OK guys, time to do something PRODUCTIVE!

[Barack_America]

I don't want to sound preachy, so please don't take this that way.

In the words of Mayor Nagin, "This is the biggest goddamn crisis in the history of this country!"

I think that it's great to vent and, believe me, I have been indulging liberally. But, it's time to start brainstorming strategy and action!

Everyone around the world is seeing the grim reality of our democracy. We are seeing not only the ultimate example of Bush's incompetence, but we are also getting a gruesome reminder of the social and economic imbalances in this country.

THIS IS TOO IMPORTANT AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPOSE THIS TO LET IT GO!

I know that we are all angry and we're all happy to see the media express our point of view for once. But we can't let a eviscerating interview or editorial satisfy us this time.

THIS CRISIS REQUIRES PUBLIC OUTRAGE AT LEVELS NOT SEEN SINCE THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT!!

In my opinion, this is either the golden opportunity for action and reform or it is our country's ultimate disgrace. Every single one of us is responsible for making that choice!!

So...where do we go from here?

[cthrumatrix]

1. accountability, impeachment hearings and full disclosure on who

is running our country into the ground and lying

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. Damn. Do you have that programmed on macrokeys?

That was quick.

[madokie]

4. I would agree those would be a good place to start.

and let the chips fall where they may. The one's responsible for this collosal mistake are not patriots. Criminals come to mind.

[Lindsay]

2. I wish I knew what to do.

For sure the Sept. 24 March needs to speak to this.

But things need to be done now, and I have no clue as to what would help.

(Or maybe that's the result of 5 hours sleep in the last 48.)

[MellowOne]

5. It sounds great

But what can we do?

[Autumn Colors]

6. Flyers?

Any of the really effective writers in this group want to take a stab at putting together a connect-the-dots flyer that can be printed and handed out ... I mean any public place where we won't get arrested?

Something for people who don't normally pay much attention to politics and who don't surf our usual progressive websites.

Short and sweet but to the point and connecting the dots about the lack of funding before, the ineptitude now, and the fallout for all of our country in the future.

If it's too wordy and NPR-like, it'll get thrown away ... but short and sweet ... and giving some good progressive internet links for them to find more information. I was thinking not only links to info about the 9/24 march, but sites like Common Dreams, TruthOut, etc. If we put DU on there, a republican might immediately trash it.

Then, everyone take them everywhere ... supermarket parking lots, stand in front of libraries, movie theaters, and so on and give them out to anyone who will take one.

[SammyWinstonJack]

13. Good idea! I'll do my part to pass them around.

[Barack_America]

15. Autumn, I think that Flyers are great, but....

I think that we need to include not only why they should be mad, but what they can do...

For example, the flyers should include information about contacting local congressman and senators and demanding accountability!

Better yet, perhaps newspaper advertisements are better...

Which groups could we get behind this?
Which liberal groups are actually capable of action and not just rhetoric?

[Autumn Colors]

20. Yes, yes...

That's exactly what I meant ... what they can do should be on there, too, but it's got to be brief but perfect to nail * with.

[Autumn Colors]

22. And

asking them to contact their local media and the cable news networks in addition to their gov't representatives will help.

If the media truly are turning then perhaps they'll STAY on it if they hear from MORE of the public.

[stillcool]

7. ...someone needs to organize...

something like the Cindy vigils...we need massive protests....not for the benefit of the media...but for our own sanity. We need to find our voice...consolidate it...and SCREAM BLOODY MURDER

[mattclearing]

8. Time to politicize!

Genuine outrage is one thing. What you are saying sounds like Rumsfeld after 9/11, saying, "How can we use this to get Saddam?"

It will make us look bad. No grandstanding.

I am starting to think the deafening silence of Dems is a good thing...Bush has this hanging around his neck like a noose, now, and the Democrats are nowhere in sight to be blamed for it.

