Mayor slams Blanco for Stalling

[mikeford]

Considering that nobody on the forum really knows all the facts of what actually happened, and I assume none of you hold any public office either, clearly the tragedy are your own wasted lives and failure to assume the leadership roles due your great abilities. Bush, along with maybe few million other people "could" have evacuated the ill and elderly and brought food and water to the rest at the sports arena. I don't think anyone acted with some great evil intent, but that many people made the sort of mistakes humans make.

I blame the democrats. I certainly didn't want to vote for Bush, but first Gore and then Kerry, I had no choice.

Send some money to the red cross and take a look at this photo series if you haven't yet, http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.j...re&Uc=14ewb3ap.b147fdut&Uy=nyvoby&Ux=1

 

[ExpertNovice]

Originally posted by: UNCjigga

Originally posted by: yllus
I empathize with Nagin, it sounds like he had neither the men (only 1500 police? No chance!) nor the cash to deal with this crisis. That doesn't excuse a whole number of things like not having the Superdome stocked better than it was, but there are long-term factors at play here that move the blame away from anyone currently on the political scene.

Originally posted by: conjur
What I'm more interested in is why didn't the President act on his own? He had the option under the National Response Plan

You expected (and no doubt blame) the President to take the huge step of assuming control unilaterally? Even you can't believe something that ridiculous.

Actually, I thought Bush liked controlling things unilaterally. Like that whole war in Iraq. How many Allies do we have fighting alongside us again?

I'm wondering what party you like if this is of concern.

To answer your question 32 countries were part of the coalition. Which is 32 more than most of the deployments by President Clinton and we still have troops in some of those countries.

I assume you are Libertarian as I am?

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: ExpertNovice

Originally posted by: conjur
Nice try at the spin. The 24 hour delay was after the relief effort had been in shambles for days. This "24 hours" happened later in the week and that's when the Gov. brought in James Lee Witt.

What I'm more interested in is why didn't the President act on his own? He had the option under the National Response Plan
(page 44)

Guiding principles for proactive Federal response
include the following:
¦ The primary mission is to save lives; protect critical
infrastructure, property, and the environment;
contain the event; and preserve national security.
¦ Standard procedures regarding requests for assistance
may be expedited or, under extreme circumstances,
suspended in the immediate aftermath of an event of
catastrophic magnitude.
¦ Identified Federal response resources will deploy and
begin necessary operations as required to commence
life-safety activities.
¦ Notification and full coordination with States will occur,
but the coordination process must not delay or impede
the rapid deployment and use of critical resources.
States are urged to notify and coordinate with local
governments regarding a proactive Federal response.
¦ State and local governments are encouraged to
conduct collaborative planning with the Federal
Government as a part of ?steady-state? preparedness
for catastrophic incidents.

Good link Conjur. Question for you as I don't have time to look at it closely right now. It mentions Homeland Security which is not set up for natural disasters but it also mentions FEMA which is not controlled by the President. Again, I only glanced at the website so what am I missing?

FEMA handles natural disasters and is part of DHS. FEMA was a separate, near-cabinet level position until this admin. came to power and moved FEMA under DHS and focused almost solely on anti-terrorism activities (although I don't wtf they've done in that regard.)

FEMA is most certainly under the President's authority.

 

[imported_Condor]

Originally posted by: ToeJam13

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: rahvin
I'll say it, the governer was incompetent and the president should have nationalized the effort on tuesday. Instead he waited until fvcking friday to care. In fact I've been saying that all along. Why didn't he put lives above politics and nationalize the LA guard and take over the rescue efforts by declaring marshal law in the area?

For the president to have overridden the local/state governments and sent in federal active duty soldiers to enforce law and order (or force evacuations by use of military force) he would have violated the Posse Comitatus Act.

His critics would now be trying to string him up with violation of an actual law instead of claiming his slow response was because he just didn't care.

Agreed. The governor of Louisiana is openly critical of President Bush. Had the President sidestepped her, the governor would have accused the president of breaking constitutional law.

Although laws do exist that allow the president to federalize disaster operations, they?ve rarely been used before and could hardly be called clear as day & night. This creates a grey area that the president?s opponent could use to attack him with.

I could have seen the governor throwing some trumped up charges at the president, which would have been picked up by the president?s fiercest opponents within the Senate. Three months down the road we could have seen impeachment hearings begin, even if they?d never stick.

The big problem here is that Louisiana and Mississippi dropped the ball when it came to preparedness. It?s the state?s job to handle initial disaster response and FEMA?s job to come in later with additional supplies and funds to keep state operations going. Florida has hurricane evacuation plans down to an art. Jeb Bush may be about as dumb as his brother, but the man does know how to delegate to others who know their stuff. This is why fewer people are dying in Florida to massive hurricanes despite an ever increasing population.

As Governor Blanco started sinking under the filthy waters of her own incompetence, she did the best thing she could: grab at the mud she was sinking in and fling it at the president. As one of the most disliked presidents in recent memory, so many here are quick to agree with her accusations. However for once, the blame does not rest on his shoulders.

Admiration! Well drafted!

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: ToeJam13
As Governor Blanco started sinking under the filthy waters of her own incompetence, she did the best thing she could: grab at the mud she was sinking in and fling it at the president. As one of the most disliked presidents in recent memory, so many here are quick to agree with her accusations. However for once, the blame does not rest on his shoulders.

:thumbsup:

 

[EXman]

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: EXman
Besides It was Blanco's Office that made the decision NOT to send Water and food to the Superdome and convention center. The Red Cross had the stuff on pallets ready to go but she didn't want it there dhe didn't want others to go to the supplies she wanted them out of there thirsty and hungry. It was on Brit Hume's show last night.

BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!

actually that came from the American Red Cross Directors mouth.

kinda makes you look like a partisan hack dumbarse.

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: EXman
actually that came from the American Red Cross Directors mouth.

kinda makes you look like a partisan hack dumbarse.

:thumbsup:

 

[ShadesOfGrey]

Originally posted by: EXman

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: EXman
Besides It was Blanco's Office that made the decision NOT to send Water and food to the Superdome and convention center. The Red Cross had the stuff on pallets ready to go but she didn't want it there dhe didn't want others to go to the supplies she wanted them out of there thirsty and hungry. It was on Brit Hume's show last night.

BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!

actually that came from the American Red Cross Directors mouth.

kinda makes you look like a partisan hack dumbarse.

You speak the truth sir. :thumbsup:

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: EXman

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: EXman
Besides It was Blanco's Office that made the decision NOT to send Water and food to the Superdome and convention center. The Red Cross had the stuff on pallets ready to go but she didn't want it there dhe didn't want others to go to the supplies she wanted them out of there thirsty and hungry. It was on Brit Hume's show last night.

BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!

actually that came from the American Red Cross Directors mouth.

kinda makes you look like a partisan hack dumbarse.

And who was this Red Cross director? The Chairman (chairwoman) that gave $150,000 to the GOP?