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Nagin gets mixed reviews (Nagin/Busses Alert)
Times Picayune ^ | Oct 23, 2005 | Gordon Russell

Posted on 10/23/2005 3:32:40 AM PDT by abb

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To: abb

I was surprised to see the infamous bus photo on the front page of The Advocate!


21 posted on 10/23/2005 6:52:53 AM PDT by LA Woman3
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To: LA Woman3

You actually pay them money to read their paper?!?! Shame!! (Just kidding, lol)


22 posted on 10/23/2005 6:55:56 AM PDT by abb (Because News Reporting is too important to be left to the Journalists.)
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To: LA Woman3

One other thing. Wasn't this the first time a Louisiana newspaper has printed that picture of the flooded busses? I know the Gannet papers (S'port, Monroe, Alex, Lafayette) have yet to print it..


23 posted on 10/23/2005 6:58:06 AM PDT by abb (Because News Reporting is too important to be left to the Journalists.)
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To: pepsionice

I agree fully, except it was common knowledge that NO would have a flood some day sooner or later


24 posted on 10/23/2005 6:58:40 AM PDT by mel
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To: abb

Weekends only.... : )


25 posted on 10/23/2005 6:59:25 AM PDT by LA Woman3
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To: abb
One other thing. Wasn't this the first time a Louisiana newspaper has printed that picture of the flooded busses? I know the Gannet papers (S'port, Monroe, Alex, Lafayette) have yet to print it..

I think so.... Moon will be thrilled!
26 posted on 10/23/2005 7:17:59 AM PDT by LA Woman3
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To: bert

The best part is most of Blancos voters are'nt coming back. The next election will make her look like a disgrace!!!


27 posted on 10/23/2005 8:10:01 AM PDT by Luigi Vasellini (60% of Saudis, 58%of Iraqis, 55%of Kuwaitis,50% of Jordanians married 1st or 2nd cousins. LOL!!!)
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To: abb; All

The major point that must be made clear about the buses and evacuations is:

in a natural disaster, evacuation plans are and must be the responsibility of, and carried out by the operational authority of, state and local officials - not FEMA.

And this discussion about buses, by state and local authorities, rightly belonged to, and should have been going on during, the week prior to when Katrina made landfall.

Those discussions should have been conducted and concluded by the Thursday prior to the Sunday/Monday Katrina hit. That was not FEMA's responsibility.

And those discussions should have resulted in a mandatory evacuation plan that should have began on the Friday before Katrina hit, and used busses for free transportation for people who needed them. That was not FEMA's responsibility.

Not one thing about that not being done was the fault of FEMA and yet the fact that it was not done created the human disasters that FEMA was then blamed for not having picked up the pieces of quickly enough.

Nagin and Blanco carried out the reverse of all moral requirements regarding a mandatory evacuation.

If there is any moral requirement in an evacuation it is to care for those who will be most vulnerable if you don't get them evacuated.

The lowest lying areas of New Orleans, the areas most in danger of flooding from levee breaks were also the areas with more residents with the least means, financially and in terms of transportation.

Every hospital in New Orleans had its emergency room and it backup power generation capabilities in either the basement or the first floor, and if the levees broke they were all subject to flooding.

The jail was at an elevation that made it subject to flooding if the levees broke.

Many nursing homes were in low-lying flood prone areas.

Everyone, Blanco, Nagin, everyone was told Katrina would be a levee-busting category five hurricane; in as much as the levees were known to be designed only for a category three.

Every reasonable assumption about the possible problems from Katrina said - during the week before it hit - EVACUATE, there is going to be flooding in New Orleans.

Did Blanco and Nagin insure that the most vulnerable got out - those who needed transportation assistance, those hospitalized or in nursing homes, those locked in floodable jail cells?

No. They had a traffic plan by which those with the means could drive themselves out. In other words they mostly helped those who were capable of helping themselves.

Even those in jail are human beings and the indifference shown there to me epitomized the indifference that Blanco and Nagin showed in their negligent attitude towards the evacuation. The officers and attendants at the jail simply left, with the prisoners locked in their cells, as the flood waters began to rise. Two and half days later, with the water having risen to five feet in the cells, they were finally rescued. I have no doubt the prisoners would have rather had pictures taken with them naked wearing women's panties on their heads. I cannot think of anything more torturous than being locked in a jail cell that is slowly being flooded, for two and half days, with no one else but the locked up prisoners around, no electricty, no anything but the constantly rising flood waters, and the humans locked in. By the time the waters were reaching five feet, would you have gone mad?

As those who were driving out of New Orleans filled the highway, Blanco was asked what more they might do, and her response was: "we can pray".

In other words, she was leaving to fate the lives of all who could not evacuate themselves. Yea, pray for the weak, the hospitalized and the infirm and everyone whose evacuation was needed in the face of a coming category five storm.

I do not understand why her citizens are not demanding her impeachment.


28 posted on 10/23/2005 8:49:07 AM PDT by Wuli
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To: Wuli

Come the 2007 elections, we're gonna fix Blanco's bus, but good. In fact, I'll make the prediction here and now that she won't run for re-election...


29 posted on 10/23/2005 8:54:50 AM PDT by abb (Because News Reporting is too important to be left to the Journalists.)
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To: abb

Impeachment would be preferrable, because it is a clearer statement of her negligence and incompetence.


30 posted on 10/23/2005 9:06:39 AM PDT by Wuli
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To: Wuli

Oh, I agree. But it isn't politically possible. Not in this state, anyway...


31 posted on 10/23/2005 9:09:31 AM PDT by abb (Because News Reporting is too important to be left to the Journalists.)
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To: evets; sure_fine; abb
The pic I'd like to see...


32 posted on 10/23/2005 9:57:44 AM PDT by Zacs Mom (Proud wife of a Marine! ... and purveyor of "rampant, unedited dialogue")
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To: abb
It is just plain stupid and there is no excuse for letting the buses set and flood. I am sure there were men/women who would have gladly used the buses if the bus drivers didn't.I recall the article of the teenager driving a bus out to save people. Ray Nagin needs to quit with the excuses for his stupidity and take responsibility for the mess he and Blanco and the rest of the corrupt officials caused . They are to blame, not Bush, not Fema, not the Red Cross. THEY had the responsibility of securing their citizens before/after Katrina and THEN thats when the rest comes into play. Bush nor Fema nor the Red Cross is supposed to come down and do it all BEFORE the Hurricane. That is where use common sense kicks in. Obviously Nagin and Blanco are as void of it now as they were before Katrina
33 posted on 10/23/2005 10:03:18 AM PDT by WasDougsLamb (Just my opinion.Go easy on me........)
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To: Wuli

http://www.impeachblanco.org/


34 posted on 10/23/2005 11:21:26 AM PDT by LA Woman3
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