Someone somewhere on the internet is going to make this argument, if they haven't already. If you find it before me, link to it here.
On the other hand, societies in Africa don't seem to be able to run themselves either. Take a look at what happened to South Africa or Zimbabwe.
Oh, I am quite open to the idea that some societies work better in a crisis than others. I'm just not going to assume mine is one without having been through an actual crisis.
WWI & II?
Probably not the same thing, but the aftermath in some countries looked similar to this.
Seems we've been thread jacked, we aren't blaming Bush for the Hurrican (Although global warming put it on steriods, but that's another argument all togther) We want to hold him accountable for his fuck ups afterwards. Waiting 4 days to respond, having a croony be the head of FEMA, the Bush family's empathy (Laura "The first Robot" and Barbara "Let them eat cake" Bush) lack of funding and military in the area because of the War in Iraq. Things like that.
And by an annoucment by Bush, Hell has frozen over and Bush says he takes responsibilty for the mistakes. However his PR team figured out it was the only way he could salvage his domestic agenda, especially with Brown resigning after Bush said he still backed him. That's was probably what caused it.
"Takes responsibility" is such an empty statement...
Does it mean he takes responsibility for the murder of the 40 old people left to die in that nursing home?
Then he should be charged for murder.
The Bush administration in general seems to think "taking responsibility" means saying "I take responsibility", and then somebody else patting them on the back. This isn't exactly the first time they've done that.
In some countries, big accidents (>20 dead) are considered enough for the government to resign.
I realize this isn't reasonable in a country of the size of the US. On the other hand, this isn't exactly 21 dead. But I guess Bush "taking responsibility" is enough. sigh
>>33
Does the government resign because they could have prevented the accident or did not react very well or what? It seems kind of silly to just give up the throne when something bad happens.
A meteor falling out of the sky and killing people wouldn't cause any government to resign. But in any situation where the responsibility for preventing and mitigating damage ultimately lies with the government, it's pretty natural for the governement resign if it fails at this task. This way, "taking responsibility" actually has some meaning.
>>35 answered quite well, but I'd like to add a further perspective.
Look at it like this: the FEMA director or whatever his title was resigned (or was fired, don't remember). Bush said he "takes responsibility". Why wouldn't he resign then? (ignoring the fact that it might be impossible, I don't know if US presidents can resign)
>>36
Why wouldn't he be able to resign? Think people would force him into exile or jail?
>Why wouldn't he be able to resign? Think people would force him into exile or jail?
I simply meant I'm not familiar with the legislation - I could imagine a president not having the power to resign. Naturally there is some mechanism for removing him/her, but that could not be accessible to the person him/herself.
I doubt any government in the US would resign just because they screwed up. I don't know about other countries, but I guess the US doesn't have that tradition. Nixon resigned but he was in the process of being impeached anyway.
>>40
12 confirmed deaths, that seems about correct. I never saw any news report mentioning "200 bodies".
1 confirmed murder so far, I assume it's the 7-year-old from http://4-ch.net/news/kareha.pl/1125260828/78
No rape test done?
1 suicide confirmed, that should be the guy from http://4-ch.net/news/kareha.pl/1125260828/79
Some confusion still remain:
"Winn, who did the final sweep of the building, said one body appeared to have stab wounds, but he could not be sure. Baldwin also said only one of the dead appeared to have been slain, apparently referring to the same body as Winn described. Bob Johannessen, spokesman for the Department of Health and Hospitals, also confirmed just one suspected homicide at the Convention Center, though he said the victim had been shot, not stabbed."
Vanishing bodies? I recall one account that said one guy got upset by the view of an ongoing rape near him and the guards doing nothing, he ran out, jumped on a running truck to get them to help but got shot by them, or something like that.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/29/national/nationalspecial/29crime.html?pagewanted=3&ei=5094&en=74a33a33d7d7f26e&hp&ex=1127966400
"State officials have said that 10 people died at the Superdome and 24 died around the convention center - 4 inside and 20 nearby. While autopsies have not been completed, so far only one person appears to have died from gunshot wounds at each facility."
The Bush administration is partly responsible for the horrible response to Katrina.
Still means they fucked up.
42<< Man... I never thought this was so serious where the gaurds would do absolutly nothing. I wonder who'se order was this on.
In times like these government opinion needs to stop because you do not have a lot of choices either help them or do not because if you go half way you piss off everyone. Rendering all politicizing absolutely useless, bush and his team of crack rednecks and money launderers chose to go down this path.
This tragedy was the sole result of our slothful, lethargic beauracracy. FEMA had so many transport assets at their disposal it's not even funny, and yet at least half of these were ignored, or destroyed due to lack of action. Also, the Louisiana State Gov't is responsible for inflaming the issue, race-baiting does NOT help to diffuse a crisis.
Don't forget Pat Robertson. He's also responsible for Katrina from all his "wrath of God" stuff.