# Holy shit! Hell has frozen over! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 13, 2005, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-hell-has-frozen-over/321444 "2005-09-13T16:43:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-hell-has-frozen-over/321444/61 "2005-09-14T16:53:17Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > Those of you who shout about inability to admit mistakes and accept responsibility, and you’re also ardent supporters of the previous administration, which had no shortage of lies, deception, and credibility issues? :dubious: Puh-leeze. Cool, so I get a free pass. I thought Clinton was a moron in many facets, and I thought his lame-o apology was full of shit. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-hell-has-frozen-over/321444/62 "2005-09-14T16:57:00Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > Cool, so I get a free pass. I thought Clinton was a moron in many facets, and I thought his lame-o apology was full of shit. Thank you for that measure of honesty. It’s rare. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-hell-has-frozen-over/321444/63 "2005-09-14T18:15:08Z")
I don’t like Bush, but I admit I’m impressed that he finally stepped up and admitted that the federal government screwed up, and that he’s responsible. The qualifier doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is that people keep arguing over whether the local or federal government is at fault for the disasterous consequences of Katrina. What’s so goddamn hard about saying that they both fucked up? Feds fucked up FEMA and levy maintainance, city and state government fucked up the evacuation. Of course the politicians are going to go back and forth trying to blame each other, but there’s no reason that the rest of us have to buy in to their bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-hell-has-frozen-over/321444/64 "2005-09-14T18:24:13Z")
> [@The Weird One](#): > > I…snip… > What bothers me is that people keep arguing over whether the local or federal government is at fault for the disasterous consequences of Katrina. What’s so goddamn hard about saying that they both fucked up? Feds fucked up FEMA and levy maintainance, city and state government fucked up the evacuation. Of course the politicians are going to go back and forth trying to blame each other, but **there’s no reason that the rest of us have to buy in to their bullshit**. - My Bolding. \* Amen to that. They all screwed up and bad. Mayor, Governor, Feds. _{Coast Guard and a few others were great}_ ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-hell-has-frozen-over/321444/65 "2005-09-14T18:27:11Z")
Wow, so he’s acknowledged the stunningly obvious. Good for him, I guess. The question now becomes “does he think everything is hunky-dory now because he said a few words about it?” That’s not a Bush problem, it’s a politician thing - they expect people to think that acknowledging something is the same as doing something about it. I’m really more interested in seeing if disaster response is improved in any way. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-hell-has-frozen-over/321444/66 "2005-09-14T18:32:47Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Wow, so he’s acknowledged the stunningly obvious. Good for him, I guess. The question now becomes “does he think everything is hunky-dory now because he said a few words about it?” That’s not a Bush problem, it’s a politician thing - they expect people to think that acknowledging something is the same as doing something about it. I’m really more interested in seeing if disaster response is improved in any way. Well said. I think they believe a half assed apology and a few platitudes on making sure it never happens again will calm the public. Sadly, I believe they’re correct in this assumption. ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-hell-has-frozen-over/321444/67 "2005-09-14T19:12:31Z")
I’m guessing the next steps will be: 1. Announce that we will be more proactive in the future, and declare a War on Hurricanes. 2. Announce that the Tampa Bay area is woefully underprotected from the threat of hurricanes. 3. Raze every building in the Tampa Bay area to the ground and attempt to rebuild them all to withstand a category 5 hurricane and 40 foot storm surge. All demolition and rebuilding activity to be awarded in a no-bid contract to Halliburton’s new construction subsidiary. 4. All people expressing doubts that this is the best way to fight hurricanes will be referred to as “pro-hurricane looters.” 5. When all the people made homeless by the demolition activity start to riot, send in the National Guard, telling the nation “we are fighting the pro-hurricane looters on their home ground in Tampa so we won’t have to fight them in the streets of our own towns.” 6. Profit??? ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-hell-has-frozen-over/321444/68 "2005-09-14T20:35:44Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I was thinking more along the lines of committing _seppuku_ in the Rose Garden. Gotta disagree, for two reasons: (1) Committing _seppuku_ would result in the restoration of honor lost. Hell no. (2) Committing _seppuku_ would deprive George the experience of watching history render its judgement on his Colossal Amazing Fucked-Up Natrion-Crashing Presidency, in glorious Technicolor. Why would you deprive the rest of us the pleasure of watching that? ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-hell-has-frozen-over/321444/69 "2005-09-14T20:45:05Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > (2) Committing _seppuku_ would deprive George the experience of watching history render its judgement on his Colossal Amazing Fucked-Up Natrion-Crashing Presidency, in glorious Technicolor. Why would you deprive the rest of us the pleasure of watching that? I’m sure GW won’t give one spit. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-hell-has-frozen-over/321444/70 "2005-09-15T01:55:19Z")
I’m reminded of when Senator Hatch implored President Clinton to tell the truth about getting sucked off by Monica Lewinsky. (And shortly thereafter, tore him a new one for doing so). Welcome to life without privilege, President Bush – luckily for you, no one on SDMB has any authority, or it would literally suck. > [@Psycho Pirate](#): > > Bush can’t win on the SDMB. He gets pitted for not admitting mistakes. Then, when he takes responsiblity for an error…he gets pitted. Bumper sticker: **THE BUCK STOPS somewhere** ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-hell-has-frozen-over/321444/71 "2005-09-15T02:01:38Z")
Bush accepts responsibility, and gets pitted for it. Right. Okay… You people are fucked. Now I’ll stand back and wait to be called “shrill”. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-hell-has-frozen-over/321444/72 "2005-09-15T02:14:49Z")
You’re not shrill. We’re cynical. After six years of denial and flat out ignoring “miscalculations”, it’s difficult to believe the man is acting out of any sense of responsibility or desire to do what’s right for the country. In fact, considering how much flak he’s taking from Republicans, it’s easy to construe this admission as nothing more than more spin. As I said before; part of taking responsibility is making restitution to right the wrong. Launching an investigation to find out who fucked up after the fact doesn’t do anything to fix the problem. It just makes it easier to find a scapegoat. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-hell-has-frozen-over/321444/73 "2005-09-15T02:37:54Z")
> [@Maureen](#): > > You’re not shrill. We’re cynical. After six years of denial and flat out ignoring “miscalculations”, it’s difficult to believe the man is acting out of any sense of responsibility or desire to do what’s right for the country. In fact, it’s impossible to believe anybody in politics admits a mistake for any responsible or noble reasons. They do it when they have to, because they have to. If I’m forgetting some exceptions, terrific. Did anybody post “if Bush accepts responsibility, everything’s cool?” Given the scope of these fuckups, this isn’t going to make anyone feel better. And I think some of the “shrill” people might be annoyed at the idea that he deserves credit for taking responsibility for these failures. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-hell-has-frozen-over/321444/74 "2005-09-15T15:47:34Z")
**The Loaded Dog** Still waiting for one of us to come back to your reply with a vat of vitriol? Nope. Sorry. As far as Bush taking responsibility, oh yeah he really put his life on the line for that sincere, heartfelt admission. :rolleyes: As someone said, this administration is “government by frat boy” - and it’s a LOUSY way to run a country. As I’ve said many times, Dubya is the spoiled rich kid of wealthy and influential parents. We’ve probably known at least one of these folks. This kind of kid gets to be quarterback of the high school football team - NOT because of talent but because his Daddy is the mayor or owns half of the town. There are other much more qualified players on the team, but everyone knows you’d darn well better make that kid the quarterback. So, (at worst) the football team has a lousy season. HOWEVER, putting someone like that in charge of a _country_ can create a lot more problems than just a losing football season. Let’s see what his speech is going to be like tonight at 9:00 pm. I doubt it’s going to be a thoughtful, soul-searching, responsibility-taking confession. I think it might be more like that “erudite” response he gave in the debate as to what his 3 greatest mistakes were. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-hell-has-frozen-over/321444.md?page=3)