http://www.reachm.com/amstreet/archives/2005/09/05/operation-blame-blanco/

My comments in next post.

From an interview with Hannah Storm Gov. Kathleen Blanco gave on the morning of August 29th

“STORM: Have you addressed the concerns of flooding in the New Orleans area, and particularly this possibility that it might become, as one expert put it, a toxic cesspool? A lot of pollution concerns.

Gov. BLANCO: Well, flooding, of course, is our main concern. That would–that would create an untenable situation in the city of New Orleans if the levees were to be breached. That would be our biggest problem. We would just deal with that situation. We will evaluate it as soon as this hurricane fury has blown over, and we’ll deal with what we have.

STORM: With the president, in advance of the storm hitting, declaring a state of emergency, how has that specifically helped your efforts?

Gov. BLANCO: Well, Hannah, it allowed FEMA to come in here early. We’ve set the stage for a lot of help for evacuation help, and the federal government is standing by. The president called. He was very supportive of our efforts. He was encouraging evacuation. He was very concerned. We appreciate his concern.

STORM: And what do you have available specifically, in terms of troops and supplies, as soon as this hurricane rolls through, to go in and assess and take care of the damage?

Gov. BLANCO: We’ve got National Guard members standing by, we’ve got airplanes ready to go in and do early assessments as soon as the back of the storm moves further inland. We’ll be knowing in a few hours what we’re dealing with. I know the low-lying areas are going to suffer the brunt of it–the early brunt of it, and we’ll do search and rescue, if necessary.”

So, to summatize…

1. President Bush declared an EMEGENCY before the storm hit.

2. He was “supportive” of the Governor’s efforts BEFORE the storm.

3. FEMA was on the ground, ready to go.

4. Gov. Blanco and her adisors were PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH A LEVEE BREACH.

Yet, all of this is Governor Blanco’s fault? Sounds to me like she was doing all she could, with the resorces she had. And, that she assummed that FEMA would handle the relief efforts, as they are supposed to do

Oh yeah... then there's this...

Bush on Monday August 29, 4:54 pm ET:

"I urge the citizens there in the region to

continue to listen to the local authorities.

Don't abandon your shelters until you're

given clearance by the local authorities.

Take precautions because this is a

dangerous storm.

When the storm passes, the federal

government has got assets and resources

that we'll be deploying to help you. In the

meantime, America will pray -- pray for the

health and safety of all our citizens."

Sooo... The President is telling people not to abandon their shelters until the local authorities tell them and the local authorities are taking their cues from the Federal agencies who, as we have learned won't let people leave. Further, the President is assuring them that the federal government is standing by with relief. Where were these alleged resources?

Why were the Wallmart trucks bringing water on the first day of the disaster turned away? Why were the communication lines inexplicably cut? Why were Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard's convoys sent to get oil from a huge military ship only to be told they were NOT ALLOWED to take the gas because FEMA said NO. WHY were people not allowed to leave the super dome area to find better shelter or just to get away from it once it becamse so clear that a murderous rampage was going on inside?

Blame the locals all you want Mitch but for Christs sake, hold the Bush administration accountable for their part in this debacle.

Aired September 5, 2005 - 07:00 ET
No comment necessary:

NAGIN: Look, I've gotten promises to -- I can't stand anymore promises. I don't want to hear any more promises. I want to see stuff done. And that's why I'm so happy that the president came down here, because I think they were feeding him a line of bull also. And they were telling him things weren't as bad as it was.

He came down and saw it, and he put a general on the field. His name is General Honore. And when he hit the field, we started to see action.

And what the state was doing, I don't frigging know. But I tell you, I am pissed. It wasn't adequate.

And then, the president and the governor sat down. We were in Air Force One. I said, 'Mr. President, Madam Governor, you two have to get in sync. If you don't get in sync, more people are going to die.'

S. O'BRIEN: What date was this? When did you say that? When did you say...

NAGIN: Whenever Air Force One was here.

S. O'BRIEN: OK.

NAGIN: And this was after I called him on the telephone two days earlier. And I said, 'Mr. President, Madam Governor, you two need to get together on the same page, because of the lack of coordination, people are dying in my city.'

S. O'BRIEN: That's two days ago.

NAGIN: They both shook -- I don't know the exact date. They both shook their head and said yes. I said, 'Great.' I said, 'Everybody in this room is getting ready to leave.' There was senators and his cabinet people, you name it, they were there. Generals. I said, 'Everybody right now, we're leaving. These two people need to sit in a room together and make a doggone decision right now.'

S. O'BRIEN: And was that done?

NAGIN: The president looked at me. I think he was a little surprised. He said, "No, you guys stay here. We're going to another section of the plane, and we're going to make a decision."

