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I agree. I LOVE President Bush, but he fumbled this one right one along with the Dept Homeland Security(not feeling real confident in the event of a terrorist on my town right now) right down to the Mayor. EVERYONE screwed this up.

The federal government had NO authority to step in until a disaster has been declared of the local government has requested help. Part of being a good leader is knowing when to ask for help and doing it early enough to make a difference. Part of being a good leader is NOT stepping into a lower level situation that is not a problem (yet) and throwing your weight around. The mistakes were made at a low level not a high one.

Part of being a good leader is NOT stepping into a lower level situation that is not a problem (yet) and throwing your weight around. The mistakes were made at a low level not a high one.

As bad as the appearance for Bush is at the present, I agree with your statements. I understand that Bush had to pressure the mayor on Saturday to mandate an evacuation, and that local officials had a 72-hour evacuation plan. So, who was fiddlin' while the floods were approaching? What about the lot full of un-used, flooded school buses?

I am not associated with FEMA, but I presume that one thing that is necessary is to confirm what the status is before actual mobilizing. FEMA employees are from all over, and I'm sure some of them are from the damaged area. The results of the storm are so uncertain, that the logistics required for the mobilization can't be finalized until after the incident occurs. Then the staff, equipment, and materials must figure out not only how to get there, but where they need to go. After all, Shep Smith was partying in New Orleans and exclaiming how New Orleans had dodged a bullet. Then the levee failed, and all h*ll broke loose. It wouldn't surprise me if FEMA had one response in the works and had to mofify their plan after the levee failed, because that resulted in a much different response that was needed.

It's been a harrowing experience the last few days. Being in the information age where we "civilians" get our information instantly puts a lot of pressure on officials not only to focus on their jobs, but they get distracted with all the negativity while they're doing it.

Thank you. As far as the Nation Guard is concerned the only way the President can send them into a state is to Nationalize it. Why would Bush do that? There are 2 states suing him now for the base closing in their state. One is Conn.
The mayor of NO could have demanded that the Gov. call out the National Guard or she, [the governor] on her own, could have been a leader and sent them down there, no later than Tuesday evening.
They should have been put on high alert when the weather men said they expected it to be a cat.5 when it hit. At that time they really thought it would hit NO.
As a matter of fact the guard should have been on alert from the time the storm hit the Gulf and began to strengthen. It takes time for any military outfit to be ready to roll out after they are put on alert. Remember these military people are regular citizens. They are not in their barracks waiting to be called.