Cheney diverted power to pipe line for oil - IMPORTANT

[debbierlus]

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050911/NEWS05/509110304

Partial story:


Shortly after Hurricane Katrina roared through South Mississippi knocking out electricity and communication systems, the White House ordered power restored to a pipeline that sends fuel to the Northeast.
That order - to restart two power substations in Collins that serve Colonial Pipeline Co. - delayed efforts by at least 24 hours to restore power to two rural hospitals and a number of water systems in the Pine Belt.

At the time, gasoline was in short supply across the country because of Katrina. Prices increased dramatically and lines formed at pumps across the South.

[fasttense]

1. They can do that in 16 hours but it takes four days to drop food and water

to the people trapped in New Orleans. I don't understand it. The repukes (in fact a freeper who thought he was smart and posted here on DU.) said that a three day response time is all we can do as a nation. So how come Cheney can get the electricity back on for his precious rich friends in 16 hours but he can't drop food and water in that time?

[havocmom]

2. Good catch!

We all should point out there is proof that oil profits more important to Cheney than people in hospitals. Next time he goes in to have that, ahem, knee looked at, maybe karma will divert some juice away from the hospital HE'S in. Wonder if all the king's cardiologists have figured out the root of his cardiac problem is... no friggin HEART!

[deminks]

3. Cheney is a scumbag! Kick and recommended

Even if it is from Sunday.

I love this excerpt:

(snip)
Ready said the crew members did not learn they were restoring power to pipelines until after the job was done.

How did they feel about that?

"Is this on the record?" Ready asked. "Well, then, we are all glad we were able to help out."
(end snip)

So, the WH was available during the storm and immediately after. They were working for only their own interests.

THERE NEEDS TO BE AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION.

Sorry for yelling.

[Sydnie]

4. I do remember the reports about how much capacity the pipelines

were up to. blivet** made those statements himself almost every time he spoke to the press. I noticed that the numbers came up pretty fast, even though the projections were that it would take weeks to get them up to full capacity.

[me b zola]

5. more from the article

Dan Jordan, manager of Southern Pines Electric Power Association, said Vice President Dick Cheney's office called and left voice mails twice shortly after the storm struck, saying the Collins substations needed power restored immediately.

Jordan dated the first call the night of Aug. 30 and the second call the morning of Aug. 31. Southern Pines supplies electricity to the substation that powers the Colonial pipeline.

Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Mike Callahan said the U.S. Department of Energy called him on Aug. 31. Callahan said department officials said opening the fuel line was a national priority.

Cheney's office referred calls about the pipeline to the Department of Homeland Security. Calls there were referred to Kirk Whitworth, who would not take a telephone message and required questions in the form of an e-mail.

**********************

So Dick was informed and on the job, from an undisclosed location of course, while people were still trapped (not allowed to leave)and dying in NO.

To put it more simply, the WH was aware if the situation and prioritized the gas pipeline over American citizens lives. :grr:




Great article, nominated. Welcome to DU!! :hi:

[Peace Patriot]

6. Just read it through to the end. If you have high blood pressure, I'd say

give it a pass. In short, the "White House" ordered crews NOT to restore power to hospitals in rural Mississipi and had them work all night to restore gas pipelines instead--pipelines taking Texas gas through Louisiana/Mississippi to the NORTHEAST--to keep those gas guzzlers on the road, and profits soaring.

The first of the orders came from "Dick Cheney's office." No name given.

You thought he'd "gone fishing" in Wymoming? Ha, ha.

One of the hospitals was already operating on generators. That left only one still with power--and their power was put at risk by the pipeline work. The local authorities sounded as though they were quite worried that the pipeline was the wrong priority, and the local crews actually thought they were working (in highly dangerous conditions) to help hurricane survivors.

-----

"Ready said the crew members did not learn they were restoring power to pipelines until after the job was done.

"How did they feel about that?

"'Is this on the record?' Ready asked. 'Well, then, we are all glad we were able to help out.'"

-----

"Cheney's office referred calls about the pipeline to the Department of Homeland Security. Calls there were referred to Kirk Whitworth, who would not take a telephone message and required questions in the form of an e-mail."

[Julius Civitatus]

7. Recommended -- pass it around

This is huge!!!

[atomic-fly]

9. kick!

It never ends with these creeps!

[democrat_patriot]

8. K & R'd!!

eom.

