Hurricane Harvey

[GMDino]

First, I hope no hope no one here was damaged personally or property wise.  That looked like a bad scene!

I just started reading about the effects and so far no fatalities!  Lots of flooding though.  And that could cause trouble for quite awhile!

Secondly it seems the POTUS is on top of it and that's a good sign!  Hopefully the agencies being called on do their jobs well too.  Times of tragic events and natural emergencies are no time for politics.


But wait...

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/08/25/president-trump-prepares-hurricane-harvey-says-feds-here-assist-needed/601155001/

Quote:There are obvious political risks to Trump if the federal disaster response is poorly coordinated or late to arrive.

Iowa's senior senator took to Twitter earlier Friday to urge Trump to ensure the response to Harvey did not damage his administration the way Hurricane Katrina brought ridicule on then-president George W. Bush in August 2005.


"Keep on top of Hurricane Harvey," tweeted Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Republican who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee. "Don't make same mistake Pres Bush made w Katrina."

Quote:[/url]

 Follow
ChuckGrassley 

@ChuckGrassley
@realDonaldTrump #hurricane keep on top of hurricane Harvey dont mke same mistake Pres Bush made w Katrina
8:56 AM - Aug 25, 2017

But Trump's allies were using social media to lay the groundwork for blaming Democrats for any negative consequences.


"Democrats and lib media are no doubt hoping for Hurricane Harvey to make a direct hit on Texas so they can blame @realDonald Trump," wrote Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke. "Bastards." Clarke had been an advocate for Trump during the 2016 campaign season and was expected to take a senior position at the Department of Homeland Security until he withdrew his name in June.
View image on Twitter

Quote:

[url=https://twitter.com/SheriffClarke] Follow
David A. Clarke, Jr. 

@SheriffClarke
Democrats and lib media are no doubt hoping for Hurricane Harvey to make a direct hit on Texas so they can blame @realDonaldTrump. Bastards.
10:32 PM - Aug 24, 2017

While the political leadership at FEMA and the White House has changed with the new administration, many of the federal emergency management professionals being deployed are the same ones who responded to disasters under President Obama.


"These are not political appointees," said Rafael Lemaitre, who was top spokesman for FEMA under Obama. "Their mandate is to check their egos and logos at the door and go in as part of one team responding. It's not about the feds parachuting in, it's about a joint effort."


A post-Katrina law dictates that when an federal emergency is declared — one has not been declared yet for Harvey but could be issued before disaster strikes — the FEMA director reports directly to the president and not through the normal chain of command that puts the secretary of Homeland Security over FEMA. Right now, there is only an acting secretary since Trump tapped the previous secretary, John Kelly, to be his chief of staff.


Hurricane Harvey heads for Texas: What we know now
More: Hurricane Harvey could be a 'flooding disaster' as storm stalls over Texas


So far, the federal role has been to support state preparation while having emergency materials such as blankets, food, water and tarps in place.

“I think the president is allowing me to do my job, and we've been in constant contact with the White House," said FEMA's Long, who served as Alabama's state emergency management director from 2008 to 2011, overseeing the state's response to the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion in the Gulf.


The federal Disaster Relief Fund, which can be tapped after a federal disaster declaration to pay for storm victim assistance and to reimburse the public sector for storm response and infrastructure repair, was projected on July 31 to have nearly $1.5 billion remaining for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.  
Whether that's enough depends on the scale of the damage. Flooding in Louisiana last year has already cost $1.9 billion.

And the President is aware.

.@ChuckGrassley - got your message loud and clear. We have fantastic people on the ground, got there long before #Harvey. So far, so good!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 26, 2017

Ticks me off that they can't say "do a good job because American lives are at stake" but have to add in "and you don't want to hurt your image".

So far they ARE doing their jobs with no backlash political or otherwise.

GW put a man in charge who had no idea what he was doing.  Worst case in the Trump admin Kelly is still in the administration to offer advice.

Can't they just let it play out and play politics later?

[GMDino]

Looks like the flooding is worse that they imagined or forecast.

Also it looks like this appointment was a good one.

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/08/trumps-fema-director-doesnt-seem-incompetent.html

A guy with experience in the field of the are he is responsible for.  That was a good choice!

