I have already discussed at some length the dismal and DELIBERATE Republican failures to maintain America's infrastructure. The Republican Party has a stated policy of "Drowning American in a Bathtub [1]," essentially reducing government to nothing. This is how Republican guru Grover Norquist put it:
"Cutting the government in half in one generation is both an ambitious and reasonable goal," Norquist stated in May 2000. "If we work hard we will accomplish this and more by 2025. Then the conservative movement can set a new goal. I have a recommendation: To cut government in half again by 2050"
We saw the direct and tragic result of that Republican "Drown America" policy in Louisiana and Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina, in closed and collapsed bridges in Minnesota [2], and now...floods in Iowa this month (June 7th) [3].
So once again levees neglected by the Republicans have broken under predictable conditions, flooding the homes of Americans. From Daily Kos [4] (original article and the photos from Iowa can be found here [5]):
I am in Mason City. Our levees broke Sunday morning. Flood stage is 7 foot and waters are now at 19 feet. Hundreds of homes and businesses are underwater. The City's water plant was flooded and the entire city of 30,000 is without potable water. A couple of hours ago the main electric substation flooded and failed and much of the city is without power. People remain in flooded homes. Early tonight I saw people wandering the streets not knowing where to go. There are entrie areas of the city with NO emergency personnel on hand.
NOBODY from the outside has come to help. Our local first responders are exhausted and overwhelmed. Small rural towns downstream tonight are being devasted. Levees everywhere are failing. Calls for help in these small towns have been unmet. Portions of our local guard are in Iraq.
The homeland has been left unprotected and people are suffering horribly.
More:
I have seen no evidence of any kind of effort to check houses and check on persons welfare. The only emergency people here are the local authorities. NOBODY from outside has come to help.
While walking around near the downtown area I came across a young guy around 20 years old carrying several bags and packs. He approached me telling me that he was told to evacuate and they had given him only one days worth of meds. He obviously was mentally ill and probably taking psychotropic medications. He told me a bus was supposed to get him but he didn't know where it was. Nearby was a mental residential care facility that was partially surrounded by water. I asked him if that was where he lived. He told me yes and I took him back. I left him with another resident. There were no responsible parties or emergency people anywhere in the vicinity. It angers me that whatever person that runs/owns that facility wasn't better taking care of these people. I know its a private care facility.
You would think our government would have learned after Katrina. Where in the hell is FEMA? There are 30,000 people here without water. There are still people in flooded homes. People are wandering the streets not knowing what to do and where to go.
12:30 am update - An hour ago the main electrical power substation serving downtown Mason City was flooded and has failed. The entire central part of the city is in the dark where the flooding is the worst. More then 2,000 homes are now without power. There are no expectations that power will be restored until sometime tomorrow.
Sound familiar? Rememer "Great job, Brownie" after Katrina? Seems Bush LIKES the Drown America philosophy of the Republican Party. Republican Policy is destroying Louisiana, Mississippi, Minnesota and Iowa.
And what are the Republicans doing? NOTHING! Let's review:
Iowa :
New Orleans after Katrina:
Bush and McCain:
Iowa:
New Orleans:
Bush and McCain:
Bush and McCain: These are the faces of Republican failure. Louisiana and Mississippi deserved better. Minnesota deserves better. Iowa deserves better. America deserves better!
[6] | 
[7] | 
[8] | 
[9] | 
[10] | 
[11]