PUERTO RICO…..WHY?

I do not understand.

Trump and the federal government performed well re Harvey, Irma, and Maria where ever required in the continental United States. Why has the government turned its back on Puerto Rico? Why is it failing Puerto Rico?

Trump motivated? I think so.

Something stinks re Puerto Rico and it is not the rotting seaweed and fish. It is Washington.

While Trump golfs this weekend in New Jersey, Puerto Ricans are suffering. Some dying. Many drink polluted water from creeks. Millions are without electricity. There is limited gas and cash. ATMs and credit card machines are not working. Cash is king. Few have neither cash nor the ability to get cash. Medicines unavailable. Few hospitals open.

Trump will shower, have food to eat, drink clean water, have a flushing toilet, enjoy air conditioning, have available to him whatever pills he takes, etc. No Puerto Rican will.

San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz is mad as hell. Properly so. She claims the federal government is not doing its job. Trump retaliates by tweeting he questions her leadership ability. He claims the Puerto Ricans want everything done for them when it should be a community effort.

He tells us Puerto Rico is broke. Insinuating such might be a reason for failing to properly assist.

His responses do not make sense. Not from the person who is father to all American citizens.

Puerto Rico’s Governor Ricardo Rossello appears to lack back bone. Afraid to speak the truth to higher authority. From the beginning, he has been praising Trump and the help provided.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Television continues to show ruin and devastation. Trump is intimating and will probably say at some point that such is fake news. I expect no less.

Something is wrong. What specially, I cannot put my finger on. Are there those who will enjoy terrific financial gain down the road? Or, is it because Puerto Ricans are persons of color, tan?

I hope Trump as he plays golf this weekend puts three balls in the water and loses three in the woods. He deserves no better.

Sloan and I worked on Irma and Me again yesterday afternoon. The book is taking shape.

My first stop last night was the Chart Room. I was the only customer when I arrived at 5:30. Just John and me. Stayed that way for a while. By the time I left around 8, the place was packed. Surprisingly, most were tourists.

Met am interesting woman. Brenda. Slight, white haired and lovely.

Brenda just short of being a Conch. Her parents moved to Key West when she was 2. At some point, she left. Returned in 2000.

Brenda is a realtor affiliated with Old Town Realty.

Old Town Realty is located on the massive second floor of the enormous concrete building overlooking Dante’s. The same area where Prime One is located.

She waited out Irma in Old Town Realty’s offices with co-workers and friends. Brenda has experienced many Key West hurricanes. Never left. Even for one.

Then to Tavern ‘n Town for the late Happy Hour.

You would never know Irma had been by. The bar and most of the restaurant were packed. All seemed to be tourists.

The Key West cleanup is a massive undertaking. Debris on every street. On every side of every street. It is going to take time.

The smell is only a problem after a rainstorm. The sun comes out. The humidity sky rockets. The odor ugh!

The State screwed up with the cross walks when it redid North Roosevelt Boulevard. They are dangerous. Accident, injuries, and deaths were inevitable.

Sheriff Ramsey has led the fight to have the problem corrected. The State said yes. However, need 2 years to draft and another 2 to get the money.

John C. Potter died sunday morning. Age 81. He was pedaling his bicycle through the cross walk at Key Plaza. A car struck him.

Syracuse/North Carolina State at 12:20 today. I was going to watch at Jack Flats. Changed my mind. Will try to get it here at home. Syracuse a 14 point underdog.

Man of La Mancha. The Impossible Dream. Miguel de Cervantes magnificent book Don Quixote rewritten to become a famous Broadway musical and movie.

Cervantes was Spanish having been born September 29, 1547 in Madrid. His life adventurous on occasion.

At one point, he was captured by Barbary pirates and imprisoned in Algiers for 5 years. Historians believe he formulated the idea for Don Quixote while so imprisoned. Recall the long tall staircase leading to the dungeon.

Don Quixote the story of a mad knight. A penniless man striving to live by the ideals of the past.

I saw Man of La Mancha three times on Broadway. Each show with a different lead. The movie, many times.

Enjoy your day!

13 comments on “PUERTO RICO…..WHY?

  1. Debris on every street. On every side of every street. It is going to take time.
    end quote

    The same applies to PR. There are a lot of American supplies sitting on that island waiting to be distributed. Their infrastructure is a mess and the streets are not yet cleared/open.

