I want my president :(

[Der Blaue Engel]

I feel like a child wanting its parent...but there are no grownups. :cry:

[BlueIris]

1. I want my president, too, man.

I'm so happy that I wrote him to tell him that a couple of weeks ago.

[TheDonkey]

2. That's a hard part about these disasters

I want to turn on the TV and hear Kerry and the Democrats forumlating a plan to help these people... or go to sleep knowing they are all up working hard to save lives.

But no, I see chimp rambling about a list of numbers, Lott worrying about his house, Hassert wanting to keep NO flooded, and the list goes on. Makes it even more tragic.

[TayTay]

3. Gawd do I ever agree

I think part of my being unhinged today revolves around re-reading the transcript today of the last appearance of Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff giving disaster preparedness testimony before the Senate Commerce committee last month. The committee grilled him on how prepared HS was for something going wrong.

Sen. Kerry was polite at this Committee (as ever) but he grilled Chertoff relentlessly on the US not being prepared. The subject was a terrorist strike, but the emphasis on preparing ports for a disaster and having a plan for evacuation and so forth translates perfectly to what is going on in NOLA. Kerry was so fucking prepared to implement real homeland security plans that would have shored up FEMA, shored up basic defensive structures and made America more prepared. He friggin knew and it's tearing my heart out.

Honestly, that is just heartbreaking evidence that it didn't have to be this way. The right President, one that is intelligent and knows his shit would have been able to help. IT's just so un-fucking-believably sad. And the poor and disenfranchised will, as always, pay the price.

[karynnj]

4. I agree too

In addition to being intelligence, well-prepared because he knows the issue, he is genuinely compassionate. This devastation would have been nowhere as bad.

A President Kerry would have asked for funding of work to strengthen the levees. But, even if timing would have prevented the engineers from improving the Levees, he would have had a disaster plan that would have assisted people in evacuating the city, which would have saved many lives.

At this point, he would likely be very personally engaged in pulling the country and the communities effected together. (I would imagine that this might have been the time many people have seen the side of him witnessed by his swiftboat crew. If he were pictured playing a guitar, it would likely be at a place where those who fled the city were being housed, surrounded by the children.) He would also be involved with those implementing contingency plans that would have already been created to deal with the immediate needs. Good plans for restoring the area would likely include extensive state and city input.

So, yes I want my President too! (Bush likes faking things - couldn't we let him just pretend to be President - the press and all he comes in contact with could be told they should act as if he really was President - You know, like they often do with people at historical sites dressed up for the role they're playing. )