3 days without water; 3 weeks without food

[Cyrano]

That's a generalization of how long a human being can survive without water and food.

In Puerto Rico, there are perhaps thousands of people approaching 3 days without water. Death for lack of water is a horrendous way to die. And it's impossible to know how many people in Puerto Rico are in this circumstance at this very moment.

At the rate our federal government is moving, it's also impossible to know how many will die of exposure, lack of needed medications, and even hunger.

How many people really understand the enormous dimensions of the catastrophe taking place at this very moment in Puerto Rico?

This lack of an immediate, all-out humane response by "the most powerful country in the world" will be remembered by the world for centuries to come.

And Trump will be remembered for centuries to come as the "leader" who let countless deaths occur due to his indifference. He will be forever viewed as a murderer, with blood gushing from his hands.

And we are stuck with this creature, -- for now.

[roamer65]

1. He's a mix of Nero and Caligula.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Only dumber.

[MineralMan]

3. No water? Trump says, "Let them drink champagne, then..."

My sources close to the White House told me that.

[Cyrano]

4. Are you serious about that MineralMan???

[MineralMan]

6. As serious as a shiv in the back...

No.

[Cyrano]

7. Oy! For a moment there, I thought we had

a turd in the Oval Office.

[Raster]

5. Heck of a job, tRumpie*

[procon]

8. I read about how agriculture has been totally destroyed on Puerto Rico.

Crops are gone, the fields are submerged and littered with debris, the greenhouses are gone, the trees in the orchards and groves have been stripped bare and blown down. Most of the livestock has been killed or wandered off in search of food. Processing plants, dairies, hog, egg and poultry farms were destroyed. Major farm equipment is lost, the supplies are destroyed, roads are gone and there's no electricity or fuel.

It will be years before they can recover and start harvesting food to supply the people there. Every sort of equipment will need to be repaired or replaced, and new supplies from tree and seed stocks, to all kinds of livestock, must be bought and shipped in before they can get their agriculture systems started again.

Unless the US steps up with the expertise and grant money to at least get Puerto Rico's agriculture rebuilt, the people won't be able to afford to import everything just to live there.

[Cyrano]

11. You're absolutely right, procon. And let me say this:

Trump and Republicans just don't care. They don't care if those in Puerto Rico, who have been decimated beyond the point of desperation, live or die.

And they don't care if those human beings ever recover.

This is who and what Trump is, along with most of the Republican Party. Yet, it seems that they can continuously con people into voting them back into power.

And with their gerrymandering, which will probably happen again after the next census, it seems that ignorant and malicious fools will rule us forever.

Putin and Kim Jung Un must be smiling about the direction in which America is headed.

[spiderpig]

16. Priorities, people!

The Dotard had his $250,000-a-couple fundraiser for the RNC (cough - himself - cough) and now his "tax reform" plan to benefit the middle class (cough - himself - cough) before he can get around to a photo op on an island in the middle of an ocean.

When will this nightmare end?

[marylandblue]

9. They will not die from lack of water

They have water, but it's contaminated. They will die from cholera and dysentery.

[Cyrano]

12. Our helplessness at this moment is unbearable

We know what's happening. We know how many human beings need immediate attention. We know human beings are dying. We know the horror that is Puerto Rico right now.

But we are virtually helpless and can do virtually nothing.

Our president, who should know and care, is both a fool and a knave.

He either doesn't grasp the incredible disaster that is still unfolding, or he doesn't give a damn.

So I guess we are all stuck watching this unfold because of a combination of nature as the original cause, and a total prick in charge who doesn't give a shit.

I'm not religious, but may the spirits of the victims haunt his existence.

[lastlib]

10. But they're brown people.....

(AND black people). And they vote for Democrats. Win-win for tRump/GOPee.......

I seriously think that's how they're looking at it.

[Cyrano]

13. I wish you were wrong.

But instinctively, I believe that the occupant of the White House, and his sycophants, are some of the worst racists that have ever been in positions of power in America.

We are so fucked right now.

[marylandblue]

14. It's not just the racism, it's the shear lack of competence

FEMA is very good at what they do. For one hurricane, they can operate on autopilot. For two, it's a stretch, but they can do it. But with a third hurricane hitting an island, they don't have the resources, not enough people, no ships, no money left in the bank. A normal president would have seen this coming and mobilized the Navy and other government agencies before the hurricane even hit. There is a huge emergency response infrastructure across the federal government. It can be scaled to almost any size disaster. I am sure Trump doesn't know what this infrastructure is called or how to scale it up. But Hillary knew the name of the Navy's hospital ship.

[Cyrano]

15. Yep. Wish someone competent could take charge

In the meantime, millions of people are in dire need. And the rest of us are helpless to help them.

[Initech]

17. The whole republican party is responsible for this.

They all need to go, not just Trump.