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FEMA is not a first responder - Don't be so quick to pillory the federal response in New Orleans
Pittsburgh Post Gazette ^ | Tuesday, September 06, 2005 | Craig Martelle

Posted on 09/06/2005 5:35:09 AM PDT by pittsburgh gop guy

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To: pittsburgh gop guy

I am sending this to Bobby Jindall and the Clintons.

I am so sick of hearing the Clintons and all the circling of the wagons.


21 posted on 09/06/2005 5:52:16 AM PDT by NavySEAL F-16 (Proud to be a Reagan Republican)
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To: pittsburgh gop guy

Sanity bump.


22 posted on 09/06/2005 5:58:11 AM PDT by Ditto ( No trees were killed in sending this message, but billions of electrons were inconvenienced.)
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To: defconw

The mayor's actions, as incompetent as they seem, are nothing more than casting blame where it shouldn't be, at the expense of thousands of citizens, many of them young, poor or infirmed.


23 posted on 09/06/2005 6:02:07 AM PDT by BigSkyFreeper (Liberalism is a form of insanity)
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To: Zacs Mom; MeekOneGOP; PhilDragoo; Happy2BMe; potlatch; ntnychik; Smartass; Boazo; Alamo-Girl; ...

good bump


24 posted on 09/06/2005 6:02:26 AM PDT by bitt ('But once the shooting starts, a plan is just a guess in a party dress.' Michael Yon)
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To: pittsburgh gop guy

good article, Thanks.


25 posted on 09/06/2005 6:02:34 AM PDT by silverleaf (Fasten your seat belts- it's going to be a BUMPY ride.)
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To: kabar

Despite what you think, the President does not have almighty powers. And imagine the uproar on here if he (or bill/Hillary Clinton) did.

The 82nd Airborne/Marines or any other military unit can not be instantly deployed by the President snapping his fingers and saying "Make it so." They must be mobilized, and that may take a few days to do - and it did.

What do we know about bureaucracies? They don't move fast - that's for sure. The federal government is the biggest bureaucracy around - it doesn't matter if we are talking DOD, State or DHS/FEMA.

The key point of the article is that emergency management is local and there is a process to kick it up to the feds. It is amazing that no one is mentioning that New Orleans and LA have long been known to be the most corrupt governments in the country (Philly gives them a run for the money).

What role did corruption and malfeasance of local officials in New Orleans play in this disaster? I can guarantee that it is a big part of the problem.


26 posted on 09/06/2005 6:03:00 AM PDT by pittsburgh gop guy (Be not afraid...)
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To: pittsburgh gop guy
Don't be so quick to pillory the federal response in New Orleans. Immediate emergency management is primarily a local and state responsibility

I've been screaming this at my TV set as every airhead commentator, from Chrissy Matthews to Keith Olbermannnnnn to Jack Cafferty (et al ad nauseum) feign their smug high dudgeon over FEMA's failure to act --and NEVER ONCE mention the failure of the Louisiana GOVERNOR.

How come I know how emergency management is supposed to work, and all these guys don't? And I've never even lived in a hurricane zone!

Even Joe Scarborough, who's lived through several hurricanes, doesn't seem to know basic emergency civics. And we can't blame partisanship for his ignorance.

The only person I've heard who understands how the law works, with respect to deploying the National Guard, FEMA etc., before this article, is Tammy Bruce (substituting for Laura Ingraham last night).

27 posted on 09/06/2005 6:03:09 AM PDT by shhrubbery! (The 'right to choose' = The right to choose death --for somebody else.)
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To: InvisibleChurch
***Didn't there used to be posts on FR that FEMA is going to take control of the United States?***

Actually in the 'old days', like when it was first created, they could - FEMA had the ultimate power and control in a National Disaster. It was pretty scary in the 'legal' power they had and what they could do. (relocation camps being one)

But then Willard changed it slightly with an EO by having 'his' AG Janet Rino having ultimate control over FEMA and then when the Homeland Security Dept was created FEMA was merged into that and became a subservient division.

28 posted on 09/06/2005 6:03:43 AM PDT by Condor51 (Leftists are moral and intellectual parasites - Standing Wolf)
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To: kabar
What part of "FEMA is not the 1st responder" do you not understand? FEMA works with the local government. They do not take control of the local effort. This case is an exception due to the magnitude of bungling by lack of local leadership.

How many years has the city had to prepare for this inevitable storm? Why did the mayor not have an effective evacuation plan? Why were hundreds of school buses allowed to be destroyed instead of filling them with people (at gunpoint if necessary) and moved?

