Trump and Puerto Rico

[MurphOnMillerAve]

If the continuing problem in helping Puerto Rico help itself is not getting necessities to the island but getting those supplies from the docks to the people inland, couldn't/shouldn't the President just send an aircraft carrier loaded with helicopters, which can deliver everything needed more quickly and directly to the people along the debris-covered, impassible roads?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

If the continuing problem in helping Puerto Rico help itself is not getting necessities to the island but getting those supplies from the docks to the people inland, couldn't/shouldn't the President just send an aircraft carrier loaded with helicopters, which can deliver everything needed more quickly and directly to the people along the debris-covered, impassible roads?

Puerto Rico is “surrounded by water”. “This is an island surrounded by water, big water, ocean water”

A better response would have required advance planning and pre-positioning of materials, aid, supplies, personnel, and transport means. That Irma would devastate this island (and the nearby islands...) and reduce it to scrap and mud was evident well in advance. Could it have been done - yes. Can it be done.........wait until next time.

The relief efforts for Harvey have been totally overshadowed and near forgotten.

[E7]

Sounds good, but NOT KNOWING the logistics of making it happen, no comment. Add to that, all the devastation other places (Texas, Florida) I suspect things are spread pretty thin.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Sounds good, but NOT KNOWING the logistics of making it happen, no comment. Add to that, all the devastation other places (Texas, Florida) I suspect things are spread pretty thin.

Spread thin, probably true, but it all seems to be responsive after the fact as opposed to being fully mobilized in advance and being pro-active. Very little appears to have been learned from Katrina.

[MYmoo]

Murph,

He could have, (and possibly should have),
but he seems more interested in using military 'helicopters' to:
spend more time AWAY from the White House than in it,
'flit' across the country to 'fan' his 'base',
travel to private/business properties, ... ... ... .

Most are aware of his past (and present) attitudes about minorities, females, and foreigners.
(P.R. has all of the above.)
--------

[Tom Dempsey]

Perhaps the Republicans should stop using FEMA as a dumping ground for folks who worked on the campaign or gave big donations and instead install competent folks at the top when they take executive office. "Browny" wasn't doing an adequately good job, and I don't even know who the current director is. If we always end up after the fact put a three star general in charge, maybe we ought to just task the Army with the job from the git-go.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

...........install competent folks...............

What a concept! Competent leadership.

......put a three star general in charge, maybe we ought to just task the Army with the job from the git-go.

Or make it a position something outside of the election cycle, like the Chair for the Federal Reserve.

[HONDO74]

...........install competent folks...............

What a concept! Competent leadership.

[quote]

Late in the afternoon of Sunday, May 22, 2011. Joplin tornado was a catastrophic EF5-rated multiple-vortex tornado that struck killing 158 people within a few minutes and left 1,150 injured. $2.8 billion in damages.

So what did our fearless leader Obama do. Well he flew in for a PHOTO opt and a few words of comfort. Other than that not a damn thing. It was the business community that was on it right from the beginning. Trucking in water food and other necessities for the people. The wife and I spent 2 days with an organization we belong to helping out. Taking box lunches and water into the area to give to people that were trying to salvage anything they could. Big tent had been set up in parking lots and we were putting boxes together so people could come and get food and other items like clothing and diapers to take with them.

Standing on high ground near where the hospital was destroyed it looked like an atom bomb had leveled the area. What was amazing was how appreciative the people were that we were helping. Several times during the day the wife and I both had tears in our eyes. After all, these folks had just lost everything they had except their lives.

But we weren't surrounded by hundred of miles of ocean.....

[Rufus T. Firefly]

But we weren't surrounded by hundred of miles of ocean.....

So, that's an excuse for incompetence? So, all the photo ops in Tx did not happen?

News flash - every President shows up for every disaster press in tow for photos and then leaves having accomplished next to nothing.

[HONDO74]

But we weren't surrounded by hundred of miles of ocean.....

So, that's an excuse for incompetence? So, all the photo ops in Tx did not happen?

News flash - every President shows up for every disaster press in tow for photos and then leaves having accomplished next to nothing.

So you are saying the logistics is not a problem, It's trumps incompetence. That figures.

Since the end of WW2 the navy has had installation on Puerto Rico. While the Puerto Rican's were pressing for their independence over the years they were also protesting the presence of the navy. So in 2003 the bases were closed and the land was given back to Puerto Rico. These bases also provided millions of dollars in revenue for Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico is requesting 50,000 military to help. The bases will have to be reopened to accommodate that. Last year the Puerto Ricans finally figured out the had dug themselves such a deep hole that they could never get out of they decided they wanted to become a state.

[HONDO74]

The head of an international engineering firm in Puerto Rico said in an editorial Saturday that when the time came to send 50 of his engineers to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, he bypassed local officials and went straight to FEMA.

The reason, said Jorge Rodriguez, the CEO of PACIV, in an editorial in the New York Post, is that “for the last 30 years, the Puerto Rican government has been completely inept at handling regular societal needs, so I just don’t see it functioning in a crisis like this one.”

“Even before the hurricane hit, water and power systems were already broken. And our $118 billion debt crisis is a result of government corruption and mismanagement.”

Puerto Ricans elected a new governor last November but, Rodriguez charged, he was inexperienced and had never been responsible for a budget.

Gov. Ricardo Rossello cannot exactly count on those around him either, Rodriguez asserted.

“His entire administration is totally inexperienced and they have no clue how to handle a crisis of this magnitude,” said Rodriguez, who has a graduate business degree from Harvard Business School and was named a “Most Distinguished Graduate” by the University of Puerto Rico.

[robert.]

have other countries offered aid?

[HONDO74]

There are many more islands in the Caribbean that were also destroyed. The US is responsible for 3, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Island and A small one called Navassa. The UK, France and the Netherlands are responsible for theirs. The rest are either independent nations or part of the Caribbean commonwealth.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_s ... _Caribbean

As far as help goes we sure don't need any from the UN like what Haiti got back when they had the earthquake and the UN peacekeepers brought in had cholera. The cholera epidemic imported by United Nations peacekeepers began killing thousands of Haitians.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

There are many more islands in the Caribbean that were also destroyed. The US is responsible for 3, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Island and A small one called Navassa.

Pretty sure that the US Virgin Island is not a single island and is actually several islands clustered together that includes the islands of Saint Thomas, St. John, Water Island and St. Croix. This does not inclide the host of smaller islands in that same cluster.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

There are many more islands in the Caribbean that were also destroyed. The US is responsible for 3, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Island and A small one called Navassa. The UK, France and the Netherlands are responsible for theirs. The rest are either independent nations or part of the Caribbean commonwealth.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_s ... _Caribbean

As far as help goes we sure don't need any from the UN like what Haiti got back when they had the earthquake and the UN peacekeepers brought in had cholera. The cholera epidemic imported by United Nations peacekeepers began killing thousands of Haitians.

How was that done? (I never heard of that.)