(Untitled)

[janner]

I have just returned from Berryville, AR.  I was listening to a talk show - not a "conservative" talk show, either.

Let me first say that I had heard rumors and tidbits of information concerning what I'm getting ready to talk about.  (keep in mind my "inside" information because of working in the law enforcement area)

Many of the victims of N.O.

Comments

Re: A few answers

[janner]

Well, I'm definitely not going to totally defend the federal government's reaction time other than I believe that President Bush was waiting and expecting Lousiana'a own government to go into action first. When it became very clear that they were not doing _their_ job - he stepped in with FEMA. I think he was very angry that FEMA hadn't moved any faster than it should have.

I'm just hearing the federal government taking all the blame for the lack of response time - we're not hearing much about how the mayor didn't even run their transit equipment to aid in the evacuation nor did the governor provide much of an assistance.

Besides all of that.. think about the time table actually involved - the hurricane hit land but *missed* New Orleans, so everyone breathes a sign of relief and somewhat relaxes... then the levee fills up and breaks the next day... the flooding becomes at it's worst on Day 3... the President moves FEMA in on Day 4 1/2. Not too shabby. But yet now all of these armchair quarterbacks seem to have forgotten the actual time frame that everything happened in and are blaming President Bush for not having the national guard and FEMA there the DAY BEFORE the hurricane.

Yes, mistakes were made. I don't know of any perfect system and we will learn from these mistakes. We've never had anything like this happen to us in our life time. Did everyone react PERFECTLY after the 9-11 attack? Nope. You hopefully just do the best you can under the given circumstances and then learn from any mistakes that were made.

Re: A few answers

[mooncatx]

9/11 had no advance warning, however before Katrina even landed there was a three day warning that it would be catagory five, later downgraded to catagory 4 and the levee is only supposed to maybe hold up under catagory THREE. Yes, FEMA was supposed to be ready BEFORE the hurricane even landed, which is why it was declared a federal emergency BEFORE the hurricane landed.

Four and a half days? Try Five days, with no drinking water. And private citizens trying to bring in supplies being *turned away* by FEMA in the early days of the crisis. The local government has it's onus, but the federal governement has an equal if not greater share.

Whether the breakdown of blame for local and federal government is 50/50, 60/40, whatever, it's not like it was not horribly clear as soon as the flood waters hit New Orleans that the city was in need of rescue. In fact, more than NO, the coast line along the gulf, was in need of rescue. Reporters were there SHOWING the world how bad it was. And all those huge numbers of people waiting for evacuation.

The nation looks to it's President to be decisive and to take action when it's OBVIOUS that it's needed. He says, "oh I had to be asked first" but when he declared it a federal emergency PRIOR to the hurrican landfall, that was the green light to FEMA to take action. I don't blame Bush for not immediately realizing FEMA was dropping the ball *badly* I do blame him for putting his friend, the Arabian Horse guy, as head of FEMA instead of someone qualified to do the job. He was responsible for the hiring a completely inadaquete guy to head FEMA. He was responsible for taking days to realize that his citizens were dying of thirst, starvation, and lack of medical care in the thousands when it was being aired on TV for almost a week. A commander and chief has to be on the ball... and Bush wasn't. Did a govenor/mayor screw up? Yes. Did a PRESIDENT also screw up? Big yes. Now of the three which (who all screwed up hugely), what is more a threat to all the US as a nation?

Yes, one hopefully does the best that can be done under strained circumstances. The sad fact is though, that Bush's response was not the possible best he could have done. Not by a long shot. And the mistakes made cost many people their lives, and a nation it's confidence in it's highest elected official. No system is perfect, but this went beyond imperfection. There is an ocean of difference between "not the best" and "complete and utter failure to respond" during the critical time when just dropping supplies of drinking water and MREs on the afflicted areas would have meant the difference between life and death of the most vulnerable, the young and the elderly.

It was such a huge screw up. And like the mayor said, everyone failed those people, himself included, Govenor included, President included. But in the chain of command, who holds the highest position? Who is the most accountable? The old saying "The Buck Stops Here" still means something.

MooncatX

Re: A few answers

[janner]

I am going to post something as a new entry in my LJ in reference to all of this.

I cannot in all good conscience totally defend President Bush's reaction/action 110%. However, I'm tired of hearing how it's ALL his fault. I have not heard any blame being placed on the mayor and governor. (except for what you said)