FEMA suppressed health warnings after Katrina.
By on Jul 19th, 2007 at 10:06 pm
FEMA suppressed health warnings after Katrina.
A House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing revealed that FEMA “has suppressed warnings from its own Gulf coast field workers since the middle of 2006 about suspected health problems that may be linked to elevated levels of formaldehyde gas released in FEMA-provided trailers.” The Gavel has more from the hearing HERE.
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I would say I’m shocked, but I’d probably keel over dead from telling too big a lie.
Yeah, what a surprise that Bush’s FEMA suppressed information that has since led to the deterioration of the health of the survivors of New Orleans. He just does not care about poor people. I doubt he even considers them human, or really, bothers to think about it in such terms at all.
Sociopathic psychopaths.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:12 pmEXCERPTED FROM “FEMA: Florida Election Management Agency.”
Mel Brooks once said, “it’s good to be king.” Well when it comes to hurricanes, it’s even better being the President’s brother. Especially in a vital swing state. In an election year.
Louisiana’s Democratic Governor Kathleen Blanco is learning that the hard way. While her state suffered through a disastrous, disorganized and delayed response to Katrina from FEMA and the Bush administration, Florida governor Jeb Bush had no such problems as his state weathered four hurricanes in 2004.
There is no mystery to this discrepancy, as GovExec.com wrote in “How FEMA Delivered Florida for Bush” on November 3rd, 2004, literally the day after the President won reelection:
July 19th, 2007 at 10:15 pm
THIS is despicable. I know that when my husband came back from volunteering in NOLA in March, he was sick and coughed for over a month.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:15 pmMayor Nagin, Gov. Blanco are to blame for Katrina.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:17 pmIt the storm didn’t kill you FEMA will try try again. Look Americans have to realize the GOP/White House could care less. Children get no health care which means they will die. Now the few people that got help are now left to die. All this as the GOP is set to give more money to Iraq. The Dow Jones is over 1400 yet Americans don’t realize it’s part of an international investment and sorry only the rich benefit. So if anyone is wondering why they don’t see the profit of the Dow Jones it’s because your money is being wasted, stolen and given away. Look for Bush to say it wasn’t his fault, but to bad the US taxpayer has to have higher taxes.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:17 pmSen. Mary Landrieu did nothing to help during Katrina. She sat on her fat ass while people died.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:20 pmSheesh you libruls – FORMALDEHYDE is GOOD FOR YOU!
July 19th, 2007 at 10:20 pmSorry, I don’t mean to distract from this important thread – but I just want to interject that if you haven’t seen Olbermann tonight, check out the rerun later. The first ten minutes are kick ass!
July 19th, 2007 at 10:21 pmwas covered up so FEMA would not face embarrassment. Doesn’t this once again prove who rules… certainly not WE THE PEOPLE
I make my statement: I pledge, I will fight and die for the constitution.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:22 pmArch Angel, you aren’t a moronic tool, are you?
July 19th, 2007 at 10:22 pmAA, you need to get to a meeting, you are having delusions, again.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:23 pmActually JPark, I think Arch Angel is a moronic tool. :)
July 19th, 2007 at 10:24 pmZooey’s home!
July 19th, 2007 at 10:25 pmThe story of Katrina and New Orleans will remain a blot on the history of this country as an example of our government’s total collapse of leadership and the abandonment of its people.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:26 pmNearly two years after the disaster, the area remains a disaster.
You can blame local government and to an extent they are to blame, but a whole city was destroyed! That calls for the federal government to intervene take over the management of the humanitarian crisis as well as the infrastructure.
This is a shame of huge proportions that would be an embarrassment to anyone who had any sense of duty to his position, but we are talking about Bush and therefore all assumptions of compassion and humanitarian actions are moot.
Zooey’s home!
Comment by Egreggious
Hi Egg, I’ve been home for about an hour. LONG drive.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:30 pmComment by Marie — July 19, 2007 @ 10:21 pm
Wayne told me that Keith was going to do another “Special Comment” tonight, but I had figured it would be at the end of the show, as usual. I barely got home in time!
I’m really glad that these hearings are being held and this maladministration is finally getting the oversight it so desparately needs, but jeebus, this is scary shite coming out. Formaldehyde! What, were the trailers really supposed to be coffins?
July 19th, 2007 at 10:32 pm“Actually JPark, I think Arch Angel is a moronic tool. :)”
Sometimes the best comedy is the obvious comedy!! :)
July 19th, 2007 at 10:34 pmDoes anyone know whatever became of the alleged Grand Jury investigation into why armed Gretna, La., police officers away Katrina evacuees?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/04/AR2006080401348.html
The article says that the investigation would not start the following week (from the announcement) but it “would start soon”. Did it ever start? If it did, were there ever any charges brought? Maybe all of this did happen and I missed it. If anyone has any facts about this, I’d appreciate learning. [Note the emphasis on the word "facts".]
