Obama still hasn't responded to flooding in TN!

Over the first days of May, Tennessee was inundated by an unrelenting storm that pounded us with thunder and nearly continuous rain. NOAA issued nearly every type of watch and warning from flood to tornado. Before the storm was finished over 13" of rain had fallen, more than double the most recent record set in the 1970s. This record-breaking flood caused over 40,000 power outages for customers in metro Nashville, down to 14,000 by mid Monday. As power was restored floor waters continued to rise sending the Cumberland River to over 50 feet beyond flood stage. Over the weekend and through Monday most of downtown Nashville was underwater, including the tourist areas, local landmarks, and even the lower floors of the skyscrapers like the Pinnacle building. Full size dumpsters were on their sides, trash carts were sucked down stream, and SUVs where up to their windshields in flood water. The downtown river front police barricades were barely visible under the flood waters. Excess water caused sewage to backup and overflow into the Cumberland River and downtown areas. Police were closely stationed around blockades, preventing anyone from going beyond 2nd Avenue closer to the river. Thousands were evacuated and housed in shelters. By the time the rain was over there were 11 confirmed deaths in Nashville and surrounding counties. No one remembers flooding this bad or seeing standing water in the places that are submerged today.
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Worst flooding in 30 years, 11 people confirmed dead, and not a word from the Obama administration. No condolences, no words of encouragement or support, no FEMA housing, no federal assistance... nothing! It's a good thing the citizens of Tennessee are "Volunteers" and can take care of their own!

This goes beyond the usual 'slow response' of Obama's administration on things like the oil spill in the gulf, it's even worse than Bush's 'slow response' to Katrina, he at least declared it a national disaster before the hurricane made landfall. So far, there has not been as much as a statement on the devastation being realized by the state of Tennessee. I guess Chicago would have to flood like this to get his attention?
 
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Worst flooding in 30 years, 11 people confirmed dead, and not a word from the Obama administration. No condolences, no words of encouragement or support, no FEMA housing, no federal assistance... nothing! It's a good thing the citizens of Tennessee are "Volunteers" and can take care of their own!

Hmm:

“Our thoughts and prayers are with every American who has been impacted by the severe weather and flooding in the southeast, and our deepest condolences go out to those who have lost loved ones. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the local first responders who have been working tirelessly to save lives and protect property in the face of these devastating storms. I have spoken with the Governors in the most severely impacted states, and yesterday I dispatched FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to Tennessee to view the flood damage first hand and to report back on any unmet needs. Federal officials have been dispatched to the region and we will continue working in close coordination with state and local officials to support response and recovery efforts.”

Hmmmm:

President Obama today made calls to Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen and Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear. The President expressed his deepest condolences for the tragic loss of life and suffering caused by flooding in their states. He also pledged that the federal government will respond quickly to requests for support as the states work to assess damage and plans for recovery.
 
I dispatched FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to Tennessee to view the flood damage first hand and to report back on any unmet needs.

LOL... Is Craig going to swim out to their lifeboats and ask them what they need? Uhm, doesn't Obama's FEMA have some kind of standard plan to implement, already knowing and understanding the unmet needs? And this all started to happen Friday, when the Cumberland River began to breach its banks... where was Obama with the National Guard doing the sandbag thing? Where was the Federal response to this obvious disaster? Non-existent! That's where! What we see now, is a REACTIONARY response, with the usual 'cordiality' extended after any disaster. Four days AFTER the fact!
 
LOL... Is Craig going to swim out to their lifeboats and ask them what they need? Uhm, doesn't Obama's FEMA have some kind of standard plan to implement, already knowing and understanding the unmet needs? And this all started to happen Friday, when the Cumberland River began to breach its banks... where was Obama with the National Guard doing the sandbag thing? Where was the Federal response to this obvious disaster? Non-existent! That's where! What we see now, is a REACTIONARY response, with the usual 'cordiality' extended after any disaster. Four days AFTER the fact!

Obama lied and people died.
 
LOL... Is Craig going to swim out to their lifeboats and ask them what they need? Uhm, doesn't Obama's FEMA have some kind of standard plan to implement, already knowing and understanding the unmet needs? And this all started to happen Friday, when the Cumberland River began to breach its banks... where was Obama with the National Guard doing the sandbag thing? Where was the Federal response to this obvious disaster? Non-existent! That's where! What we see now, is a REACTIONARY response, with the usual 'cordiality' extended after any disaster. Four days AFTER the fact!


Well, my states' rights loving friend, when did the Governor of Tennessee issue an emergency declaration seeking assistance from the federal government?
 
Well, my states' rights loving friend, when did the Governor of Tennessee issue an emergency declaration seeking assistance from the federal government?
What difference does it make? We have a new standard since Katrina: even if a Governor tell the POTUS to screw himself, it's the President's fault, solely. :pke:
 
Well, my states' rights loving friend, when did the Governor of Tennessee issue an emergency declaration seeking assistance from the federal government?

