Think Progress

Jindal: Disaster Preparedness Is Only Worth Funding If It Will Help My State

While delivering the GOP response to President Obama’s address last night, Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA) attempted to discredit the recently signed economic recovery package by highlighting provisions that he said don’t “make sense.” Jindal complained about a provision providing funding for the federal government to purchase energy efficient automobiles, as well as a provision (that doesn’t actually exist) providing funding for a rail line “from Las Vegas to Disney Land.” But most ironic was Jindal’s attempt to mock the inclusion of funding allowing for, in Jindal’s words, “something called ‘volcano monitoring’”:

JINDAL: While some of the projects in the bill make sense, their legislation is larded with wasteful spending. It includes $300 million to buy new cars for the government. $8 billion for high speed rail projects such as magnetic levitation line from Las Vegas to Disney Land. And $140 million for something called ‘volcano monitoring.’

Instead of monitoring volcanoes, what Congress should be monitoring is the eruption of spending in Washington, DC.

Watch it:

The provision that Jindal is referring to provides $140 million to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for, among other things, “equipment replacement and upgrades including stream gauges, and seismic and volcano monitoring systems.” From the bill:

usgs.jpg

As Scientific American notes, the USGS is tasked with reducing the “‘vulnerability of the people and areas most at risk from natural hazards,’ including volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis and wildfires.” Given that Jindal lived through Hurricane Katrina and witnessed first hand President Bush’s utterly unprepared response, Jindal should be hesitant to mock disaster preparedness funding.

Conservatives often bristle at public sector solutions to problems that they believe would be better addressed by the private sector. But, as Paul Krugman notes, both Republicans and Democrats have traditionally agreed that supplying public goods like disaster preparedness is “the sort of activity that should be undertaken by government.” Not any more, apparently. Krugman concludes, “Basically, the political philosophy of the GOP right now seems to consist of snickering at stuff that they think sounds funny.”

Update Jonathan Singer comments, "Disaster detection is no joke, and Bobby Jindal and the Republican Party ought to know better than to play politics with people's lives."


97 Responses to “Jindal: Disaster Preparedness Is Only Worth Funding If It Will Help My State”

  1. alphainfinityomega says:

    After last night, who cares what this wants?

    ¶ AIO



  2. eyesopen says:

    I think I heard Bobby Jindal say,”I believe Americans can do anything; even buy this load of misinformed and misinforming tripe.”


  3. Sandoz76 says:

    I’ve been reflecting upon which of Jindal’s failure was the most epic. The volcano thing is quickly emerging as the leader.


  4. Gregor Samsa says:

    Bobby Jindal and the Republican Party ought to know better than to play politics with people’s lives.

    Well, that’s exactly what the GOP has been doing for a while now. It only got worse since Bush took office.

    Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo, Katrina, the current economic meltdown… you name it, they’ve played with people’s lives -with reckless disregard, I might add.


  5. tombaker says:

    was BJ yet unborn when St. Helens went off??

    He sure doesn’t seem to know much about the geography of the Country he loves so dearly. Alaska and Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, and California all have reasons to keep careful tabs on volcanic activity.

    I live in sight of 2 volcanoes that could wipe out an entire state. Tell ya what, BJ – we’ll take and use the money, and you get yourself and the boneheads who voted for you washed out to sea with the next Cat4 that comes your way. Deal?


  6. tombaker says:

    I think BJ would have a hard time completing a States and Capitols quiz.


  7. katy says:

    several callers to stephanie this morning, expressing gratitude for this “volcano watching” as they are looking at and/or close to active volcanoes…


  8. Zooey says:

    Sandoz76 Says:

    I’ve been reflecting upon which of Jindal’s failure was the most epic. The volcano thing is quickly emerging as the leader.
    February 25th, 2009 at 1:08 pm

    Jindal’s biggest failure was choosing to do a “walk on” rather than just standing there when the camera came on.

    Jindal’s walk on made Richard Simmons seem like the Terminator.


