You will find that everyone's experience has been different in response to Hurricane Ike. Most Houstonians, 4 days after the storm still have no electricity or water. No one can deny there is a lot of fallen trees, and some damaged buildings but Galvestion faces the worst damage and it will take a long time for the island to recover. There is hardly any area untouched by the storm. With 110 mph winds and a 15 foot storm surge before coming to Houston, the island truly suffered the storm's devastating effects. There is no running water, no electricity, no sewage system and I was a bit dismayed when the city mayor and manager both said in a press conference "PLEASE LEAVE GALVESTON" Sad but true, it is best if people leave the island.
"It's going to take weeks and months to get this place cleaned up," City Manager Steve LeBlanc said.With thousands of people failing to heed mandatory evacuation orders ahead of the storm and mosquitoes seemingly everywhere, LeBlanc said, "Quite frankly, we are reaching a health crisis."
Right now the death toll is 40, but most outside the Texas gulf coast which I think is a sign of the good job our city and county leaders did in evacuating and warning people.
If you have a house on the beach, You will most likely not see it or find it reduced to story high piles of trash, steel and sand. Then there are the boats. The most shocking scene I saw on television was the sail and fishing boats on 45 south.
Many of the citizens who rode the storm in Galveston are shell shocked and rightly so. Mother nature was mad and in my opinion when she's mad she reminds us to think about our lives, what's important and the sort of attitude we need to have to survive and then thrive again.
As we see the news of the afteramth of Ike, we get some other news on the collapse of the financial markets. Yes, 3 of america's largest banks are going bankrupt. Once again our fearless, corrupt leaders did not REGULATE when they were supposed to. Congress did not OVERSEE the financial corruption. CEO's got greedy and engaged in risky behavior. Lobbysts kept them in their pocket and out of the way. Now we must pay. Taxpayers again will pay. I understand we can not survive this financial mess without helping some of these failed banks and institutions.
But I ask why is it we keep voting for these people? Why is it that many Americans still believe deregulation is the way. Why don't we have campaign finance reform to keep lobbysts in the pockets of our leaders and keep them from answering to the people and not the corporations? I don't believe deregulation is the only way. I believe in balance and that is what we don't have anymore. It is one extreme or the other. I believe this has happened in part due to the lack of bipartisanship in our government.
Before you vote in november, I say we demand more from our leaders in both parties. Please keep yourself involved and informed with www.factcheck.org to find out if what the presidential candidates are saying is true.
The fact is we are facing one of the worst financial crisis in our history. As a result, I will spend less, conserve more, watch less TV and read more. Oh and did I forget. I will pray and keep a positive attitude because I won't have to depend on ANYONE or ANYTHING to do that. Keep the faith.
Galveston residents and all those who have suffered major losses. You are in my prayers.
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