  2. Patrick – Is that another attempt at sarcasm? Are you suggesting that if and when they improve their infrastructure or clear their streets then we will lend some clearly needed help? Because, to me, that’s what it sounds like you are saying.

  3. PR receives 20+ billion/yr in American aid monies. It is still near bankruptcy [pre-hurricanes]. Its infrastructure is a mess, roads, water,sewer, electricity.
    Mayor Cruz is as far left as one can get and a Trump hater. She is shown complaining next to American supplies and troops at work. The islands governor has a different opinion, as does Geraldo Rivera and other reporters on the island. Its a shame politics has to be brought into something like this,
    The current American General in charge has said enough wasn’t being done and has changed that. Supplies and personnel are there, more are on the way, and, are being distributed as best as possible. Conditions are improving. This all takes time. No one has died since the storms passed as the mayor has tried to say. The island is willing to accept all the willing able bodies to help with this effort.

  4. with respect to puerto rico, have you noticed all the supplies on the docks in san juan? and, did you hear the the union truckers and dock workers are on strike.

    Hmmm?

    Wonder why?

    • What I heard is the local truckers were not showing up to drive. That is what the news said. Why? Becuase they are at what is left of their homes trying to help their families.

      Hmmm?

      Wonder why?

      Also, The Jones Act nonsense delayed aid deployment until someone with a Brain in DC ( was that an oxymoron) explained it to Trump and he waived it.

  5. Furthermore – Carmen Cruz, the mayor of San Juan, had nothing BUT good things to say about what aid was coming to PR – UNTIL, UNTIL AFTER – Donald Trump (the President of the United States) started publicly bragging about what a “tremendous success” that the aid to PR and Elaine Duke, acting Secretary of Homeland Security, said that it was such a “good news story,” etc., etc. It was AFTER this self serving BS, that she (Carmen Cruz) spoke out and said that no, that wasn’t true and that they (Puerto Ricans) were in dire straits and dying, etc., etc. This was quickly confirmed by others actually involved in the recovery effort in PR.

    Patrick – it is wrong of you, and a cheap shot, to take it upon yourself to explain this issue on Lou’s blog (10/1) and leave this part out, of the story. Shame on you!

    And by the way, I can’t find any evidence that she (Carmen Cruz) was a “Trump Hater” (as if that is any justification for poor performance with regards to any humanitarian catastrophe) before this instance, can you please direct us to something that even suggests that?

  6. Truck drivers and dock workers are not showing up to work, some report it as a strike.
    Go the work and help save your island.

    The island governor, the mayors [except for Cruz] and the congresswoman say America is going a great job. They also say mayor Cruz is refusing to participate in any meetings regarding this problem.

    American supplies are on the island with more coming. 10,000+ American are on the island working.

    The island infrastructure was a mess before the hurricanes. So not much can be expected. Such a small area being hit with 2 cat 4/5 hurricanes is horrific and will take a lot of time, work supplies and money. The island needs rebuilding.

    Mayor Cruz has said her people are dying. Not true. 19 have died during the hurricanes, none since. Mayor Cruz recently praised President Obama for commuting the sentence of convicted FALN felon Oscar Rivera and welcomed him to her city with open arms. It’ll be interesting to see the results of the next city election if she isn’t removed before hand.

  7. keywestlou on October 3, 2017 at 3:58 pm said:
    Patrick…..Fact Check: False. No strike by truck drivers. You check it out on your own. Easy to find on the internet.
    end quote

    You are right. It is easy to check. The reports were they were on strike. If they aren’t on strike so be it, but, Only 20% are showing up to work which I find disgusting. Their homeland is a disaster, they need to get their asses on the docks and in the trucks.

    • Patrick – Nonsense – his strike BS was only in the CRACKPOT press. This is and was totally FALSE news and you knew it when you repeated it.

      Yes, less than 20% (or so) are showing up for work. The rest are either injured, sick, providing for other desperate people, working on freeing trapped people, foraging water or almost no food, clearing roads, attempting to make some shelter for themselves, their family or neighbors.

      There is NO electricity, the hospitals are in pathetic shape, no telephone, no food, etc., etc.

      This is a serious emergency any you are you are, to use your own words, “DISGUSTING” to make this part of your pathetic politics.

      HAVE YOU NO SHAME PATRICK

      I’m telling your mother!

  8. keywestlou on October 4, 2017 at 8:47 am said:
    “I’m telling your mother!” Love it!
    end quote

    I hope he does, maybe she would let me out of the basement more often.

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