[sickinohio]

9. I say we get a caravan of cars and yes

SUV's full of water and food and head down to NO as far as we can get and drop off the water and food that needs to be taken to these people. I am game if anyone else is. I can take off from here in Ohio around 3 pm this afternoon, head down 75 south and keep driving as far as we can get. Anyone else want to go??? I can't stand it any longer. I have to help personally and my donation to the Red Cross seams to have done NOTHING to help these poor, starving, dying people.

[Autumn Colors]

10. Billboards?

That group that has been putting up the billboards ... could they put one up of that "Bush fiddles while New Orleans drowns" photo with a text message on it?

[Barack_America]

17. Great Autumn, which group is that again??

[Autumn Colors]

21. I can't remember

I thought someone here might remember. They did billboards during the height of "Camp Casey". I think they were in Austin?

[smurfygirl]

11. I have been writing and calling everyone everyday

I have also signed with the red cross to go to Louisiana. I don't know if I can make DC now, since we will be gone for at least two weeks. I'm not sure yet when we will even be going down yet.

[Barack_America]

25. smurfygirl, you are an example for everyone, including myself!

It's great to talk everyone, but talking just like this without action may have very well elected W back into office last year.

The Republicans are all about organization and action, in that respect we should be more like them!

[Barack_America]

12. With that, I'll start the brainstorming...

The primary mission here has to be to keep the nation's focus on the atrocities in NO.

Once NO gets cleared out and people get out of immediate harm's way, there will be a strong push by the administration to switch the nation's attention to the looming energy crisis. THIS CANNOT HAPPEN!

One thing we ALL need to do is to keep on these horror stories coming out of NO as they start to clear the dead. We need to keep the media and our congressmen focused that these deaths are a result of criminal neglect by our government.

We need to make sure to get the word out there that this did not have to happen and that it can and will happen again.

So that's step 1.

Step 2 should be protests...now! Not big protests to divert the coverage from NO, but small ones to show that the populus is PISSED and to remind the rest of the country that they should be outraged.

These first protests need to be directed against the administration and its sheer incompetence. We need to be careful not to let this become a race issue right now, the focus right now needs to be that this government has failed at home and abroad and has only succeeded in fattening their own pocketbooks.

Step 3: We need to start lobbying Democrats to push for a FULL CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION of this matter to expose the incompetence!

Does anyone agree?

[marions ghost]

31. "Criminal Neglect" = the bottom line

lobby Dems to push for a full congressional investigation...

I'm starting today.

[Sydnie]

14. My room mate and I started calling local Pepsi bottlers yesterday

to see what they were doing about helping to get water into the area. We didn't stop there. We called other companies as well. Perhaps we should start tapping the medical suppliers (Johnson & Johnson, P&G, Libby, Squibb, etc) and see what they are providing for the makeshift hospitals - for free, just because they are needed.

These companies may just be waiting to be asked too. Let's not let the request remain unasked.

Our local Pepsi bottler, btw, has donated truck and trucks of water and $500,000. Remember, Pepsi bottles Aquafina and Gatorade. Coke bottles Dansani and Powerade. Dehydrating babies would do well on Gatorade or Powerade in short time.

If our government won't ask, then we should.

[Barack_America]

16. Focus should not be helping the relief effort!!

Sorry guys, I think that this is important and I'm going to keep this kicked! We need serious discussion and decisive action!

The truth is that once survivors get to temporary shelters the Red Cross and NG will be able to take care of them.

There has never been a lack of supplies, THERE HAS BEEN A LACK OF ACCESS!! We need to push for full investigation and exposure of the atrocious planning!

I like the idea of Sheehan-like protests. It's really the same issue here. We all knew that Bush and co. didn't give a shit about Iraqi's and our troops, but what is coming to fruition here is that they don't give a shit about any of us!!!

[Barack_America]

18. I'm kicking this guys...

...because we need action and not frustration at the top of the list.

OUR GOVERNMENT JUST LEFT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO DIE AND ALLOWED A MAJOR US CITY TO BECOME IRAQ...