When did the Louisiana governor issue such a declaration during Katrina? Oh yeah... a week AFTER Bush had declared it a national disaster. The whole "outrage" over Katrina, was the slow Federal response! Doesn't matter who is supposed to formally request what, when people's lives are in the balance... don't you remember? This was the problem with Bush! I guess we can assume that since Bush was obviously slow to respond in hopes black people would drown, Obama is slow to respond hoping rednecks will drown?
 
What difference does it make? We have a new standard since Katrina: even if a Governor tell the POTUS to screw himself, it's the President's fault, solely. :pke:


Well, my other states' rights loving friend, FEMA and the federal government are not authorized do anything until such time as the state requests federal assistance. So criticizing Obama for not doing something he couldn't do unless it was requested by the Governor of Tennessee is stupid.

Here, the Governor of Tennessee requested federal assistance yesterday and federal resources were immediately mobilized.
 
Maybe if they played rap instead of country music in Nashville the black president would do something to help these folks.
 
Well, my other states' rights loving friend, FEMA and the federal government are not authorized do anything until such time as the state requests federal assistance. So criticizing Obama for not doing something he couldn't do unless it was requested by the Governor of Tennessee is stupid.

Here, the Governor of Tennessee requested federal assistance yesterday and federal resources were immediately mobilized.

But but, my liberal friend, we have a new standard...
 
When did the Louisiana governor issue such a declaration during Katrina? Oh yeah... a week AFTER Bush had declared it a national disaster. The whole "outrage" over Katrina, was the slow Federal response! Doesn't matter who is supposed to formally request what, when people's lives are in the balance... don't you remember? This was the problem with Bush! I guess we can assume that since Bush was obviously slow to respond in hopes black people would drown, Obama is slow to respond hoping rednecks will drown?


Actually, the Louisiana governor issued such a declaration two days before landfall and the president declared a federal emergency that same day. The problem was that the people in charge of FEMA were colossal fuckups who had no clue what they were doing and failed properly to design and implement an appropriate disaster plan.
 
Actually, the Louisiana governor issued such a declaration two days before landfall and the president declared a federal emergency that same day. The problem was that the people in charge of FEMA were colossal fuckups who had no clue what they were doing and failed properly to design and implement an appropriate disaster plan.

20050902-NolaSchoolBuses.jpg
 
Floods are never covered by the media as much as other natural disastors. There is no "instant event" that they can point to, and the damages take days and weeks to show. That doesn't work for the "sound byte" news media.


That said, Obama has completely dropped the ball on this one.

But, while Obama has dropped the ball, part of the problem is the lack of preparation. And the lack of preparation is mainly due to the nature of the natural disastor. Before Katrina hit, the entire nation knew that a huge hurricane was about to make landfall. She was a hurricane for almost a week, and had crossed Florida and reentered the water, which is a huge energy boost for a hurricane. The flooding in Nashville was unforeseen.

Also, flooding is a natural disastor that last longer. The hurricane hit and moved on. The flooding is still going on.
 
Floods are never covered by the media as much as other natural disastors. There is no "instant event" that they can point to, and the damages take days and weeks to show. That doesn't work for the "sound byte" news media.


That said, Obama has completely dropped the ball on this one.

But, while Obama has dropped the ball, part of the problem is the lack of preparation. And the lack of preparation is mainly due to the nature of the natural disastor. Before Katrina hit, the entire nation knew that a huge hurricane was about to make landfall. She was a hurricane for almost a week, and had crossed Florida and reentered the water, which is a huge energy boost for a hurricane. The flooding in Nashville was unforeseen.

Also, flooding is a natural disastor that last longer. The hurricane hit and moved on. The flooding is still going on.


In what way has Obama dropped the ball? Federal resources were mobilized as soon as the request from the governor came in.
 
You mean like with Katrina??


Look, if you want to argue that Bush didn't drop the ball with Katrina, go right ahead. And if you want to argue that the FEMA response to Katrina was not a total shitshow, by all means please do so. I'm not going to rehash it all.

My question is specific to Obama and the flooding in Tennessee and has nothing to do with Bush and Katrina. I mean, I understand that you may want to say that Bush was improperly blamed for Katrina so Obama should be improperly blamed for whatever is happening in Tennessee, but at least come up with a plausible argument to support it.
 
Look, if you want to argue that Bush didn't drop the ball with Katrina, go right ahead. And if you want to argue that the FEMA response to Katrina was not a total shitshow, by all means please do so. I'm not going to rehash it all.

My question is specific to Obama and the flooding in Tennessee and has nothing to do with Bush and Katrina. I mean, I understand that you may want to say that Bush was improperly blamed for Katrina so Obama should be improperly blamed for whatever is happening in Tennessee, but at least come up with a plausible argument to support it.

I'm arguing, what is the fundamental difference between Obama's FEMA shitshow and Bush's? I don't honestly see much, except it takes Obama 4 days to respond, where Bush responded 3 days before. Other than that, I am seeing the exact same ineptness on the part of FEMA and the Federal response here.... same shitshow, different players!
 
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