George Bush Had It Right First, [What Went Wrong?]
July 24 2005, the Times Picayune, New Orleans daily newspaper published a warning of the lack of an effective evacuation plan for the city, it didn’t happen. For year’s computer simulators have warned government engineers the levees needed reevaluation, and reinforcement, it didn’t happen. Had the levees held it would have been just another bad storm. Now all that contaminated water is being pumped back into Lake Pontchartrain. That will be another environmental disaster.
The State of Louisianan and the city of New Orleans, not the President was responsible for making plans to cope with disasters. Where were their plans? When the federal government comes in it’s as an invited guest. That’s the law.
Let’s start the blame game with the Mayor of New Orleans, Ray Nagin. There were school buses, city busses, and privately owned busses they could have dispatched prior to the storm to evacuate those people who were without transportation, they knew this storm was coming in as a category 4 or 5, all it would have taken was a word from the Mayor. They knew the storm was coming and they knew it was the worst storm in New Orleans history. City officials and the Red Cross told the residence of New Orleans, in case of an emergency find your own way out, we can’t help you. That’s not a message they should be giving anyone. They’re there to serve and protect.
Next on the list of those to blame is the Governor of Louisiana, Kathleen Blanco, who admitted she became confused. FEMA representatives were in the Capital, Baton Rouge days before the storm hit. State and federal agencies argued over who had what authority to direct the relief operation. The Governor had the authority to put New Orleans under Marshall Law and put the Louisiana National Guard in charge, [only 20% of the Louisiana National Guard is serving in Iraq.] She chose instead to play politics, as did Mayor Nagin. Both Liberal Democrats I may point out. Now they want to negate their incompetence and blame others.
Government Engineers can’t skip blame, they’ve know for years the levees were in need of rebuilding. Their excuse is congress never allocated the money, that’s bull. Congress gives the USCE an allotment, it’s up to them where they spend it. It’s called prioritizing
Director of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, should be where the buck stops. He’s been the master of denial throughout this whole mess. Presidents can’t possibly know every bureaucrat who espiers for higher office. They rely on recommendations and resumes. The art of the bureaucrat is always make yourself look good on paper. I suspect this is something Mr. Chertoff has excelled at throughout his career.
Relief effort have been poorly handled from the outset. President Bush gave the order designation the Gulf Coast a disaster area two days prior to the hurricanes coming ashore that would have given the State and the City the tools to request federal help. By Law, the federal government can only come in when invited by the state. We’re a country of laws aren’t we?
The founding fathers in their wisdom established a government where no one individual has ultimate power. It would stand to reason no one person should be held totally accountable when thing go wrong. Blaming President Bush for this mess is ridiculous. Those who are doing so are wrong. They have only their own political posturing in mind. They have no regard for the thousands who’re homeless, and suffering let alone the dead.
Homeland Security needs two very important changes, a new director and a new policy on handling disasters, natural and otherwise. The incompetent Mr. Chertoff needs to go and the country needs to know why he’s going.
HAVE YOU SENT YOUR CHECK TO THE RED CROSS?
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