Why has the GOP-controlled media ignored the flooding?

[ColbertWatcher]

[Doug.Goodall]

1. Cover Tim Russert; cover up the lack of infrastructure maintenance while the war is fully funded

More money for the war in Iraq. No money for building new levees.

You didn't here that here first, because we don't want to embarrass little george.

[ColbertWatcher]

3. Yes, it seems...

...the meme for this GOP-created disaster is that only the rain caused the flooding!

No mention of the levees--almost three years after Katrina struck!

I guess someone doesn't want to ask tough questions about levees in Merka.

Hey, here's a recent picture of a levee in New Orleans:



Yes, that's water.

Almost three years after Katrina, the new levees are leaking.

And now, the ones in Iowa broke.

Out here in California, we've been trying to get someone to do something about the levees out by Sacramento.



That picture shows the one that broke in 2004, before Katrina.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have put a hault on construction in the Natomas area of Sacramento due to flooding fears. The current levee system that surrounds this area has been deemed inadequate, and construction will only be allowed if built 20 feet above ground.

Sacramento is one of the most flood-prone cities, sitting at the confluence of the Sacramento and Animas rivers and below Folsom Lake. The Natomas region, currently home to 70,000 people, is a natural catch basin that was deemed safe by the Corps in 1998. Since then development of the area has been rapid.

The building moratorium is likely to last a few years, until solutions to the levee problem can be solved. In the meantime, residents of the area are being told to store valuables in their second stories, and to purchase flood insurance.

The US Army Corps of Engineers has an extensive website with details about the Natomas area, including maps and other records.

Apparently, even after the levee break in Sacramento, and the disaster in the Mississippi gulf coast, the Army Whore Engineers can't make Sacramento a priority.

Aside from a GOP in the governor's mansion, what other reason could there be to delay finding a solution?

The Sacramento Valley is one of California's major agricultural regions, with more than 2.1 million acres of irrigated farmlands in the valley. Crops grown in the Sacramento Valley include rice, wheat, olives, orchard fruits, corn, alfalfa, tomatoes, and vegetables.

--U.S. Forest Service

That's a reason to make it a priority, but it still isn't, why?

[Skidmore]

7. Which presidential candidate has promised to rebuild infrastructure in the nation?

It's not just about *, but flacking for McCain as well. When you don't shine a spotlight on problems others don't see them.

[ColbertWatcher]

9. Yes, good point.

I'm starting to think that if another American town is flooded, they should paint messages on their roofs to get the attention of those in power.

For McCain, they should say something like:

Home of Beer Heiress, Please Help!

If you help us, we'll feed you cake!

(EDITED TO ADD PIC)

[Enthusiast]

21. Excellent answer! nt

[liberal N proud]

2. It reminds the regime of Katrina

Russert's death was just the perfect diversion from needing to cover the floods and other news

[SpiralHawk]

4. It's an INCONVENIENT TRUTH

That does not fit with corporate media's need to sell sell sell...and their fatcat republicon orientation.

[sam sarrha]

5. it is the plan.. only the rich and privileged are worthy of assistance, with the onset of Global

heating, the under classes are on their own. communities that lie in a 1000 year flood plain will have to be moved out of that area. people living in the coastal hurricane area will have to move out of that area. give the Bu$hies one more president years there will be enough foreclosed homes to house them..

i see in the future permanent slums in the USA like in India and Rio.. i have even heard it discussed on the history channel as a resolution for impending problems.

[elocs]

6. Question: why not ask people here at DU from Iowa if this is just like Katrina?

I live in SW Wisconsin where there has been a lot of flooding and I can tell you it is not like Katrina at all in spite of the fact that there are people from far away states that want to label it as being like Katrina. So why not ask the people who are in these flooded areas now if they consider their situation to be anything like Katrina or New Orleans at that time and you might be surprised by the answers and also that most people are not looking for someone to blame.

Just because there was destruction caused by a natural disaster does not necessarily mean it was the result of a massive fuck-up by somebody. I recall reading that the Army Corps of Engineers recommended a dike in Iowa that failed be repaired, but there was no money for it. There are many in this country who have the belief that once a bridge, dike, damn, or levee is built then it is done forever. The infrastructure in many places is often old and badly in need of repair or replacement and many people resent having their tax dollars go to repair something which appears fine--until a severe disaster strikes.

As far as the coverage goes, I have seen a good deal of it both locally and nationally. The trouble is that so many have become fixated on the Tim Russert tree that they fail to notice the rest of the forrest.

[ColbertWatcher]

8. Because that's not what this thread is about.

This poll question is asking people about the media coverage.

So, instead of repeating what has been on other threads, I decided to ask about the coverage of the flooding.

If what you're saying (again) is true, why isn't that on the national news?