  9. raynman says:

    For the sake of a cheap analogy, Bobby Jindal just derailed his political career.

    The embodiment of the current Republican strategy.


  10. WAYNEBRO says:

    This is what happens when you don’t put much stock in science.

    There’s some serious eruptions being monitored by scientists right now, not the least of which is in Yellowstone (Jellystone for you republicans out there) National Park, which could wreak destruction on a monumental scale. Not to mention recent stirrings beneath MT St Helens.

    For some reason republicans like Jindal seem to think that if you say something, like “Volcano Monitoring” in a snide tone, that somehow it diminishes the importance of it.


  11. gah says:

    If volcano monitoring were worthwhile, individuals would buy it on the free market.

    Or something.


  12. katy says:

    and, where was jundal ACTUALLY living when katrina hit?


  13. Zooey says:

    katy Says:
    February 25th, 2009 at 1:13 pm

    Happy birthday, katy! :)


  14. katy says:

    Sandoz76 Says:
    I’ve been reflecting upon which of Jindal’s failure was the most epic. …

    the tie. indication of what was to come.


  15. larkohio says:

    Well, volcanic monitoring is very important. Remember Mount St. Helen? Also, there is always a need to monitor Yellowstone, that could be a huge “blow” if it ever happened, and it has happened before. This program is responsible, there are many volcanoes in the NW part of the country, including Alaska, and adding Hawaii to this. It is a public safety issue.

    Jindal is all wet.


  16. katy says:

    you did it again! willful!!!

    thank you :-)


  17. DidHeJustSayThat says:

    Duh ~ If a volcano erupts, all you have to do is get a bunch of volunteers with unlicensed boats to rescue people from their roofs. Americans can do anything, they don’t need to monitor for disasters!


  18. angels81 says:

    Is this the best the repugs have? Jindal, Palin, Kantor and Steele? Its no wonder the repugs have become the Party of NO. They have no one with a ounce of brains at the helm.


  19. gah says:

    Well, volcanic monitoring is very important. …

    But John Galt told me the only duty of the federal government should be to funnel money to war profiteers.

    I’m so confused.


  20. krdaddy says:

    Science and stuff is for eggheads like Obama,I’m glad the
    Republican party still has their feet firmly planted in the
    silt of the rising water that surrounds them…maybe when it
    reaches their gullets they’ll finally swallow the tide and
    disappear for good.


  21. Gregor Samsa says:

    Instead of monitoring volcanoes, what Congress should be monitoring is the eruption of spending in Washington, DC.
    ~Jindal

    Sometimes it is really difficult to fathom sheer GOP stupidity.

    It’s almost as if they were opposed to knowledge, science, and allergic to rational, logical thinking.

    Oh wait. They are.


  22. CheeseFlap says:

    Blessed are morons
    For they are without struggle
    For rational thought


  23. misshusseinmolly says:

    There appear to be a couple of GOP axioms going on here, and I credit Bobby Jindal with working them both in so well.

    First, there’s the “It’s wasteful if it does nothing for me or my bean patch” tune. Anybody else’s potential disaster isn’t his concern.

    And second, there’s the tried-and-true strategy of A) opposing a bill because the other guys will get credit for it, B) backing up that opposition by combing through the bill, looking for any line item that can be spun as wasteful pork, C) twisting and hyping that line item as “proof” the entire bill is bad, and D) if no real line item can be found and spun to our agenda, we’ll just make one up, since we’re counting on nobody reading the actual bill.

    Unfortunately, both of these song-and-dance routines have become trite and boring. And not enough people are falling for them anymore.


  24. lokidog says:

    attempted to discredit the recently signed economic recovery package by highlighting provisions that he said don’t “make sense.”

    Being prepared for and aware of looming natural disasters doesn’t make sense to anyone in the GOP. They don’t believe – even today – Katrina was a natural disaster, but an opportunity to make money and confiscate property for developers. Cleaning out the locals was just an added bonus.


