We DON'T care more. That's just what the current line from the GOP is.  The Republicans want YOU to think Democrats lack concern and compassion. So they make hurricane Gustav, a weather issue, into a political issue.  Why? Well, we all know why. 

KATRINA:  The major domestic natural disaster of the Bush administration.

Republicans will say they "care more" and will speak as if no Democrat even lives in Louisiana.  Obama is calling on McCain to put together a bi-partisan effort to collect donations.  We'll see if McCain wants to do that, or pretend Obama didn't call.

I wasn't referring to the politicians.  I was referring to the Bakersfield bloggers.  No Republican or Democratic issue was meant by this.  I just get tired of the politics and was diverting the conversation.  Probably a stupid ploy on my part.  I feel for these families in LA and have concern for them. 

The major national disaster of the Bush Administration?  Yeah, I am sure he prayed for Katrina to cause the disaster. 

Why do we care more about the fact that Sarah Palin's daughter is pregnant at 17 than we do about the people that are in the path of Gustav? 

And why should we care more about Obama's lapel pin than about McBush's failed economic policy?  Why should we care whether Michelle Obama is "proud" than whether McBush is sharp enough to be president?

Because the right-wing media in this country try to distract us from serious issues with trivia--but they *REALLY* hate it when we use it against their favorite, McBush. 

It's called reaping what they sowed.

I don't think it's a matter of caring.  With Palin, our discussions here have consequences, however limited.  We can talk 'til we're blue in the face about Gustav and he'll just churn his course.

The major national disaster of the Bush Administration?  Yeah, I am sure he prayed for Katrina to cause the disaster.

NOBODY believes THAT! You can't pray FOR or AGAINST a natural disaster.  It was a NATURAL disaster that happened while Bush was at a fund raiser in California. His disaster was hiring a guy with NO experience to run the response; a guy who's previous experience was working with horses.  Bush didn't even visit the area for a week after the hurricane hit.

You can't stop a hurricane. You CAN prepare for the likliehood of disaster.  1,400 people died because the city wasn't evacuated and it was too late to get transportation into N.O. to get them out.  

TODAY, the city is a GHOST TOWN. That's the lesson. They've got preparation coming out of their ears.

The "GHOST TOWN" has evacuated 2 million people.  And yes, I agree, Katrina was not handled properly. And I agree that Gustav will do what the heck he wants.  Thanks for caring.  Seriously.  I see the point.  Sometimes I am very simple minded.  Too much compassion for the things we cannot control.

vwilory~ I had the nerve to suggest at the second anniversary that we should be ashamed at the slowness of recovery. Boy was that an unpleasant experience.With mostly conservative Republicans replying negatively,they seem to have learned from that mistake.

For one I care tremendously about about the south coastal areas and not so much about Palin's daughters pregnancy. But both are human conditions~ with the storm more likely to impact many more people.

Thanks Sage.  The storm will likely impact more people.  Who's your baby's daddy is not an issue for concern

""In a brief respite from partisanship, Democratic rival Barack Obama weighed in: "I think people's families are off limits and people's children are especially off limits." "

Just read an storm update and things are looking fairly good~roofs gone, with a few levees in doubt,but a heavy impact on the fishing and oil industries. I join my Republican friends in suggesting a donation to the Red Cross.

I was kind of wandering how long they could bag on Palin? It is a great day outside you should take a break and a long walk. 

Been outside quite a bit already.  Picked up some neat stuff at the junkyard. 

Palin is the gift that keeps on giving--until she withdraws her name from nomination.  We haven't even heard her deposition yet.

All I can really do is send another check to Louisiana and hope it's used to buy a non toxic trailer this time.

Thank God is wasn't a 4 or New Orleans would be right back where it started.

 We could have another major catastrophe and it seems like all we care about is gossip and mud slinging.

Gustav isn't packing the same punch as Katrina.  Actually, Louisiana is extremely lucky that the storm is moving so fast, as they're not going to see the same rainfall totals as could be possible if the storm sat above the State.

I'd also like to point out that anyone in New Orleans who loses a home for the second time thanks to Gustav better not be rebuiling after this, and if they are, I would hope it wouldn't be with Federal funds.

Go on CNN and all you see is footage about Gustav, not Palin's daughter.  However, I agree with you that the obsession with this who pregnancy thing is stupid, but as usual, the news media will take anything they can dig out and run with it.

Not so much a stupid teen got knocked up, but why. Children are a reflection of the parents, even if that impression is an unfair one.  As fundie-girl would have it, Alaska does not require sex education. That child is not "choosing" to have her baby nor is she choosing a shotgun wedding. The choices are those of her parents. The girl's choice to have sex was obviously not an informed one as she didn't have the facts of life explained to her. I doubt she'd have  "the support and love" of her parents had she said, "I want an abortion; get this little bastard out of my body!" or "No, I don't want to get married and live with this bozo for the rest of my life."  The sin is not that the girl got pregnant; the sin is not giving her any options.

While I may be speaking specifically about a pregnant teen, the implication of her mother's character is the concern. We're speaking of a possible vice president whose boss is old enough to have a foot in the bone yard already and a fair liklihood that he'll croak in office. Would that mean her religious fanaticism would dictate foreign policy? Would birth control be an encouragement removed from our aid to third world countries? And the education and choice withheld from the daughter here at home would be the policy for every girl in America. My daughter is just now embarking on her adulthood. She is capable of poor judgement and wrong choices. I don't think she should serve a life sentence for them because fundie-girl from Alaska thinks it is an appropriate punishment.

 The girl's choice to have sex was obviously not an informed one as she didn't have the facts of life explained to her.

That's a very big assumption. You forget that teens seem to think they know everything and oftentimes ignore their parents instruction and warnings.

I'm not a fan of McCain or Palin, but I think some people here are pulling for straws.

Not an unreasonable assumption at all after I've heard some of the myths from kids who did not have sex ed. Can't get pregnant when you do it the first time was popular. Then there's the church's rythmn method, which is not a method at all. What parent's instruction? The mom is a baby machine for God. As for fundie-girl's agenda, those aren't straws or paranoia. That's real and it should scare any American.

I don't deny that there are plenty of teens who are not given proper sex ed, but to automatically jump on Palin with such an assumption is foolish.

I, for one, am looking forward to this week's installment of Twin Peaks, starring Sarah Palin as the Log Lady.