Atoning for Katrina

 

Like a man seeking repentance, George W. Bush keeps going back to New Orleans.

Today marks his 11th visit since Hurricane Katrina lashed 140 mph winds across the Gulf Coast and provoked the worst domestic debacle of his presidency. His own role in the crisis has been much criticized. Remember when Bush told FEMA Director Michael Brown that he was doing "a heck of a job, Brownie" even as New Orleans' residents clung to their rooftops crying out for rescue?

On the eve of the third anniversary of Katrina, Bush plans to note that the federal government -- after initially botching the recovery -- has now poured $126 billion in federal assistance into the Gulf Coast in hopes that businesses, schools and homes can be rebuilt.

There is still a lot of work to do before this city is fully recovered. And for people who are still hurting and not yet back in their homes, a brighter day might seem impossible. Yet a brighter day is coming and it is heralded by hopeful signs of progress.

But Oxfam America, an international relief organization, isn't so sure.

In a report to be released Tuesday, the actual anniversary of Katrina's making landfall, Oxfam reports that more than 35,000 individuals on the Gulf Coast are still living in FEMA trailers and that work has been hard to find, with only 12% of returning African American evacuees able to land jobs. Oxfam president Raymond Offenheiser said in a statement:

Much of the progress has come at the hands of Gulf Coast residents -- in spite of significant hurdles placed in front of them by the federal government. The next administration must act quickly to remove those hurdles so Gulf Coast residents can truly and finally recover after the storms.

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo credit: David J. Phillip / Associated Press

Comments

[Steve007]

I thought by the title of this scurrilous piece, it would be about Mayor Ray Nagin. But nooo...

Bush Derangement Syndrome strikes again at the leftist LA Times. What else is new?

[NOLA Bread]

Progress? What progress? Half my city is still a ghost town taken over by mold and street vermin. Some streets the police wont even travel down because the criminals have taken over. Mr. Bush WHERE IS OUR MONEY TO REBUILD? 3 years and you haven't done ANYTHING since day one! I implore you to travel the 9th ward to see your "progress"...

[greybeard10]

The people of New Orleans need to get off their lazy butts and move on. One year from now you won't be able to tell there was flood damage in Iowa and the Midwest and the lazy fat asses in New Orleans will still be living in squalor.

[Hermon]

This story is nothing compared to the hidden fact about all aid workers(Whites) being murdered by those theyre trying to help(Blacks). No surprise such facts whould be suppress by LAT.

[Ryan]

What does he have to atone for? Is he the head of FEMA? Does he give direct orders to evacuation crews, or head up the police force?

Where is the blame on Ray Nagin? That hack cost people their lives, but he gets to pass the buck up to the guy living two thousand miles from the rainfall? What is the justice in that?

I know people in Houston. Don't expect the majority of people who know the full scope of the situation to feel pity, after seeing the federal aid monies paid to evacuees (by unregulated credit cars, lol... great idea there) squandered on spinners, gold jewelry, and Lugz. As if they needed more free money. Did the same amount go to the other states affected by the hurricane, I wonder?

You can't possibly think that, after THREE YEARS, that it's all that difficult to find a job. The last thing that those people need is more government support - time to get off of your butts and find a job like the rest of us.

Keep blaming Bush for the weather if you want, but this garbage should be in with the comics.

[Travis Chapman]

Let’s see, a speeding train is headed in your direction, you:

a) Move out of the way until the threat passes

-or-

b) You let it hit you then blame Bush.

Ah, New Orleans will take B- It is easier to blame, and then blame and then blame. And do nothing for ourselves. Paycheck please!

I’ve been to that crap hole a couple of months ago and literally all you see are laziness and complaining. Everyone’s complaining and blaming, oh and eating and drinking and going to the Casinos with the government handouts, did I mention complaining.

Incredible, 3 years later and still no one sees they are responsible for themselves. Where is personal accountability? Nothing but poor me and I'm the victim syndrome. What a cancer on America!

[Robert]

Just ignore Steve. I have never seen or heard of anything handled as poorly as Katrina within the USA. Even before Katrina, those levees should have been repaired and updated. Don't even try with the "how could they have known" ..that information has been around for years before Katrina.

The administration will be judged as the most inept administration in the history of the United States. They've done so poorly that they now have to categorize his debacles in two categories, foreign and domestic.

[WackoBob]

Man, the paid GOP Defense committee operatives are everywhere. Must be working out of a call center in India...

[Jack]

Katrina victims - again? Why don't we hear about the heartland flood "victims". Oh, I guess that is because they have already picked up, cleaned up and are back to work. No waiting for government checks or credit cards, no plans to live in FEMA shelters for a year or two, etc. Just good hardworking Americans that have dealt with a tragedy and now have moved on to get on with life. Guess thats not much of a story line - too bad.

