This doesn't sound right to me.
I've got a recollection that in the early days of the "Civil Rights Era" (1956, Little Rock specifically) the governor of Arkansas called out the National Guard to prevent a black student from entering a school, and President Eisenhower nationalized the Guard (obviously, against the governor's will) to prevent the Guard from carrying out the Gov's order.
Have the rules of Chain of Command on the Guard changed?
A caller to Boortz today said his son-in law is only making $20/day as a LA. National Guard Sgt. during the call-up because of this.
Eisenhaur was able to do that because it went against a Supreme Court ruling thus he was able to use the Insurrection Act.
It seems that all media ...and most folks on this forum have failed to read the United States Constitution. The U.S. Constitution does not allow the Federal Government to supercede the Governments of a State except in times of declared War or unless the President Federalizes that state's National Guard. President Bush did not Federalize the Lousiana National Guard. Therefore, General Honree of the Louisiana National Guard answers to Governor Blanco not President Bush, even though all Active Duty military reports to the On-Scene Commander - General Honree.
As for Homeland Security and in particularly FEMA... FEMA has NO authority to act independently in ANY State without first being invited by that State's Government, or in this case Governor Blanco. Again, the U.S. Constitution does not supercede any State Constitution, except during times of declared War.
Any and all blame for any lack of reponse falls at the feet of First the Mayor of NOLA and Second the Governor of Louisiana. Much can be learned from this disaster. While we can always improve any system after the fact, any attempt to place blame on President Bush or Brown of FEMA for lack of response is simply an attack on Republicans by Democrats.
Few in the media has ever understood this but America is NOT a democracy...; as one poster has said, "America is a Republic" ...and that limits the Federal Government's authority to charge into any State with military troops for law-enforcement or to dispense Federal aid. Pray it always remains so ...or we will be living under a Federal dictatorship.
Ya know, a (maybe not so) small silver lining in this tragedy is now many rules, regs, chains-of-commands will be reviewed to see just what-in-the-hell they're about. Ex:What are the rights of local/state/federal in a Martial Law situation? Posse Commitas(sp?) 'Did you just call me a pussy communist?', and Insurrection Act (btw, there was no insurrection/revolt)?