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It took a massive disaster to reveal it – but now it’s visible for the world to see – underneath the shiney surface of America is growing population of those in such poverty that they had little means to avoid the disaster coming their way and to react afterwards: The Times Online: From the murky water of doubt emerges an uncomfortable truth:

It isn’t the failure to act in New Orleans that is the story here, it’s the sheer, uninsured, uncared for, self-disenfranchised scale of the poverty that lies revealed. It looks like a scene from the Third World because that’s the truth.

After 9/11 we had hoped the reorganization of homeland security departments (FEMA, FBI, and others) would help the country be more secure. By far, it doesn’t look like the case. The response to Katrina was unacceptably slow. We maybe worst off for the reorganization that has took place. Did you know that “Last September, a Category 5 hurricane battered the small island of Cuba with 160-mile-per-hour winds. More than 1.5 million Cubans were evacuated to higher ground ahead of the storm. Although the hurricane destroyed 20,000 houses, no one died. (Metafilter). Me neither. But it goes to show you that planning can make a difference.

A roundup of writings that caught my eye yesterday:

Jeneane Sessum: “We didn’t understand the magnitude…. Help is on the way.” ON THE WAY? It’s Past too late.

From Suburban Guerrilla – a NYTimes editorial: “Life in the Bottom 80 Percent”: When President Bush talks about the economy, he invariably boasts about good economic growth. But he doesn’t acknowledge what is apparent from the census figures: as the very rich get even richer, their gains can mask the stagnation and deterioration at less lofty income levels….When Congress returns from its monthlong summer vacation next week, two of the leadership’s top priorities include renewing the push to repeal the estate tax, which affects only the wealthiest of families, and extending the tax cuts for investment income, which flow largely to the richest Americans. At the other end of the spectrum, lawmakers have stubbornly refused to raise the minimum wage: $5.15 an hour since 1997. They will also be taking up proposals for deep budget cuts in programs that ameliorate income inequality, like Medicaid, food stamps and federal student loans. They should be ashamed of themselves.

rc3.org: What this really illustrates is the cost of bad government. … Beyond mere partisanship, the most important thing is to elect responsible adults who can and will solve problems. That capability seems to be missing these days.

Anderson Cooper and Jack Cafferty show CNN still has some integrity left. Wow.

Jeff Jarvis: The convention center in New Orleans is a symbol of shame. How can we not figure out how to get water there? Babies are starving. People are dying. There is no authority; police have pulled back to defend their own stations or, according to CNN, deserted their posts. Authorities — from Bush down to cabinet officials down to legislators down to state officials down to the soon-to-be-former-mayor down to those police — have failed these people.

Sidney Blumenthal:In 2001, FEMA warned that a hurricane striking New Orleans was one of the three most likely disasters in the U.S. But the Bush administration cut New Orleans flood control funding by 44 percent to pay for the Iraq war.

Trapped in the Superdome:A 2-year-old girl slept in a pool of urine. Crack vials littered the restroom. Blood stains the walls next to vending machines smashed by teenagers. The Louisiana Superdome, once a mighty testament to architecture and ingenuity, became the biggest storm shelter in New Orleans the day before Katrina’s arrival Monday. About 16,000 people eventually settled in. Within two days, it had degenerated into unspeakable hole.

CNN’s Jim Spellman: The convention center is a place that people were told to go to because it would be safe. In fact, it is a scene of anarchy. There is absolutely nobody in control. There is no National Guard, no police, no information to be had. The convention center is next to the Mississippi River. Many people who are sleeping there feel that a boat is going to come and get them. Or they think a bus is going to come. But no buses have come. No boats have come. They think water is going come. No water has come. And they have no food. As we drove by, people screamed out to us — “Do you have water? Do you have food? Do you have any information for us?” We had none of those. Probably the most disturbing thing is that people at the convention center are starting to pass away and there is simply nothing to do with their bodies.

Boing Boing: Tech pros ask: how can we help with Katrina recovery?

Shelley Powers: The city is destroyed. Well, now, I take exception to that one. You can’t destroy a city unless you kill off every last one of the people who live in and love the city. You would also have to remove every reference to it in history, and all of its culture, and every last bit of influence it has ever had in the past, present, and we presume, future.

This post is inspired by one at Eschaton. What I’m about to share is both private and painful.

I don’t want to politicize Katrina – but there are too many Right wingers already doing that – so it’s time to speak up.

More than likely my family would not have survived, if we were in the same circumstances we were when I was a kid – and been in New Orleans the day Katrina hit.

I don’t talk much about growing up – my childhood – because many would not understand. Some would make incorrect judgments. Others would look down on me. Some would take pity. I’ve never wanted any of that. Never asked for any of that. And I am proud to have made it to where I am pulling up my own bootstraps.

But as a kid – me and my family lived Social Security check to Social Security check. It would get to us on the 1st of the month. Each month the 1st was a happy day. But as the month wore on – there would be less and less of everything – including food.

Katrina hit on the 29th. We would not have had cash to leave town. We would not have had cash for public transportation. We would not have had cash for food. We would not have had cash for water.

Since we moved so often, and knew no neighbors – our choice would be stark: to give up and die – or be among those foraging for food – “lootersâ€? to you hate mongers – and treking our way out of town. I think the later. Because we’re fighters.

My family survived the circumstances of our childhood poverty. But for those poor in Katrina’s wake – who the Right is vilifying with a broad brush – their nightmare goes on.

I hope no one in my family is upset I posted this. When I got reminded about the 29th of the month… I had to share. My heart is heavy for those who have been hit – and those who are fighting to survive.

Albert has a great set of charities for donations. Pick one and donate.

Oh, and as for the President, well I expect his approval ratings to jump back to normal when he lands in New Orleans. It won’t mean *anything* for those in the thick of it however. Won’t mean a damn thing.