Posted on 09/04/2005 11:39:17 PM PDT by smoothsailing
State and local officials did not inform top federal officials early on of the deaths and lack of food among hurricane victims in the Superdome or convention center, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said yesterday.
Mr. Chertoff said neither he nor Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Michael Brown was told of the deteriorating situation in New Orleans until Thursday night.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
They built a Super Dome rather than levies. Now THAT has to be torn down and rebuilt.
I knew about the deaths and the lack of water and the crime going on in the Dome and the convention center because it was on TV for anyone that had any interest to see.
They are without excuse
And of course Mr. Chertoff nor fired horse show coordinator FEMA chief Michael Brown had access to television nor did any of their subordinates or anyone else that worked with them in the federal government....
I think it's high time we get these people some televisions!! Of course they'll have to go through requisition procedures and end up charging the citizens of the respective states five times more than the televisions actually cost on the budget but hey if we bring our federal government employees into the 21st century it will be worth it.
I don't get cable, only MSM. We were alarmed about lack of food/water/meds in the Superdome on Wednesday and outraged by Thursday. Tell me where in FEMA to donate my 19 in. TV. I don't think the Bush team planned on the utter failure at the local and state levels. "Fool me once..."
I'd give them mine but I threw a brick through it when I saw Nancy Pelosi ranting and raving about FEMA a little while ago.
Can't stand that woman.
You must be kidding. After watching that collection of corrupt RAT clowns you can't be serious about doubting the feds' word. Nor must you have ANY knowledge about that cesspool called Louisiana politics. It sounds completely consistent with that state's past.
Which lyin' member of the Treason Media would YOU believe about anything?
No not ALL Federal, but claiming ignorance on what was happening only shows how disconnected Washington is. And if that is not a concern it should be
Wait a minute. You actually trusted someone in government? What gave you a weird notion to do something like that?!? LOL
I'm as confused as you are.
But it may be that local committees (party hacks, featherbedders) get paid salaries to oversee the "maintenance" of the levees, while constructing them or major strengthening projects are done by Army Corps of Engineers contractors.
Money may go to both ends -- maintenance and construction.
Where the money comes from and where it goes is a good question.
After this is over (and since they're already down there) disband FEMA completely. Especially considering the last thing I want is an agency run by a political appointee who has no idea what is actually going on and was fired from his last private sector job
Woah Looks like some in the media are finally coming around and not just blaming GWB now. ABC WNN just had a piece on who's to blame and they mainly focused on local government( the Mayor and Governor ) and had the evacuation plans they took from NO's website that wasn't implemented. Though they did say there would be plenty to go around and blame.
Reminds me of the famous meltdown of Kent "After" Shocknet, a local Los Angeles anchorman for channel 4 who in 1987 (directly after a quite large earthquake in LA) panicked on air and chirped immediately "This is the Big One, this is the Big One we've all been waiting for folks, God knows the devestation this EQ will wreak! This is it!" or some such nonsense.
Then he and the weatherman jumped under their desks on live TV! All you could see was swinging lights and mike booms!!! Hilarious! (if it wasn't so apocryphal at the time! Thank goodness there were other stations with anchormen who didn't PANIC!)
Nor should you ultimately trust the government. That was never how the US governments were designed to operate.
Trust only in your own "rugged independence". That IS the American way!
The failure of New Orleans is the failure of the Great Society experiment.
Actually, the National Guard's status is problematical constitutionally, ever since Theodore Roosevelt rewrote the Militia Act in, um, 1907 I think, to give himself and his successors more leeway in using the National Guard overseas (in the Philippines, e.g.).
The Militia is supposed to stay home. The problem was introduced by the forward-defense policy evolved under TR and Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan, that diverged from the Founders' and Framers' original intent.
The underlying tension is still there and needs to be addressed. The National Guard, as used by both Bushes and Goatboy Slick, has turned into a back-door national levy of doubtful constitutionality.
No way that will happen,nor should it.
Oh,there will be investigations,commissions,you name it.
But when all is said,and all is done,FEMA will still be there.It's the government.
The boxes will be moved around,a few heads will roll,maybe the name will change.
Something catchy with a nifty acronym.Just off the top of my head,how about Department of Useless Mayors.
There is no Constitutional basis for FEMA, nor is there for about 90% of the rest of the federal government. Get rid of it.
The boxes will be moved around,a few heads will roll,maybe the name will change.
And that helps how? It doesn't.
Wouldn't that be nice.
Don't get me wrong,billbears,the federal government is a burden we shoulder,at least those of us who pay for it.
Getting rid of it is not easy,it has no desire to go away.
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