NationStates Jolt Archive

Ok, I read a news article here (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20041230/ap_on_go_pr_wh/quake_us), and now I will show the pluses and minuses of our response. Please read the article first.

President Bush assembled a four-nation coalition to organize humanitarian relief for Asia and made clear Wednesday the United States will help bankroll long-term rebuilding in the region leveled by a massive earthquake and tsunamis.
Good, he knows how to unite at least part of the world.

"It's just beyond our comprehension to think about how many lives have been lost," Bush said...
He did show a little feeling about it.

...deployment of an entire Marine expeditionary force, the United States marshaled resources across the globe to augment its initial $35 million aid package...
Three military scouting teams began arriving Wednesday in Thailand, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, Conway said.
The Pentagon has committed six C-130 cargo planes and nine P-3 reconnaissance planes, and diverted warships from Hong Kong and Guam.
We are committing troops where they are actually useful.

Bush said he phoned the leaders of stricken countries to solicit specific needs and assure them the initial aid package "is only the beginning of our help."
Ah, he cares once again.

Bush said he was open to other ideas, including a suggestion from German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder for a moratorium on the debt of hard-hit Somalia and Indonesia.
Apparently, he can work with Europe.

"I would recommend rescinding some of the many billions of dollars for Iraq, which remain unspent, in order to help finance the relief operations in South Asia," offered Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.
Good idea, let's see it happen.

Bush urged Americans to send cash, not blankets, food or used clothing.
A very intelligent thing to say.

Closer to home, he asked Commerce Secretary Don Evans and Interior Secretary Gale Norton to investigate whether the United States is adequately prepared for tsunamis that might strike U.S. coasts.
Preparing for what could happen, however unlikely.

During his holiday vacation at his ranch where he was riding his bike and clearing brush...
I wonder how many wheels the bike has... ;)

...ticking off figures they hoped would rebut comments by a U.N. official and others suggesting that the United States had been stingy or slow to react...
What the BA(Bush Admin.) usually does.

I sense a teeny bit of bias, but not bad.

Which way? Because I hate Bush...

What I want to know is this....granted its horrible that tons of people died.....but here in the US we had hurricanes that practically wiped out the state of Florida this fall....whatever happened to that? I have seen so much more publicity about "helping out in Asia" than I EVER saw to help hurricane victims here in our own country.

It just kinda always seems like thats how it is...if we have a natural disaster in our own country it seems to be always overlooked in comparison to the disasters in other places. I just don't get why we can't help out the citizens of our own country before we start shipping out the cash overseas.

(Please don't take me to be some psycho-b!tch...I really do feel bad about what happened, this is just my recurring observation).

i'm not worried about the US's slow response. it seems that many areas are getting supplies in much faster than they can distribute them. i'm more worried about american's and all the rich nation's staying power. there are years of rebuilding ahead and if indonesia or sri lanka have to do it on their own it will adversely effect their entire economic development(india and thailand are probably okay in the department, definitely india)

What I want to know is this....granted its horrible that tons of people died.....but here in the US we had hurricanes that practically wiped out the state of Florida this fall....whatever happened to that? I have seen so much more publicity about "helping out in Asia" than I EVER saw to help hurricane victims here in our own country.

It just kinda always seems like thats how it is...if we have a natural disaster in our own country it seems to be always overlooked in comparison to the disasters in other places. I just don't get why we can't help out the citizens of our own country before we start shipping out the cash overseas.

(Please don't take me to be some psycho-b!tch...I really do feel bad about what happened, this is just my recurring observation).
we gave florida 13 billion dollars in federal money plus who knows how much in private donations and insurance payouts, i just heard today a congressman wants to investigate possible fraud from it in miami dade.

What I want to know is this....granted its horrible that tons of people died.....but here in the US we had hurricanes that practically wiped out the state of Florida this fall....whatever happened to that? I have seen so much more publicity about "helping out in Asia" than I EVER saw to help hurricane victims here in our own country.

It just kinda always seems like thats how it is...if we have a natural disaster in our own country it seems to be always overlooked in comparison to the disasters in other places. I just don't get why we can't help out the citizens of our own country before we start shipping out the cash overseas.

(Please don't take me to be some psycho-b!tch...I really do feel bad about what happened, this is just my recurring observation).
We had warning of the hurricanes so most of the people who wanted to could evacuate.

I believe we gave about $7 billion to the southern states and islands to rebuild.

100,000 people did not die in Florica.

Also, there was alot more going on in the news (like the election) when the hurricanes hit the Florida.

Oh, man, this is totaly biased. Just don't ask me how.

At a time when the US needs good publicity the world should expect a lot of help from the US. As long as the rest of the world helps out, I think this is a positive and cooperative effort by the world community. The relief effort should be encouraged - this is what we want our governments to do. Much better than blowing each other up.

Nothing I can say would express the grief I feel for the victims of the tsunami.
As a US citizen, I am proud my tax dollars are being spent and my military is being used to help the survivors.

Which way? Because I hate Bush...

In that case, I'm very impressed by the way you managed to set your opinions of the president aside here.

No sarcasm here. I sincerely mean that.

Ok, I read a news article here (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20041230/ap_on_go_pr_wh/quake_us), and now I will show the pluses and minuses of our response. Please read the article first.

I applaude your efforts to give the man a break.

Florida's hurricane situation is nothing compared to the tsunamis.

Florida recieved the money needed to repair the damage, and then some. Living in Florida, I can say there was a lot of donations and volunteers to help the victims.

Bush was a bit slow, but did do a few good things and increasing aid ten times in a day is good too.

bush is doing the right thing as far as I am concerned, just throwing money out is not going to fix anything, you have to assess the situation and then you start to make long term plans and financial commitments

What happened to Florida was nothing compared to what happened to Indonesia and Sri Lanki. I don't think losses in Florida exceeded double digits.(Not that Im heartless as one casualty is to much but put up against the number in Asia..) and its not like the world never helps America when we have a disaster, we've just never had a disaster of that size for a long long long time.(I.E. never)Look at 9/11, dozens of countries rushed to help us. So its not fair to say when a disaster hapens here they don't help cause they have and if those tsunamis had hit America I bet you they'd be sending the help here.