  25. alphainfinityomega says:

    angels81 Says:
    …the repugs have become the Party of NO.

    …and the party of know nothing.

    ¶ AIO


  26. Gregor Samsa says:

    Mr. Philby Babbles:
    Sounds logical which is why you loons hate it, right?

    Speaking of stupidity and inability to string coherent thoughts together….

    It is beyond the troll’s intellectual grasp that this is federal funding.

    Perhaps the word including is not included in the troll’s vocabulary?


  27. SKdeA says:

    OT: Happy birthday, katy! Mine was the 21st, we are both Pisces!

    On topic: I live about a half a mile from the Hayward fault in the Bay Area. I would dearly love to have even a few minutes of warning when the big one hits, enough time to get outside or turn off the gas. Only a Republican moron like Jindal would think this is money badly spent.


  28. tombaker says:

    second the motion, DrMatt – flag deployed.


  29. Parth says:

    Yeah, “volcano monitoring” jumped out at me the moment he said it. I was like, you’re against science that tells us when volcanos are about to erupt? Truly, they have fallen off the deep end.

    Nate at FiveThirtyEight did a great rebuttal of this, pointing out one recent instance in which volcano monitoring saved tens of thousands of lives (Mt. Pinatubo).


  30. MCMetal says:

    SKdeA Says:
    ——————————————————————————–

    OT: Happy birthday, katy! Mine was the 21st, we are both Pisces!

    February 25th, 2009 at 1:35 pm

    Mine is this Saturday ………


  31. Joe the Philosopher says:

    When informed that even conservatives were laughing at his speech, Jindal responded, “What do you expect? It’s Mardi Gras week around here.”


  32. ElBruce says:

    This is great news.

    First of all, Jindal put the “Vegas to Disneyland maglev” lie up on the table for discussion in a high-profile venue, well after it’s been thoroughly debunked. This is just like the “bridge to nowhere” flap all over again, which was awesome.

    It’s also great that out of everything they can find to pick on, all they can come up with is “something called ‘Volcano Monitoring.’” It’s like scoffing at community organizing all over again!

    It’s almost like they’re intentionally trying to crater their own popularity.


  33. 5th Estate says:

    So- called ‘Bobby’ Jindal went out of his way to criticize something he doesn’t understand and couldn’t be bothered to research “something called volcano monitoring?”.

    It must be because volcanoes and “monitoring” are just hoaxes.


  34. tombaker says:

    except, pee pee, there are dozens of us and 1 of you. 1 lonely, desperate, incoherent anklebiter with a chip on his shoulder as big as the great outdoors.

    everyone’s not as dumb as you, Pillsbury – least of all the site moderators.


  35. spencers mom says:

    Happy Birthday, Katy Old Fellow!

    Hey Bobby J! Would you be willing to pay, from your state’s budget, for the National Weather Service’s reporting of hurricane activity as it relates to and impacts your state? Or can you rely soley on prayer and hurrican exorcism?

    If not, Ken the Intern, how about a nice plate of STFU? You’re welcome.

    PEACE


  36. katy says:

    thank you and birthday wishes to SKdeA and MCMetal… hooray for pisces!
    see FAST thread…
    later!


  37. tombaker says:

    What’s that on your shoulder, Lush?

    Why so grudgy?


  38. angels81 says:

    Lets take Jindal at his word when he thinks Volcano Monitoring is a waste of money. So, if thats true, then the money we spend on hurricane warning systems must be a waste of money too?


  39. Zooey says:

    Happy birthday, SKdeA & MCMetal. :-)


  40. 5th Estate says:

    angels81 Says: So, if thats true, then the money we spend on hurricane warning systems must be a waste of money too?

