So Who Couldn't Get In There? Just Those Who Were Supposed To Help?

Here is an editorial response from the NO Times Picayune to the lament from federal authorities that the NO area was difficult to get to. This is what FEMA has been saying as to why it took so long for help to arrive.

The reason the city was built in that location in 1718 was exactly because it's easy to get to! How much easier can it be now? They didn't have air transport in 1718, did they? It's got to be easier now! While the governmental agencies charged with assisting the displaced citizens stood around wringing their hands and lamenting their inability to "get in there" we all watched live news coverage from the scene. I saw Tucker Carlson, no fervent critic of the Bush administration, basically throw up his hands and say, "We got here! Why can't they?"

On Thursday morning, 13 Wal-Mart trucks were right in the thick of it, distributing food and blankets. On Friday, we all saw Harry Conick, Jr, on live TV, walking the streets of NO trying to call attention to the plight of his fellow citizens.

So..............if all these folks "made it in there", just where was FEMA? Where was our federal government? This is, after all, what they are really here for, isn't it? What should be their focus be after all? The safety and well being of it's citizens? Or should it rather be the tax cuts for the rich, which impoverished the very programs that would have protected NO from this calamity, and it's fools errand in Iraq, which depleted the availability of Louisiana's own National Guard, and left NO helpless and alone?

On CNN right now I'm again hearing a Republican Senator opine as to how "inappropriate" it is to be discussing who is at fault here, how it's time for all of us to "pull together" during this time of trial. Oh, please! The time for us to "pull together" was well before this was allowed to happen. Of course, to these same guys, that didn't make any sense then. After all, in that area there's no new oil, and hardly any rich people!