[What?!]

I can't believe the B$ that the media spews is still going around! Do you honestly believe if you say something enough times, it will become truth? The facts are the government of LA screwed their own people, first and foremost. The mayor and the governor dropped the ball big time in this case. The state government has to ask for the National Guard to be sent in and that was just their first mistake that you keep blaming on the federal government! Face the truth, if the local and state government wasn’t just standing there with their hand out, they may have actually done something to help the citizens of their state! Let’s not even get started on how the “victims” acted when help tried to come in!

[Lex Luthor]

If you voted for Ray Nagin, then why don't you ask him where the money is? Tell him to take it out of his offshore accounts and give it to the people. Make Nagin's cronies that are now millionaires to go to work and rebuild the city with the money they have already received! Or are those left waiting for Hollywood to keep making cheap movies there pay donations?

Cities are supposed to be re-built by the people of the city with help from our government. If the people of New Orleans would get out of the cities that offered them "temporary" help and shelter, then they could go back and rebuild. It's not like there are NOT any jobs there! There are plenty!

On a personal note, I'd really like those that are just commiting crimes for a living in Houston to get the HELL out since one of you murdered my doctor 2 weeks ago! We in Texas have had it with the imported crime. Go after Nagin. Go home!

[DaddyPlaid]

I agree with Steve. And furthermore, he isn't atoning or looking for repentance; he's doing his job.

And he did his job those days in August 05.

Idiots, especially Lefties, like to critisize George for not sprinkling the magic fairy dust they like to think exists after Natural Disasters occur.

It is the responsibility of those who live there to always be prepared for such an event, and when given an evacuation order as Ray did do , residents should've fled. But most didn't. And many died for their ignorance. And unfortunately even those who had no way out died. Those were the true victims in this horrible story.

Those who stayed continually griped instead of helping themselves or others. They looted, murdered, raped, pillaged and plundered. Or they gave interviews for lefty reporters to fuel the media storm against the President.

It is now 3 years later and there has been little change. But seriously, what do you expect? It took roughly 5 years for Oklahoma county to recover from 1999's tornado. There are areas still bare even today.

Hopefully, the city and residents of New Orleans today have learned from their mistakes and will be more prepared for the next big one.

[Ryan]

"Half my city is still a ghost town taken over by mold and street vermin. Some streets the police wont even travel down because the criminals have taken over. Mr. Bush WHERE IS OUR MONEY TO REBUILD? 3 years and you haven't done ANYTHING since day one!"

Where is the personal effort on your part?

Ninth Ward wasn't all that great before the flooding.

If you don't like it there anymore, go elsewhere. Stop asking for handouts to fix stuff that you should have taken care of years ago... if you didn't buy flood insurance, that's your problem.

[SISSY MONTET]

what about,Mississippi and the surrounding areas, New Orleans was flooded because the seawall crumbled, because of neglect. They had been warned many times. If they would have gotten a direct hit, like we did then they would have something to cry about.

We went through Hurricane Rita here in Lake Charles, Cameron, Holly Beach, Johnson Bayou and surrounding areas. Where towns were wiped off the map.The President has not been here 11 times. We on this end are sick and tired hearing about Katrina. I have an 78 year old uncle who was refused a FEMA check. now that sad.

[Mike in Philly]

Bush is utterly shameless, but he doesn't realize it beause shame is an emtion he is incapable of feeling. Thank God that total embarrassment of a human being will be gone in a few months. Finallly I'll be able to face the lower animals each day and will no longer have to hide my face for fear they might recognize I'm of the same species as George.

[Jen]

I live on the Gulf Coast (not NOLA, despite what you hear on the news other places were affected) and I see those FEMA trailors.....WITH BRAND NEW CARS PARKED IN FRONT! People need to start being responsible for themselves and not take advantage of the help given to them.

[Jake Prufrock]

"...work has been hard to find, with only 12% of returning African American evacuees able to land jobs."

I am sure that this will seem impolitic-- if not downright 'racially insensitive'-- to you two enlightened reporters and Oxfam's Mr. Offenheiser, but approximately what percentage of those same evacuees were gainfully employed on the eve of Hurricane Katrina; and, what are the respective overall unemployment rates in New Orleans proper (if, as a former resident of the Big Easy myself, I may be allowed such an arguable oxymoron), then and now? Those figures just might have some explanatory power of their own, might they not?

