Today, more than one million Americans have been evacuated from their homes and more than 1,500 homes have already been destroyed by wildfires in California. According to Ron Lane, San Diego County emergency services director, initial damage estimates total more than $1 billion. The entire country is standing behind the citizens of California who have been affected by this tragedy and the firefighters who are rising to the challenge of helping to save lives and property during this historic natural disaster.
Unfortunately, there are those who choose to turn this into a partisan event, rather than a natural disaster, by politicizing the tragedy before it has even ended. Those people, among others, include senate majority leader Harry Reid, California’s very own representative Barbara Boxer, and California’s Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi.
(Dirty) Harry Reid was quoted earlier today during a press conference, in response to a question about an energy bill, “As you know, one reason that we have the fires burning in Southern California is global warming. One reason the Colorado Basin is going dry is because of global warming.” Amazingly (or not quite so), six questions later, Dirty Harry then denied saying the very thing he had just said. The question was, “Senator, on the California fires, you said that the reason the fires are burning in California is global warming?” Dirty Harry replied, “No. Here's what I - I didn't say the reason the fires were burning in Southern California was global warming...”
*News Flash* The Santa Ana winds are a natural phenomenon which happens every year. These particular fires are rumored to have originally been caused by an arsonist. It has nothing to do with global warming.
Then there’s Senator Barbara Boxer. She decided that “Right now we are down 50% in terms of our National Guard equipment... because... because they are all in Iraq.” Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi needed to put his two partisan cents in as well “I’ve got some doubts about President Bush coming down here.... We’ll be polite, but frankly, that’s not the solution. How about sending out National Guard back from Iraq?” These two should be focusing on helping the people in their state, instead of pointing fingers and blaming people for problems that don’t even exist. I don’t see any citizens of California complaining about the aid they have receiving. You can put as many bodies as you want in front of a fire, and it’s not going to stop it. How dare these elected officials demand we bring back supplies and armed forces from Iraq, when there is clearly no benefit from doing so? Two words: political agenda.
For those of you that are wondering why the Federal government isn’t contributing more help, there’s no reason to wonder. ”Anyone that is complaining about the planes just wants to complain because there’s a bunch of nonsense,” Governor Schwarzenegger said. “The fact is that we could have all the planes in the world here — we have 90 aircraft here and six that we got especially from the federal government — and they can’t fly because of the wind situation.” Schwarzenegger has been telling reporters how there is no bad news here, and to stop looking for negative press to report.
“Americans all across this land care deeply about them,” the president said after a Cabinet meeting convened to coordinate federal efforts. “We’re concerned about their safety. We’re concerned about their property.” President Bush has also signed a declaration that will provide financial aid for the uninsured that are affected by this disaster. It’s just ridiculous, and clearly a partisan agenda, to continue blaming the federal government and President Bush for problems that doesn’t actually exist.
I am completely ashamed of those trying to further their own political agendas during this time of need. Harry Reid, think before you speak on the floor!
Thank you to those in California who are helping each other and not complaining about how the “government isn’t doing enough”. We are hoping and praying for you, and will continue to offer any assistance you may need.
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Why is it every time that a Democrat says something, you feel the need to blog about it? Just forget about it. Both sides are equally hypocritical and use every little event to drive their own agendas.
If you don't want to politicize everything, don't.
I'm sorry... do you think it's appropriate for senators to criticize the federal government rather than support the citizens of their state (their job)? I find that pretty sad.
I don't see any Republicans or Independents using this to further THEIR political agendas or criticize any Democratic leaders.
When Clinton was in office, Republicans criticized every little move he made. Now Bush is in office, and Democrats are doing the exact same thing. Idiots, both sides. So, stop trying to politicize everything. Both sides are asses.
Clearly right now I am attacking the left wing because THEY are the ones politicizing.
I rarely see the Republicans/Independents blatantly politicizing to the same level as the Democrats. That's the truth. I'm drawing attention to this particular incident because it's a current event, and it quite frankly disgusts me.
their politicizing. Ironic isn't it? Don't you just hate it when people politicize things like yourself?
I'm actually an Independent.
Among other non-conservative views that I hold, I support homosexual rights (and marriage), and I'm an atheist. I also don't like George Bush.
Stop with your preconceived notions just because I disagree with liberal "values".
but I disagree with conservative "values."
Of course, I'm the only Republican in my family that also occasionally gets mailings from the Democratic party and PETA, but that's just fine by me.
I see no problem in your being able to see both viewpoints.
I'm not a fan of PETA myself (I'm sure you realized that from my meat postings), but I did like some of Clinton's economic policies.
but I did get on their mailing list because I agreed with one of their issues a while back. It's just funny how people consider you one of them simply because you choose to believe one or more of their viewpoints. I'm certainly guilty. Although I'm pretty certain my first impression of someone like lancekates is pretty accurate.
