shock has turned to sheer disgust

So I'm home now. Alot. With the TV on. Alot. I don't feel it's damaging the monkey in anyway--as she's pretty oblivious, and I'm pretty sure that she can't really see that far anyway.

So the hurricane hit and the levee broke, and I was fixated in horror, watching all the devastation and mayhem that followed on Network TV. Sure that problems would be quickly solved, sure that the water could be quickly removed, sure that atleast vital city services could be restored, sure that evacuees would be well taken care of, all because this is America. If the 3rd world could recover from the tsunami, surely the US would recover quickly and adeptly.

So now, almost a month later, I'm getting angry. Partially becuase I watch too much TV, partially because I'm slightly hormonal with the monkey in my care, but mostly because I don't understand.

Police officers working 24/7 are HOMELESS. I find it hard to believe that there isn't a shelter/hotel/school/dry land to pitch a tent to take care of these men and women. That the Red Cross wouldn't specifically have services for them. That their families would have places to stay, and not have to worry about relocating to a new state while their officer is at home trying to restore peace and order.

FEMA had the idea to give out debit cards. Good concept, poor execution. Apparently they were only made available to people in Texas. Those in other places never got them, and now they are supposed to be getting funds through direct deposit. Great. Brilliant. Because I'm sure all survivors have bank accounts, have the information, and that their banks are up and running. And I'm sure they have ATM cards, and that the shelter where they are staying is close to an ATM.

My neice & nephew's uncle (and my nephew's godfather) got an early ticket home from Iraq because his family had to evacuate from Slidell, LA. After his second deployment, he's returned home (before seeing his wife and children) to find several trees on his house. To find most of his house uninhabitable. And to find out that he can't get the debit card he heard about. Not sure why, doesn't matter why, it's just wrong.

And George W has decided that he needs to head the investigation as to what went wrong??? What the hell? Because he has training in emergency management? Because he doesn't have anything else to do?

Obviously, no one saw this coming. I get that. But WOW-it just shows how upside down the world can become in an hour. And you'd think that after 9/11 and other catastrophes, that we'd be a little better at reacting to such things.

So I've chosen to help the family closest to me directly, I keep boxing up things to take to places that are helping evacuees, and I'm trying to keep informed. And I am praying that this country takes a long hard look at its leaders, its emergency management and priorities.

Enough of a rant for now.