Random Post-Katrina Observations (090705)

Poll Results Available But Not Reported

It has been about 24 hours since Drudge flashed the results of a “CNNUSATODAYGALLUP” poll about the storm:

CNNUSATODAYGALLUP POLL: ONLY 13% BLAME BUSH?
Wed Sep 07 2005 10:42:26 ET

A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll of 609 adults taken September 5-6 shows:

Blame Game — 13% said George W. Bush is “most responsible for the problems in New Orleans after the hurricane”; 18% said “federal agencies”; 25% said “state and local officials”; 38% said “no one is to blame”; 6% had no opinion. — 29% said that “top officials in the federal agencies responsible for handling emergencies should be fired”; 63% said they should not; 8% had no opinion.

MORE

Government Performance — 10% said George W. Bush has done a “great” job in “responding to the hurricane and subsequent flooding”; 25% said “good”; 21% said “neither good nor bad”; 18% said “bad”; 24% said “terrible”; 2% had no opinion. — 8% said federal government agencies responsible for handling emergencies have done a “great” job in “responding to the hurricane and subsequent flooding”; 27% said “good”; 20% said “neither good nor bad”; 20% said “bad”; 22% said “terrible”; 3% had no opinion. — 7% said state and local officials in Louisiana have done a “great” job in “responding to the hurricane and subsequent flooding”; 30% said “good”; 23% said “neither good nor bad”; 20% said “bad”; 15% said “terrible”; 5% had no opinion.

Developing…

Gallup has released the results (HT NixGuy, whose post is from just before 2 PM), but after some searching, I see no indication that USAT or CNN is carrying them.

Hmm–That’s a lot of money to spend on something not reported on. Could it be that the results aren’t sufficiently critical of the president?

The Bleeping Blame Game

By now, it ought to be obvious that the New Orleans mayor and Louisiana’s Governor responded poorly before, during, and after the calamity. The Feds and FEMA didn’t cover themselves with glory, but anyone who has been through a decent high-school civics course should know where the primary responsibilities for public safety lie (hint: NOT in Washington DC).

Anyone who thinks the Feds (specifically the President) and FEMA were the major parties that blew it is going to have to substantively dispute the rigorously assembled timelines at DrumWaster and Right Wing Nuthouse. G’luck (Though they disagree a bit as to whether the Federal blame is zero or a little). Drumwaster link and related revisions were added early Thursday morning.

Porkopolis has infinitely more on:
- Refuting “The Feds Blew It (the most)” meme.
- The clear assignments of authority and responsibility marked off in various controlling documents.
- The pre-emptive “blame Bush” attempts by the Mainstream Media that began in the middle of last week.

Greedy Oil Companies Fail to Cash in on Obvious Opportunity to Gouge

Despite scattered reports indicating otherwise, gas prices at the pump and the barrel price of oil have not risen to the stratosphere in the wake of Katrina.

If you would have told me of the devastation that would be wrought by Katrina before it hit, I would have bet on a 20% gas price increase, and that it would stay at that level for a while. I would have lost that bet. It’s peaked at about $3 for regular here, up from about $2.70 or so before the storm hit, and it’s inching downard.

The barrel price of oil has also not jumped precipitously, closing below $65. Surely the release of Strategic Oil Reserve supplies has helped, but I would have bet against a decrease in the barrel price, and would have lost that bet too, which is why I am of no use at the race track.

With the remarkable job Gulf Coast refineries have done at getting back online, it looks like prices will continue to fall.

Foreign Aid in Reverse

You Big Mouth You has a listing of the impressive contributions from foreign countries and entities. My quick eyeball review shows that it amounts to about $364 million in cash plus a greater amount in oil and relief supplies.

I believe this level of outside help to the US is unprecedented. And I thought our relationship with “the rest of the world” was hopelessly frayed.

Power to the City

Last but not least: Some may consider it a wasteful exercise, but I suspect that Louisianans, especially the displaced, will be cheered by this picture.