PUERTO RICO IGNORED INTENTIONALLY?

Puerto Rico and Las Vegas are tragedies. Of the highest order. Each approached differently by President Trump.

Trump visits Puerto Rico today. Two weeks post Maria. Trump visits Las Vegas tomorrow. Two days post the shooting.

Trump mentioned yesterday he might remain in Las Vegas more than one day.

Re Puerto Rico, Trump announced early on: “We have it under really great control.” San Juan’s Mayor Cruz contradicted him. No way, she said. Trump referred to those complaining as “politically motivated ingrates.”

A picture is worth a thousand words. Pictures and videos of Puerto Rico show the horrific damage clearly. Three million four hundred thousand American citizens suffering.

The question arises as to why help for Puerto Rico has been so slow.

J.T. Thompson wrote a Letter to the Editor which appeared in this morning’s KONK Life. Thompson’s letter responded directly to the question

I paraphrase.

Harvey headed to Texas. The White House relaxed regulations and delivered troops and resources in advance of landfall. Then assisted Texas quickly and efficiently after landfall.

A similar scenario with Florida re Irma. Relaxed regulations and delivery of troops and resources in advance of landfall. Quick and efficient assistance following landfall.

Puerto Rico was hit by category 5 hurricane Irma a week before. Then by another category 5 Maria one week later.

As Maria headed to the Caribbean, the White House did little in advance. Nine days after landfall, 3.4 million American citizens were waiting for food, fuel and drinking water.

Eleven days post landfall, San Juan’s Mayor  asked for “meaningful assistance.” Advising many could die without it.

Thompson answers the question why from a political perspective.

Texas has 38 electoral votes and supported Trump. Florida has 29 electoral votes and supported Trump. Puerto Rico has zero electoral votes and supported Clinton with its popular vote.

I do not know whether Thompson is correct. However, his position is food for thought.

As you are aware, I considered Florida’s Governor Rick Scott a terrible Governor. Till Irma. His attention to Irma and its people problems perfection. He covered all the bases getting ready and during the hurricane itself.

His attention to and anticipation of post Irma problems right on, also. One example being displaced Puerto Ricans who will be fleeing to Florida. Anticipated on an emergency basis to be in excess of 100,000.

Scott announced yesterday Florida is ready for them. The displaced Puerto Ricans will be welcomed with open arms. Every assistance will be provided them.

Scott has permitted State agencies to take extraordinary measures to assist families that will soon arrive in droves to cities like Orlando and Miami. The two cities have large populations of former Puerto Ricans. State agencies will be allowed to waive regulations.

Disaster relief centers are being opened today. Two each at Orlando and Miami airports. To welcome and offer every available resource from the State.

Scott is determined that the displaced Puerto Ricans are matched with available State resources to insure families are given the tools needed to work and provide their children with great educations.

Right on, Governor Scott! You are the man! You are welcoming people  to our shores rather than trying to keep them out. People in need.

A reminder. My podcast Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou at 9 tonight. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS…..

Tonight! Christmas Eve! Santa Claus comes to town!

Love it!

Robert and Ally excited. Especially Ally. Just talked to them on the phone.

Dinner will be great! Seven fishes. Italian tradition. Last year, Lisa made it to five. Perhaps this year seven. In any event, what ever the number, Lisa’s cooking this special evening spectacular!

I started telling the story of Christmas in America yesterday. Not popular in the 1600s and 1700s. Banned in certain localities. Had to do with the pagan birth of the holiday.

This morning, three writings that had a decided impact on how we celebrate Christmas in America today. All three writings done in the first half of the 1800s.

Washington Irving one of our first great American writers. Most famous for the Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle.

Many of Irving’s writings were in the form of short stories and essays. Written over a period of years and compiled over that period of time into the Sketchbook of Geoffrey Cooper. Three short stories written in 1809:  Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Christmas Dinner.

Wrote not as the holiday was, but as how he conceptualized it to be. A peaceful loving holiday. The work set the mood for present day Christmas. Not a pagan festival. Rather the beginning of Christmas as we know it.

In 1823 came ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house / Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse….. The opening stanzas to A Visit From St. Nicholas. Written by Clement Clarke Moore.

‘A Visit From St. Nicholas was a poem. Really spelled out what our Christmas is today.

The third writing was an 1843 novel by Charles Dickens. A Christmas Carol. Scrooge, Marley’s ghost, and crippled Tim Cratchet who as Tiny Tim touched everyone’s heart.

America was on its way to today’s Christmas! Not the entire country, however. Tomorrow, Christmas in the North and South, its Civil War impact, etc.

Made a Christmas visit to Donna and Terri yesterday. Sat outside and chatted.

Terri looked good and was on a high. She had chemo in the morning. Does not affect her the first day and leaves her feeling terrific. The second day, today, will be hell. All the adverse chemo effects will hit her.

Terri has thinned down. Thirty five pounds worth. Thin is good. Not the way she is achieving it, however.

Donna is hanging in there. Doing her loving spousal thing. Her tiredness obvious. She complains not, however.

Someday, I must meet Key West’s Roger Kostmayer. He writes letters to the editor. Expresses himself via that medium and any other he can. He shares his opinion. Sometimes I agree with him, sometimes not.

Kostmayer had an interesting right on Letter to the Editor in this morning’s Key West Citizen. He asked where is the outrage over Russia’s hacking?

His final paragraph crystallized his position: “When did it become acceptable to view your neighbor as the enemy because he or she belongs to a different political party, while admiring a brutal foreign dictator who is attacking our core American institutions?”

I close on this special day with the final line of A Visit From St. Nicholas: “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”