    No no NO! Completely different! Volcanoes aren’t mentioned in the BIBBLE and therefore are a hoax.
    Very bad weather IS in the BIBBLE and therefore hurricanes are real.
    Sadly god’s smiting skills aren’t as accurate lately compared to when he singled out Lot’s wife, so JIndal needs the money for God’s collateral damage as apparently he know where gays live, but not their exact addresses so the punishment tends to be a little haphazard.
    :D


  41. tombaker says:

    Nice shoulder-chip you’re rockin’ there, Lush…

    Bitter much?

    Love the sour grapes, you get those on the radio?


  42. PatrioticLiberalChristian says:

    If government does things for people, then they just become dependent on government. So, we have to hold our citizens responsible for their own lives. If you want to monitor volcanoes or hurricanes, then pull yourself up off the sofa and do it! Don’t expect the government to be your mommy.

    /snark off

    That’s kind of the conservative party’s philosophy.


  43. Jackie says:

    With National Coverage for the first time Gov. Jindal gave a campaign speech and doesn’t have any interest in what the Stimulus package is for. The last thing on his mine is the people of Louisiana or their suffering. He’s got his website up for his campaign for President with shirts on sale plus you can donate. With Louisiana’s unemployment rate at 6 per cent and still the citizen’s haven’t recovered from the Katrina Storm, Govenor Jindal just left for his vacation. As he pointed out the citizens of Louisiana are just fine and don’t need a Stimulus Package but they better paid their taxes and give to his campaign. Louisiana Lt. Govenor as already said the State will over ride Jindal and take the money to help the citizens. After the comedy act Jindal gave it lookis like baby Newt aka Eric Cantor can step up as the GOP candidate. If Eric Cantor can stop looking at himself in the mirrow and calling himself Mr. President maybe he can start his campaign for the Office of President now. At lease Sarah Palin knows she’s not the only dumb Republican candidate. After watching Jindal, listening to Cantor and watching Sarah Palin it seems John McCain didn’t stand a chance with these choices of VP.


  44. PatrioticLiberalChristian says:

    LushInterior Says: to see the animals wheeeeeeeee, wheeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!

    just look in the mirror, Lush, and you’ll get to see a jacka** everyday. Be nice to it and you might even get to pet it.


  45. angels81 says:

    5th Estate: Thanks, I just spilled coffee all over my key board. Good stuff.


  46. Luis M says:

    If the Big One under Yellowstone blows up, you can say goodbye to that whole state, as well as most (if not all) of the surrounding ones.


  47. Zooey says:

    LushInterior Says:

    Who cares about money we get to go to the zoo today…papa Obama is taking us to see the animals wheeeeeeeee, wheeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!
    February 25th, 2009 at 1:53 pm

    No, you’re staying home because you pissed your pants AGAIN. You should know better at your age — 38.
    **eyes rolling**


  48. angels81 says:

    Luis M: I live in Minnesota and since volcano monitoring is a waste of money, maybe we could put a couple of tin cans on a string so you can let me know when its time to kiss my ass goodbye.


  49. po says:

    conservative philosophy generally is not concerned about the needs of others — only their own. Therefore, Jindal’s not carrying about volcanoes makes sense, as does his disregard for the needs of his state’s poor. But then, having lived in LA (and MS for that matter), that state’s government has NEVER much cared about the poor ‘cept at voting time.

    Hypocrites.


  50. e_to_the_p says:

    “Conservatives often bristle at public sector solutions to problems that they believe would be better addressed by the private sector.”

    I watched a really well written documentary about corporate history yesturday, and it really helped me read between the lines.

    So to paraprase what was said:
    “since the department hasn’t been competely privatized yet, we are wasting money by trying to learn stuff without a drive for profit. Instead it is another agency we can strangle into failure, turn over to the private sector, and then the next time we need a trillion dollar bailout (or get the fed to pull pretend money out its @$$), we can use the money to bolster our shareholders.”

    there was a time this would have sounded far fetched to me.


  51. hussein toasterhead says:

    LushMoron says:

    Money, money, money…..wheeeeeeee…millions, billion, trillions who gives a crap…the end is near spend, spend, spend, wheeeeeeeeee…..wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!

