The federal government should be quicker to respond, but the initial emergency response which includes law and order is the local and state government's responsibility. Was it the federal government first on the scene at the world trade centers? No, it was NYFD and NYPD with volunteers from all across the nation. In any disaster, the local government is in charge, with the state stepping in if needed.
None of that happened in New Orleans. The mayor and governor abandoned our fellow Americans in that city. It was bad enough to live in a bowl below sea level, it was exacerbated to horrendous levels by the inaction of the local and state government. The state and local should have tried to get a handle on things until the resources of the federal government could get on site.
Do you realize how unprecedented it is to have a president not only issue a disaster area proclamation before the disaster hits, but a president having to call a governor to get her to act in the face of danger? It's insane that a governor completely shirks her duties and leaves it up to the federal government to come in to take care of her problems. There are responsibilities the state has. It's why it's called a state. If governors defer all responsibility to the federal government, what's the point of having states at all?
The fact that today people are being helped, that people are being airlifted out, that control is being exerted is proof that the federal level did not fail. It was just that period of time before the federal level could get assembled and on the scene.
That mayor and governor both need to resign in shame. They need to apologize to those poor people they abandoned.
NWS to NO: "Cat 5 storm coming, it will destroy everything .... Good Luck"....
President: "Evacuate & May God Bless You ...." What help did the President offer LA LAST Saturday? He declared a State of Emergency ... What happened? .... NOTHING ..... the FEDS slept in on Sunday ..... What Warning Orders were issued last Saturday Night? Since the Army Corps of Engineers knows where the flooding will occur, Why wasn't an Army engineer battalion brought in to repair any breeches. Since President Bush EXPECTED New Orleans to be destroyed what Federal troops were deployed? What actions were taken by the FEDERAL government Saturday when a State of Emergency was Declared?
I understand that the local government TOTALLY dropped the ball. I understand that the vast majority of responsiblity goes to the local government BUT .... the FEDS FAILED also ....
Terrorist Lesson Learned: ATTACK ON THE WEEKEND!
Unfortunately poor blacks have and will continue to elect corrupt and incompetent leaders and suffer because of it.
Shysters similar to Sharpton and Jesse Jackson operate on the mushroom theory. Keep them in the dark, and feed them lots of horse manure.
I would like to have all City , State, and Federal agencies locked up in that dome with the feces and afloat in urine, until those caught up in the mess will say that they can go.
Why would not any fool have a staff on hand to keep that dome clean and in order? Why oh Why? Why did not anyone bring in potty chairs or toilets of some kind? who can ever forget this? Who can forgive this?
>>The federal government should be quicker to respond<<
What exactly should the FG have done that they didn't do? This wasn't a tornado that goes away half an hour after it appears. It was a hurricane that was still powerful between the city it just hit and most any potential response. Wasn't the Coast Guard doing rescues within 24 hours?
The Superdome was a HORRIBLE idea, especially given the availability of at least some transportation. I guess if the levy's hadn't have broken, it might have been OK, but Druge was posting disaster predictions of "biblical proportions" on his site no less than 24 hours before it hit, so it isn't like they weren't warned.
I'll be honest: I didn't think the predictions would come true as its usually never as bad as forecast. HOWEVER, I knew nothing about NOLA and had I known 1/10th of what I do know, the first thing I would have said about a SD camp was that it was a totally stupid idea. Had there not been a SD, I think more people would have left.