3 weeks ago, the Governor of Kansas said this:

[Neecy]

From the Kansas City Star on Saturday, 14 April, 2007:

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius says she fears deployments of Kansas National Guard troops and equipment could hurt the state’s ability to react to disasters on the homefront.

...The criticism coincided with the Pentagon’s announcement that it would call up about 13,000 additional Guard members for active duty next year. Kansas now has about 1,000 Guard troops serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and on the Mexican border.

Sebelius, a Democrat, said she was concerned Kansas may be left vulnerable if the nation continues to rely so heavily on Guard troops.

Of course, she's been saying this for several years now. George Bush is so deeply enmeshed in his personal war of choice that he's leaving even states that supported him in 2000/2004 at the mercy of the elements. No wonder that Sebelius, in the same article, calls for an exit strategy in Iraq.

Meanwhile, across the border in Missouri, here's how your governor is responding:

Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, a Republican, has not criticized the use of Guard personnel from his state. About 500 Guard troops from Missouri are deployed in the Middle East, a Missouri National Guard spokeswoman said.

The Missouri river is expected to crest at historic levels this week. Wonder if Baby Blunt will reconsider if the Missouri Guard is needed to do extensive water rescues?

http://www.kansascity.com/130/story/70213.html

[Horse with no Name]

1. In northeast Texas we have been receiving a LOT of rain

We have been fortunate to miss the really bad stuff...but it is probably only a matter of time. We are forecast rain for the next 5-6 days.
Year before last, as far inland as we are (on the Oklahoma border) we received a hurricane warning when Rita blew through.
I understand this is going to be a busy hurricane year.
If NOTHING else, we need to bring our NG AND their equipment home to take care of the home country. If Bush needs more soldiers, let him impose a REAL draft instead of the backdoor one he is utilizing.

[rosesaylavee]

12. Are you anywhere near Darouzett?

My husband's family is from there. Beautiful country.

[Horse with no Name]

13. It is in the Northwest panhandle.

We are opposite end.

[rosesaylavee]

16. D is ne of Perryton

Little town just west of Follet...

My father-in-law has stories of the dustbowl that curls our hair.

[Spurt]

14. The gear is largely lost.

After being used in a conflict zone, most of the gear is of dubious worth. In a lot of cases the cost of shipping and refurbishment is greater than replacement. Billions of dollars worth of equipment will be abandoned when withdrawal eventually happens.
So you can add that hidden cost onto the war budget too.

Never mind - just add it to the deficit for the next generation to pay.

[wicket]

2. K & R

:kick:

[formercia]

3. Only 500?

friggin Maine has more than that and there are a lot more people in MO.

I guess it pays to be a suck-wad.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. never mind

[Cleita]

4. I'm holding my breath for the next big earthquake in a

major metropolitan area. Most of us Californians though have pretty much accepted the fact that we will be on our own if that happens.

[Emit]

5. I heard on the news last night that 60% of their Guard's equipment is in Iraq, too. n/t

[pacalo]

6. God help that Democratic governor who is at the mercy of this partisan administration.

Ninety-five percent of Greensburg, Kansas, was flattened.

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said the state's response was limited by the shifting of emergency equipment, such as tents, trucks and semitrailers, to the war in Iraq.

"Not having the National Guard equipment, which used to be positioned in various parts of the state, to bring in immediately is really going to handicap this effort to rebuild," she said.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/WireStory?id=3146417&page=1

[DURHAM D]

8. Go Gov. Sebelius.

Many think she has potential on the national stage as a VP candidate, if the Dems pick a male for the top spot.

[Kurovski]

9. K&R. (nt)

[CrazyOrangeCat]

10. kick

[Mabus]

11. and meanwhile, George and Elizabeth eat cake

I'm sorry, I know this is off topic but watching the preparations for Queen Elizabeth from the touch-up paint jobs to watching the WH kitchen staff scurry around in preparation for a banquet really, really pisses me off. We have kids dying in Iraq and Afghanistan because they don't have adequate equipment and little Lord Pissypants having a party. We have our kids, who have come home from Bush's Folly, receiving (and more & more not receiving) medical care and/or living in poor conditions because of problems with veteran's care and Bush is having a party.

Over the past few days there are 20 people dead, within the continental US, who have lost everything they own and George is sprucing up the White House. http://www.cnn.com/2007/WEATHER/03/02/severe.weather/index.html

Our state's National Guard units are stripped of equipment and stretched to their limits.

And George and Elizabeth are having cake this afternoon.

It is just pissing me off. :grr:

[slackmaster]

15. Her timing was impeccable

:toast:

[Telly Savalas]

17. Blunt just figures that if the flooding leaves more people homeless

then that's fewer Medicaid recipients with addresses, which means we can take them off the rolls.