July 19th, 2007 at 10:34 pmWayne, I am guessing the investigation has a white sheet over it, right now.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:35 pmMarie
I do believe there are going to be many blots when all is said and done and what a coincidence, the wealthy seem to be the ones benefiting. With Katrina, we will see corporate land grabs and developments.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:36 pmComment by Zooey — July 19, 2007 @ 10:30 pm
Glad you’re home safely, but I hear you’re in for some bad weather soon. (I was checking the Weather Channel earlier and happened to notice.)
July 19th, 2007 at 10:36 pmjpark,
It’s best to guess if you don’t want to know.
good one.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:36 pmWhat, were the trailers really supposed to be coffins?
Comment by Jane E. Schneider
Sounds good to me.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:38 pm“elevated levels of formaldehyde gas released in FEMA-provided trailers.â€
“Nothin’ but the best Clark”
July 19th, 2007 at 10:38 pmhad enough, Chocolate City is going to be very Vanilla and awfully full of predatory free-marketers. Though I wish it could be different I will be laughing when trickle-down New Orleans fails and dies. Righties never quit with their failed ideas.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:38 pmI left out a verb, so please don’t substitute your own. The sentence should have read:
“into why armed Gretna, La., police officers turned away Katrina evacuees?”
July 19th, 2007 at 10:39 pmMayor Nagin, Gov. Blanco are to blame for Katrina.
Comment by Arch Angel
Really? For the weather? WOW!!!
(Is this Mr P in yet another dress?)
July 19th, 2007 at 10:39 pmHey! I have an idea! Instead of spending all that money to build GeeDubya a presidential li-berry, let’s just give him a used FEMA trailer! He won’t need much room anyway . . . and as we’ve just learned, the indoor atmosphere is highly toxic. When someone comes along and burns it down (as they surely will) . . . hey! No big loss, right?
July 19th, 2007 at 10:41 pmGlad you’re home safely, but I hear you’re in for some bad weather soon. (I was checking the Weather Channel earlier and happened to notice.)
Comment by Jane E. Schneider
Thanks, Jane. I’m glad I traveled today! I can’t stand traveling in crappy weather.
My damn email won’t download…..I hope that’s not a bad sign.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:43 pmHi Zooey, glad you made it back safe!
July 19th, 2007 at 10:46 pmDrive thru any smoke?
Hi Zooey, glad you made it back safe!
Drive thru any smoke?
Comment by Raven — July 19, 2007 @ 10:46 pm
Always on the lookout for a fire to extinguish!
We’re lucky to have you.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:50 pmHi Zooey, glad you made it back safe!
Drive thru any smoke?
Comment by Raven
Absolutely none. It was clear as a bell. I was amazed. :)
July 19th, 2007 at 10:53 pmDamn, I need to re-boot this thing….be back later.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:54 pmAlways on the lookout for a fire to extinguish!
There are some big ones up in that neighborhood, I spend a lot of time on the incident report sites, trying to get a heads up on fire behavior, terrain, geography and fuel types of any that I might get sent to.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:54 pmI spend a lot of time on the incident report sites, trying to get a heads up on fire behavior, terrain, geography and fuel types of any that I might get sent to.
Comment by Raven — July 19, 2007 @ 10:54 pm
I stamp out my cigarette butts. :)
July 19th, 2007 at 10:57 pmOk, the score is 9 out of 31. The trolls are not winning yet, but it is close. That’s one third of the posts are trolls and those who feed the trolls. Why do you do it. Why do you feed the trolls. Their plan is to disrupt this site and drive intelligent people who want some discourse on important issues away. And they are winning. You are allowing them to win. Soon this site will be completely controlled by the trolls and it will die. It is perilously close to that point right now.
To all of you who feel it is necessary to feed the trolls, why do you do it? Why are you allowing them to win?
July 19th, 2007 at 11:00 pmHi Egg, I’ve been home for about an hour. LONG drive.
Comment by Zooey
And it took her an hour to post a comment. Welcome back, dialup!
July 19th, 2007 at 11:00 pmTo all of you who feel it is necessary to feed the trolls, why do you do it? Why are you allowing them to win?
Comment by katie
It’s a guilty pleasure sometimes. Like making scary faces at a particularly ugly baby.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:02 pmAnd it took her an hour to post a comment. Welcome back, dialup!
Comment by gummitch
Smartass. :)
Actually, it’s taking forever for my email to show up. Grrrr….
July 19th, 2007 at 11:02 pmI stamp out my cigarette butts. :)
Comment by Egreggious
Thank you very much!
July 19th, 2007 at 11:04 pm…………..I hope you pick them up as well………………….;)
Glad you’re home safely, but I hear you’re in for some bad weather soon. (I was checking the Weather Channel earlier and happened to notice.)
