So THIS is why the relief efforts are such a monumental clusterfuck! The Bush administration doesn't want anybody but the fundies going in there and doing good works for his Southern fundie constituency! And organizations like Pat Robertson's have only been in the disaster relief biz since 9/11, according to their own PR hacks!

The FEMA list (this list of charities is the link provided at the FEMA website to "reputable" disaster relief organizations) is full of Bushie Boy's "faith based charities" the majority of which have piss poor records and/or little to no experience dealing with disasters and emergencies.

Doesn't THAT make you feel secure about the disaster assistance you may have to rely on one day, hmmmmm?

Some of you may have read my posts talking about how fucked up the emergency medical provider volunteer stuff is. Seems there is now an AP wire story that is finally getting out the word on this. My nephew, a paramedic, is sitting on his hands, waiting to be called in to the disaster areas too, and he got his name in to the "proper channels" last Tuesday. On Thursday, he contacted hospitals down in Baton Rouge, and they told him they definitely needed him and many more. But they haven't heard anything since. Same thing is happening with the doctors. It seems the Red Cross, on the ground in Baton Rouge, was attempting to create their own database for first responders and emergency medical personnel, because unfucking-believably, there is NO FEMA DATABASE OF FIRST RESPONDERS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL PERSONNEL THAT CAN BE DISPATCHED IN DISASTERS AND EMERGENCIES!!!

Little things like that database was what the Homeland Security Agency was SUPPOSED TO BE DOING WITH ALL OUR BAZILLIONS OF HOMELAND SECURITY TAX DOLLARS AFTER 9/11!!!

Yet, on the ground, local emergency preparedness is a joke. They haven't even got satellite phones to communicate and coordinate with. But that don't matter now, because the vicious right wing Repubs and fundies are busy eviscerating Mayor Nagin for exposing their ineptness, and the right wing plots and coups over at the FEMA and Homeland Security Agency. It is a Bush crony kingdom, full of political appointees who worked for the Bush campaigns and have NO EXPERIENCE IN DISASTER RELIEF.

FINALLY, the state of Louisiana's own Dept. of Health is asking emergency medical personnel to go to THEIR website, fill out the online forms, and wait for a call.

So now we know the truth of "why did it take so long". This has to be the most despicable example of political corruption and cronyism in the US in 100+ years.