Many Evacuated, but Thousands Still Waiting(still no state of emergency in LA)

Washington Post ^ | 9-4-2005 | By Manuel Roig-Franzia and Spencer Hsu

[aft_lizard]

Behind the scenes, a power struggle emerged, as federal officials tried to wrest authority from Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (D). Shortly before midnight Friday, the Bush administration sent her a proposed legal memorandum asking her to request a federal takeover of the evacuation of New Orleans, a source within the state's emergency operations center said Saturday.

The administration sought unified control over all local police and state National Guard units reporting to the governor. Louisiana officials rejected the request after talks throughout the night, concerned that such a move would be comparable to a federal declaration of martial law. Some officials in the state suspected a political motive behind the request. "Quite frankly, if they'd been able to pull off taking it away from the locals, they then could have blamed everything on the locals," said the source, who does not have the authority to speak publicly.

A senior administration official said that Bush has clear legal authority to federalize National Guard units to quell civil disturbances under the Insurrection Act and will continue to try to unify the chains of command that are split among the president, the Louisiana governor and the New Orleans mayor.

Louisiana did not reach out to a multi-state mutual aid compact for assistance until Wednesday, three state and federal officials said. As of Saturday, Blanco still had not declared a state of emergency, the senior Bush official said.

"The federal government stands ready to work with state and local officials to secure New Orleans and the state of Louisiana," White House spokesman Dan Bartlett said. "The president will not let any form of bureaucracy get in the way of protecting the citizens of Louisiana."

[Real Cynic No More]

Louisiana did not reach out to a multi-state mutual aid compact for assistance until Wednesday, three state and federal officials said.

BTTT!

[Real Cynic No More]

Thanks for posting this article from today's Washington Post. I didn't see it in earlier posts!

[Real Cynic No More]

That lasted until I heard Nagin go off about the canal not being fixed and there being "too many chiefs and not enough Indians."

When encountering unexpected events, leaders rise to the occasion; losers quickly get overtaken by events.

[Real Cynic No More]

The below is a blurb I posted yesterday:

My preliminary conclusions are that the governor was conflicted between her political aspirations and the need to help her people. By trying to retain control - and get the credit - rather than pursue the resources needed, she guaranteed her political future. It seems to me that she demonstrated her amateur status of "I have to do it myself" rather than seeking help when it was/is needed.

It seems like the WP concurs with me.

[Real Cynic No More]

"Quite frankly, if they'd been able to pull off taking it away from the locals, they then could have blamed everything on the locals,"

Proof positive that they were more interested in politics than in saving people's lives.

This is demonstrative that the democrats do not care about anything other than keeping or regaining power.

This needs to be shouted from every rooftop. Congress' actions amount to the same thing in their obstructionism of Bush's proposals. Sooner or later, the sheeple must be convinced of the truth!

[js1138]

>>>>>>
The following information is furnished on the nature and amount of State and local resources that have been or will be used to alleviate the conditions of this emergency:
• Department of Social Services (DSS): Opening (3) Special Need Shelters (SNS) and establishing (3) on Standby.
• Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH): Opening (3) Shelters and establishing (3) on Standby.
• Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (OHSEP): Providing generators and support staff for SNS and Public Shelters.
• Louisiana State Police (LSP): Providing support for the phased evacuation of the coastal areas.
• Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (WLF): Supporting the evacuation of the affected population and preparing for Search and Rescue Missions.


Mr. President
Page Two
August 27, 2005
<<<<<<<<

This doesn't look like preparations for a Cat 5 hurricane to me.

[kabar]

??? Did she actually issue this order last Friday, Aug. 26??? IF so, why does no one seem to know about it? And if she really was so cognizant of the immense peril to her state's citizens on FRIDAY, how did they manage to waste all of Sat. and Sun. without getting those unfortunate people out of NOLA?????

From the FEMA official National Situation Update: Saturday, August 27, 2005:

State of Emergency Declared in Mississippi, Louisiana Due In anticipation of a possible landfall, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco declared States of Emergency Friday. In Louisiana, New Orleans is of particular concern because much of that city lies below sea level.

According to Gov. Blanco, Lake Pontchartrain is a very large lake that sits next to the city of New Orleans and if the hurricane winds blow from a certain direction, there are dire predictions of what may happen in the city.

[EverOnward]

there are other threads on this -- but the information is not exactly the same so I appreciate this being posted

[TAdams8591]

"But the MSM and mentally ill liberals will viciously criticize him no matter what he says or does."

Absolutely agreed which is another reason he should just do what needs to be done and forget the criticism. Lives (as in this case), frequently depend on it!

[diogenes ghost]

"LA legal and governmental system....entirely different from any other in the US." During the inevitable finger pointing and haranguing to come, these arcane legalisms will allow Blanco & her cronies a tremendous amount of wiggle room, perhaps not legally perfectible, but enough to insulate her in the media furor.