He called me in that office after that. And he said, "Mr. Mayor, I offered two options to the governor." I said -- and I don't remember exactly what. "There were two options. I was ready to move today. The governor said she needed 24 hours to make a decision."

S. O'BRIEN: You're telling me the president told you the governor said she needed 24 hours to make a decision?

NAGIN: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: Regarding what? Bringing troops in?

NAGIN: Whatever they had discussed. As far as what the -- I was abdicating a clear chain of command, so that we could get resources flowing in the right places.

S. O'BRIEN: And the governor said no.

NAGIN: She said that she needed 24 hours to make a decision. It would have been great if we could of left Air Force One, walked outside, and told the world that we had this all worked out. It didn't happen, and more people died.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0509/05/ltm.01.html

A lot of people have referred back to September 11 when addressing this most recent disaster, but seem to forget that FEMA was called in to New York City on September 10, not September 11. This would certainly explain their appropriate and expert handling of the events that day and in the days to follow. Maybe it pays to know when something's about to happen, hmmm? I know - I can hear you all screaming that this has never been proven and may never be. Anyway, since the exact landfall locations of a hurricane are unpredictable, it may have been harder for FEMA to react initially. However, after a day or two they should have been more than blatantly inefficient and ineffective.

I know some people hate cut and paste, but this is worth checking out:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2005/09/06/federal-government-agency_n_6936.html

Eracus, what was the decision Nagin is refering to? The President said he offered the Governor two options. What were they?

We don't know if it's about relief efforts? We don't know if it's about declaring Martial Law. We don't know if it's about militarizing the entire state.

We know nothing about their discussion.

Any discussion that concerns itself with measures that would have lowered the number of fatalities substantially begins and ends with evacuation measures. What happened on wendesday, tuesday, monday, or even sunday, pales in comparison to what happened previously, if one is really discussing why so many people died. There is no effective measure for preventing large numbers of fatalties after a storm like this hits a city like New Orleans; one simply MUST get more than 80 percent of the population out. This catastrophe was largely set in stone the moment 20 percent of the population was still in the city as the storm came ashore.

Doug, if Gov Blanco was so concerned about a levee breech, and if (as I understand it) everyone knew the levee was not built to withstand anything greater than Cat 3, and if Katrina was Cat 4 or 5 as it was bearing down on New Orleans (although it hit N.O. with Cat 3 force after changing course)... why did it take so long for LA and NO authorities to order a mandatory evacuation? Why were so many people allowed to defy the mandatory evac order? Why wasn't there a better transportation plan already in place for a storm everyone knew would be coming sooner or later?

The whole thing seems a classic case of state and local officials kicking responsibility to the Feds without doing their jobs, and the Feds (wrongly and tragically) assuming the locals would do their jobs in the days leading up to and the hours following the storm.

Once the city is underwater nothing good can happen, and the feds are certainly to blame for reacting slowly to a fast developing tragedy.

The so many people were in harm's way is the fault of the locals. W's advice for people to stay put until getting local authorization to leave their shelter is responsible advice under the circumstances, designed to maintain order. It's the locals' job to get people out.

What we know is the Governor of Louisiana ignored the pleadings of the Mayor of New Orleans, acknowledged the proposals for emergency disaster relief presented by the President of the United States, and thereafter responded, in effect, "Let me get back to you."

The President and the Governor did not discuss the trifecta of a Kentucky horse race. Ms. Blanco is an accomplished woman, she is no pastry puff, as no one who ascends to the throne of the Lousiana Democratic machine could ever be. She did not issue a decision because she was incapable, but because she was not authorized.

She had first to confer with her patrons, who are, alas, apparently NOT the Mayor nor the good people of New Orleans. Perhaps she called Howard Dean? Hillary, perhaps? Mother Sheehan? Kos? We just don't know.

What we do know is she kicked the prez and hizzoner to the curb, and let the old, the infirm, the sick, the poor, and the elderly fend for themselves another day. Then she blamed Bush.

That's politics in Louisiana. Ask Huey Long.

Hey, I think there's enough blame here to go 'round, and I frankly think both Blanco and Bush deserve anything they get. Nagin, I'm unsure about, but could easily be persuaded he should go, too.

Brown should be gone, now; I hope any sentient human would be able to see that.

This isn't a Democratic or Republican issue--this is a massive government failure issue. And those who failed should pay the political price.

If Blanco failed, she should get destroyed should she seek reelection, and possibly be impeached.

If Nagin failed, he should leave his post in disgrace--the Mayor who let New Orleans die.

Bush? We know he failed. He appointed an incompetent crony to head FEMA, a man who dithered and hemmed and hawed and took 48 hours to even start to get people into the area. That decision cost lives.