    February 25th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
    __________

    I’m sure this is exactly how you felt every time the Iraq War Supplemental came up for a vote, right?


  52. RUCerious says:

    We don’t need to monitor volcanoes. If God wants a volcano to erupt, then it’s His will, and no amount of monitoring is going to change that.
    Plus, we may be raptured prior to that act of God, so why worry?
    Spend money on rosaries.


  53. spencers mom says:

    5th Estate Says:

    No no NO! Completely different! Volcanoes aren’t mentioned in the BIBBLE and therefore are a hoax.
    Very bad weather IS in the BIBBLE and therefore hurricanes are real.

    Oh, 5th, there was a fable about a flood, but I don’t remember reading anything about winds. So were there hurricanes in the BIBBLE? Hmmm…

    But read how that story ended. Here’s the setup: Noah, family and a bunch of animals have just spent a l-o-n-g time on a boat, waiting for the flood waters to recede and the earth to dry out…

    Finally after an entire year, God invited Noah to come out of the ark. Immediately, he built an altar and worshiped the Lord with burnt offerings from some of the clean animals. God was pleased with the offerings and promised never again to destroy all the living creatures as he had just done. Later God established a covenant with Noah: “Never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.” As a sign of this everlasting covenant God set a rainbow in the clouds.

    Anyone else notice that he set a rainbow? Take that, Steele! God was pro-gay rights!

    PEACE


  54. JYD says:

    Jindal sounded like one of the guys from the Wiggles…with the tone of telling a story to children…it was very strange and unsettling…as he was continuing his rebuttal I thought he would change to his grown up voice but never did…I could not get past that. Strange to say the very least.


  55. Buckie Boy says:

    Well, the reviews of his propaganda speech last night were not received well by the media, (don’t know about Faux, don’t watch it).

    Many have pointed out the lies and distortions that he spewed from his pie hole.

    Jindal, “Got Exorcist?”


  56. fergus says:

    Re: #12 & #21, Sarah Palin nearly caused a volcanic eruption in Alaske from dancing so hard with giddiness and glee after listening to BJ. She knew that his sad little performance piece took him right out of the running for 2012. His speech last night made her look like a freaking genius. If this is an example of the GOP’s best and brightest hope for their future, Dems will be in the catbird seat for years to come.

    Could I offer a suggestion for the contributors to these discussions? For a while, completely and totally ignore Mr. Philby’s strange and deluded comments. Just to see what happens, ya know? I’ll bet that he melts his keyboard posting so fast, trying to get a rise out of his detractors. It could be fun to see just what kind of raving insanity he comes up with when fishing for a response. Which, of course, is all he wants, anyway. He’s the kind of guy who would walk into a bar and starts shooting off his mouth just for the fun of seeing the reactions he gets. Then, he can’t figure out why he gets his butt kicked.


  57. ebbAndflow says:

    LushInterior Says:
    Money, money, money…..wheeeeeeee…millions, billion, trillions who gives a crap…the end is near spend, spend, spend, wheeeeeeeeee…..wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!

    February 25th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
    Iraq ring a bell for you? That’s money, money, money down a…


  58. fergus says:

    Make that Alaska. Proofing is not one of my strong points.


  59. Undecided says:

    Based on the stage death of Cajun Bobby last night and the total invisibility of any other emergent Republican leader, the Libertarians and Greens must fancy their chances of at least increasing their share of the popular vote the next time we get to punch a chad.

    An effective opposition party is an essential cornerstone of the US political system. A headless chicken party with only contradiction to offer rather than reasoned, persuasive argument is surely doomed to become another 3rd party itself.


  60. hussein toasterhead says:

    LushInterior Says:

    Uncle Harry says we get to go to Disney Land on a train……..wheeeeeeeee, wheeeeeeeeeeeee, oh goodie, goodie for me, wheeeeeeeeeee!!!!!

    February 25th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
    _________

    Ahh, I see now. Lushy is obviously recalling some repressed childhood memories.