What are you going to do about it?

[OneGrassRoot]

19. Agreed..............

but in addition to helping wake up the sleeping masses, we need to call forth our true leaders! We need to have a consensus on who we want to lead us as we get this bunch of thugs kicked out of office.

CALLING FORTH AMERICA'S TRUE LEADERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Help us UNITE!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Barack_America]

24. Thanks. We can all start by writing 2 letters today.

Let's all try to write our legislators and remind them that, while we know the focus now has to be on relief, WE WILL NOT FORGET THAT OUR GOVERNMENT JUST LEFT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OUR COUNTRYMEN TO DIE!

[OneGrassRoot]

26. Excellent.....we have to keep them on their toes........

so they will know they can't treat us like idiots who believe their lies ever again. They are all ON NOTICE by WE THE PEOPLE!!!!!!!!

[Pacifist Patriot]

23. I'm multi-tasking.

I'm venting here.

I'm organizing a relief effort to assist a group of shelters in Texas.

I'm writing letters to the editor.

I'm lobbying my representative and senators.

I've printed Michael Moore's letter and will be putting it on the windshields of cars sporting W stickers this weekend.

And I'm brainstorming to figure out anything else I can do.

[slampoet]

27. Cajun/Creole native NOLA Born+Spanish Couple Available to go there

________________________________________
Reply to: [e-mail]
Date: 2005-09-02, 8:00AM CDT


We are finally sick of this Genocide.

It is up to us to make this right. Police on TV are cruising around using up the gas and not bringing water to women and children.

My lady Can speak Creole and Cajun French and is flutent in Spanish, expert negotiator, extremely southern pursuasive and charming. She nows the big easy as well as the bayou. I am Michigan born experienced with small boats, catering, carpentry and have small battery-power sound PA systems. MacGuyver type scrounger.

We are in Rhode Island but can have her fly out to meet en route.

Need to hook up with someone with bass boat and trailer and annother with truck.
Can fill up your truck with supplies either in RI or Michigan or Florida.

Contact me

[Barack_America]

30. slampoet, it sounds like you would be a great advocate...

...for the refugees once they get to the temporary shelters. They can't stay there forever and will need to be relocated, hopefully to be with their families. It sounds like you would be a great person to make sure they don't get overlooked.

[Lost4words]

28. I am being productive, I am venting, its all I can do.

I have been out of work for 4 years after 2 years my wife has found a job at 1/3 what she used to make. we are financially devastated by the policies of this junta. I could send old clothes but little more.

One thing for sure, the past 5 years have been a UNITED STATES Disaster.

How long are we as a nation going to stand for this.

[Barack_America]

29. Are you venting to the right people??

[Barack_America]

32. Here's my letter to my Congressman....

And here is where you can write yours...
http://www.house.gov/writerep/

I tried calling, but his office is closed...
In any case, feel free to copy, paste, hack away...

Dear Sir,

I am writing you to express my great sadness and anger regarding our Federal Government's handling of the Hurricane Katrina crisis. It is becoming painfully obvious that our government has abandoned tens of thousands of our most vulnerable citizens and is letting one of our great cities fall to chaos and ruin. I am writing to ask you how, nearly four years after 9/11, we found ourselves without a plan to evacuate the sick, poor and elderly from what has been regarded as our most vulnerable city. As a formerly proud American citizen, I am outraged to see images coming from our own soil that are indistinguishable from those of a third world country. The Federal Government's response to Hurricane Katrina has been irreprehensible and I am asking for your pledge that you will demand the accountability of those responsible. Please be my voice.

Sincerely,

[Barack_America]

33. Just called Arlen Spector's office and...

...politely but firmly gave them a tongue lashing...

Sen. Spector is a member of the Homeland Security Committee and no where on his website did it say that plans for evacuation of cities was one of his priorities...un-freaking-believable.

Have a call in to his FEMA person. I want answers!!!

CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES....IT'S Soooooo SATISFYING!!!