Originally posted by: ExpertNovice
Originally posted by: ExpertNovice
Originally posted by: PELarson
Originally posted by: bamacre
Originally posted by: eilute
Well he does have to address it in some way. I'm not too sure what he should do differently.
As far as disasters go, this may prove to be larger than 9/11. We do not yet know how much damage there is.
WTF? Folks, this is MUCH worse than 9/11.
And that is the problem with the current administration.
We have had almost 4 years to prepare for a major disaster. We knew a major storm could hit landfall at any point along the coast. But apparently instead of having a worse case plan to start from they FEMA and the BUsh administration are winging it.
5 days to get personnel and equipment rolling and maybe into a area closer to the expected disaster area.
If they can't figure out how to build contingence plans hire someone from the War Plans department of the Pentagon to show your personnel how to do it.
I agree. What I'm not sure about is how "Homeland Security" and FEMA interact. "Homeland Security" is under the control of the President but unless terrorists caused Katrina I'm not sure this department has the authority to take any action.
FEMA on the other hand has more authority to take action than any other agency. Under such conditions they have absolute power over the President, the Constitution, and the People of the United States. So, what is their problem.
The same thing happened in August of 1992 when FEMA responded very slowly to Hurricane Andrew. Andrew did 30 billion dollars in damage. The dollar damage of Hurricane Katrina will be about the same Andrew, the ocean damage is likely to be much less, but the human death toll could be the worst we have ever seen.
Is it time to make FEMA responsible to Congress or even the President? In 1992 President Bush saw that FEMA was, well, doing nothing and jumped into action. It looks like President Bush will have to do the same.
FEMA. Federal Emergency Malfesance Agency
(BTW, if you liked that acronym... EPA = Environmental Pollution Agency... think MTBE)
Ok, setting aside the sarcasm and humor for a bit.
Obviously FEMA is not under the control of the President thus, the President could not force them to take action directly. He could threaten to cut funding but at least one political party would be calling for impeachment if he took such an action.
I was wondering why FEMA took so long to respond.
What happens when a Governor refuses help from the President and refuses to call out the National Guard
How much did the Louisiana Government really plan to help the people? It seems that two months earlier they may have stated they would not provide enough help. Perhaps this is why President Bush declared a state of emergency before the storm hit. He also offered assistance by sending Federal troops. Why did the Louisiana Governor refuse such an offer if they knew months (years?) ahead of time that they could not provide the support themselves.
"And yet apparently there was no emergency plan and no resources to evacuate "the careless, the homeless, the aged and infirm." So, again, with the city and state not having an emergency plan why would they refuse help from the President? I?m sure they were not playing politics with peoples lives.
Wait, maybe they were. Notice how the Washington Post slants the offer of aid to Louisiana. Remember local, state, and federal authorities had already agreed that Louisiana did not have the resources to handle such an event. Local and State authorities even held a press conference in July to warn their citizens that they would not be able to help. Even before the hurricane hit the President urged the people of New Orleans to evacuate. He also declared a state of emergency before Katrina hit the coast. He also offered aid. Now to answer my question about how they slanted the offer of help.
?federal officials tried to wrest authority from Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (D). Shortly before midnight Friday?
Blanco Refused to Act
So, the Democrats call an offer of help ?wresting authority? but the Democrats want the President to ignore the Governor and send in troops. That would probably be an impeachable offense for a conservative President (a liberal President would be hailed as a savior).
How long did it take the Governor to recognize they had a disaster? Remember, the President declared a state of emergency before the storm hit.
Louisiana did not reach out to a multi-state mutual aid compact for assistance until Wednesday, three state and federal officials said. As of Saturday, Blanco still had not declared a state of emergency, the senior Bush official said.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday?.. Two, or perhaps three days later. Of course it was five or six days after the President offered help. Was the Governor of Louisiana watching the same reports the rest of us were? Well, maybe. The problems and delays were being reported as the fault of the President of the United States so why rush. After all, what is the problem with 80,000 dead if it means getting control of the Federal Government? (80,000 deaths was the estimate of eventual deaths that I heard about two days after Katrina hit New Orleans.)
In fact it appears that the Governor was so busy playing CYA that they could not be bothered with helping the people of their state? Will Louisiana now elect a Republican Governor?
Blanco made two moves Saturday that protected her independence from the federal government: She created a philanthropic fund for the state?s victims and hired James Lee Witt, Federal Emergency Management Agency director in the Clinton administration, to advise her on the relief effort.
Again, she wouldn?t work with FEMA but is working with a former Clinton administrator to protect herself. Wow.
So, did FEMA delay? (Democrats, remember, this is CNN talking! Also note that it was reported on August 29. That is at least two days before the Governor of Louisiana finally decided that they should call for help.
FEMA goes into disaster mode for Katrina
President Bush, as he readied the federal government for a massive relief effort, on Sunday urged people in the path of Hurricane Katrina to forget anything but their safety and move to higher ground as instructed.
As the Category 4 the storm surged ashore just east of New Orleans, Louisiana, on Monday, FEMA had medical teams, rescue squads and groups prepared to supply food and water poised in a semicircle around the city, its director, Michael Brown, said.
President Declares Major Disaster For Louisiana on August 29
FEMA: First Responders Urged Not To Respond To Hurricane Impact Areas Unless Dispatched By State, Local Authorities
WASHINGTON D.C. -- Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response and head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), today urged all fire and emergency services departments not to respond to counties and states affected by Hurricane Katrina without being requested and lawfully dispatched by state and local authorities under mutual aid agreements and the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.
Again, the delay by the Governor of Louisiana would have been billed as an invasion by the liberal media had the President ordered troops into Louisiana. The President could not force FEMA to move in without authority.
So, we know why FEMA and the President delayed even though they were ready to help six days before the Governor of Louisiana was. I will allow others to determine why the Governor delayed for nearly a week.
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