Is the Louisiana flooding Obama's Katrina?

[NoahFence]

What is it with this asinine obsession with POTUS golf?

 

[kookbreaker]

No, the comparison to Katrina is apt. Bush was excoriated for far more than the perceived incompetence of the federal government's response.

Historically he has mostly been trashed for his cronies' ineptitude while showing how clueless he was about their performance (heckuva job Brownie).

He was excoriated for his perceived indifference or nonchalance, especially because the majority of the victims we were seeing on our TV screens were poor black people, and Bush was a white Republican. Kanye West famously claimed on national TV that Bush didn't care about black people.

Sorry, but if the best you can come up with is Kanye West ranting (which he does at the drop of a hat) then you have not built your case very well.

Now we have a situation where the majority of the victims are poor white people - rednecks, if you will - and probably Trump supporters. Equivalent treatment would be if Ted Nugent went on national TV and said that Obama doesn't care about white people.

You may not realize this but Kanye's rant did not go over well with liberals. It was considered by most to be simplistic, embarassing, and unhelpful. One need only look at Michael Myers obvious discomfort during Kanye's rant and get the gist of the feelings most folks have about it. There was a kernel of truth in his rant, but not enough to justify it. Most of that anger was built on top of Bush's incompetent repsonse to Katrina.

So if Ted Nugent were to take time from becoming the legal guardian of minor children so he can f*** them* to cry about Obama hating white people then would you cheer his rant, or would you tell us that Mr. Poopants does not speak for you? Kanye West doesn't speak for the media or for most liberals.

It was that aspect of the Katrina mess that I was focused on.

The problem is neither aspect exists in a vaccuum. Bush was seen as indifferent because his sytem of cronies was failing badly all while he patted them on the back and said 'heckuva job' - that was an indicator that he was way out of touch.

Meanwhile, the response system under Obama (and to be fair from congressional response after Katrina) is much more effective and has been tested in the past. So any swipes at him not jumping into a plane and interfering with rescue efforts is just petty.** And given that over 100x people died in Katrina than this flooding and the rescue/relief efforts have not been utterly botched the comparison fails.

* Seriously? Couldn't you find a better example of a white working class celebrity?

**Bush's flyover caused all aircraft in the area to be grounded, keep in mind this was while the Coast Guard was still rescuing people on rooftops using helicopters.

 

[NoahFence]

Hey, whaddya know? Now the Governor of Louisiana is saying that Trump's visit was helpful:



I guess maybe the Governor, and perhaps the President, had something to learn from Trump after all.

The president is going.
Are you going to be OK with Trump playing golf during natural disasters, or is this just more of the same comical ODS?

 

[DavidJames]

Hey, whaddya know? Now the Governor of Louisiana is saying that Trump's visit was helpful:

Sorry, you can't dismiss the things he says as partisan that go against your bias and approve of them when he does. It makes you look like....

Wait, no need to repeat what's already been well established.

 

[DavidJames]

To conclude.

Obama and his administration have done exactly what they should have to help LA. as has been positively reported in a bi-partisan way.

Obama did not use the opportunity to show boat while the disaster was still in full flight. For that thin skinned right wingers have their panties in a bunch.

It's funny.

 

[Babbylonian]

Obama did not use the opportunity to show boat while the disaster was still in full flight. For that thin skinned right wingers have their panties in a bunch.

Nope. They're pretending to have their panties in a bunch. Again, the goal is to find a way to criticize President Obama. It doesn't matter a little bit what he actually does, it will be twisted beyond recognition into a way to criticize him. They're liars.

 

[sunmaster14]

What is it with this asinine obsession with POTUS golf?

I think the problem with golf is that it is an extremely resource intensive game and thus seems rather selfish and tone-deaf to play in times when people are suffering (which, admittedly, is always).

Not only does playing one round of golf require at least 4 hours of dedicated time, plus (usually) very expensive equipment, but the golf course itself represents an exorbitant investment in land and the painstaking maintenance of that land. I actually played a bit of golf about 15 years ago, but I quit because (a) it was too much of a time sink; and (b) it seemed way too indulgent. Frankly, I was embarrassed to be part of that whole wealthy, well-heeled scene. I probably would have felt the same way about playing polo.

So, although it is something of a tradition for US Presidents to play golf, I think there is a bit of a disconnect since it's not really the sport of the masses and is generally something non-wealthy people don't play. I would certainly advise the next President to tone it down a bit from Obama's torrid obsession.

 

[quixotecoyote]

"Torrid obsession"



One might think it's not the most moderate of temperaments that tries to pin such a label on Obama for playing golf when they've already noted that it's customary for presidents to play.

 

[Babbylonian]

"Torrid obsession"



One might think it's not the most moderate of temperaments that tries to pin such a label on Obama for playing golf when they've already noted that it's customary for presidents to play.

No, it's because he played too much on his vacation. He obviously should have been clearing brush on a ranch or hunting game fowl.

Again, the level of disapproval is entirely fake and based entirely on the fact that the member wants to find reasons to criticize President Obama. There is virtually nothing honest in anything he's posted in this thread.

 

[sunmaster14]

"Torrid obsession"



One might think it's not the most moderate of temperaments that tries to pin such a label on Obama for playing golf when they've already noted that it's customary for presidents to play.

This is not up-to-date, but it's otherwise comprehensive through 2015.

This indicates that his 1st round of golf during his current vacation was his 300th of his Presidency (he has since played at least 8 more):

Pres. Obama's summer vacation on Martha's Vineyard began in earnest Sunday as he hit the links for a round of golf - his 300th since taking office.