That has nothing to do with "feeling pain," and everything to do with effective leaders. Sadly, New Orleans doesn't appear to have had competent state, local, or federal government. So much the pity.

What wishful thinking. The only reason the Democrats failed to implement their own emergency plan and delayed the arrival of Federal relief agencies was to lay the resulting pain and suffering on the steps of the White House, claim "Bush failed," and trot out their minions with the usual "racism" canard. It's the same Democrat strategy that has lost the House, the Senate, and the White House and soon the Supreme Court.

Bush failed?

Eracus said,

"The only reason the Democrats failed to implement their own emergency plan and delayed the arrival of Federal relief agencies was to lay the resulting pain and suffering on the steps of the White House, claim "Bush failed," and trot out their minions with the usual "racism" canard."

You're suggesting that Democrats allowed this disaster to happen so President Bush would look bad?

I've always considered you nothing more than a pompous, self-opinionated yet harmless buffoon. With this little turd you've convinced me that you are in fact an inconsequential pimple on the ass on humanity.

In my honest, humble opinion, you're a sick, pathetic, mean little maggot.

As to Doug's last post....look who's talking. And why do you hang out around here anyway, Doug? You rarely like anything anyone has to say-it's very curious. You just don't sound like a very likable, sensible guy. Unhappy even. Poor Doug.

It's one thing to have a difference of opinion, but to keep ramming it up people's noseholes and then standing back sneering...why would a person do that? I said I wouldn't ever go back to DU...even to read what's posted there, but to actually go and argue and bicker with people I clearly have no chance of agreeing with and making an ass of myself time and again with my bad attitude...what would possess a person?

Human discourse is sometimes uncomfortable, but if we can get past the name-calling, it can become productive.
Please think about Eracus's opinion that the Democrats should have been more reactive and supplied relief to the hurricane victims so that Bush wouldn't look so bad in all of this. What political party runs this country? What political party is in the majority in Congress?
The Governor of Louisiana wrote to Bush on August 27th to ask for emergency relief and ask him to declare a state of emergency. The question then is, what happened next? Neither Republicans or Democrats could have stopped the storm from coming or kept the levees, some of which were undergoing needed repairs and upgrades, from breaking. Sometimes there is no one but nature to blame for the initial disaster, but someone must answer for the treatment of the evacuees who were held without needed water, food, and medical attention and it should be investigated whether or not all of the agencies involved followed proper procedures. This makes perfect sense and will, hopefully, prevent this from happening again.

Oops! Turns out that FEMA needs to do a little research before posting relief organizations on their site to which money can be sent to help the hurricane victims. Before it was removed from their initial list, the second group to be named was Operation Blessing, a charity sponsored by Pat Robertson. I have little doubt that some of that money would reach a few victims, but I worry that the rest would be used to further line the pockets of Mr. Take 'Em Out.

"What political party is in the majority in Congress? "

Congress doesn't control FEMA.

Guess who is deciding, probably as I write this, how much more money FEMA, will for the forseeable future, be able to have and spend on this disaster and those to come? That would be Congress. Control is not just about who gives orders when immediate action must be taken.
It is also about the funds, the implementation of procedures, and whether or not those procedures are appropriate and legal.

From the American Red Cross website:

Access to New Orleans is controlled by the National Guard and local authorities and while we are in constant contact with them, we simply cannot enter New Orleans against their orders.

http://www.redcross.org/faq/0,1096,0_682_4524,00.html#4524

On NPR's "Diane Rehm" show Wednesday morning, Carol Miller, spokeswoman for the American Red Cross, also confirmed the Red Cross was instructed not to provide aid at the Superdome by the Louisiana Department of Homeland Security.
----------------------------------------
And this, from the Chairman of the Democratic Party:

Race was a factor in the death toll from Hurricane Katrina, Howard Dean told members of the National Baptist Convention of America on Wednesday at the group's annual meeting.

Dean, chairman of the Democratic party, made the comments to the Baptists' Political and Social Justice Commission. The Baptist Convention, with an estimated 3.5 million members, is one of the largest black religious groups in the country.

"We must ... come to terms with the ugly truth that skin color, age and economics played a deadly role in who survived and who did not," Dean said.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/09/07/D8CFNMPG0.html

Politics ain't beanbag and facts are stubborn things. Here we have the American Red Cross confirming relief agencies were denied access by Louisiana State authorities and Howard Dean trotting out the usual "racism" canard, once again demonstrating the depravity and complete moral bankruptcy at the core of the Democratic Party, which is sadly so predictable.

