Ron Paul Claims Survivors of the 1900 Galveston Hurricane “survived without FEMA”

Take a look at this short video of Congressman Ron Paul, ever the FEMA basher, having a senior moment in his recollection of the aftermath of the hurricane that struck Galveston in 1900, killing thousands.

Get that? Galvestonians “survived without FEMA.”

Now you have to understand that Congressman Paul is a Libertarian so he lets his political views (acquired as an adolescent, no doubt) get in the way of things like, well, like facts.

Like it is an absolute fact that in the aftermath of the 1900 hurricane, 85 Galvestonians lost their lives trying to evacuate the city on a train when the storm surge covered it, killing all on board.

Like it is an absolute fact that because all contact was cut off to the mainland after the hurricane passed, help was delayed because no one knew that the entire city of Galveston was destroyed.

Like it is an absolute fact that thousands of people died buried under debris, even as rescuers were working to free them.

Like it is an absolute fact that the dead were weighted down and buried at sea, only to have the waves wash human corpses back onto the beaches.

Like it is an absolute fact that in the aftermath of the hurricane, 30,000 Galvestonians had nowhere to live.

Like it is an absolute fact that, in the end, relief finally did come to Galveston. Federal relief. Yes, the US Army arrived and put up white tents for the homeless. It was called the “White City on the Beach.”

Like it is an absolute fact that before the hurricane, Galveston outshone Houston as the premier city in the region, the “Ellis Island of the West” and the “Wall Street of the Southwest.” After the storm, Galveston never recovered to its once former greatness.

So nice job, Dr. Paul. You got it absolutely wrong. 100%.

Lesson? If you want a pregnancy test, go see Dr. Paul, but never take a history lesson from a Libertarian Ob/Gyn.

I Don’t Like Ike

The mother of all hurricanes just mowed down Houston early this morning. My power went out at 8:30 PM and has yet to return. Thanks to my ex-wife, who loved to buy candles of all kinds, I had no lack of candle power.

And the best thing about having no electricity is that you get to barbecue every night.

I’m writing this from the Fort Bend Democrats Rosenberg headquarters which not only has power, but TV and internet. We are operational and even better organized than ever.

Now when I was listening to my portable radio this morning, a simulcast of the local ABC affiliate, the news anchor got a call from a big FEMA director in Austin. He was calling, he said, to reassure southeast Texans that help was on the way. “Good,” I said to no one. Then the news anchor asked what I took to be a reasonably easy question, maybe to give this guy a break. He asked:

“For all these people in the flooded areas, trapped on their rooftops, is there a special signal that they should be giving the search and rescue helicopters as they do their over flights of these stricken areas?”

The director hesitated, covered the receiver, and then came back:

“I’m going to hand the telephone over to the Coast Guard commander here at the emergency response center who can better answer your question.”

After a few seconds the Coastie comes on the phone and they introduce themselves to each other, the anchor now clearly flabbergasted that the question got referred. He repeated his question:

“For all these people in the flooded areas, trapped on their rooftops, is there a special signal that they should be giving the search and rescue helicopters as they do their over flights of these stricken areas?”

Said the Coastie:

“Well, ahhh, they can wave their arms or a flag or a towel.”

Now I don’t know about you, but that little exchange gave me the same warm fuzzy feeling that Hurricane Ike did when it destroyed my backyard fence. Another example of FEMA’s out-of-the-box thinking.

Another reason why Texans should hate the regime that they so joyfully voted into power.

FEMA Orwellian News Conference: Flash In the Pan or Futurespeak?

FEMA’s Deputy Administrator, Vice Admiral Harvey Johnson needed to hold a news conference today over FEMA’s reaction to the wildfire and refugee situation in California, and he needed it fast.

So fast that, when it came time to call up the newspapers and news services, well, they skipped that step. Time’s a-wasting after all, and they have to move, move, move.

So he invited his staffers to the “news conference” to pose as journalists and they threw nerf balls at him in terms of questions.

“Are you happy with FEMA’s performance in the California fire fight,” asked a questioner named Mike. Harvey replied “Yes, I am very happy”.

You could even see the look of consternation on ol’ Harvey’s face and practically read his thoughts: “Holy heck, Mike, ask something a little tougher, don’t make this too obvious”.

Another questioner asked this:

“Sir, we understand the secretary and the administrator of FEMA are on their way out there. What is their objective? And is there anyone else traveling with them?”

This is a disturbing turn of events. Disturbing because some people in our federal government thought that this was actually a good idea, and also thought that they would be able to get away with it. Someone who maybe has the Holy Bible and a copy of George Orwell’s 1984 on their bedstead.

One of the slogans of “The Party” in Orwell’s book went like this:

“Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past.”

Having your own shills asking you questions at a staged press conference appears to be all about controlling the present. Something FEMA has never been able to master since coming under the leadership of the Bush regime. This blatant attempt at controlling the media by becoming the media.

My hope is that this was a rogue event that won’t become the norm. I am characteristically pessimistic, though, and expect more to come. Why? Think about the other party slogans. Any of them sound familiar?

WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

What Really Matters?

Everyone is talking about John Edward’s YouTube-like video short shown on last night’s CNN/YouTube Debate. It was a direct across the bow shot at the Republicans who made so much of Edwards’ expensive haircut.

Edwards answers, OK, but what really matters, a haircut or what the Bush Regime had done to Iraq, what the Bush Regime did NOT do to New Orleans, and what the Bush Regime has no intention of doing in regard to universal health care?

Well the campaign put it on YouTube and you know what that means, it goes up on Half Empty, too.

Mainly this is for that special someone who missed the debate.