Comment by Jane E. Schneider
According to the National Weather Service, it looks fine. Not too hot, no storms . . . look pretty good, really.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:05 pmBut don’t throw the butts out in public. People will whine that the garbage can stinks.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:06 pm…………..I hope you pick them up as well………………….;)
Comment by Raven — July 19, 2007 @ 11:04 pm
When I’m in the “country” I always do. Sometimes in the city I’m a bad boy. Sorry. :(
July 19th, 2007 at 11:06 pmI’ve got some strong thunderstorm activity brewing to the west, going to call it a night.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:07 pm‘Night all!
Quoth the Raven, “‘Night all!”
July 19th, 2007 at 11:09 pmGoodnight, Raven. :)
July 19th, 2007 at 11:09 pmThe posts have been coming much slower this evening without the Million Faces of Mr. Pee.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:13 pmHas it been a very trollie day?
July 19th, 2007 at 11:17 pmHas it been a very trollie day?
Comment by Zooey — July 19, 2007 @ 11:17 pm
Most of the threads have 0 real content today.
Proud to be running on Firefox!
July 19th, 2007 at 11:20 pmHonestly, I don’t know how anyone didn’t think of this right away. LA is one of the most polluted states, all that standing water turned NO into a toxic soup zone.
Am I suprised anyone supressed the truth about the toxicity? No, they did the same in NYC after 9/11. The government cares even less about the poor working class in NO. Did everybody hear that the Con Ed pipe that exploded yesterday and spewed asbestos over midtown Manhattan posed no health risk? Yeah, sure.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:20 pmMost of the threads have 0 real content today.
Proud to be running on Firefox!
Comment by Egreggious
Yay, firefox!
I noticed Valerie Plame’s lawsuit against Darth Veeper was dismissed. Not surprised, of course. She’ll just take it up the line….
July 19th, 2007 at 11:28 pmDid everybody hear that the Con Ed pipe that exploded yesterday and spewed asbestos over midtown Manhattan posed no health risk? Yeah, sure.
Comment by ann — July 19, 2007 @ 11:20 pm
That thing was installed in 1920-something. No way do I believe there’s no health risk!
July 19th, 2007 at 11:30 pmZooey, of course it is not a surprise. The judges were chosen by Bush. They are not exactly keen on actual law. They like God’s law better, despite the fact that the bible says otherwise. Losers.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:31 pmComment by gummitch — July 19, 2007 @ 11:05 pm
Sorry, I could have sworn that I saw some warning up for Idaho. We were having some torrential downpours here in SE NY, so I was checking on that. Obviously I could have been mistaken…:(
July 19th, 2007 at 11:33 pmApparently September is going to be too early to judge the success of the surge after all.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:35 pmZooey, of course it is not a surprise. The judges were chosen by Bush. They are not exactly keen on actual law. They like God’s law better, despite the fact that the bible says otherwise. Losers.
Comment by JPark
Apparently it was the same Judge who allowed Cheney to get away with his secret energy meetings. We need to tip the entire government on it’s side and shake them all out — start fresh.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:37 pmScalia?
July 19th, 2007 at 11:40 pmScalia?
Comment by JPark
No, it was Judge John D. Bates of Federal District Court. It will probably take years to get to the Supreme Court. But Scalia et al will dismiss it if they can find a way to do it.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:47 pmAfter last night’s troll showdown, I gave some thought to alternate reasons why Richard Armitage hasn’t been prosecuted. After all, he has confessed to having given Novak Plame’s identity (as has Rove, for that matter).
I wonder if the problem is that Fitzgerald thinks Armitage is lying about having “inadvertently” passed on the message.
If the idea is ultimately to prove conspiracy, it doesn’t really help to convict Armitage for inadvertently releasing her name. Fitzgerald might instead be looking for evidence that Armitage purposefully did it as part of a concerted effort.
I’m just throwing this out there.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:56 pmSorry. Wrong thread.
July 20th, 2007 at 12:02 amI’m just throwing this out there.
Comment by Egreggious
I’ve wondered about that myself, Egg. Your idea seems as cogent as any. Fitz is a man of integrity, so he’s not going to go after Armitage on some flimsy case. That’s not the way to prosecute, and it would undermine Fitz’s credibility.
July 20th, 2007 at 12:06 amZooey, all Bush appointees are Scalia.
July 20th, 2007 at 12:06 am…or worse, amazingly.
July 20th, 2007 at 12:07 amComment by Egreggious
What troll showdown? Did I miss something? huh/ huh? huh?
July 20th, 2007 at 12:08 amVery true, JPark….
July 20th, 2007 at 12:10 amCan we also file this one under “Politicising a Tragedy”?