He has shown himself to be the most avid golfer of any president since Dwight Eisenhower, who is said to have played 800 rounds in office and installed a putting green on the South Lawn of the White House.

"He shoots in the mid-80s to low 90s," says an occasional golf partner of Mr. Obama's, speaking on condition of anonymity.

He further describes the president as a competitive player and a serious scorekeeper on the golf course.

I think that qualifies as a torrid obsession.

 

[quixotecoyote]

~308 games.

...

Nobody tell him about Eisenhower or Wilson.

 

[sunmaster14]

No, it's because he played too much on his vacation. He obviously should have been clearing brush on a ranch or hunting game fowl.

Again, the level of disapproval is entirely fake and based entirely on the fact that the member wants to find reasons to criticize President Obama. There is virtually nothing honest in anything he's posted in this thread.

You know what? I think I've made my point. There's no reason for me to rub it in anybody's face anymore. Literally everybody who has posted in this thread except me and applecorped is defensive beyond rationality. The honest thing would have been to say "Obama screwed up. It doesn't really affect anything, but it was bad politics and made him look like he cared more about his vacation than providing emotional comfort to suffering Americans." But nobody who posted here could even come close. Such is the level of ODS (and, yes, that word can be used both ways).

 

[NoahFence]

I think the problem with golf is that it is an extremely resource intensive game and thus seems rather selfish and tone-deaf to play in times when people are suffering (which, admittedly, is always).

Not only does playing one round of golf require at least 4 hours of dedicated time, plus (usually) very expensive equipment, but the golf course itself represents an exorbitant investment in land and the painstaking maintenance of that land. I actually played a bit of golf about 15 years ago, but I quit because (a) it was too much of a time sink; and (b) it seemed way too indulgent. Frankly, I was embarrassed to be part of that whole wealthy, well-heeled scene. I probably would have felt the same way about playing polo.

So, although it is something of a tradition for US Presidents to play golf, I think there is a bit of a disconnect since it's not really the sport of the masses and is generally something non-wealthy people don't play. I would certainly advise the next President to tone it down a bit from Obama's torrid obsession.

Torrid obsession?


Again, the next president - in your perfect world - OWNS golf courses. I'm real sure that he'll just give up the game, right?

 

[Tony Stark]

Torrid obsession?


Again, the next president - in your perfect world - OWNS golf courses. I'm real sure that he'll just give up the game, right?

Don't be silly. It is OK if you're a Republican.

 

[Mader Levap]

Let me see if I understand situation right and in simplest possible terms.

Katrina under Bush. Response failtastic. Circa 1500 dead. Bush raked over because of that.

Louisiana under Obama. Response significantly beter. Circa 13 dead. Obama didn't got raked much.

Sunmaster14 whines that Obama isn't raked over like Bush.

Obama Derangement Syndrome, indeed.

 

[Foolmewunz]

Let me see if I understand situation right and in simplest possible terms.

Katrina under Bush. Response failtastic. Circa 1500 dead. Bush raked over because of that.

Louisiana under Obama. Response significantly beter. Circa 13 dead. Obama didn't got raked much.

Sunmaster14 whines that Obama isn't raked over like Bush.

Obama Derangement Syndrome, indeed.

And what's going to really hurt is when Obama gets ten times the coverage for his trip than Agent Orange got. I mean,... normal people expect that; he's the POTUS, after all. But the "be kind to paleo-conservatives" crew think that the first semi-human thing that Trump's appeared to do in the past year should get more attention.

I'm still laying odds that Drudge and assorted Trump spokesliars will invent a budget figure of ELEVEN QUATRILLION DOLLARS that the Feds "wasted" on Obama's trip.

 

[thaiboxerken]

Torrid obsession?


Again, the next president - in your perfect world - OWNS golf courses. I'm real sure that he'll just give up the game, right?

And the game takes "dedicated" time, implying that no other business can be performed during golf games. I wonder if Sunmaster can inform all those who conduct sales and other business ventures during golf-games this.

 

[thaiboxerken]

If Obama went to Louisiana, the right wingers would be complaining that Obama is just going for a photo op.

 

[Foolmewunz]

If Obama went to Louisiana, the right wingers would be complaining that Obama is just going for a photo op.

They will, they will. (To paraphrase Oscar Wilde.)

 

[Jrrarglblarg]

I think the problem with golf is that it is an extremely resource intensive game and thus seems rather selfish and tone-deaf to play in times when people are suffering (which, admittedly, is always).

Not only does playing one round of golf require at least 4 hours of dedicated time, plus (usually) very expensive equipment, but the golf course itself represents an exorbitant investment in land and the painstaking maintenance of that land. I actually played a bit of golf about 15 years ago, but I quit because (a) it was too much of a time sink; and (b) it seemed way too indulgent. Frankly, I was embarrassed to be part of that whole wealthy, well-heeled scene. I probably would have felt the same way about playing polo.

So, although it is something of a tradition for US Presidents to play golf, I think there is a bit of a disconnect since it's not really the sport of the masses and is generally something non-wealthy people don't play. I would certainly advise the next President to tone it down a bit from Obama's torrid obsession.

I'm pretty sure they don't plant a brand new golf course every time the president wants to play so you amortize that upfront cost over the expected lifespan of the golf course. And the president probably has a set of clubs he likes rather than demanding new gold plated ones for every hole. And the entire time he's on the course he's arms reach away from whatever important crap comes up.

Everything else is your subjective opinion.