Addendum:

"Katrina makes it clear this government has failed," Democratic Senator Harry Reid said. "We must find out why immediately to make sure the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina never happens again."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/usweatherpanel

Howard Dean is a nutcase. Bad example of who, with any authority, is talking about what went wrong.

The Chairman of the Democratic Party is a nutcase? As opposed to whom?

"President Bush is "oblivious, in denial, dangerous," when it comes to the plight of the storm's victims, charged House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. Her Senate counterpart, Sen. Harry Reid, asked pointedly whether the chief executive impeded relief efforts by remaining at his Texas ranch last week while the storm churned toward the Gulf Coast......"

"As a nation, we must be sensitive to this inequality, sensitive as we respond to Katrina, and sensitive, too, as we select now justices for the Supreme Court," he said. "That's a critical question for Judge Roberts. Can he unite America for the future?"

Which nutcase, with any authority, speaks for the Democratic Party? Mary Landrieu (D-La) today even invoked SNL's "Mr. Bill" on the floor of the U.S. Senate. That's helpful, eh?

Colleen, Colleen, Colleen… I don’t know why you continue to embarrass yourself publicly…

To answer your question, “why do you hang out around here anyway, Doug? You rarely like anything anyone has to say…”

Well, if you recall, one of my criticism of you is that you pull stuff out of your butt and make ridiculous generalizations that you can’t back up and when challenged, you get all bitchy and tell me what a terrible person I am.

Case in point, according to the fine gentleman who runs this blog, there are as many as 2000 visitors a day. I could be wrong on the actual number but if memory serves me correctly, it’s up there…
Even a cursory glance through the threads will tell you that there are a good number of posters here. I followed three threads and counted about 30 separate posters.

If you were to go back and look at my posts, you would find that I have responded almost exclusively to Eracus and you.

So Colleen, to illustrate why I believe you are a clueless little fruitcake, I offer your own words – “You rarely like anything anyone has to say.”

Obviously, you are mathematically challenged but since I’m such a likable, sensible and happy guy, I’ll help you out on this one…

Let’s say there are about 30 individuals that post in a given day. I respond to 2 – You and Eracus. That means that I don’t like roughly 6 % of what I read here. That’s a little different than… “You rarely like anything anyone has to say…” isn’t it Colleen.

Next, Colleen says, “It's one thing to have a difference of opinion, but to keep ramming it up people's noseholes and then standing back sneering...”

And in a different post, our poor defenseless little victim of my brutal attacks says,

“Geoff, you weren't even nearly as uncivil as you could have been. Civil I might not be either, but Teena is one of the dumbest broads to post anywhere...and somehow simpering besides.”

My Heavens Colleen. You might want to wipe that nasty little sneer off your face before someone notices what a ugly person you really are.

Doug surely has Colleen's number. A while back on Mitch's site I was criticizing Michele Bachmann's anti-gay marriage legislation; Colleen sneered at my description of a committed gay couple. She countered with an example of a married man who left his wife and children for another guy. "LUST and PROMISCUOUS SEX, that's what they're ALL about!" Watching Colleen's use of unexamined stereotypes to rationalize her bigotry was ugly indeed.

I suspect Colleen's posts are allowed because they have entertainment value - kind of like mud wrestling or women's roller derby. Weird, but fun for some people.

I suspect Teena's posts are allowed because they have entertainment value - kind of like watching ageing hippies try to remember how to dance or chant or use a bong. Weird, but fun for some people.

Oh, woe. Such slings and arrows, such tender hearts, such tears like dew. The world is ever so cruel, so mean, alas, incognizant of the purity of spirit, the rapier wit, the deft command of intellect and knowledge so revealed by les antagonistes. Does the world not see? Shall not the world bow down? Must it continue in its folly, forsooth, decrepit and unawares? Can it not also find self-righteousness in self-pity, indignity and dishonor? Does it not also yearn for the self-pleasure of vulgarity, the self-satisfaction of self-absorbtion, the orgasmic bliss distilled from such complete abandon of all logic, reason and discovery?? Or has the world discerned the glowing orb that draws the moth and the stench that stirs the rat to feed? And is it not les antagonistes who have instead been drawn, and feasted til their sides have burst? And has the world, finally, and at long last, lost patience with the crows?

Sorry, I'm just a bit too young to have ever been a chanting hippy. That would have been my Mother - maybe - but not. Never owned a bong, either, although I bought hash once when I was in my 20's. It was great!
Ooh, too far off topic, guys. Mitch will scold us for this.

Eracus,

Just because I said that I believe you are a pompous, self-opinionated buffoon doesn't mean that I was asking you to prove it. Geez.

Hark, the tenebrific prolixity of Eracus! May the ghosts of Strunk and White give him a spectral swirlie.