[Kurovski]

10. So THAT'S why Darth Cheney unhooked from his life-support

and paid a visit to the disaster site.

protecting and overseeing the investment.

[lizerdbits]

11. Nice list of priorities

Gas over sick, hungry, dehydrated, drowning people. Not like I'm surprised.

[gollygee]

12. The answer to "where was Cheney"

is "Helping out his big-oil buddies again"

Such a suprise. :sarcasm:

[defiant1]

13. Yup....

How very sickening.

:puke:

[LaPera]

23. And showing his hatred and dis-concern for the poor, making it very clear

to everyone, he was shopping for a new mansion, fuck all the peasants, they are not important, and what can they do...Let them eat shit!

We have the power let's rub it their faces, Cheney, the mean, greedy, selfish fuck...that's what gets pigs like this off!!!

[babsbunny]

14. When stuff like this is posted here at DU

Does anyone send this stuff to the MSM?

[texpatriot2004]

15. Interesting to find this article as I was just wondering to myself

how many hours it took before Halliburton was awarded the Gulf clean-up vs. 4 1/2 days or more to respond to the needs of American citizens?

Anyone know?

[Julius Civitatus]

16. Cheney only moved to help Halliburton

If you check the timeline, it only seems like Cheney only left his vacation and decided to move his fat ass back to Washington NOT when shit hit the fan, but when he realized that Halliburton could me a buck out of this tragedy.

That's when he hauled ass to NOLA. It's so transparent.

What a wretched, heartless individual, really.

:puke:

[WiseButAngrySara]

17. Ministry of Oil...1st thing secured in Iraq...People don't matter to these

scumbags. Recommended and kicked.

[XOKCowboy]

18. Big Oil has Cheney's private phone number

They've got his ear (and his soul) and when they were threatened they called him up pronto. He knows who butters his bread. Shows that if you don't enrich those now in power, you have no say in our government.

[liberalla]

19. I agree, this is very IMPORTANT

Thanks for bringing it to our attention. I'm so sick and tired of learning the MANY ways they avoided doing the right thing... avoided helping the victims of Katrina immediately--and how they STILL are.

There's just no limit to the outrageous, immoral, illegal, self serving actions of these crooks and cronies.

I'm feeling numb right now...
(it's my 'release' from endless rage)

I predict we will keep getting reports of similar types of incidents. Leak, leak, leak. I hope so.
We can't let them get away with it.

[paineinthearse]

20. debbierlus

welcome to DU

:hi:

[Sydnie]

21. HUMMMM - this action by Cheney to get the pipelines flowing happened

after blivet** made his famous "Don't buy gas if you don't need to" statement, right? Could it be that Cheney got calls from the oil company backers that clued him in to what fucktard had just said and how it interrupted their $6 a gallon plans to "legal looting" at the pumps? After all, even at $6 a gallon, if you can't get it to the stations, you can't make any money at all. They might have been screaming bloody murder to Cheney about what blivet** said.

[peekaloo]

22. Yeah, the fucker was "glued to his TV".

May they all rot in the hell on earth they've created.

[Buck Turgidson]

24. Previous discussion of this news item in earlier thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1778179

[Nothing Without Hope]

25. This sorry story needs to be publicized, including that the call came from

CHENEY's OFFICE. This is an outrage, but too few people know about it. And again, NO PLANNING:

"In the future, the federal government needs to give us guidelines if this is such a national emergency so that I can work that in my plans."

This needs to be sent to the media. Has anyone sent it to Olbermann yet?

[expatriate]

28. I have sent it to Olberman, but

I think it would be a good idea for others to do so as well, as my email address has the suffix ".au" . I think emails going out from those who still live in the US would be a good idea.

[Nothing Without Hope]

29. I will do so later today, thanks for the reminder. You're right, he does

need to see it from multiple people, suffix or not. :hi:

[ignatius 2]

26. Very interesting, I had this gut feeling that just as on 9-11, Cheney was

somewhere in the bowels of the WH controlling things. What else do you suppose the evil one was ordering? We need those phone,computer or whatever communication he was using records.

[Disturbed]

27. Here is what is IMPORTANT!

[Nothing Without Hope]

30. Excellent point and a photo to bookmark - oil is their priority.

The deaths and displacements of all those poor people is just a bonus.

[expatriate]

31. Kick n/t