The Left's False Assault on President Bush

Human Events Online ^ | Sep 8, 2005 | Peter Ferrara

[stan_25]

No one anticipated that the aftermath of Katrina would include a false and ignorant tidal wave of calumny against President Bush. Conservatives beware, because the goal here is to politically disable the President, and the conservative agenda along with him.

A few basic facts will help to detox the political environment. First, FEMA is not an agency of first responders. It is not the agency responsible for bringing people bottles of water and trays of fresh food, or transporting them out of harm’s way. It also has zero law enforcement authority, or personnel.

These first responder jobs are the responsibility of local and state government -- city police and firemen, city transportation and emergency services personnel, state police, and ultimately the state National Guard.

FEMA has always been primarily a Federal financing agency, providing funding to the locals after the crisis hits to help them respond and rebuild. That is why FEMA’s website baldly states don’t expect them to show up with their aid until 3 or 4 days after the disaster strikes.

[stopem]

;)

[ducks1944]

Not only the Coast of Ms. is gone but Hattiesburg, Ms look like a War zone. Gov. Haley Barbour had our National Guards at Camp Shelly south of Hattiesburg and they had to chain saw there way to coast. Please People don't let Democrats tell you President Bush is to Blame or Mr. Brown. None of us has ever seen anything like this no even at Pearl Harbor. The truth will come out. Ask anyone who had been to Ms. Coast miles and miles of nothing People. It goes far to north in Ms. We live 3 hours from coast and it was the worst I've every seen. No one in our town or county had power for days and still some out of power. Rankin County and it's the largest county in MS. In my city alone I've seen power people from Ga. Al Ark Ms and Penn. and they are still here working. I seen some of them today 12 days later. They worked 24/7 people i seen it with my own eyes. And yes we have family at coast Gulfport and Picayune Ms. They will go there this week-end and check out damage. All meida has been in La. but when they come over here it will be known what this is really like. All the movie stars are in LA. But Ms. will be years getting there coast back working again. No company or home is left on the whole coast Ms. And those who think this should have been handle like 9/11 are nuts. There is a lot of difference between 16 aces than in 9,000 at coast only and then add 89% of whole state of Ms. I don't mean to tell you that rest of coast is like Ms. coast but it will be a while before we get back to normal.
Please write your Congressman and all congressman and tell them not compare this to 9/11.

[Albion Wilde]

Another thread is well worth looking through -- a long photo essay of the actual events of the storm. It shows how dry the center of town was two days after the hurricane, and how everyone was becoming complacent in the center of town. Then gradually the water level began to rise from the breaking levees:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1481450/posts

[gitmo]

When did Govenor Blanco officially request FEMA assistance and National Guard assistance. I suspect the Federal Government responded faster to her request than to any such request in history.

[Reagan Man]

>>>>.... to address your first point. he isn't saying the President is a conservative. He's saying if the president falls, Conservatism suffers an enormous blow. And he's correct.

Relax. The President isn't gonna fall.

Conservatives realized, there is only one Ronald Reagan. However, conservatives believed GW Bush as POTUS, would adhere to the basic principles and cornerstones of the conservative agenda as set forth by Reagan. For the most part Bush has remained loyal to that conservative agenda. However, on two big issues Bush has anything but conservative.

On the issue of federal spending Bush is a big government Republican. Conservatives don't like the excessive spending, but it hasn't hurt him with most conservatives. On the issue of immigration reform, Bush has stubbornly ignored not just conservatives, but the vast majority of Americans. Bush continues to pander to the Hispanic vote and big businesses desire for cheap labor. This ladder issue could seriously damage the GOP 2006 mid-term election efforts.

>>>> The President to the American people, NOT conservatives btw...

One can be a conservative and still be president to all the people. Reagan proved that. Reagan was a conservative who won two landslide election victories. It can be done.

Most of what you said, you're preaching to the choir.

[Reagan Man]

The assault on PresBush isn't working. The truth is starting to come out.

In the recent Gallup Poll, only 13% of Americans blame PresBush for the poor handling in the aftermath of Katrina. More and more articles are being written about the complete failure of NO Mayor Nagin and LA Gov Blanco. They didn't follow their own disaster plans. Hang on. Bush is tough.