Now is not the time, not while they're still moving every last grain of silt to find every last body part and muddy photograph, but at some point maybe someone could compare the list of 12,000+ people who signed the petition to secede from Snohomish and form "Freedom County" a few years back, in part because they didn't like being told what to do by government officials, with the list of confirmed dead/injured/damaged-property-owners.

I think it's time to burn that flag. Perhaps it can be a symbol of catharsis, a viking funeral as it were.

#2: You mean the flag of the federal government that's about to come to their aid?

@1: Well, you just confirmed my long-held suspicion that you're a fucking dick.

The cognitive dissonance of people who want smaller government yet disproportionately benefit from government programs has already been noted multiple times in multiple cases, and I don't think we need to rehash it here.

Maybe federal government money can fund a hazards assessment for properties in washington, and we can do some house buy-outs and zoning restrictions.

@3: Did you read the link?

@4, I'm sorry you feel that way; I always thought you were a good commenter. I try to be measured in my responses, provide backup when I make an assertion, avoid directly insulting people, and apologize when I've been insensitive. In this case, I've been doing a lot of discussion elsewhere with friends in science, and I'm up to my eyeballs with all the evidence that companies were rapacious, government entities were timid and/or overworked, and that at least a handful of individuals wanted what they wanted without regard to likely consequences.

And I'm worried about Dr Awesome, who hasn't commented since almost the exact time of the slide.

And now that twice-elected President Barack Obama has officially declared the San Juan Island Archipelago a forever preserved National Monument, can Governor Jay Inslee ALSO help officially put a stop to the runaway corporate insanity of coal and oil rail exporting through Washington State and Puget Sound? Otherwise, the national preservation of the San Juans becomes a moot point if Big Oil and Big Coal can still ship 48 million tons of coal annually, and mile-long unchecked and dangerous BNSF railcars past their efficiency explode upon derailment, needlessly destroying all the surrounding communities, their infrastructure and ecosystems!

The man-made devastation of the 03/22/2014 mudslide in Snohomish County should be a wake-up call in Olympia.

I too have been thinking about the contradiction between the right-wing conservatives in that area of Oso and Darrington (they are the majority voters up there - it's very redneck) and their Tea Party styled disdain for the government. Now here they are, dependent upon the government for care, aid, food, shelter and yet the majority of voters up there hate Obama, hate Democrats and hate the government.

Yes, I feel for all of them - It's a shitty situation of unimaginable scale. Despite their voting record, and despite the fact that they would hate me (I'm an out, gay, lefty liberal) I care about them and wish I could help in the recovery efforts.

The facts remain, however, that the area up there is ultra-conservative and right now they are surviving only because of the government that they hate. I'd love to see some news coverage about that - later, much later. Not now - it's too soon. Still, it's interesting.

@7: Sorry. I've had a rough day/week/whatever, and anonymous internet commenting is an easy way to vent. In honesty, I haven't always thought you were a dick. The idea of wishing terrible harm on political adversaries just irks me.

Again, I guess I'm the one being insensitive here, so sorry. Looking through your comment history, I realize that you're not really a dick. Or at least, you're a lower-than-average internet dick (not something I could necessarily say about myself).

Thanks, d. We're good. My day/week/month/year etc. has sucked too.

Jesus. Anyone who hates govt needs to look at that list in the letter. It's way more than I'd envisioned - so many things I never would have even thought of. I've learned more from reading that letter than the myriad of news reports out there. And the worst part - identification hindered by finding parts of bodies, rather than intact ones. I can't even fathom what the rescuers are experiencing. I'd need one of those visiting therapy dogs 24/7.

@9: Well, when the big one rocks Seattle to pieces I have no doubt there will be food drives in Oso.

Even though your generalized demographic observations have some merit, there are a number of liberals and vacation homes up there. So maybe its better to look at situation on another level - otherwise, you run the risk of sounding pouty.

@13 - I'll risk sounding pouty, (Really? Pouty?) because of my empirical experience with the people of this area. I know who these people are, and "salt of the earth" they may be, the vast majority of them are right-wing, government hating, Obama-despising, gay-bashing Republicans. If you want hard data, interviews and other accounts, let me know. I can back this up.

@14: Sadly ironic, isn't it, how often those who vehemently oppose state and federal aid-funded conservation programs and safety nets end up the worst off than anyone else once those resources have become irretrievably eliminated--literally for many in as quickly as three seconds flat---when those devasted by such crises need this kind of help the most! I believe you---a lot of people living east of Arlington along the SR 530 floodplain and ascending Cascade foothills would probably hate me for my beliefs, too.
@13 Phoebe: I've got @14's (IndicaDogwalk) back on this one. Although I partially agree with your statement that not EVERYone in any part of the world thinks and behaves exactly the same way, an overwhelming majority of people outside the metropolitan area still tends to be very conservative, and continues to suffer mightily and repeatedly for it.

@15 - What? I'm in Seattle and don't hate you, or anyone. What beliefs would I hate, exactly?