how far people must go beyond "loving your neighbor as yourself." [As opposed to GWB's version "liking others as you would like to be liked."]
Knows that the angels proclaimed at Jesus birth "Peace and good will toward man," not because there was going to be peace on earth immediately, but to say that the war between man and God had been unilaterally ended. So, God's out of the 'punishing cities for sins' business... at least as far as the New Testament additions have it.
...All I can say is, 'christian' is meant to be someone who is "like Christ." I don't know which Bible these Christians who hate people have been reading, but they need to find another translation. Fast. Or, they might get what they deserve.
it is so sad when someone who obviously cares for the greater good is scared of people that have hyjacked the name of their faith. I'm scared of them also
Here is a revelation for you, the US is the third largest nation in the world, a nation currently in a waterfall income drop due to incompetent leadership. In every other not big, but huge nation, top five; thousands of people dying every year by natural disaster is a fact of life.
The leviathan state is not going to help you.
We are India, we are China, and we should expect the same. The murderous government gets a pass, like every other dictatorship, because America is a dictatorship, a "liberal democracy".
I agree that the coming hurricane season is likely to again be harsh. However, this is likely to be the norm from now on----as global warming increases the ferocity of hurricanes, every hurricane season from now on is likely to be increasingly intense.
the sky is falling, the sky is falling and it is all George Bush's fault!!!
Less than 2 months left in the hurricane season and how many have hit the US ????????
Everything is a crisis with you people!
Well done!
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