Ben Stein is not all that intelligent

Ben Stein is not very intelligent. That may come as a surprise considering he is celebrated as a genius in some circles. Stein is, however, a very smug and arrogant master of distorting what the opposition are saying about the events surrounding the Hurricane Katrina devestation and its aftermath.

In Ben Stein's ridiculous polemic defending President Bush Get Off His Back featured in American Spectator 9/2/2005 we couldn't help but laugh at how outrageous his perception of OUR perceptions is on these events. He obviously isn't paying attention, which can be a problem. Before all the facts have been revealed he is telling us all to go to hell. Not very curious is he?

Ben Stein is a sycophant, not seriously reviewing the facts and history leading to the break of the levee. What we need is a serious examination of the facts, not a coverup by Bush's self-appointed handlers in the media.
Ben Stein's objective is to:

A) Protect Bush under any conditions

B) Smear critics, even if they are right and before examining the facts.

C) Refuse to address the chain of events that contributed to the levee breaking.

The real story here, which Stein does not mention, is that the levee broke. He spends the great majority of his time telling the readers the left are crazy because they are saying George Bush caused the hurricane. An outrageous lie which belies Stein's vindictive nature and avoidance to confront where he knows he has a weak position.

What Stein is covering for is that Conservative philosophy does not call for intervention in such matter. The Bush administration knew what was happening, they were philosophically conflicted: Do we remain seated as a beacon of light to look to for advise? that's why they didn't do anything at first- it's not in their nature.

As Grover Norquist famously said ""My goal is to cut government in half in twenty-five years," he added, "to get it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub."

Some facts to consider:

An estimated 112,000 household in New Orleans were without a car. Even 50 or 1000 school buses would not have solved the problem of transporting them out. This would require an emergency evacuation effort. This is where the government can come in a do an amazing job. We have an amazing Corp of Engineers and the capability to coordinate emergency services better than any other entity. . Both Amtrak and Greyhound had shut down 24 hours or more BEFORE Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. Those people were trapped.


Times-Picayune



The Chinese government recently evacuated hundreds of thousands of people prior to a typhoon. It can be done.
But it will never be done with a government that has a "every man for himself" attitude. In China the government would verify local authorities had what they needed for an emergency and would simply take over, at their discretion, on a large project such as a mass evacuation of the city.


Times of India, 05


Aug. 28, Gov. Blanco asked Bush for federal assistance to pay for evacuation of those who couldn't evacuate themselves. The money was not provided.

Governor Blanco Letter to Bush, 8/28/2005




George Bush cut crucial funding requested for the levee. He decided to give them the finger instead.

Boston Globe, 9/1/2005

On August 29th
"We are facing a storm that most of us have long feared," Mayor Ray Nagin said in ordering the mandatory evacuation for his city of 485,000 people, surrounded by suburbs of a million more. "The storm surge will most likely topple our levee system."

"This is very serious, of the highest nature," said Nagin. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime event."
CBS News, 8/29/2005