[DeezNutz]

This has to be the first time in US history that nearly every branch of the government has failed the people it serves. BushDick CheneyGeorge, are without a doubt the worst "leaders" in our nations history. And as much as I'd like to blame all of Katrina on them, at some point it has to be common sense that you don't live below sea level. New Orleans, in all it's glory, should not have expanded into the wetlands and should not be rebuilt. It will only be a matter of time before another storm rages through it's streets. Anytime a city has to run multiple pumping stations just to remain above water then that city should be abandoned and the people should find higher ground to build on. The American people should not pay to rebuild a city that will without a doubt be destroyed again by nature. This goes for the midwest too. If you have rebuilt your house more than once because of flood waters, then wake up idiot and build somewhere else. Our government wastes enough money without having additional idiots add to the bill.

[VultureTX]

wackoBob- "Man, the paid GOP Defense committee operatives are everywhere. Must be working out of a call center in India..."

Thus the ABB / leftists are always surprised because reality does not match their preconceived notions of how and why people act. Just as well since they can't conceive of force used in a positive manner either.

The whole Black Katrina victims are a joke here in Texas. My neighbor took his roofing crew to NOLA because he was called to work. Came back 2 weeks later and started a convoy of more hispanics to go make big bucks there. Most came back in new brand spanking new trucks. Seems the locals were too lazy to actually rebuild their own place. So instead 25% of that AID money ended up in Mexico thanks to the diligent workers from Texas.

[Greg]

I recall President Bush begging the Governor of Louisiana to request federal aid ahead of the storm, the aid could not be provided unless requested. I also remember the President reminding the Governor that she had not mobilized the National Guard in that state.

I vividly recall all of the busses dedicated to evacuating the residents, sitting in flood water, unused and ruined.

I recall the looting by both residence and clear video footage of looting by police officers. Not food, plasma TV’s and booze.

I recall residence refusing to leave and then requiring helicopter evacuation costing thousands of taxpayer dollars per hour.

I recall the police confiscating legal firearms from residents.

I recall all of this happening under exclusively democratic leadership.

I recall Mississippi getting hit just as hard but recovering in a fraction of the time. I recall exclusively republican leadership.

[Kat]

Hey the aid workers were not murdered by blacks.....if it had not been for the 82nd ABN HOORAH and General Honoree the poor folks in New Orleans would have defintely parished. In fact soldiers have said that the people were so happy to see them. THere was criminal elements that terrorized their fellow citizens in the Super Dome and other areas.

Don' t forget the racists town that refused to let people who need water and food across the bridge.

Just a damn shame that this happen in America.

The State of LA is to blame as well as FEMA 's Leadership at the time i.e, Browne who has been fired.

President Bush I believe in all honesty did not know what the heck was going on in MISS or LA.

Even now the funds that should go towards rebuilding affordable housing are being directed towards other projects.

I don't think any land that was cover in flood water should be rebuild on.

Those levees have not been repaired and the people that do rebuild are going to be flooded again.

[Salil Maniktahla]

Hahahaha! Boy, the wingnuts sure are out in force today.

I love the guy who claims he just came back from New Orleans and says all he saw was laziness, people eating, drinking, and playing in casinos.

You've never been to New Orleans, fool. That's clear just from your comment. Most New Orleans natives rarely go to casinos (those are for the tourists). The rebuilding efforts have been largely individual. There have been successes, but FEMA has definitely dropped the ball repeatedly.

And to the idiots who say stuff like " a train is headed your way...just get out of the way"--why is it okay to say that about New Orleans, but no one says that about the many towns in Kansas where tornadoes strike repeatedly? Or do you just save your blame-the-victim ire for places where the population isn't all white?

[realist]

Once again, the loser liberals want to blame everyone else for the problems they have created for themselves. Robert, you are a moron. If you knew your rear end from a hole in the ground you would know that the State of Louisiana and New Orleans were repeatedly warned about the levees. What did they choose to do? Pay George Shin millions of dollars to move the Hornets basketball team to New Orleans instead of fix the levees. They even gave him a $25 million guarantee per year while their city rotted away. Yes, it was rotten long before Katrina hit. Robert, go vote for your precious Obama and hope he can put some money in your pocket. I know you are too big of a loser to do it yourself. You stupid liberals wouldn't know a good president if one bit you on the arse.

[Clayton Campbell]

As a former resident of New Orleans, I agree and disagree with alot of the comments on this. The one thing that the negative people have forgotten is that they are not from New Orleans and do not understand how corrupt the local goverment is. It is not lazy people eating and drinking, though that is what NOLA is about, it is about local goverment filling their wallets and the aid does not see the people who really need it. Go visit before you open your negative comment bag.

[Tim O'Brien]

I have never seen such racisms, in my life . Whose idea were unaccountable credit cards, the administrations thats who, they screwed up so bad it was another knee jerk reaction to cover up for no federal planning. I am sick of right wing punks whipping up other slack jawed yokels pals with this kind of nonsense covering for the worst administration in our history and "bush" never standing up and saying to the lunatic fringe driven by hate radio and tv to sit down shut up and try to fix the problems they created.