Where is the Governor while all of these fires are happening? (purchase, bill)

[Trainwreck20]

Personally, I prefer it when high-level elected officials stay away from the emergency. Unless they have a shovel, hose, or are lending a hand in some way, they are better off letting the people that are paid and trained to deal with the emergency deal with it. Where they are located at any moment in time does not mean they are or aren't dealing with the emergency at the proper level.

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

Originally Posted by Topaz

I don't think it is either/or. As a liberal Christian, I had two simultaneous thoughts: (1) What can I do to help/pray/contribute? and (2) I want to see the Governor back in Austin, doing whatever he can to secure help for Texans as the FIRST priority rather than campaigning right now.

I agree. This is what he is busy doing.Super PAC backing Perry to spend $55 million - politics - Decision 2012 - msnbc.com And I also agree it isn't an either/or situation, bad/good, right/left thing. I also understand we have the right in this country to say what we want to say in whatever form it takes. I can't speak for everyone but some of us do what we can in terms of helping whether it be monetary, donations of clothes, food, whatever. (neither party can say they own the rights to helping) The elected officials hold the power to actually do the big things they were elected to do that most of us are unable to. There is nothing wrong with holding an elected official accountable for their actions. (just as we have to be held accountable) Steve: If we were face-to-face I'd say the same thing as I'm saying now. I'm not hiding. Wanna go to lunch?

[N. Olikee]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Personally, I prefer it when high-level elected officials stay away from the emergency. Unless they have a shovel, hose, or are lending a hand in some way, they are better off letting the people that are paid and trained to deal with the emergency deal with it. Where they are located at any moment in time does not mean they are or aren't dealing with the emergency at the proper level.

Ideally, I agree. However in this day and age of On Demand and 24 / 7, if he's NOT there, it will come back to haunt him. It's always "good for show" to "attach" a caring face with a disaster.....politically speaking.

[JayBrown80]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

It's interesting to me how much the political context lives online, but not in real life face-to-face interactions.

Many of my super-liberal friends (and they are very good friends, so I'm not saying I don't like them) have made Facebook posts and Tweets jabbing and deriding Perry as a result of these fires. I cringe when I read some of those comments. Much of it in the same "what'chu gonna do now? Where are you?" category. All sorts of wild strands connecting Perry=Evil=Republicans=Fires.

My super Christian/Conservative friends post hopeful "praying for the victims" sorts of stuff, links to Red Cross donation sites, etc. All non-political, "how can we help" sort of stuff. Not saying they're any better than my other friends. It's just interesting to observe where our minds go immediately after such events.

As I'm out and about and talking with people, and on the phone, nobody mentions Perry in face-to-face conversation. Nobody goes to the "let's pray" side either. It's more matter of fact "wow, can you believe this? Do you know anyone out there?" (of course we all do).

One of my clients from Steiner is bunking up in a vacant rental I have in Grandview Hills near Steiner, at least until my new tenant moves in later this month. My wife has been on the phone calling people we know in the affected areas. So far, everyone, including many in Steiner, are assumed to have not lost their home because the damage seems to be restricted to the older, SW quadrant of Steiner.

This is a major, huge disaster. I'm sure any governor, Rep or Dem, would be doing everything possible, using all resources available, and I'd like to think that while we might consider political implications in online chatter and conversations, that the Gov is not thinking in those terms.

Maybe I'm naive, but that's my hope.

Steve

Perhaps that is also a result of the state in Question.

If this was happening in NYC, where they have a liberal democrat governor, then I am sure the Christians would be saying "where coumo, whatchagonnado" and the liberals would have been trying to offer help.

So if a state is on fire, the people that don't like the governor want to know what he is going to do and the people that do like the governor try to pretend that he has done no wrong.

It just depends on who the governor is.

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots

I agree. This is what he is busy doing.Super PAC backing Perry to spend $55 million - politics - Decision 2012 - msnbc.com And I also agree it isn't an either/or situation, bad/good, right/left thing. I also understand we have the right in this country to say what we want to say in whatever form it takes. I can't speak for everyone but some of us do what we can in terms of helping whether it be monetary, donations of clothes, food, whatever. (neither party can say they own the rights to helping) The elected officials hold the power to actually do the big things they were elected to do that most of us are unable to. There is nothing wrong with holding an elected official accountable for their actions. (just as we have to be held accountable) Steve: If we were face-to-face I'd say the same thing as I'm saying now. I'm not hiding. Wanna go to lunch?

