Lawyers inconvenienced in their evil lives. The one good thing to come out of Katrina.
That ranks right up there with, "I'm from the Government and I'm here to help" and "Hand me that piano."
The lawyers and judges survived?
DAMN! Just when there was hope for the country.
Mobilize to help?
I thought the levee was already plugged.
Lawyers were part of the problem.
On Saturday night the Mayor Nagin of New Orleans was still dithering with lawyers about their liability if he should order the evacuation of New Orleans be mandatory. This was after the head of the National Hurricane Center called him and begged for mandatory evacuation, trying hard to spell out to him the incredible power of the hurricane and storm surge headed his way. Nagin and the lawyers finally decided to have people sign forms refusing mandatory evacuation so he wouldn't be liable if they didn't go, and then Sunday morning he finally ordered mandatory evacuation.
However, the Mayor of New Orleans didn't commandeer school buses or public transportation buses and start hauling people out. He pretty much left everybody to fend for themselves, as far as I know.
The disaster plans for New Orleans, laws passed by the State of Louisiana, called for mandatory evacuation of New Orleans if threatened by a Category 4 or 5 hurricane or a slow moving (5 mph or less) Category 3. It also calls for them to use public transportation and school buses to evacuated their nursing homes and other infirm residents. The Governor and Mayor simply didn't do what they were supposed to do in a timely manner, despite urging from the President.
Why did they balk at doing what was mandated by their own laws and plans? They may have feared political fallout if the evacuation turned out to be another "false alarm." They feared liability if they declared evacuation and then didn't provide transportation and care for the elderly and infirm, especially those in the care of the State, as required by law. Also they feared liability from businesses forced to shut who would suffer losses.
Well, in that case let us pray for a big hurricane every six months or so.
-ccm