Americans are helping- Administration Officials scrambling for a Plan

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Well, as I had hoped for, the American people are helping in so many ways. They aren't waiting for the government to do its part, because it has been tragically too slow in responding. Some Americans have even offered their homes to accept people from the devastated areas. People here in the San Francisco Bay area have been volunteering to go there and help. The Red Cross has provided for 2 days of training for these volunteers and the first 100 leave tomorrow for New Orleans. There are 400 more waiting for classes, which start tomorrow, to begin and plan to go there and help from anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months.

Not all Americans are on board yet and getting with the program of help, but in comparison to Federal assistance, we are showing what Americans do best: helping each other when we are let down by our elected officials. Many have said the President has not shown the leadership he did after 9/11. But this was when he had an agenda he wanted to fulfill, namely invading Iraq. He appeared troubled on TV today, standing next to Bill Clinton and the President's father, as he doesn't really know what to do, except delegate to Chertoff, Director of Homeland Security. The head of FEMA wants us to believe things aren't as bad as being reported by the media. The media is doing a much better job here than they have in the past on calling on this Administration to answer tough questions as to why they haven't responded faster given they knew a Category 5 Hurricane was to hit New Orleans that had levees built capable of only sustaining a Category 3 Hurricane. The media needs to keep up the pressure as it is the only resource to get Americans mobilized. This event will ultimately affect every man woman and child in this country. Banks that were waiting for mortgage payments will not be getting them anytime soon and therefore banks will take big losses. Insurance companies will take big losses. Small and large businesses in the area will suffer. And this area is the distribution center for almost 1/2 of the eastern seaboard.

So where's the Plan? Does this sound familiar from this Administration? It doesn't know how to plan! Senior military officials said on CNN today that they never imagined the worse case scenario would happen, so were unprepared (just like Iraq). Speaking of Iraq, think of all the soldiers that are serving there now from these 3 states and have no idea of their family situation back home. I'm sure many want to come home if they could and help.

We will remember this for many months and years ahead of us. We need to do a self examination to see if we can look ourselves in the mirror and ask ourselves the question, Did we do what we could do individually to help? I hope we all can say yes.

Update: Gov. Schwarzenegger has mobilized our National Guard to help in New Orleans and other devastated areas. Thanks Governor!

UPDATE FRIDAY 7:45am PST

Suggestions to the President- Send Federal Troops to shore up National Guard and help with relief efforts. Rumsfeld always spoke of being able to fight 2 wars at the same time. It's time to consider this the second war.