I Didn't Write That!

06 September 2005

TEXAS: 139,000 hurricane refugees in 137 shelters. Another 100,000 in hotels.
ARKANSAS: At least 59,000 refugees in Arkansas. That number could increase to 70,000 or 100,000 -- that would be about 3 percent of the state's population.
LOUISIANA: More than 50,000 refugees.
ALABAMA: About 3,000 people in shelters but 25,000 to 30,000 elsewhere, most in hotels or with relatives and friends.
SOUTH CAROLINA: The state was prepared for up to 18,000 refugees.
MISSISSIPPI: More than 17,000 refugees in shelters, an untold number of others in hotels, churches and private homes.
TENNESSEE: Nearly 13,000 refugees, and that number could double. More than 10,000 people have gone to Memphis.
MICHIGAN: Willing to accept up to 10,000 people.
NEW MEXICO: Room for up to 6,000 hurricane victims, the first 1,000 to be housed at Albuquerque Convention Center.
MINNESOTA: Prepared to host up to 5,000 evacuees for a year or longer.
MASSACHUSETTS: Up to 2,500 refugees at National Guard Base.
OKLAHOMA: Nearly 2,000 evacuees, with as many as 3,000 more expected.
ARIZONA: Room for up to 1,800 refugees in Phoenix and Tucson.
PENNSYLVANIA: Prepared to take up to 1,200 refugees.
COLORADO: Up to 1,000 refugees, some at a dormitory on the former Lowry Air Force Base.
OREGON: Room for up to 1,000 people.
CALIFORNIA: Willing to accommodate up to 1,000 refugees.
GEORGIA: More than 900 evacuees in 12 shelters.
WISCONSIN: Room for more than 900 refugees at dormitory in suburban Milwaukee.
FLORIDA: Nearly 800 people in 14 emergency shelters.
KANSAS: About 750 refugees so far.
MISSOURI: More than 500 people at Red Cross shelters. Between 500 and 1,000 families staying with friends and relatives.
WEST VIRGINIA: Up to 500 people could be housed at National Guard camp.
ILLINOIS: Up to 500 refugees.
NORTH CAROLINA: About 470 refugees expected in Charlotte.
UTAH: About 450 refugees in Salt Lake City.
OHIO: At least 120 refugees, with hundreds more expected later.
INDIANA: About 60 evacuees in former dormitory at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

Now, how many of the people involved, do you think, spread through all these states but in large numbers in most cases, are likely to vote Republican next year? They may be poor and displaced, but they still have the vote. If they end up living in these states permanently by next year, which is not only what some have suggested but which also may be necessary, what effect do you think this many people with reason for revenge on Bush will have, in these mostly red states, on the 2006 election?

That's leaving aside the general outrage already felt by most Americans on the subject.

I wonder if the GOP has considered the trap that has been set for them, and whether they realize they really ought to be treating these people nicer than they have been.

I haven't seen anyone considering this and I'd like to know what others think could happen here.

Labels: politics

¶ 9/06/2005 02:03:00 PM

Comments:

Geez John, you write so well and always have, I can't believe there aren't any comments on your blog about the Kristina tragedy. Hope things have gone better for you since the last time I got in touch.

As to this:

"I wonder if the GOP has considered the trap that has been set for them, and whether they realize they really ought to be treating these people nicer than they have been."

Even if they realize it, Barbara Bush really blew it for them with her noxious comments on NPR I believe it was. Did you SEE THAT YET? Talk about acting like Marie Antoinette. As at least one writer has already said, "The apple doesn't fall very far from the tree." Yeah, about an inch.

I was so angry about what happened, I wrote California's senators. It's the first time I've ever written to elected officials. I'm a terrible political follower and my letter explains why.

I have your blog linked at mine, http://nutbrainruminations.blogspot.com

Hope that's okay. Take care John,
I'll be reading.

Tonya (formerly of Table Talk)

# posted by

Tonya : Tuesday, September 06, 2005 9:03:00 PM