    Don’t worry, Lushy – you’re safe now. Here’s a doll for you. Now, where did Uncle Harry touch you?


  61. Luis M says:

    angels81 Says:
    Luis M: I live in Minnesota and since volcano monitoring is a waste of money, maybe we could put a couple of tin cans on a string so you can let me know when its time to kiss my ass goodbye.

    Well I live in Mexico, and I’m not kidding when I say that, if Yellowstone blows up in a major way, we’ll be able to hear it all the way down here.

    /if the tin-can string crosses the border, do we have to pay Long Distance charges?


  62. deebaser says:

    I hope this doesn’t knock Jindal out of the 2012 primary season! I was looking forward to starting a ‘I hear he’s a secret muslim’ whisper campaign!


  63. tombaker says:

    Lushy’s ancestors also mocked the discovery of penicillin.


  64. tombaker says:

    and, Lushy wants OBL to roam free forever.

    talk about taking a bold and controversial stand..

    what next, Lushy? want the Chinese to come over and run the show for us?


  65. deebaser says:

    hussein toasterhead Says:

    LushInterior Says:

    Uncle Harry says we get to go to Disney Land on a train……..wheeeeeeeee, wheeeeeeeeeeeee, oh goodie, goodie for me, wheeeeeeeeeee!!!!!

    February 25th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
    _________

    Ahh, I see now. Lushy is obviously recalling some repressed childhood memories.

    Don’t worry, Lushy – you’re safe now. Here’s a doll for you. Now, where did Uncle Harry touch you?

    hussein toasterhead: Its not your fault.
    hussein toasterhead: Its not your fault.
    hussein toasterhead: Its not your fault.
    LushInterior: Don’t do this to me toasterhead….not you…
    hussein toasterhead: Its not your fault.


  66. hellinabucket says:

    Lush is mistaken. It was his creepy uncle Chimp and his dark friend Lord Cheney that said we’ll be going to Afghanistan for a long time.

    Is Lush just a moniker, or a way of life?


  67. deebaser says:

    tombaker Says:

    Lushy’s ancestors also mocked the discovery of penicillin.

    I can’t really fault him for that. Up until very recently I giggled everytime the doc gave me a scrip for “penic – illin”… stupid z-paks…

    wait…what was the topic again?


  68. The Dogfather says:

    “Basically, the political philosophy of the GOP right now seems to consist of snickering at stuff that they think sounds funny.”

    You mean, sorta like Beavis and Butthead? Which one is Jindal, and which one is Rush?


  69. hellinabucket says:

    What helicopter? The one that was ordered under the last administration and is now not being purchased? That helicopter?


  70. Shayne says:

    Every part of the country requires some sort of watch or preparedness. Hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, winter storms all cost the government money to try and minimize loss. Lets just get rid of all the warnings and get ready for the rapture. Amen. Daryll, are you here?


  71. hellinabucket says:

    How soon the lushter forgets about the supplemental and emergency spending the last administration used ( and covered up)


  72. Buckie Boy says:

    LushInterior flagged every one of your “Off topic, trolling” posts…

    …everyone do the same…

    …bye bye, idiot.


  73. pd says:

    Indeed Bobby! Let’s cut all potential disaster monitoring to save a few beans. Why stop the cutting with volcanoes? Let’s cut funding for hurricane monitoring too. I’m sure all those Republican governors along the Gulf coast would buy into that kind of fiscal responsibility. How about tsunami and earthquake warning systems while we’re at it? And for God’s sake, lets cut the minuscule dollars devoted to asteroid monitoring and flu pandemic preparedness! Those things never happen anyway! I thought this guy was supposed to be a “smart” Republican.


