[joholso]

Why wasn't Bush going door to door, pleading with these people in an effort to save them?

The mayor, the gov, and those who stayed have nobody to blame but them selves

[OpusatFR]

Official hurricane preparedness circulars that are in our paper EVERY year state the same thing:

You will need to be prepared for every eventuality because there will be no governmental help for at least three days.

We prepare for two weeks. And then some...

[chemicalman]

The mayor, the gov, and those who stayed have nobody to blame but them selves

Also had 3 days before to go knocking door to door...didn't see that happen.

[OrioleFan]

State had no plan. Governor hasn't got a clue and stands in the way of progress. City had an incomplete plan that wasn't used. Mayor is a wack job political hack. My favorite line was yesterday when he said "Put me in charge!"

Ok, Nagin, you are now in charge of cleaning up the city busses and school busses you didn't use to evacuate those without transportation, and your are in charge of cleaning up the Super Dome and Convention Center that weren't even set up to handle 1 person much less thousands. Hell, even Mexico City plans for ten days of food and water at it's designated hurricane shelters. A pack of nabs from a busted vending machine doesn't go very far at the Super Dome.

[ForGod'sSake]

Not to belabor a point but, doesn't this sort of fly in the face of the stated PLAN of the city in an emergency? To wit:

D. Regional Transit Authority

* Supply transportation as needed in accordance with the current Standard Operating Procedures.

* Place special vehicles on alert to be utilized if needed.

* Position supervisors and dispatch evacuation buses.

* If warranted by scope of evacuation, implement additional service.

So the statements by the locals prior to Katrina was so much CYA. They knew they couldn't pull off a mass evacuation or major hurricane response so they tried to punt. Absolves them of nothing IMO. They should be serving jail time.

FGS

[Osage Orange]

Staff writer Bruce Nolan reported some 7 weeks before Katrina: "In scripted appearances being recorded now, officials such as Mayor Ray Nagin, local Red Cross Executive Director Kay Wilkins and City Council President Oliver Thomas drive home the word that the city does not have the resources to move out of harm's way an estimated 134,000 people without transportation."

What about those pictures of 300-400 buses.....????????

[GVnana]

Telling an entire city population, "You're on your own" is an inexcusable abandonment of responsibility and a recipe for disaster.