McCain said
"We must also prepare, far better than we have, to respond quickly and effectively to a natural calamity. When Americans confront a catastrophe they have a right to expect basic competence from their government. Firemen and policemen should be able to communicate with each other in an emergency. We should be able to deliver bottled water to dehydrated babies and rescue the infirm from a hospital with no electricity. Our disgraceful failure to do so here in New Orleans exposed the incompetence of government at all levels to meet even its most basic responsibilities." -- John McCain
Applause. I'm not planning to vote for McCain, and I may never applaud him again, but he earned my applause for saying this.
Though he said it not "here in New Orleans" but 2 cities over in Kenner, Louisiana.
Also, contrary to the McCain campaign official transcript above, he spoke it as "deliver hot bottled water to dehydrated babies". Whatever.
And more importantly, as bad as the "natural calamity" was, the man-made one was very much worse.
And McCain twice voted against establishing a Congressional commission to examine Federal, State, and local response to devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina. He also voted against emergency relief after the disaster, funding communications for disaster first reponders, and other relevent items.
Perhaps you think such proposals should be opposed on the grounds of keeping the government small.
Perhaps you think William Howard Taft was a damn Commie for authorizing the army to bring food and tents to San Francisco after the great earthquake.
Perhaps you think when the shit hits the fan, it is better to let our citizens die of from lack basic necessities than to spend government funds to save their lives. Maybe you have no problem with America being a country whose government leaves the corpses of its people who die unnecessarily bloated in the sun, to be eaten by rats and dogs.
If so, I disagree with you. But I'd have a modicum more respect for you had the courage to damn well admit it.
Applause. I'm not planning to vote for McCain, and I may never applaud him again, but he earned my applause for saying this.
Though he said it not "here in New Orleans" but 2 cities over in Kenner, Louisiana.
Also, contrary to the McCain campaign official transcript above, he spoke it as "deliver hot bottled water to dehydrated babies". Whatever.
And more importantly, as bad as the "natural calamity" was, the man-made one was very much worse.
And McCain twice voted against establishing a Congressional commission to examine Federal, State, and local response to devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina. He also voted against emergency relief after the disaster, funding communications for disaster first reponders, and other relevent items.
Perhaps you think such proposals should be opposed on the grounds of keeping the government small.
Perhaps you think William Howard Taft was a damn Commie for authorizing the army to bring food and tents to San Francisco after the great earthquake.
Perhaps you think when the shit hits the fan, it is better to let our citizens die of from lack basic necessities than to spend government funds to save their lives. Maybe you have no problem with America being a country whose government leaves the corpses of its people who die unnecessarily bloated in the sun, to be eaten by rats and dogs.
If so, I disagree with you. But I'd have a modicum more respect for you had the courage to damn well admit it.