Are we in an era where "optics" matter? Half of our electorate is willing to tolerate literal crimes. The other half is supposed to care about "optics" ?
"...because developed nations are more interested in resource extraction than fair trade.. ". What are you saying here? Are there counties who are interested less in resource extraction than 'fair trade'? What makes trade 'fair' according to your mythical communist la la fairy land?
Asheville was not "destroyed" but suffered substantial flooding and extended water interruption, I was there 7 days after the storm, and I was in Chimney Rock 2 days after the storm - the lake drive retail was washed away, not the whole town. My brother and son live out there. There was TONS of help out in Western NC. TONS. Anyone saying otherwise is a liar. Nothing can undue a destroyed house or ruined property or 200 lost lives but there was so much water and food that they had to ship it back out of western NC because there was no more storage. For 2 or 3 days after there was trouble getting to remote areas from washed out roads but no one died from lack of help - they died from flash flooding. My son's neighbor's wife went into labor the day after and has a harrowing story of trekking through back roads to get to the hospital. Asheville, Buncombe County not able to store more donations after Helene
Come on. You’re really trying to claim that Asheville was destroyed and that fema didn’t do anything to help? What’s the point of posting stuff that’s so obviously false? I don’t get it.
What about the optics of all the money the Trump admin gave to Africa even though Puerto Rico was devastated by a hurricane? Why weren't you guys talking about the optics of that? We've always given foreign aid and natural disasters have always occurred. We give aid for both things. It's not a zero sum game.
They postponed doing that until after the election. Complaint should be with the republicans in congress instead of the president who begged them to come back and vote for more funds.
So if you simply copy or rephrase the thread title, then all’s good? Noted. So if i say “This!” is that good enough?
Rule: Q. Initial posts must contain original comment from the person starting a thread. An initial post containing only a linked headline, meme, or quote may be deleted if it does not also include an original comment from the person starting the thread on why the OPster thinks the posted topic worthy of discussion or debate. Comments must be more substantial than an inane, "This is interesting." Poster is required to expand on what's interesting about the topic being posted
This may be part of the problem and if Trump and the Republican majority congress follow the anticipated recommendations of the Musk/Ramaswamy DOGE expect further cuts in FEMA staffing keeping in mind that the FEMA budget is considered discretionary spending. GAO Report Outlines Chronic Staff Shortages at FEMA Also maybe "NC Joe" realizes that it may be in the US interest to counter the Chinese and Russian influence in Africa. China Regional Snapshot: Sub-Saharan Africa - Committee on Foreign Affairs At a Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2000, the Chinese inaugurated a “strategic partnership” with 44 African governments. Forums have been held every three years since; in the most recent meeting in 2018, Beijing pledged $60 billion in economic assistance, matching the previous pledge in 2015. China pledged $40 billion during the 2021 FOCAC. While some commitments scaled back from previous years, China promised additional support to combat COVID-19 and announced a goal to increase its imports from Africa to a total of $300 billion in the next three years. China is now Africa’s biggest trading partner, with Sino-African trade topping $200 billion per year. Russia’s Growing Footprint in Africa
Ok, technically not All of Asheville, Swannanoa, and Chimney Rock we’re destroyed. Watched national guard helicopters bring survivors to
Hendsonville. After that FEMA was nowhere to be found. It took weeks for them to show up. Everyone we talked with about this said the same thing. So, obviously not true, is BS. we were there and lived through that, they eventually arrived. We all needed the basics, water, food, and gas for generators. The Harris Teeter was flooded out, the Ingles shut down because they could not get stock.Fortunately the one Publix got food from Florida but we had to wait for 10 to leave so 10 of us could enter. Had to drive around looking for gas. Could have used help from the government but it was not there. That’s my point. Obviously true.
Operation Helo delivering 160 trailers to victims in western NC and almost a 100 FEMA trailers still sitting near the airport in Hickory. The media vilified Bush with his response to Katrina and Biden has done much worse - where is the outrage, of even coverage?
Curious. What were you expecting FEMA to do that didnt get done by them? What was the role of the National Guard and what did you expect them to do? Life saving measures were mobilized quickly and resources like food and water poured into the area. Convenience issues still exist today - My brothers house was 2:45 minutes from mine. Now it is 3:45 due to I40 collapse.
Food and water poured into the area? Fuel for generators? Not in Henderson country. You can sing their praises but we, who were there did not.
Umm, deliver the trailers that are sitting in hickory to people who are living in tents for starters.