[Belsnickel]

This is just a mess. Thank you to non-political staffers that are doing their part to save American lives and will be around to clean up the mess.

[Vlad]

Where's Sheila?
Whats also disturbing is that we continue giving hurricanes lily white sounding names.  Sigh, we are  still a racist country.

[GMDino]

(08-27-2017, 05:05 PM)Vlad Wrote: Where's Sheila?
Whats also disturbing is that we continue giving hurricanes lily white sounding names.  Sigh, we are  still a racist country.

Well, uh...I guess that helps.  

[Griever]

(08-27-2017, 06:43 PM)GMDino Wrote: Well, uh...I guess that helps.  

he has to pick up the slack that lucie left behind....again

[Vlad]

(08-27-2017, 06:43 PM)GMDino Wrote: Well, uh...I guess that helps.  

Well, I didn't say it helps...I said "what is also disturbing"...meaning "in addition to the current crisis"

[GMDino]

Just for discussion....I certainly wouldn't put it past him.

http://www.politicususa.com/2017/08/27/trump-profit-hurricane-harvey-presidency-sell-hats.html

Quote:Trump Is Trying To Profit Off Of Hurricane Harvey By Using The Presidency To Sell Hats

Trump is taking profiting off of the presidency to a disgusting new low by using Hurricane Harvey a product placement ad for hats that he is selling on his website.



[/url][url=http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.politicususa.com%2F2017%2F08%2F27%2Ftrump-profit-hurricane-harvey-presidency-sell-hats.html&media=http://www.politicususa.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/trump-profit-off-hurricane.jpg&description=Trump%20Is%20Trying%20To%20Profit%20Off%20Of%20Hurricane%20Harvey%20By%20Using%20The%20Presidency%20To%20Sell%20Hats]

Trump is taking profiting off of the presidency to a disgusting new low by using Hurricane Harvey a product placement ad for hats that he is selling on his website.

The White House released photographs of Trump wearing baseball caps during Hurricane Harvey teleconferences that are for sale on his website for $40 each.

Gabriel Snyder caught what Trump was up to:

[/url]

Quote:

[url=https://twitter.com/gabrielsnyder] Follow
Gabriel Snyder 

@gabrielsnyder
Trump has used his Harvey meetings as product placement for hats he sells for $40 two days in a row now...
5:19 PM - Aug 27, 2017

Here is the link to the hat on Trump and Pence’s campaign website. The hats stuck out like a sore thumb. A president who was otherwise in a suit was wearing a baseball cap while he was supposed to be getting briefed on a natural disaster in one of America’s biggest cities. The whole thing was off, but it also revealed what Trump prioritizes most.

Since Trump uses campaign funds to line his own pockets, the red and white hats are more examples of Trump views the presidency as a QVC hour, and not the most important job in the world. People are losing their homes and in some cases their lives, but all Donald Trump is concerned with is how he can profit off of the platform presented by the hurricane.

The President should be worried about the people who are suffering in Texas. Instead, he’s just trying to sell baseball caps. The presidency has been replaced by an infomercial for Donald Trump and his crappy merchandise.

[*Nately120*]

In all fairness those hats say MADE IN THE USA, so unless that is one of Trump's one bazillion lies we honestly have to thank him for putting Americans back to work. It would have been a larf if he would have said during his campaign that he's going to bring manufacturing jobs back to America by putting Americans to work manufacturing overpriced, Mike Love-style rope hats.

Assuming the hats are made by a Trump-owned business and profits are going to Trump...is this the first time a US president used the direct fact that he is president to employ members of the populace to manufacture stuff for him? Is this as interesting as I'm making it out to be.

[GMDino]

http://nypost.com/2017/08/28/pastor-osteen-shuts-church-amid-flooding-crisis/

[/url]

Quote:Joel Osteen shuts megachurch amid flooding crisis

Televangelist Joel Osteen cancelled services at his Houston megachurch Sunday and has yet to reopen its doors — despite the fact that thousands of flooded-out residents are desperately seeking shelter.


The perpetually smiling pastor told followers on Twitter on Monday to lean on their faith.


“Jesus promises us peace that passes understanding,” he wrote. “That’s peace when it doesn’t make sense.”