[TAdams8591]

No, he made a request when he should have given a command and taken over, as painful as it may be for me to say, I am going to say it. While there is plenty of blame to go around, when he saw the incompetence of the NO Mayor and LA Governor, he should have stepped in and taken charge. Many situations are TOUGH calls. This one was a NO BRAINER.

[TAdams8591]

Let me make myself CLEARER. STEP IN=TAKEN CHARGE. In an impending catastrophe of this magnitude, you cannot be concerned about the criticism you will receive. Too many lives depend on it. And he would have been vindicated when the levee broke.

The chance that NO was going to be flooded according to almost EVERY expert, were FAR greater than not. People have been warning about just such a calamity for many years.

I like President Bush and voted for him twice. After President Reagan, he is the next best president in my life time. But in this situation he deserves some of the blame as much as I would like to see it differently. In all honesty, I can't.

[DJ MacWoW]

Actually, after thinking about it, it doesn't matter when it was dated. What matters is the fact that neither she nor Nagin did anything with it. It's just so much wasted air if you leave your people in a city to die.

[DJ MacWoW]

In this instance, there is plenty of blame to go around and the President deserves some of it.

No. He doesn't.

Bush declares emergency in Louisiana (Hurricane Katrina) AP ^ | Aug. 27, 2005 |

Bush Urges People to Flee Hurricane (August 28th)

Bush declares emergency in Louisiana (Hurricane Katrina)

National Hurricane Director had to call Nagin at home Saturday night to plead: "Get people out..."

Fed. Govt sent emergency supplies to Louisiana as early as Tuesday [From AP]

[Danielle]

"Louisiana did not reach out to a multi-state mutual aid compact for assistance until Wednesday, three state and federal officials said. As of Saturday, Blanco still had not declared a state of emergency,"

I hate to disagree, but Blanco declared a State of Emergency last Friday when the weather service told her that the hurricane had taken a turn and was headed towards NO.

http://gov.louisiana.gov/Press_Release_detail.asp?id=973

Friday, August 26

NOW THEREFORE I, KATHLEEN BABINEAUX BLANCO, Governor of the state of Louisiana, by virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution and laws of the state of Louisiana, do hereby order and direct as follows:

SECTION 1: Pursuant to the Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act, R.S. 29:721, et seq., a state of emergency is declared to exist in the state of Louisiana as Hurricane Katrina poses an imminent threat, carrying severe storms, high winds, and torrential rain that may cause flooding and damage to private property and public facilities, and threaten the safety and security of the citizens of the state of Louisiana;

SECTION 2: The state of Louisiana's emergency response and recovery program is activated under the command of the director of the state office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to prepare for and provide emergency support services and/or to minimize the effects of the storm's damage.

SECTION 3: The state of emergency extends from Friday, August 26, 2005, through Sunday, September 25, 2005, unless terminated sooner.

[Cboldt]

I hate to disagree, but Blanco declared a State of Emergency last Friday when the weather service told her that the hurricane had taken a turn and was headed towards NO.

But the disagreement is only to part of the assertion, that part being a declaration of emergency. THere is another part of the assertion.

"Louisiana did not reach out to a multi-state mutual aid compact for assistance until Wednesday ..."

That part is true. And while the state has requested federal aid (moeny, material, clean-up effort), the state is clinging to the responsibility to control and direct the relief efforts.

[madinmadtown]

An excellent analysis of some of the politics involved. I was at a funeral this morning in Madison and nearly yelled a liberal who was blaming Bush. I am sure that every liberal in Madison would welcome George Bush to come in and tell them how to run the city. My son has been teaching on the East side of New Orleans for the last two years in an impoverished neighborhood. HE has only heard from two of his students and one teacher. He talked to one mother this morning and she is NEVER coming back to New Orleans.

[Eastbound]

I think the presense of armed federal troops and/or the U.S. military in non-federal areas establishes martial law, regardless of whether or not it has been 'officially' declared. Could be wrong.

[Cboldt]

I think the presense of armed federal troops and/or the U.S. military in non-federal areas establishes martial law, regardless of whether or not it has been 'officially' declared.
Could be wrong.

You are, but that's okay. It isn't the presence that causes the legal condition of "martial law" to exist. It is the extent to which civil libery has been suspended that indicates "martial law," and even then, there are degrees of suspension.

Therefore, the mandatory evacuation declared by Nagin estabishes a sort of martial law - people are ordered out, and not permitted in - that is, the liberty to come and go unimpeded is removed. State imposed condition, and although in LA the term is "State of Emergency," it amounts to martial law.

[Eastbound]

Okay, thanks, Cboldt.