  74. Realness says:

    LushInterior Says:
    ——————————————————————————–

    This was a refreshing exercise, when you retard yourself the concept of money is nonexistent and one can enjoy the moment with blissful ignorance, I AM NOW A DEMOCRAT….Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

    Oh my God! You mean all those other posts were just to drive home this amazingly insightful point?!? I had no idea the right could be such effective writers! I have truly seen the light! Spending money has made us retarded! Never mind all of that money we can’t seem to find which was spent on Iraq, never mind the basic fact (w/ ample history) that we need to spend to combat recession! I bow to the writing of Lush! Well played, sir!


  75. hussein toasterhead says:

    LushInterior Says:

    Money, money, money…..wheeeeeeee…

    February 25th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
    _________

    Yes. It’s called capitalism. In a capitalist economy, money can be exchanged for goods and services. One has to spend money so that others can receive money, and vice versa. That’s how capitalism works. When people stop spending money, people stop receiving money, and capitalism stops working. That’s why the purpose of the stimulus plan is to spend money, so that capitalism can start working again.

    What part of capitalism are you opposed to, commie?


  76. lm945 says:

    Jindal’s remarks are hardly surprising.

    The GOP’s philosophy has always been “if it doesn’t effect me personally, it doesn’t matter or exist, or is irrelevant.”

    In other words, “if it helps me, gimme gimme. If it helps someone else, screw you.”


  77. Realness says:

    Is it just me, or do all the trolls today seem to be hitting off the same nitrous tank? From Lush’s mania, Philby’s enigmatic half-assed remarks, and that creepy AntiChrist with the ‘lols.’ it’s all kind of creeping me out.


  78. Nevar says:

    angels81 Says:

    I live in Minnesota and since volcano monitoring is a waste of money, maybe we could put a couple of tin cans on a string so you can let me know when its time to kiss my ass goodbye.

    LOL
    If Yellowstone blows, even one of the big Pacific coast cones, you are going to freeze solid in Minnesota. There will be no crops, no cows, and no fun.
    If you think winter drags on forever now, just wait.


  79. kasinca says:

    With the increased information traffic brought about by the internet, the failures of the boosh crime family and the rubbernecked GOP congress, and now the new president pushing education will be the demise of the troglodyte party. They have played on ignorance and hate for too long and now the public is wising up.


  80. wiley says:

    Don’t mind seeing the Repugnantcons hang themselves, but I have to wonder why they don’t have good friends and advisers to tell them that they really need to think before they open their big yaps.


  81. EugeneDebs says:

    LushMoron does what he ALWAYS does drops by to beg us to pity him. We can all see how stupid and pathetic he is. How he will never have self respect or any respect at all so the only thing this prideless hollow excuse for a human being can do nothing other than beg us to pity him day after day. How sad he is how can he even call that a life?


  82. fletc3her says:

    As someone who can see an active volcano out my window I think money spent on monitoring it and its brethren is well spent. There are countless people who will be able to evacuate if they are given adequate warning of the eruption of one of these volcanoes. Not all of us are lucky enough to live on the gulf coast protected by billions of dollars of government funded levees.


  83. Tweedster says:

    Mr. Philby Says:

    I can play your little game, too. :)

    With tremendously lame results…anywho,

    I’m wondering if we will be seeing dips in Piyush’s approval rating after his political grandstanding is done with.


  84. shoeless says:

    Jindal could have used some disaster preparedness before his speech last night.


  85. maitri says:

    Read a geologist’s rebuttal to Jindal’s picking on $140 million, a drop in the bucket of the stimulus package:

    “The $140 million to which Jindal referred is actually for a number of projects conducted by the United States Geological Survey, including volcano monitoring.

    “…Volcanoes, of course, aren’t the only potential natural disaster that scientists monitor to give people warnings of imminent danger. Hurricanes, tornado-producing storms, earthquakes, tsunamis and flooding events are also watched and forecast.”