In short I believe you are totally off base.
29 posted on 09/06/2005 6:04:15 AM PDT by zek157
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To: pittsburgh gop guy

The worm is definately starting to turn. I expect within a day or two the MSM mantra will be "Now is not the time to point fingers."


30 posted on 09/06/2005 6:04:43 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: kabar
"The Mayor and the Gov deserve the lion's share of the blame, but the Feds also dropped the ball initially. "

Wrong, the responsibility, by law, INITIALLY falls on local and state governments. The problem falls with depending upon any level of government to protect us. At best they are reactionary.

I would challenge any of the politically motivated scum doing all the pissing and moaning about slow (what is slow/what is fast?) response to come up with a better solution to a Cat 5 hitting a city, stupid enough to be built below sea level, with a stupid crime infested population, a mayor too stupid to use buses before they were flooded, a governor too stupid to request Federal assistance in a timely manner.

For the left, no time frame would be fast enough. They have to use this to beat the right over the head.

Without the 20/20 hindsight none of the "Feds were too slow" crowd would do anything different.

In the future the government response may be better thanks to the lessons learned by this disaster.

31 posted on 09/06/2005 6:07:05 AM PDT by Wurlitzer (I have the biggest organ in my town {;o))
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To: pittsburgh gop guy

Kathleen Blanco is a social worker and ribbon cutter. She can manage Louisiana's legendary corruption. She cannot manage a real crisis. She raised six children. That's her field of expertise.

One freeper said her husband is the real governor


32 posted on 09/06/2005 6:07:18 AM PDT by dennisw (***)
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To: pittsburgh gop guy
Message from Dems, Libs, DUmmies, race-baiters, etc:

Stop making sense!


33 posted on 09/06/2005 6:07:37 AM PDT by TC Rider (The United States Constitution © 1791. All Rights Reserved.)
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To: kabar

I will say that anyone who understood Louisiana history should have expected the local authorities to make a Charlie-Foxtrot out of things. This isn't Florida, not even close. That is legitimate criticism of the Feds in this matter. It is never "business as usual" when you are dealing with Louisiana politicos.


34 posted on 09/06/2005 6:08:14 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: zek157
How many years has the city had to prepare for this inevitable storm?

Given that Hurricane Camille slammed into NOLA on Aug. 17, 1969, I'd say NOLA had nearly 40 years to prepare itself.

35 posted on 09/06/2005 6:09:32 AM PDT by BigSkyFreeper (Liberalism is a form of insanity)
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To: BigSkyFreeper

Camille "grazed" NOLA, not slammed it. Much smaller storm, Mississippi took the brunt of it.


36 posted on 09/06/2005 6:11:14 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: pittsburgh gop guy

The media is just learning how their government works. LOL! The blame game is going to get very quiet.


37 posted on 09/06/2005 6:12:28 AM PDT by Lady Heron
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To: FrPR

Pinguissimo per il calvo.


38 posted on 09/06/2005 6:15:41 AM PDT by Kenny Bunk (Louisiana: Democrats in Charge. Republicans in Responsibility)
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To: pittsburgh gop guy
Despite what you think, the President does not have almighty powers. And imagine the uproar on here if he (or bill/Hillary Clinton) did.

When you have an unprecedented disaster involving 90,000 square miles involving millions of people across several states, the Federal Government must take the lead. Damn the uproar if it means lives will be saved. That is what leadership is all about. If GWB (read FEMA and Homeland Security) had taken the lead earlier on, more lives would have been saved. GWB would have been lionized by the American people if he had taken this action. Besides, GWB is not running again for election.

The 82nd Airborne/Marines or any other military unit can not be instantly deployed by the President snapping his fingers and saying "Make it so." They must be mobilized, and that may take a few days to do - and it did.

They don't have to be mobilized. They are ready to go anywhere in the world with less than 24 hours notice. They should have been on standby before the hurricane hit.

The key point of the article is that emergency management is local and there is a process to kick it up to the feds. It is amazing that no one is mentioning that New Orleans and LA have long been known to be the most corrupt governments in the country (Philly gives them a run for the money).

That's what I am railing against--process. There is no doubt that the city and state governments are inept and corrupt. They are not unique. The bottom line is that we had thousands and thousands of Americans in mortal danger. Forget about the process and save lives. Let the chips fall where they may.

39 posted on 09/06/2005 6:16:18 AM PDT by kabar
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To: FrPR

Pinguissimo per il calvo.


40 posted on 09/06/2005 6:16:38 AM PDT by Kenny Bunk (Louisiana: Democrats in Charge. Republicans in Responsibility)
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