I agree with their stance on fur. Although I do not agree with them throwing paint on fur-wearers. I also think dog-parties are hilarious and more people should have fun with their pets.
What I don't like about PETA is when they go all Nazi on people and compare the slaughter of cattle to the Holocaust and things like that. It seems a little overboard, and I think they could do better than sensationalist statements, photos, and videos to make what could be good arguments for helping animals. The President of PETA has been quoted as saying no one should have pets and things like that... which is completely ridiculous and will never help them in their mission.
"I rarely see the Republicans/Independents blatantly politicizing to the same level as the Democrats."
Then what to you call "The War on Terror"??
Try watching a republican debate or Fox News some time......you'll see it.
The War on Terror shouldn't be a partisan issue... it's a problem that faces all Americans. Don't turn it into one by broad, pointless statements like the one you just made.
I simply have seen the republicans use it as a political tool/charade to fulfill their agenda.
you need to be less insulting to people and not jumpt o conclusions of what they mean or don't mean. You are not above anyone else and have probably been making just as many (in the opinions of others) broad r pointless statements. Insulting people doesn't make you look like any better of a source for correct information nor a worthy debate opponent.
You need to back your opinions up. Don't get angry because I shoot down broad generalizations that I rightly point out are incorrect and are not welcome in my blog.
I see you offering nothing to show that Republicans or Independents have contributed to partisanship during the current event that I am referring to.
Don't worry, i'm far from angry...i just simply said you shouldn't insult people so easily.
"I shoot down broad generalizations that I rightly point out are incorrect and are not welcome in my blog."
you were making a broad generalization when you said
"I never see republicans/independents...."
to use the words "always" or "never" automatically makes a broad or generalized....and often incorrect statement (only because something rarely can be defined as "always" or "never"....not because im trying to directly say that YOU are wrong).
There is no comment that can or cant be welcome in your blog.....this is a free space to say what you want, however it is also a free space for people to comment for or against you opinion....
you cannot simply shoot someone down for being "unwelcome" when unwelcome may only mean their opinion differs from yours or they are willing to point out holes in your arguments. If you're not prepared for situations like this without throwing insults, then maybe you should take a break from blogging or not make such comments that have the potential to put you in such a situation.
People who do not back their opinions up with facts and logic are unwelcome in my blogs... because hearsay is not fact here. True, I can't kick you out, but I can stop responding to comments by certain users, or point out that they are unfounded, like I did yours. You are lucky I pointed out why, and gave you an opportunity to redeem yourself.
I have pointed out an unfounded generalization you made. How you construed this as an insult, I do not know.
If you want to prove me wrong... then back it up. I am challenging you to use your mind and your talents to do so, and giving you an opportunity to prove your viewpoint. If you choose not to rise to that challenge because your opinions are formed due to mindless media bias that has been spoon-fed to you from birth, it's your problem and not mine.
First, i must assume you don't have a secret media source/network that you and only you get YOUR information from. So i'm not even going get into spoon fed media bias...because that's basically all we have available in the Great US of A.
Secondly, I don't really like the fact that you completely dodged the fact that I pointed out that YOU were making broad general statements as you penalized me for doing.
Thirdly,
Note: I understand that both sides have a tendency to politicize events for their own benefit, and my comment wasn't meant to mean otherwise. Instead, I wanted to broaden the limited perspective from which you view partisan politics, as made apparent by your own "broad generalization." It doesn't matter if the War on Terror and it's primary cause is everyone's problem: it was used as a tool, and none of the thousands who have died since deserve that kind of pandering. Don't make an already overly-partisan system worse by falling into the typical "one side does it while the other doesn't" trap.
Both sides make good use of political advantage, not because they are in a certain party, but because they are in opposing parties. I've seen Republicans waste time by having the House vote on denouncing that Petraeus Betray Us ad, and then during the SCHIP debates Senator Pete Stark (D) claimed Bush wants to see U.S. troops heads get blown off for his own amusement, which prompted Republicans to do nothing but assault him and try to get him to resign (as opposed to, um, doing something about SCHIP or possibly Iraq).
Of course, I agree with your blog that these Democrats are being completely irresponsible with what they say, but I'm saying all politicians do it as a way to have a political advantage over the other party.
That's exactly my point.
I'm actually a right-leaning Independent.
I was really appalled at how these politicians who were supposed to be representing their state and helping their constituents instead used it to further their political agenda.
it is sad but that is how the country works. Propoganda and fear.
Stuff like Dumbledore being gay could be used in political agendas or something as simple as a rise in stray cats. Whatever it is can be used.
Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth!~JFK
Amusing tidbit:
California isn't bitching as much as Louisana...and fire is more destructive than water. With water, there is typically something that can be salvaged. With these fires, nothing will be able to be salvaged. I'm just saying.
