It is a shocking thing to realize that Mary Landrieu is probably one of the smartest elected officials in Louisiana.
Thank God Sheriff Harry Lee is still around. Someone arrest Nagin and Blanco for negligence and put Harry Lee in charge of what needs to happen on the ground in southeastern Louisiana.
"It is a shocking thing to realize that Mary Landrieu is probably one of the smartest elected officials in Louisiana."
God help Louisiana!
Why wasn't there as basic emegency security policy in place, for example:
a) Police units posted at all important medical facitities - especially hospitals. Also nursing homes. Patients in such places are in no position to defend themselves, and medical staff aren't usually of the type of mindset that thinks in defensive terms. After all, their primary focus is to save lives. Emptying a clip into some junkie who is willing to break in and kill patients and staff to get to drugs isn't part of their training or overall focus, usually.
b) The locations of gun stores, or general stores who sell guns and ammo should be known. If the owner(s) are absent or unable to secure the premises themselves, the police should a) secure the facility if there is sufficieent manpower; b) remove all guns and ammor and secure in police statiion if not enough manpower.
c) Important civic facilities should lilkewise be guarded. Museums, Banks, Post Offices, etc., etc.
These three simple items are to simply prevent the kind of anarchy that is evidently under way. There would obviously have to be more extensive pland for search and rescure, evacuation, etc.
I can't help but to be left with the impression that the authorities at both the state (Blanco, et al) and local (Nagin, et al) levels had no such plans, or were incompetent to make a serious attempt to implement them in advance of the storm, or even in its immediate aftermath. Now, if a not-always-brilliant guy like me can think of these simple concepts. why can't they?
Water, water everywhere, and all the governor can offer is tears.