LIVE Hearing on Katrina (Michael Brown on hotseat)

C-Span ^ | 09/27/05 | SE Mom

[SE Mom]

Hearings beginning now on C-Span- Michael Brown will be grilled.

Have at it, folks:)

[Cboldt]

Re: declaration of emergency and disaster - the locals are still driving the buggy. Local/state officials first make a local declaration, then request federal designation as same. E.g., Blanco declares "State of Emergency" in Louisisna, and asks the President, through FEMA, to make a parallel Federal declaration. That protocol was followed in this case.

[dfwgator]

So the federal government can call state troops to go to Iraq, but how dare the state call up a federal agency to help the state? The governor of each state has got to, by LAW, request federal troops. How can you not know this? And the Governor did not do that for a VERY long time. She has admitted, on camera, that she was late doing that and regrets it.

If NG troops are requested to go to Iraq by the Feds, does not the governor need to approve the request?

[Peach]

Do you not know that FEMA had to withdraw because they were being shot at? I watched the press conference on Wednesday and they said that between the water levels and being shot at, they had to withdraw temporarily.

And STILL the Governor did not ask for federal troops to help quell the civil unrest.

[Ingtar]

11 AM called for Pensacola. 5 PM the models all pointed to N.O. but the NHC played it safe and did not move the forecast track further than MS. Then at 11 PM (10 CDT), they moved it to N.O. proper. It was all in the discussions that they put out.

[mewzilla]

Why did it take days?

Ever been caught in a disaster zone? You think FEMA has disintegrator beams or anti-grav to immediately clear a path to where the stuff is needed? Sheesh. It takes time. That's why folks should make plans to fend for themselves for the first 72 hours at least. If you chose not to, that's not the FEMA's fault.

[toddlintown]

"Amazing that average citizens were able to get there days before."

With what, extra food, fuel, shelter, water? You sound like a troll.

[Shazolene]

"It's not FEMA's plan, it's the State's plan. "

I hope he pointed out that the State DID have a plan... but it was never even consulted, much less followed. All the Dims just reacted with emotion, going directly into panic mode. He should says something like, "I don't know why they didn't do that, it was part of their Emergency Plan."

[Sammie42]

average citizens getting in is a totally different thing than organizing and getting thousands of relief supplies.....sure reporters got in too, duh....they didn't have to worry about anyone but themselves. also, again, NG were sent in from other states, first AL sent NG to MS immediately! So the excuse that MS NG were in Iraq is liberal spin

[Dane]

Brown is telling it like it is - my point is, if later this afternoon McClellan goes to a microphone and makes some statement about "Brown does not speak for the administration" or "Brown's opinion are his own" - it undercuts the effectiveness of this

This isn't about McClellan, it's about Brown's experiences of dealing with a corrupt Louisiana govt., but you already knew that, but nice try at your usual chrissy matthews like, but non-reality dodge.

[Howlin]

If it was pre-positioned as you say, why did they not disperse it after the storm hit?

Ah, they did. Just not as fast as you "instant graticiation" people wanted it.

Why did it take days?

Because that's how long it takes. It's not OUR fault you didn't listen to the NHC and government's advice to store 3 to 5 days worth of food and water to get you through the rough times.

What's wrong with you people who can't even "maintain" for a couple of days without whining?

It was an act of God, for goodness sakes.

[PhilipFreneau]

>>>If it was pre-positioned as you say, why did they not disperse it after the storm hit? Why did it take days?<<<

Because folks from Mississippi are supposed to be self-reliant, Moe; and not whining, selfish little brats like we find on the welfare plantations.

[dirtboy]

I was commenting on someone blaming the NG problem on the governor.

FEMA has no authority over the National Guard, either. Blanco is in charge of calling up the Louisiana National Guard under her command and asking for additional guardsmen from other states if she needs more help. She was slow in doing the first and didn't know what steps to take initially to do the latter.

So she, like Nagin, had not worked out the legal details of their responsibilities in a pending disaster until the disaster looms. But that's the fault of FEMA? Sheez...

[petercooper]

Let FedEx take over INS also. If they can track 3-5 million damn packages a day w/o losing any, I'm sure they can track all these freakin immigrants.

[toddlintown]

Moe's gone. His account was pulled.

[Howlin]

I am very worried about Bush's talk about making the military in charge; that goes against everything I believe in.

[RummyChick]

can someone post a direct link to a live feed?

[pollyannaish]

I haven't been following this entire argument, but I think you are proving a point here you may not want to prove.

Average citizens WILL ALWAYS be able to get things done before any government, Local, State or Federal. That is why it took so long for the Feds to get there. That is why you are first and foremost responsible for yourself, then your family, then your neighbors, and up.

THAT is exactly the point. Bureaucracies are bad for you. Smaller government is good for you.

[Howlin]

I was commenting on someone blaming the NG problem on the governor.

Who would you have it blamed on? The governor of a state is in charge of her own Guard; she had 4000 troops IN STATE WAITING, but she never pulled the trigger.

[job]

Right. . . finally somebody gets the point.

[maggief]

http://www.cspan.org/

(scroll down)

Coming back up on C-SPAN and C-SPAN Radio, still in a brief recess.