Could the Republican Congress have stepped in to get Katrina victims the help they needed?
915586
You are very right! They were caught doing what they have done often. They point fingers and blame others, particularly minorities and woman for the problems that they suffer. The Republicans were caught straight up and guilty during the Katrina Storm not doing their job and not caring enough about the people in the storm areas to demand help be sent to New Orleans and many other places at that time.\nIt does not take a genius, or a saint to see when people are in big trouble. But, with Bush at the helm of our Country, the first response was to laugh at the people in trouble. Bush sat their in his Texas command chair and drank whiskey and laughed at the people dying in New Orleans. \nHe has no judgement to work with in his head. He has never done anything to deserve being a President, and his track record confirms it.\nMy God, what is next?
381474
Are you talking ablout situations like the tsunami, where we went to there aid immediatly but when katrina hit no one lifted a finger? its because the world needs us but they do not appreciate are us, when they don't need us thay talk shi* but something bad happens and they want us to help there asses
829770
yes Clinton said over and over that he couldn't get things done because of a republican congress\nrepugs seem to not want to work as a team they dig their feet in and refuse to help a dem president but will do ANYTHING a repug wants.....right or wrong
486282
Finally a republican among the mob of idiots! Viva Bush! \nThey just need someone to blame for everything...like hurricane katrina for example.
1011065
Yes. I'd just try to help them any way I could.
846337
you are correct , it would have definately helped in the close races , i think republicans would definately have the senate if he would have made the announcement sooner . In my opinion he did this for 2 reasons , 1. he would have never let rumsfeld go if republicans would have won senate and the house . 2. he has always had the majority of the military behind him and he would have done this before elections many of the military would have seen it as a politicol move and he would have lost their respect which was his reason that he stated wed. morning
339733
Gees...another "blame it on Bush" answer.  Fact is the death toll on Katrina lies squarely on the shoulder of the state gov't of Louisiana and the city of New Orleans and it's residents.  It was their responsibility, not the federal government's, to ensure they were prepared for a natural disaster.  Those who could have left should have when they had the chance and let's not mention all the misappropriated funds by one of the most corrupt state and local governments in the history of the U.S.
218658
They maybe about as good as it gets, or needs to get.  Some models say if you had an enormous amount of information all over the world and somehow hooked it all up to computers, maybe instead of one week prediction, 3 week prediction. Notice we all watched Katrina for 2 weeks and the early prediction was it could be very sever. Several years ago a storm on the computer simulated predicted similar devastation to the area and once again funding was cut to 10%. \nDo you remember Bill Clinton canceling meetings in Europe and coming back for a #4 storm in Carolinas. FEMA waiting close to the storm and moving in? Congress criticized the amount of money. Of coarse it was very small compared to anything this administration does today. \nWhat we need is political will.
558965
I do believe we went to make it better. We removed Saddam from power - a true mad man. The people are more free than they have been in a decade. The numbers who came out to vote prove that they feel more free. The women have quit wearing the horrid black coverings from head to toe & gone back to school - something illegal before. The violent death toll is 25.1 out of 100,000 - 1/2 of New Orleans before Katrina at 54.6 out of 100,000. Yes I have to agree it is working, not at the speed we want, but nothing is ever fast enough for us Americans.
1052108
Because too many of them have taken advantage of the system.  I've been to New Orleans there are so many jobs now it is crazy.  Construction and restaurant jobs are bountiful.  My question to you is, what percentage of those "victims" ever took care of themselves before?  How many relied on the government before the storm.  Why is it that other areas devastated by the storm have begun their recovery.\nWhy should the federal government have to endow these people with never ending aid?   I have many friends who have lost everything from Katrina.  They took the feds help to get restarted and now are rebuilding their lives.  \nAt some point in time you must take care of yourself.
431853
I'm a FEMA employee(responding to this question on behalf of my daughter), and I see situations like this all the time: it does appear that New Orleans residents are receiving more help/support than other Katrina survivors; however, I would simply encourage you to contact FEMA, by phone, and request a FEMA trailer -- if you haven't already -- ask for rental assitance -- if you're not already getting it (starting the process is a relatively simple process, and ideally, you can have a check, averaging $2,358, for your first 3 rental months, within 14 days (this can possibly continue for 18 months of rent coverage). Also, if you had personal property losses (the contents of your home -- renter or owner), you can/should be compensated by FEMA for it. If for some reason you received nothing, appeal FEMA's decision for another chance to be awarded something. Writing a brief appeal letter and asking for a reconsideration is your most effective tool to address any decision FEMA makes that you are not pleased with.  Also, there are other programs -- such as HUD's "Disaster Voucher Program" -- that can assist you in achieving your goal of getting back to MS, re-gaining employment, and getting back on your feet.  More than anything, know this, despite what you've heard, FEMA really does try to help and really can help! When you call us up and get a phone representative who is insensitive to your struggle, unwilling to spend the necessary time on helping you get the help you need, rude or rushed -- simply shorten the call with that person and call back until you get someone who really wants to help you! We have many resource phone numbers that can help -- other than FEMA -- ask for them when you call us -- make us give them to you.  Please know that we can help, and some of us, many of us take our work/mission at FEMA very seriously, and we won't rest until we know that we have truly done our best, and all that we can do, to assist families like yours get re-established! I trust, hope and pray that you and yours will find yourselves in the place you want to be real soon!
222358
Yes you can! It is part of the loss. If the hurricane had not came you would not have had that expense. It goes under casualty of theft or loss
299387
No one, that's what got us in the mess in the first place.\n\nUnfortunately I'm not sure any outside orchestrated help will succeed.  Sometimes we need to let things follow their course, no matter how hard.\n\nIt needs to come from the people themselves.
202545
ME< DEFINITELY..........they have such a need for help..my husbandleft 2 weeks ago to LA state, he's aqn engineer to help them after Katrina.
476972
I don't think it was preventable at all.\n\nIf you piss off a large proportion of the world for long enough then someone is going to do something crazy.\n\nEven with the somewhat police state methods now being used we're still due for more terrorism. \n\nHurricane Katrina couldn't have been prevented as it was caused by weather, but the reaction in terms of getting people out could have been better. So could actually rebuilding the levies properly before the hurricane. bit of a pity most of the national guard  and army engineers who were supposed to be working on it were out of the state relieving other national guards sent to iraq or sent there themselves....
643601
I live in Florida so I know a little about hurricanes. 1) they are an act of nature and there is no defense against them 2) When one threatens my locale I go to a place where I will be safe and wait it out 3) Although governmental help is needed in the infrastructure each individual should be prepared to help themselves. I am aware that many people are not able to recover by themselves and need assistance, there is usually help to be had within a day or two. While I personally don't like president Bush I do ot hold him personally responsible for my well being. The agencies that are in place to provide relief have been in place far longer than he has been president. People who own their home should insure it, people who rent their homes can move, I know that this isn't a popular view but it is perhaps time that people began to take responsibility for their actions.
244388
I think the government's primary role is to coordinate relief efforts.  Sure, they have some capabilities that private charities don't have -- they can helicopter in relief supplies and call in the Guard.  But the first line of relief should be relief organizations like the Red Cross.  The government should support them, coordinate with them, and be prepared to back them up in case their best efforts fall short.