Jeffords blasts Bush for cutting FEMA, Blanco takes the high road!

[Brotherjohn]

Jim Jeffords (IN-Vermont) brought out graphics and quotes from a hearing from earlier in the Bush administration in which an Army Corps guy (the head? I don't know) protested budget cuts and said some contracts would have to be terminated. Jeffords laid blame on the Bush administration for this, and pointed out that this Corps guy was fired a week later for his protests.

(Watch it live here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8004316)

He then specifically gave Blanco a chance to respond directly to accusations from Brown, and Blanco took the high road and declined. She said she came there to talk about rebuilding businesses and her region, and that there was musch destruction that they needed to deal with. She came out smelling like a rose, the epitome of class.

And the Repubs on the committee praised her so quickly and moved on so quickly that I wonder how much of the whole Brown thing yesterday was completely staged. Let Brown hang himself, and be SO obnoxious that he would be the most obvious, and hopefully (for them) the only, scapegoat.

I wouldn't be surprised if Bush personally appealed to Blanco to take the high road during her testimony, with this specific strategy in mind. I also wouldn't be surprised if Brown was urged to be just as forceful and finger-pointing as he damn-well wanted during his testimony. "You GO Brownie! (hang youself, save us)"

[rodeodance]

1. yes, this is what needs to be emphasized--How FEMA was cut down

and de-emphasized!! so that resources went to 'terror'

[meegbear]

2. Let Brown hang himself, exactly ...

if the repugs were smart, they would.

[Matariki]

3. that's right, those bush folk are in COMPLETE control

of EVERYTHING. heck, i think they used that harp contraption to make the hurricane. (do i need to say i'm being sarcastic?)

[QC]

5. LOL! n/t

[Verve]

4. Bush would NEVER urge anyone to take the High Road!

It's not in his character.

Not to mention, Blanco would never listen to Bush after what he has done to her. She's just a classy person who understands what needs to be done for her state.

As for Brownie being urged to be forceful, I doubt this as well. He's just an idiot! He doesn't need any urging.

[Be Brave]

6. Blanco has always been underestimated throughout all of this.

I've been watching her actions since Katrina, and my impression is that she is a competent and capable lady.

[Blue_Roses]

8. finally

the voice of reason:applause:

[Brotherjohn]

7. Listen, I don't believe they're in much control at all. It's called...

...backpedalling, and covering your ass. It's really all they can do right now to find a scapegoat and stick to that story.

I wasn't implying they were in total control of anything, merely that theye were trying something desperate (blaming their own!) because they really are LOSING control of everything.

I DO believe, and I think few here would argue, that they DO almost completely control the message coming out of the White House.

[DemsUnited]

9. Blanco came off smart, knowledgeable, compassionate and classy.

I don't know how she's actually performing on the ground, but she did real good talking to the Senators about rebuilding Louisiana.

[in_cog_ni_to]

10. "Do not respond to Brownie or I ain't givin' you no money for yer state."

Am I too cynical?

[Kashka-Kat]

15. no, not too cynical-- he just refused disaster aid to Wisconsin

for widespread damage + 60-some homes wrecked by a tornado this summer-- its unprecedented, our (dem) gov is appealing. I did wonder if our having voted "blue" in the last 2 prez elections had anything to do with it.

[Kashka-Kat]

11. but I want answer to question--when exactly did she (Blanco)

declare the state of emerg. and sign whatever to get the ball rolling? I consider myself well read (maybe not as well as some people here, but lightyears beyond the average american)and I keep hearing contradictory info. Randi Rhodes for one was going on for ages about how the order was signed well in advance of the storm. But then of course we've gotten the exact opposite from other people.

If Blanco was less prompt than we may have liked, I certainly wouldnt flame her or anything, but just would want to have that fact acknowledged as part of our knowledge about what went wrong.

If she did act well in advance of the storm then that too should be clearly and unequivocably stated.

Seems like a simple easily documented FACT that could and should be easily ascertained and put out there.

[Tennessee Gal]

12. It is easily documented!

All you have to do is check her web site!

GOVERNOR BLANCO DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY: 8/26/05

BATON ROUGE, LA--Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco today issued Proclamation No. 48 KBB 2005, declaring a state of emergency for the state Louisiana as Hurricane Katrina poses an imminent threat, carrying severe storms, high winds, and torrential rain that may cause flooding and damage to private property and public facilities, and threaten the safety and security of the citizens of the state of Louisiana The state of emergency extends from Friday, August 26, 2005, through Sunday, September 25, 2005, unless terminated sooner.


http://www.gov.state.la.us/Press_Release_detail.asp?id=973

Governor Blanco asks President to Declare an Emergency for the State of Louisiana due to Hurricane Katrina: 8/27/05

http://www.gov.state.la.us/Press_Release_detail.asp?id=976

OR

http://www.gov.state.la.us/Disaster%20Relief%20Request.pdf

[Kashka-Kat]

13. oops posted twice

[Kashka-Kat]

14. Well there we have it-- thnx!

Goes to show how effective the technique is of repeating a lie so often that people believe it- or in my case, get a lil confused.