I am beginning to believe the Bush administration is not simply incompetent; they simply don’t care what reality is. They will manufacture their own reality if they have to, and then will try to sell it to the rest of the world.
“What? Problems with the trailers? What problems? Have you heard anything? We certainly haven’t
saidheard anything…”They will even believe their own lies. It’s like watching a Marx Brothers movie, except actual people actually die.
July 20th, 2007 at 12:17 amSorry, I could have sworn that I saw some warning up for Idaho. We were having some torrential downpours here in SE NY, so I was checking on that. Obviously I could have been mistaken…:(
Comment by Jane E. Schneider
That could have been southern Idaho, Jane. We have very different weather up north. :)
July 20th, 2007 at 12:17 amOops.
I need to change back to my usual alias.
July 20th, 2007 at 12:19 amIt’s like watching a Marx Brothers movie, except actual people actually die.
Comment by Gregor Samsa
And not nearly as funny.
July 20th, 2007 at 1:40 amTime for another round of subpoenas.
July 20th, 2007 at 1:46 amDavis (R-Va.): “FEMA’s primary concerns were legal liability and public relations, not human health and safety.” Sounds and smells like corporate logic, outcome of Bush running government “like a business.” The entire chain of command, starting with FEMA and ending with Bush should be thrown in jail.
July 20th, 2007 at 1:53 amThis story was only on Dem Underground Raw Story and Dennis’ website doesn’t mention it at all.
Hmm…Kucinich criticizes Clinton and Edwards and right afterwards gets poisoned. I wonder how they did it…Kucinich better start sleeping with one eye open?
July 18, 2007
Clinton and Edwards admitted on open-mic of wanting to thin out the field? but going to the point of poisoning another candidate is a bit too far! Must have been Hillary?s idea. Edwards voted for giving
Kucinich a bad hair cut – so I hear. LOL.
Presidential candidate hospitalized
Kucinich was admitted to the hospital for food poisoning Monday.(CNN) ? Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich remains hospitalized Wednesday in Ohio after aides say he suffered a severe case of food poisoning.
Kucinich spokesman Andy Juniewicz said the Ohio congressman started feeling ill Sunday before flying to Florida for a campaign appearance. He became sicker in Florida, and was forced to cut the trip short to return to Cleveland.
Juniewicz said he was admitted to a Cleveland-area hospital Monday afternoon, and is being treated for severe symptoms consistent with food poisoning.?
He said Kucinich was improving, but may remain in the hospital another day or two. Juniewicz said Kucinich missed votes in the House Monday and Tuesday, but did not have any campaign appearances scheduled. His next planned event is this weekend.
____
___Indeed………
Isn’t he the one that wrote the Impeach Cheney bill in the House? And got 15 co-sponsors?
July 20th, 2007 at 6:25 amRepublicans have all the instincts of true Nazis. But they’re just too stupid to bring it off.
July 20th, 2007 at 7:15 amWOW! FEMA Better get out of the trailer building business. BTW, if you would like to purchase one, stripped, visit gsaauctions.gov.
July 20th, 2007 at 7:55 amthe last 6+ years have been a total suppression of sense… can’t wait for 2008…
July 20th, 2007 at 8:35 amI predict that within a week Fox News will air a segment titled “Formaldehyde: It’s Not Really Bad for You” followed by “Formaldehyde: Liberals Exaggerate Danger—Again.”
July 20th, 2007 at 8:38 amWe all know that highlighting health hazards is “bad for business”, but it’s particularly odious when people become severely ill, develop life-long health problems, and/or die prematurely as a result of them.
When these are government-induced or government-ignored problems, the negative results are indefensible. FEMA trailers, ground zero cleanup, agent orange, gulf war syndrome — the list goes on an on of people who “don’t matter” getting screwed.
Unless a health hazard directly affects rich people, influential people, people who can raise huge sums of money for campaigns, etc., all we will hear is that the evidence of a problem is “inconclusive” and victims are essentially spit on.
It has been said “there is nothing wrong with America that what’s right with America cannot fix”. I am beginning to wonder how much longer that will be true.
July 20th, 2007 at 8:39 amMaybe if everyone in S. Louisiana dies, then BushCo won’t have to worry about this “pesky little issue” any more. Then the Repugs can forget about this being an issue during 08.
July 20th, 2007 at 9:22 amComment by Wayne A. Schneider — July 19, 2007 @ 10:34 pm
This is about the civil suits. I’ll keep looking for criminal stories.
http://www.nola.com/timespic/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-22/1184831571296930.xml&coll=1
July 20th, 2007 at 9:33 amComment by Wayne A. Schneider — July 19, 2007 @ 10:34 pm
This is a longer version of the story you cited:
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-6/115475739198060.xml&coll=1
Maybe it has more details for you.
I found a number of other Katrina-related indictments of police officers but no more on this case.
July 20th, 2007 at 10:02 am