tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480995.post112569329552073492..comments2023-07-16T09:43:40.228-04:00Comments on The Conversation: A perfect stormJonathan Pottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18433924194960127561noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480995.post-1125704211168790322005-09-02T19:36:00.000-04:002005-09-02T19:36:00.000-04:00I meant "no apparent plan" to win it.I meant "no apparent plan" to win it.Jonathan Pottshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18433924194960127561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480995.post-1125704144842133982005-09-02T19:35:00.000-04:002005-09-02T19:35:00.000-04:00First, let me say that I hope everything turns out...First, let me say that I hope everything turns out for the best with your family.<BR/><BR/>I don't have time to respond adequately. And frankly I don't dispute most of what you say. I think people do need to be asking hard questions of state and local officials about why there wasn't a concerted effort to evacuate the city. NO's history of well-documented corruption aside, the larger national question is whether other American cities, post-9/11, have evacuation plans, and why NO didn't have one or didn't put it into effect. Shouldn't the feds be pushing cities to do this, and if possible providing some money for it too?<BR/><BR/>The big problem with Bush is that his response to this tragedy--which neither the war in Iraq nor his poor environmental record caused, admittedly--seems typical of the manner in which his administration has tackled many problems: half-assed. I don't expect him to be Clinton, able to turn on the tears at a moment's notice, but a little empathy might be nice. I used to think this whole vacation thing was overblown, but why did he take his nice sweet time sauntering back across the country? It's all too reminescent of his failure, albeit for security reasons, to return to Washington immediately after Sept. 11. Americans need to feel that their president has their back, and despite all his swagger and tough talk, I don't feel that way with him anymore.<BR/><BR/>Let's consider the impact this is having on our oil supply. Now this country was addicted to cheap oil long before Bush was elected--before he was born--but his administration's insistence on telling Americans that they can continue on with their same gas-guzzling lifestyle, as if the war on terror might never effect our ability to import oil from the Middle East, or as if the Saudis might never reach the day when they can no longer tap their oil resorvoirs, is downright irresponsible and has left the nation ill-prepared to deal with a crisis when it comes. The president's plea last night for Americans to only use the gas they need was downright laughable. <BR/><BR/>It is unfair, perhaps, to use the hurricane as a cudgel to attack the president for Iraq. But it is a reminder that this president led us into an unnecessary war with no apparent way to win it, and he's refused to acknowledge the consequences.Jonathan Pottshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18433924194960127561noreply@blogger.com