Posted on 09/04/2005 10:18:30 AM PDT by one more state
Sunday, Sept. 4, 2005 12:47 p.m. EDT Gov. Kathleen Blanco: No State of Emergency
Though her state has been devastated by Hurricane Katrina and thousands are believed dead in New Orleans, Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco has yet to declare a state of emergency and refuses to cede authority over rescue efforts to the federal government.
"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," the Washington Post reported in Sunday editions.
Story Continues Below
Gov. Blanco's office rejected the request, the paper said - concerned that such a move would be comparable to a federal declaration of martial law. The Louisiana Democrat has also failed to declare a state of emergency - in marked contrast to Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and Alabama Gov. Bob Riley, who both issued emergency declarations before Hurricane Katrina struck.
State and federal officials also told the Post that Gov. Blanco did not reach out to a multi-state mutual aid compact for assistance until Wednesday - more than 24 hours after breaches in New Orleans levee system had flooded the city and killed thousands.
It was a grocery list of needs. She really dropped the ball. Also see post 108.
;^)
Thank you. It's tough to keep all this information straight, but I want to be sure we are being as accurate as possible. FR is the most relevant and accurate news source available and I hope it always stays that way.
It's mostly indicative of the way liberal elites think of the poor in inner cities. They do not worry about the drug flow in these areas because as long as they have their drugs and gangs, that part of the population is contained within the government-maintained hellhole. This hurricane highlights the evil that is Liberal Morality. If liberals care so much about these people, then they would be at the forefront of the war on drugs. They would be fighting the welfare culture and making sure that inner city children are taught from the get-go that they can make it by working hard, obeying the law, speaking the language of the ruling class, and having faith in God.
I'm fairly sure the gov hasn't declared her state a disaster area.
This is even worse than I thought. Gov. Blanco needs to be imnpeached when this is over. What she is NOT doing for her state is criminal in the wake of all the death and destruction sustained by hundreds of thousands of people. She has no conscience.
Stunning in his ignorance, wasn't he? With this type of attitude it's obvious the city did little to impress upon the citizens how fragile their existence really was.
Ping! What in the world is she thinking, trying to blame the Feds for not doing enough on one hand and denying them the authority to get involved on the other?
The left is scared to death this poop is going to stick to their shoes and are desperately casting blame elsewhere...meanwhile the President performs...hope names are being taken.
Well said...and most of all, if liberals cared about poor inner-city kids then liberals would be in favor of school choice and a voucher system to elminate the strangle-hold of the failed public school system. Instead liberals care more about maintaining the flow of tax dollars to failed public school systems that are staffed by people who contribute heavily to Democrat politicians. The proper role of government should be to regulate private schools and make sure they provide a high-quality educational service, and not monopolize publicly funded education. Liberals care much more about maintaining their political and economic power than they care about the American people.
I believe what is being discussed in this thread is Gov. Babineaux Blanco's refusal to make a federal case out of the state-level emergency she declared in LA. It sounds like two days ago Bush submitted paperwork to her that would have delegated responsibility and authority for the New Orleans area evacuation to the feds, but she hasn't signed it.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. KBB 2005 - 23
________________________________________________________________________________
SUSPENSION OF SPECIAL OFFICER=S COMMISSION BOND ____________________________
____________________________________________________
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act, R.S. 29:721, et seq., a state of emergency was declared through Proclamation No. 48 KBB 2005;
WHEREAS, subsequently, Hurricane Katrina struck the state of Louisiana causing severe flooding and damage to the southeastern part of the state, which have threaten the safety and security of the citizens of the state of Louisiana, along with the private property and public facilities;
WHEREAS, shortly thereafter, levees broke in the parish of Orleans, exacerbating the flooding, and posing further threats to the safety and security of the citizens of Louisiana, private property and public facilities;
WHEREAS, although scores of people have been rescued, there are many more persons waiting for rescue and evacuation and there have been reported acts of lawlessness in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina;
WHEREAS, law enforcement manpower currently available to the state to respond to this emergency are insufficient and there is a need to immediately supplement the law enforcement presence in the area of the disaster; WHEREAS, the superintendent of state police is authorized by R.S. 40:1379.1 to issue a special officer=s commission from the division of state police;
WHEREAS, R.S. 40:1379.1 also provides that such person must display the need for statewide police power and power to arrest, be bonded, and adhere to all restrictive stipulations, as set forth in the special officer=s commission;
WHEREAS, the superintendent of state police has requested that the requirement of bonding of special commissioned officers be suspended temporarily so as not to delay necessary action in coping with the emergency;
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. 29:724, et seq., and more specifically R.S. 29: 724(D), the requirement of that persons issued a special officer=s commission by the superintendent of state police shall be required to be bonded shall be suspended;
SECTION 2: The only requirement of R.S. 40:1379.1 which shall be suspended is the requirement of the bond and the proof thereof and all other requirements shall remain in full force and effect;
SECTION 3: The suspension of the bond requirement by a person receiving a special officer=s commission from the superintendent
This Order is effective upon signature and shall continue in effect until amended, modified, terminated, or rescinded by the governor, or terminated by operation of law.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand officially and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of Louisiana, at the Capitol, in the city of Baton Rouge, on this 31st day of August, 2005.
/S/ Kathleen Babineaux Blanco
GOVERNOR OF LOUISIANA
ATTEST BY THE GOVERNOR
/S/ Al Ater SECRETARY OF STATE
But of course stil spewing out how it is all Bush's fault for what SHE is in charge of.
According to today's Washington Post she has refused it. So just how is Bush to blame for what Gov Blanco is in charge of?
She never read Governing for dummies.
And just who has one every election cycle since 2000 when the Left uses these sorts of tactics? This is going to bit their butts big time. They really do NOT want Congress looking into where all that Homeland Security Money given to the City of NO got spent.
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