But Osteen’s comforting words didn’t sit well with critics, who want to know why the doors to his 16,800-seat arena at his Lakewood Church near downtown Houston are closed.


“You have taken so much money away from your people to live like a king,” entertainment publicist Danny Deraney blasted. “It’s the least you could do.”

Quote:

 Follow
Charles Clymer 

@cmclymer
Houston's @indivisible_usa is acquainted with @JoelOsteen's Lakewood Church. They took these pics about an hour ago w/ commentary.
3:41 PM - Aug 28, 2017

Washington DC-based writer Charles Clymer tweeted pictures of Lakewood Church, which did not appear to be damaged by floods.

“It doesn’t make sense why you’re not opening up your mega church to house Houston citizens, help me understand that. Jesus,” according to Florida-based writer Emily Timbol.

While the church and its arena have not suffered any flood damage yet, ministry spokesman Donald Iloff said their property is inaccessible because of surrounding waters.


And it makes no sense to open church doors when the city and county are already treating thousands of flood victims at the nearby George R. Brown Convention Center, according to Iloff.


“It has everything inside there – medicine, doctors, places to sleep,” Iloff said of the convention center. “It’s amazing what they’re doing there the make people comfortable.”

Quote:15h
Joel Osteen 

 @JoelOsteen
Jesus promises us peace that passes understanding. That’s peace when it doesn’t make sense.

Quote:

[url=https://twitter.com/EmilyTimbol] Follow
Emily Timbol 

@EmilyTimbol
. It doesn't make sense why you're not opening up your mega church to house Houston citizens, help me understand that. Jesus. pic.twitter.com/CzCiEtbkgY
1:04 PM - Aug 28, 2017

He's also blocking people on twitter for asking....

[Vlad]

(08-28-2017, 05:04 PM)GMDino Wrote: Just for discussion....I certainly wouldn't put it past him.

http://www.politicususa.com/2017/08/27/trump-profit-hurricane-harvey-presidency-sell-hats.html

This "story" is so lame and such a reach even for CNN.

Any advertising of this hat will be done by overzealous anti Trumpers like you!
I think I'll buy one.

[Vlad]

(08-28-2017, 11:27 PM)GMDino Wrote: http://nypost.com/2017/08/28/pastor-osteen-shuts-church-amid-flooding-crisis/

[url=http://nypost.com/2017/08/28/pastor-osteen-shuts-church-amid-flooding-crisis/][/url]
He's also blocking people on twitter for asking....

Now this "man of God" is a fraud.

[GMDino]

(08-29-2017, 10:36 AM)Vlad Wrote:

This "story" is so lame and such a reach even for CNN.

Any advertising of this hat will be done by overzealous anti Trumpers like you!
I think I'll buy one.

Like that hasn't happened already....

[Vlad]

(08-29-2017, 10:39 AM)GMDino Wrote: Like that hasn't happened already....

Oh absolutely...thanks for helping promote Trumps campaign.

[*Nately120*]

(08-29-2017, 10:36 AM)Vlad Wrote: I think I'll buy one.

You're only buying one?  If you really loved America you'd buy more than one. 

[Arturo Bandini]

Good luck to the people of Texas.

[Vlad]

....because Texas voted for Trump, so says a college professor.

"I don't believe in instant Karma but this kind of feels like it for Texas. Hopefully this will help them realize GOP doesn't care about them," Professor Ken Storey tweeted and then deleted. "Those who voted for him [Trump] here deserve it as well." 

Those violent deranged leftists we've all come to know and democrats love are products of deranged academic leftists like this idiot.

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2017/08/28/classy-tampa-university-professor-says-texas-deserved-a-hurricane-because-the-state-voted-for-trump-n2374262

[StLucieBengal]

Unreal. Glad to see Tampa U has some decency.

[Millhouse]

Quote:For the record Houston, the city taking the brunt of the storm with catastrophic flooding, is overwhelmingly Democratic.

And this clown teaches sociology. Just more proof that not everyone with a degree is actually smart.

[Vlad]

(08-29-2017, 11:37 PM)Millhouse Wrote: And this clown teaches sociology. Just more proof that not everyone with a degree is actually smart.

Ah yes sociology. Required reading: Your Role As A Social Justice Warrior.