USA: Staten Islanders On Sandy Response: We’ve Been Left FAR Behind; Residents Furious RED CROSS Offering Cookies & Hot Chocolate, Not Blankets Or Clothes; Little Help Has Arrived; They Ask: Where Is FEMA? It's Been 5 Days!

It breaks my heart to see an American BEGGING a politician for help. She could easily be my mom crying out for help. We should not have to beg a politician. They ALL work for us, at the federal, state and local level. It is their job to be on top of situations like this. This has to desperately change. These politicians enjoy their lavish lifestyles on our taxpayer dime and enjoy their political titles that earns them major perks from special interests who have lined their pockets with dirty money. No, I will not show our government any sympathy, nor will I show them respect. They don't deserve it. Where is their respect for us?! I mean seriously. They are ELECTED OFFICIALS hired by us to PROTECT AND SERVE and manage our taxpayer funds! Not act like pompous jerks all year round and squander our taxpayer funds, then have the nerve to want to increase our taxes so they can continue squandering our taxpayer funds. Why weren't they prepared at the federal, state and local level? Everyone knew this superstorm was coming for over a week and just watched. What the heck are we paying them for? How are they spending our taxpayer money. Crap, they keep increasing our taxes every which way possible and for what? So we can beg them for help!

Yes, I know Mayor Bloomberg doesn't take a salary. But that doesn't mean diddly-squat if he can't be an effective leader. I would rather pay a mayor who has their PRIORITIES STRAIGHT. I mean Mayor Bloomberg felt it was a priority to prepare for NYC annual marathon, while New Yorkers are starving, freezing, homeless and dying! Enough said. The same is true for all other government positions at the leadership level. We, as voters, really need to look beyond the superficial "nice guy" face they show us and start looking deeper and paying attention to their actions. I am tired of politicians abusing their power and then in times of crisis look like deers caught in headlights. Abusers are known to be "nice guys".

"Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn from the depths of his heart, and the mask is torn off."

~by Lucretius, On the Nature of Things

I would like to point out that the state of Hawaii has really worked hard to streamline their natural disaster crisis management. I've watched how they have responded to the tsunami's that were headed to their islands. I give them an A+. Perhaps the rest of the states could follow their lead or leaders across the United States should take a crisis management course as a mandatory requirement, including the President of the United States.

“Character is not made in a crisis it is only exhibited.”
~by Robert Freeman

********************************

CBC New York Local news

Staten Islanders On Sandy Response: We’ve Been Left FAR Behind

written by Staff

Friday November 2, 2012

Borough Is In Shambles, But Little Help Has Arrived; They Ask: Where Is FEMA?

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Staten Island residents are furious. They feel that in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy they’ve been ignored and left to fend for themselves.

CBS 2′s Jessica Schneider toured the borough on Thursday night and saw one home on Cedar Grove Avenue that looks like it was torn to shreds by a tornado.

However, it was surging ocean waters that tore the house apart, and filled others with more than 10 feet of water.

It’s that type of apparent neglect that has left residents saying they haven’t received the attention or help they so desperately need.

“Red Cross is here with hot chocolate and cookies. We need blankets, we need pillows, we need clothing. We can get hot chocolate and cookies, we need help!” resident Jodi Hannula said.

It was almost too much for Hannula to bear. She said she had 30 years of memories washed away by flood waters.

And with no flood insurance, she said she’s been pleading for help, but finding little.

“You hope that the government does the right thing and steps in and helps us out. We have been looking for FEMA, [but] FEMA has not been here,” Hannula said.

People on Staten Island argued that they’ve been neglected while other parts of New York City, and the Jersey Shore, have been showered with attention.

“We are far from fine, and the fact that the mayor wants to have a marathon this weekend, when we’ve had people who have lost their lives or house, everything they’ve worked for their whole lives … I mean, its unbelievable to me,” Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis said.

Amid the damage there was also death. Of the 37 known fatalities from the storm in the city, 17 were killed on Staten Island.

One of the most tragic stories became nationally known earlier in the day. Two little boys, ages 2 and 4, were swept away by a tidal surge after their mother’s car stalled and she ran for help. Their bodies were discovered in a marsh Thursday.

“It’s total devastation. It’s not just New Dorp Beach. It’s the whole shore from Tottenville to South Beach,” resident Kyle Haberstroh said.

Donna Solli confronted Sen. Charles Schumer on Thursday afternoon, demanding food and more assistance.

Later that night she got a meal — and a promise for more Friday morning.

“Yes, I have food. I haven’t had food in two days and I have food, finally,” Solli said.

Residents were organizing a huge cleanup day on Saturday. They said if no one else is going to help them restore their community — Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano was to visit Staten Island Friday in response to the community’s complaints — they’re going to do it on their own.