    As a (private-sector) geoscientist myself, I can tell you very little the USGS does is frivolous because they have traditionally not enjoyed a generous budget. Seattle-Tacoma lives in the debris flow path of Mount Rainier, Alaska’s coastline is riddled with active volcanoes (insert Palinism here), San Francisco and Los Angeles live on active fault zones and much of the country lives in coastal or fluvial regions vulnerable to hurricanes and/or flooding. One can flee a hurricane days in advance (with sufficient funds and transport), but there’s not much time to spare in the case of volcanic or earthquake activity. This is why rigorous, well-funded monitoring of natural disasters is key to metropolitan survival and disaster prevention, i.e. NOT HAVING TO SPEND MORE MONEY PICKING UP DEAD AMERICAN BODIES LATER ON. It’s not a joke and needs a lot more funding than a paltry $140 million, but apparently it’s on par with a non-existent monorail from Caesar’s Palace to Mickey Mouse.

    Considering that Louisiana (even parishes affected by the hurricane and flood, except for Orleans) voted in a whole lot of conservative Republican in this past election, the forgetfulness and near-sightedness of this statement is not surprising. That Jindal would scoff at disaster-preparedness science and funding shows utter disregard for the safety of his own state, but it’s something we’ve come to expect. Of course, all this comes down to promoting the ideology of Republican Central, not being good public servants and serving the independent interests of a given state.

    It’s pure spite for science and intellect, spite for Democrats, spite for a black president and spite for progress that is at play here. Nothing more, nothing less.


  86. MapleStreet says:

    14 gah

    About your free market quip, then can we agree that congressional salaries be set by the free market ? Or is the current condition of thinly veiled bribes already such as system ?

    Oh, and as the free market isn’t mentioned in the Bible, can we assume it doesn’t exist ?


  87. EugeneDebs says:

    LushMoron will you just go somewhere and TRY to find some self respect if we promise to have one big pity party for you? IF we all just tell you how much we pity you for how stupid and pathetic you are will you get help?


  88. Willy says:

    If we stop monitoring volcanos then we also must stop monitoring hurricanes.

    Turn off those damn expensive satellites!

    ** sarcasm off **


  89. Willy says:

    Is Jindal really that stupid???

    If Jindal is the new rising star of the GOP, then the Republican party is going to continue going down, down, down…

    Hooray for liberalism!


  90. Pelotonpro 048 says:

    Bubba Jindal for Seattle Mayor! We can build FEMA trailers out of asbestos. It can’t be much more dangerous than formaldehyde!


  91. JNagarya says:

    Sandoz76 Says:

    I’ve been reflecting upon which of Jindal’s failure was the most epic. The volcano thing is quickly emerging as the leader.
    _____

    The speech itself, as a whole, and that he gave it.

    In other words: That he showed up and opened his mouth with an audience present.


  92. JNagarya says:

    angels81 Says:

    Is this the best the repugs have? Jindal, Palin, Kantor and Steele? Its no wonder the repugs have become the Party of NO. They have no one with a ounce of brains at the helm.
    _____

    In order to say “YES” one must be able to count to three.


  93. JNagarya says:

    MapleStreet

    Oh, and as the free market isn’t mentioned in the Bible, can we assume it doesn’t exist ?
    _____

    It isn’t mentioned in the Constitution either.


  94. JNagarya says:

    MCMetal Says:

    SKdeA Says:
    ——————————————————————————–

    OT: Happy birthday, katy! Mine was the 21st, we are both Pisces!

    February 25th, 2009 at 1:35 pm

    Mine is this Saturday ………
    _____

    Mine is in April.


  95. JNagarya says:

    5th Estate Says:

    So- called ‘Bobby’ Jindal went out of his way to criticize something he doesn’t understand and couldn’t be bothered to research “something called volcano monitoring?”.

    It must be because volcanoes and “monitoring” are just hoaxes.
    _____

    Wrong. It’s that volcanoes are “God’s will,” therefore not to be obstructed or diluted by telling people to run away, and “monitoring” is unconstitutional gov’t regulation in effort to obstruct “God’s will”.


  96. JNagarya says:

    tombaker Says:

    Lushy’s ancestors also mocked the discovery of penicillin.
    _____

    And couldn’t fathom the purpose of contraception.



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