I feel the media really messed up on the coverage of this.

[elocs]

10. So how many of the posts responding in this thread have been about media coverage?

Because I've noticed that most of them are not about media coverage. From one who actually lives in the flooded area I don't think the media coverage was that bad. I don't think that most people in Iowa and Wisconsin expected 24/7 coverage exclusive to anything else. I think that here at DU so many have become so fixated on the coverage of Russert's death that they notice little else and cannot see the forest for the tree.

[ColbertWatcher]

12. I think most of them are about the lack of coverage...

...as opposed to the coverage itself.

And, since this is a poll that requests those who choose "other" explain their choice in reply, the ones that don't seem to be about coverage (or lack of coverage) are still not highjacking the thread or changing the subject...which is asking people for their opinion about the GOP-controlled media's coverage of the flooding.

[elocs]

13. Funny, I do remember referring to coverage in my first post:

"As far as the coverage goes, I have seen a good deal of it both locally and nationally. The trouble is that so many have become fixated on the Tim Russert tree that they fail to notice the rest of the forest." So I think it is a little farfetched to claim it was thread hijacking when other posts mentioned other things as well.

I'll say it again to be perfectly on topic (and not refer to other things related to the flooding): I actually live in an area affected by the flooding and I am satisfied with the coverage. Is there some exact formula which determines exactly how many minutes should be devoted to any particular subject?

[ColbertWatcher]

14. ? n/t

[RebelOne]

11. I don't know, but I saw plenty of coverage on Saturday.

[fed-up]

15. they're ignoring global climate change disasters-Butte County had Aug fire in June-74 homes lost

was told by a friend of a "smoke jumper" that Cal Fire initially turned down help from outside agencies-what started as a small grass fire was flamed by winds up to 40MPH into a disaster. Street where I moved from 1 1/2 years ago was one of the first evacuated-no homes lost there as they back burned the ridge behind the houses

http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_9597704

Fire crews gaining upper hand on Humboldt Fire; house toll at 74

By BARBARA ARRIGONI - Staff Writer
Article Launched: 06/16/2008 12:00:00 AM PDT

Click photo to enlarge

The scope of the Humboldt Fire devastation can be seen in this aerial photo taken Sunday of the...
CHICO -- Firefighters were successful Sunday in overcoming the spread of the Humboldt Fire, which has burned an estimated 23,162 acres and destroyed scores of homes since noon Wednesday.

..snip

[NNN0LHI]

16. ITS BECAUSE ALL THE NATIONAL GUARD IS IN IRAQ INSTEAD OF HERE WHERE WE NEED THEM

Thats why.

Don

[onenote]

17. well, since its been one of the lead stories on most of the newscasts I've heard since sunday

I guess my response is in the form of a question? How do you define "ignored"?

[ColbertWatcher]

18. This is more or less a quasi-survey.

Out of the 300 people who have viewed this thread, 17 responses and 17 votes so far, you are one of several who are satisfied with the coverage.

Thank you for participating.

[TheWatcher]

19. Like Katrina.

It isn't Incompetence.

It's DESIGN.

[Enthusiast]

20. Someone has probably suggested this one

They are ignoring it because it might be evidence that global warming is real. A secondary reason is they are afraid it will draw criticism of the Bush Administration as with Katrina.

[Quantess]

24. Agreed, but, how is Tim Russert's death connected?

I may seem like a total jerk, but I didn't mean it that way!

[readmoreoften]

22. Infrastructure, shminfrastructure. Who needs it?

[countryjake]

23. Other, non-conspiracy-related -- Devastated folk who've lost everything...

are now hoppin' mad? They've found out during the past weeks that if you obey an order to evacuate, you'll likely never go home again. Or, at the very least, they are now expected to politely agree to being at the mercy of an incompetent, ineffective emergency system.

I was reading yesterday about the hours and hours that people in Cedar Rapids were forced to wait, in line at a "checkpoint", trying to get back in to their neighborhoods after the water began receding there. Tempers reached boiling points, the idea of "allowing" anyone back into their homes was abandoned, and one fellow attempted to drive his truck on thru...he was promptly arrested for assault with a deadly weapon (seems there was an armed trooper attempting to block his way).

These floods have been going on now for a couple of weeks, Indiana was swamped awhile ago, as was Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois, so this recent round in Iowa (and Missouri) are just the latest example of the media totally ignoring little people losing everything. Hardly a thing was ever reported on the late planting, due to all the rain this spring...knee high by the Fourth of July was already out of the question, even before this front stalled over the Midwest.

If I slip on my trusty tin hat, I can see moguls of the corporate-mega-farm agri-business eagerly rubbing their hands together, as family farms of our heartland go under. But stuff such as that has never made the news.