I saw 3 out of state Red Cross vehicles in town this morning

[WolverineDG]

I live in Laredo, Texas, & preparations for Hurricane Dean are in full-swing. On my way downtown this morning, I saw THREE out of state Red Cross ambulance-type vehicles heading to relief center: Colorado, California & Georgia/Florida (didn't get close enough to see the plates clearly). While I am glad that the state & feds are on the ball & getting things organized ahead of time (even though Dennis is likely not to affect us much at all, knock on wood), I'm angry. Because, quite frankly, WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T THEY DO THIS TWO YEARS AGO? And why hasn't New Orleans been rebuilt, when Cancun rebuilt in less than a year?

dg

[meegbear]

1. Hurricane Dennis?

[WolverineDG]

3. thanks for the catch!

I fixed it. We were talking hurricanes this morning & after a while, the names blend together. :)

dg

[question everything]

2. At least they learn from their mistakes

which is more than we can say about the this administration in general.

[jojo54]

4. Maybe this is why.....

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20338262/

CRAWFORD, Texas - President Bush, who was criticized for a slow federal response to Hurricane Katrina, took a pre-emptive strike Saturday against Hurricane Dean blowing through the Caribbean and threatening the Texas coast.

Bush, who received two hurricane briefings at his ranch, signed a pre-landfall disaster declaration, allowing the federal government to move in people, equipment and supplies immediately in case Hurricane Dean hits the state.

------------------------------------------------------

It's because it's Texas that's threatened this time. The asshole can't have his beloved state suffer horribly like he let N.O.!!

[WolverineDG]

10. More like they don't want to get pilloried in the press again

South Texas is a Democratic stronghold, but Gov Perry wants the VP nod & a Katrina-scale disaster wouldn't look good on his resume.

dg

[lastliberalintexas]

13. Rita would have cost Perry re-election

if not for a couple of repub stooges and the people who were fooled into voting for them. People outside this state just could not believe that we didn't have a runoff and that the person who received only 36% of the vote is Gov.

[lastliberalintexas]

14. Texas was hit in 2005, one month after Katrina

If you think we were treated any better, then I have abridge for sale, real cheap. FEMA was just as unorganized, just as pissy and snippy and just as uncooperative with us. Perry was useless (in fact, made things worse) and Bush was completely absent. Only our local officials saved this area the same fate*. And if you think that Bush gives a care about South Texas, you don't know my state's demographics.


Though to be fair, we also didn't have 5-10 feet of water standing around for days. We had extensive wind damage and moderate water damage, but nothing like what NOLA saw. What we saw was more like the Missippi Gulf Coast than NOLA.

[Ilsa]

5. It sure took them awhile to put it together, didn't they? My best friend

is on a disaster response team. They meet regularly in a large city out of state and were ready to deploy to south tx if Dean had hit here.

I've lived in Laredo, Wolverine, but only for one summer, working. Still lovely down there?

[WolverineDG]

9. If by lovely, you mean hot

then the answer is yes. :)

dg

[Ilsa]

12. We've been lucky up here. It will only be about 91 today. Cooler than usual all summer. nt

[Catherine Vincent]

6. You mentioned hurricane Dennis twice in your post.

:-)

[WolverineDG]

8. ooops

:)

dg

[ThomWV]

7. Maybe they are on their way to Mexico to help out there - yeah, right.

[WolverineDG]

11. We're supposed to be receiving evacuees from Cancun

That's what I heard downtown today. Not sure if they're arriving by car or bus, though.

dg

[SayWhatYo]

15. I saw a huge convoy of school busses heading south yesterday when I was driving through Austin.

They were blocking off the south bound traffic on I-35... bad timing too, I'm sure a lot of people who late for work in the morning.