Based on 9/11 and Katrina wouldn't you say the US is woefully unprepared for major disasters?

Question

And I don't see any real attempt to improve things, some fluff, but nothing real, and meanwhile we spend billions a day on a war that no one is quite sure why we are fighting? WTF?

Answer 1

Well said. What are we fighting for? We are fighting a war that will never end. There will always be terrorists. Second its a shame that we spend all of this money helping to rebuild a country that we shouldnt of destroyed anyways. Meanwhile we have hurricane victims that still do not have houses. Children left hungry everynight. Plain and simple his father could of killed sadam and didnt he has now taken his revenge. And he wasn't the one who stole our planes and invaded our land.

Answer 2

One world trade was the emergency response center for NYC so that kinda isn't fair, and the White House kept asking New Orleans Mayor, and LA. Governor "What do you need" ? When they finally got a hold of them (Remember the mayor was out of town closing on a house he just bought, and the Governor was hiding and crying) with no response, the city was built under "Sea Level", it was only a matter of time, the Miss. river runs past there, The entire Continent drains off into that area, why didn't the city/state ask for federal help to protect it's citizens BEFORE the disaster ? Because it is the most corrupt state in the country, THAT'S WHY !
Emergency action by the federal Govt MUST BE ASKED FOR BY THE STATE, and the state is supposed to enact emergency management, and then direct federal response to the area that it is needed, THE US Federal GOVT CANNOT BY LAW, step in and take over an emergency act, this is the states responsibility (Remember NY Governor contacted the President immediately, as LA DID NOT ! when disasters happen, it is important that we all pull together, I live in NY, and we are so grateful that the rest of the US from the tiny towns to the big city's stood by us. We in return poured a lot of NYPD and FDNY, and other small towns across NY state, into LA, "UNITED WE STAND" !

Answer 3

I agree that a major disaster is difficult, if not impossible to truly be fully prepared for. We can and should take a more proactive stance on disaster preparedness but does this extend to foreign policy issues such as terrorism? Is the doctrine of pre-emptive strike a correct or valid response to possibilities versus facts? I don't believe so on the latter but that is another question and forum...

As for those bashing the President and thus the Executive Branch, do you not understand how our representative democracy, more specifically a republic, works? Maybe we should have a lesson on checks and balances, enumerated powers, the War Powers Resolution, Goldwater-Nichols Act, and the Constitution prior to making ignorant statements.

With that said, I am not a fan of the current administration nor do I agree with their policies, in general, especially foreign policy.

Answer 4

America wasn't prepared because we are so wrapped up in our own problems. Our little issues act as a safety blanket so we don't have to deal with the bigger ones. And when we get hit with the bigger ones, we don't know what to do about it!
We just believe America is invincible. We're in the mindset that this can't happen to us because we're the second richest country in the world. Considering our influence all over the world, the President has the most important job on the planet. And what kind of president do we have in office? A fathead. A moron. A stupid Republican frat boy. That WE PUT into office. We gave him the power to make this happen.So we can't blame him. We have no one to blame but ourselves. Don't blame the jackass. Blame the people that put the jackass into office.
Besides, to quote my dad, the reason they're disasters is because people were in the way. If this happened somewhere deserted, scientists would be traveling to that place to observe the "anomaly".

Answer 5

There is no way for government to mitigate the effects of whatever disaster may strike.

It is up to individuals to prepare. Stockpile food, water and ammunition and have an escape plan for disasters that require one. Be self-sufficient.

It would be safe to say that many individuals, dependent upon technology and supply chains to provide what they need on a daily basis, do not have the mindset to survive a disaster. They won't even leave when told to, as was the case in New Orleans.

Answer 6

Wasn't operating even as 9/11 befell, and couldn't have sufficient money a lot. :-( I donated what i might want to to the tsunami alleviation (want no longer to assert the quantity). i did not donate money, yet time and artwork to the Katrina attempt; i replaced into operating for a huge software/internet-appropriate agency and helped set up communications presently after the typhoon; i assume I worked about 80 or ninety more desirable hours hours at that the first 3 weeks later on - i did not truly shop song. also helped serve in novice radio efforts throughout the time of that aspect (did not get a hell of various sleep...); that lasted numerous weeks, i wager - back, we basically did what we mandatory to do till it replaced into executed.

Answer 7

There are basically two methods to approach a concern or problem: You can be proactive or reactive. The United States, in both instances you refer to, was reactive.

It is a much better policy to be proactive - prepared for the emergency rather than react to it after the fact.

I think the United States has learned a great deal after these tragedies and has made good progress to see that any future problems are handled in a much more expedite way.

Note: The war on terror is an excellent example of trying to be proactive.

Answer 8

as a victim of Hurricane Katrina from New Orleans that lost everything, I'd say yes. I agree with you. My family has moved to Nashville and are back on our feet thankfully. We lived in a FEMA trailer for 5 1/2 months and enough was enough...we got out!

Answer 9

Is any one ready for disaster? every time something happens its a disaster because no one is ever fully prepared.
If you were ready we would all be living in bunkers in Nebraska.
To prepare New Orleans is simple. Level the stupid place,
6 to 10 feet below water line? how stupid is that. a storm is coming I think I will sit in a hole.

Answer 10

That's why they're disasters. If we were prepared, they would only be disturbances.

But what to do?

As to the war, I can only say this:
I'd much rather have the little sheet (not towel) heads trying to kill Americans who are allowed to kill back. It's called being proactive. Our soldiers are like the vaccination which keeps the sickness at bay.