I don't disagree, but as the OP, if you re-read the title of your post and the content, it's imbedded with assumptions that there are things that could be done that are not being done.

Upon what data or information do you base that criticism? Or do you simply not like Perry and want to use the fire as a reason to start a thread within which you can express your displeasure for him in the context of a current, ongoing event?

I'm no Perry fanboy. I'm just saying, "really?"

Steve

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

I don't disagree, but as the OP, if you re-read the title of your post and the content, it's imbedded with assumptions that there are things that could be done that are not being done.

Upon what data or information do you base that criticism? Or do you simply not like Perry and want to use the fire as a reason to start a thread within which you can express your displeasure for him in the context of a current, ongoing event?

I'm no Perry fanboy. I'm just saying, "really?"

Steve

I hear what you're saying. My beef with the governor, (and I don't care what political party he happens to be) is with the fact that he wasn't here dealing with the crises but off campaigning. It isn't like the winds were not predicted. The title of this post asked the question. I cannot control how someone interprets the thread, or the title. It was a simple question. I would be asking the same question of any elected official because they are in powerful positions. They have the power to actually do something, plus I still have the right to ask. I'm trying to understand why some people think it's wrong to have asked the question. Am I not suppose to ask? I wasn't assuming anything...he wasn't here, period. . I think he should have been here in Texas and I asked where is the Governor? And, by the way, when I asked I had no clue where he was because I haven't been keeping tabs on him. Governors of the state are elected officials accountable to the people are they not? He is in charge of this state isn't he? He is the one that makes the big decisions, isn't he?

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots

I hear what you're saying. My beef with the governor, (and I don't care what political party he happens to be) is with the fact that he wasn't here dealing with the crises but off campaigning. It isn't like the winds were not predicted. The title of this post asked the question. I cannot control how someone interprets the thread, or the title. It was a simple question. I would be asking the same question of any elected official because they are in powerful positions.

You don't think he came back quick enough? This started Sunday evening really, with the evacuations. He came back the following morning and was in Bastrop reassuring people by the afternoon. Less than 24 hours.

And you said the "winds were predicted"... do you think he should be here anytime high winds are predicted anywhere in Texas? Because that would be very limiting, there are probably high winds every day somewhere in the state.

[Tim_Barton]

Perry has spoken: Perry: 'Devastating' Texas blazes out of control - Weather - msnbc.com

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by atxcio

You don't think he came back quick enough? This started Sunday evening really, with the evacuations. He came back the following morning and was in Bastrop reassuring people by the afternoon. Less than 24 hours.

And you said the "winds were predicted"... do you think he should be here anytime high winds are predicted anywhere in Texas? Because that would be very limiting, there are probably high winds every day somewhere in the state.

I think this is a very good point. I have seen so many reg flag warnings since we moved back two and a half years ago. They meant nothing to me until this weekend.

I am not a big Perry fan (go Ron Paul!) but I think he is handling the situation adequately and that his turn around time on getting back here was well within the limits of what was reasonable.

[die Eichkatze]

Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots

Thank you for the information. It's irony isn't it when politicians say there isn't enough money for the VOLUNTEER firefighters. They are out there putting their lives on the line while bureaucrats play politics.

Most do get reimbursed for some expenses, but the problem is it usually takes the state and federal govts up to one year to distribute the funds. Which doesn't help very much when you need it now.

I think the governor's response was fine.....although I will add that there were several issues brought up in the sunset review preformed by the leg earlier this year on the Texas Forest Service. Some have been addressed, but core problems fell on deaf ears with the legislatures.
Sunset review recomendations to the leg: http://www.sunset.state.tx.us/82ndre...tfs/tfs_RL.pdf

Texas Forest Service report to the Sunset Commission (175 pages):http://www.sunset.state.tx.us/82ndreports/tfs/ser.pdf


Driving home last night, I heard a public service annoucement on the radio about wildfire prevention....where were these earlier in the year? A "Don't mess with Texas" type campaign would be useful. Although I still see idiots throwing cigarettes out their windows, you would think they would know better by now...