Nicholas Aden
Self-Promotion
Yeah, I see your point. You can wash the mold out, air out your mattresses and clothes, dry out the plasterboard in your home. Refresh the rotting wood with a blow dryer that hopefully still works. That's pretty easy.
But seriously, I agree with you that something with water can be salvageable.
It must be nice to go to Qualcomm Stadium and get a back massage and have clowns play with your kids while you drop off any pets or horses at special locations.
Seriously, I'm not being disrespectful to the fire victims, but I love how you make that comparison...when there really isn't any comparison.
Yes there is. You see, Katrina was something that could have been avoided had people left when they were told to.
We look at the community around these fire victims and see see that they couldn't be warned ahead of time, past "oh yeah, fires are possible..." Also, the community has pulled together! In New Orleans, the people resorted to riots, rape, murder, and various other criminal activity.
My family is currently in San Diego. They are completely surrounded by fires. The cannot leave, and couldn't leave before it was too late. They couldn't go east, couldn't go north, west is the ocean and south was Mexico. According to my aunt, who was watching "Fire News" while chatting with me, their normal crime is actually DOWN.
There is a comparison, you just refuse to see it because the folks in New Orleans are black and the folks in California are rich and probably white. When you decide not to see race, think about both events, think about how devastating it will be when all is tallied and told, and then tell me there was no comparison.
Nicholas Aden
Self-Promotion
It's a lot easier to flee a fire than it is to flee a flood. The Napa Valley had a flood in 2005 and four people died. That was a very tiny, small event affecting only a few hundred homes in comparison to this fire which affects thousands, and the fire only took two lives.
Also, take a look at the federal responses. Within one hour of Scwartzenegger declaring it a disaster, Bush was offering reassurances. For Katrina, five hours after it made landfall and devastated the city, orders were issued for Homeland Security to visit the site with TWO DAYS! Government agents took ONE WEEK to get to the Superdome!
So, I can't compare the events because it might be somewhat different? Wow..that's amazing logic. Also, with the current fire situation, it's not too easy to flee. They're surrounded on all fronts.
Nicholas Aden
Self-Promotion
Just look at the federal response for just one instance. One gets federal relief approved within hours, one takes a full day. One gets federal assistance assurance within a few hours and one city gets federal assistance assurance only after a Bush visit four days later.
Also, you can drive through most fires, whereas you cannot drive through a flood. I personally drove through a fire myself in California where I saw fire literally jump across the road and start burning on the other side.
Also, I was on a train going through to Merced and a small forest fire started. The train driver just drove straight through it. The smoke flooded the cabins and a lot of people got sick, but still, much easier to survive. The train however, will stop if there is a flood.
I think that it is ridiculous that people politicize this...along with hurricane Katrina,9/11, etc
just to push their views...
they need to take a philosophy LOGIC course........
"Insanity in individuals is something rare - but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule."
&
"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the
Only two of the more than a dozen wildfires in California last week were deemed arson. The Santa Anas, low humidity, and high temperatures were contributing factors, but the intense droughts the last 2 years in California were what made the fires so bad. I think a good case can be made for a connection between those droughts and global warming. In the same way, I think a good case can be made for a connection between the heavy flooding in New England and global warming.
Its true that California did a fantastic job dealing with the devastation and fighting the fires. I do think the comments made about the national guard and Iraq were inappropriate, in the sense that California didn't require that degree of additional assistance. But, I do think President Bush is using the fires as a way to redeem himself for Katrina. I would call that politicizing, or at the very least exploiting an event for his own purposes. Not that its a bad thing. He should be showing the country that he can learn from his mistakes. I do think, like Barbara Boxer, you're blowing this a little out of proportion.
Common sense is as rare as genius. ~Emerson
No one has yet proved anthropogenic global warming. Don't even get me started.
I see nothing wrong with our federal government improving their disaster management and learning from Katrina. There are many reasons why I do not support President Bush, but this is not one of them.
Barbara Boxer is an idiot for not supporting her constituents and instead criticizing others. That is not what this nation is about; there is little chance she will be returning to her position when her term is up.
I didn't say anthropogenic global warming, I just said global warming. It doesn't have to be caused by people (I suppose) to be causing droughts and flooding.
Making an inappropriate comment, doesn't mean Barbara Boxer wasn't supporting Californians. I'd say that there's a pretty good chance that she would be reelected. I could probably make a better judgment about that than you since I live in California and you live in New York.
Common sense is as rare as genius. ~Emerson
Perhaps that's true.
However, I was listening to the radio where a few Californians were calling in. They were not happy about Ms. Boxer and her Lt. Governer friend. Mostly because instead of doing their jobs, they were holding press conferences bashing other people for not doing their jobs. Are you seeing where I am going? That is really my biggest point here.
The Democratic party has fallen apart since Nancy Pelosi, but neither party is really getting approval from their constituents at this point.