Texans Get It Right

Again

Watching the NBC Nightly news this evening, it seems that Texas has got their act together.

For those people that are living under rocks (or are from New England), there's another storm tearing across the Gulf of Mexico as I speak^H^H^H^H^Htype. Name of Rita. Currently, Rita is a Category 5 hurricane and is bearing down on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Expected landfall is right across Galvaston. They're expecting it to still be a Category 4 when it makes landfall. Big, tough, and nasty.

Now, there's a difference between the responses in Texas and the responses in Louisiana (including Texas picking up a few "Lessons Learned" from NO).

First, the evacuation order for Texas has gone out. Again, like in New Orleans, it is a mandatory evacuation. However, unlike New Orleans, it is not a voluntary mandatory evacuation. They've even got the city transit buses picking people up and hauling them out of town. They've organized groups to go door-to-door and assist people (who would not otherwise be able to get to the buses) to pack and get on the bus labeld "Evacuation". They're even making sure that people really are leaving and not just saying "Oh, I don't feel like leaving. I think I'll stay right here." Seems that Texas know the meaning of Mandatory.

One interesting thing to know (and the mayor Galveston chalked this up as a Lesson Learned from Katrina), they're evacuating the animals, too. Seems that they're not being too picky about what gets on the city buses when a big ol' Cat 5 storm is on the way.

*pulls out crystal ball*

*peers intently into crystal ball*

*wipes children's fingerprints off of the crystal ball*

Ah, there we go. Now, I can see that the response from Texas to Hurricane Rita will be compared to the responses to Hurricane Katrina.

What I would like to see in this comparison is not a partisan bickering of who messed up, who didn't, and how much Bush is to blame for the massive number of hurricanes that are bound to hit us over the next 20 years (as the NOAA told Congress). I'd like to see a constructive after action, that shows:

1. What went right in both places.
2. What went wrong in both places.
3. What can we do to make sure that #2 doesn't happen again.

Sadly, I don't see that happening. I see a lot of petty bickering (from all corners) that does nothing to improve what failed or praise what was done correctly. I see a lot of people throwing charges that the Federal Government has messed everything up. All of this saddens me.

Get over it. We, as an American people, need to get over the petty, childish bickering. The Democrats and the Republicans are both like two children. "If you don't want to play the way *I* want to play, I'm just gonna yell and scream and call you names like 'stupid poo-poo head'." Puhleeze. If I wanted to hear that, I'd go listen to my kids play.

As Earl Pitts says when he signs off everytime, "Wake up, America!"

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In reply to your title: Are you surprised?

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let's see. Missisippi, Alabama, Florida and now Texas are doing everything right when faced with a massive category 4/5 hurricane. Louisiana did almost every thing wrong. The governors of the previous states are all republicans. The governor (and mayor of NO Orleans) are Democrat.

This is your brain (Texas, Fla, Miss, Ala), this is your brain on drugs (La). Any questions?

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Reply By: Texas Wahine
In reply to your title: Are you surprised?

Not really.

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