Katrina Live Thread, Part XIII

Various ^ | 1 September 2005 | Various

[SE Mom]

This remark is indefensible.

[nuclady]

I have some Bailey's that would be good in that java! :)

[Types_with_Fist]

I think we might see Bush bypass Baton Rouge and stop at the NO Airport where that Colonel is. At least, that's what I hope he does. To hell with the posturing bureacratic PR crap. That Colonel at the airport has done more on the ground than any of the bureacrats have. Even Nagin referred to him as a "John Wayne type."

[hummingbird]

10:42 AM Eastern Time: Race Card played

...and hideous, cynical abuse of people's faith for political gain.

Religion Card played.

[Ellesu]

http://www.wjbo.com

fixing to rplay the phone call. Streaming audio

[Sender]

thugs had taken over the roof of the hosp

That could be easily cured. One helicopter.

[tomkat]

It would destroy their political position

I started to post something along those lines last night, but figured the pot was already boiling sufficiently w/o it.

You are, of course, correct.
This whole thing's gotta be scarin' political hell out of a lotta lefties.

[fishntex]

I just heard "black genocide"" from a reporter on cspan.

The black caucus is giving state and local authorities a pass.

[Bubbette]

A Freeper last night mentioned that the NG was having to cut their way through Mississippi. The roads were covered with trees. Also in both MS and AL there were gasoline issues. Every truck, bus, etc. in that convoy had to be gassed up somewhere.

[Spktyr]

FEMA and Coast Guard are considered Law Enforcement, not troops.

There have been acts of Congress since to ensure that what Eisenhower and Kennedy did cannot happen again, alas.

[Wallace T.]

If you don't like that, press Congress to change the Constitution, and the law.

What a ridiculous statement! A process like you describe would take months or years, while thousands of people might die from starvation, dehydration, violence, disease, and lack of medical care due to the incompetence of state and local authorities in the next few weeks. Besides, there is precedence for Federal intervention in these matters.

The Posse Comitatus Act, passed after Reconstruction, placed curbs on involvement in law enforcement on the part of the U.S. Army, and by extension the Air Force, which evolved out of the Army. It does not address the Marines or the Navy, which was and is under the authority of the Navy Department, not the War (Army) Department. Nor does it address the Coast Guard, which is an agency of the Treasury Department, but which is transferred to the Defense Department in wartime.

Moreover, the Executive Branch of government is charged with the duty of protecting Federal civilian workers, such as FEMA employees. The local and state authorities are not doing their job in this respect. The Federal marshals in Little Rock in 1957 were not protected by the local authorities, prompting Eisenhower to send in the regulars and place the National Guard under Federal authority.

There is an old saying to the effect that the Constitution is not a suicide pact. Thousands of lives are in peril in New Orleans due to the incompetence of state and local governments. This is more severe a situation than the integration crisis of the 1960s or the Terri Schiavo court-ordered dehydration earlier this year because of the human cost. Let's not excuse Federal inaction under the rubric of states rights or the rule of law.

[SeaBiscuit]

Mobile now, Biloxi next according to FOX. No public plans to disembark in NO due to security problems.. will tour over with copter..

[bwteim]

Thanks I will pass for now.

By the way, I actually looked at new threads.... just now

and from
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1475519/posts

for those who have not checked this source
http://www.katrinahousing.org/listinfo.html
There are hundreds of people opening up homes and hearts.

(those who also publicly shared their contact info might be unwise, but it appears that the group also provide a way to keep your id 'hidden')

[SE Mom]

HOOAH!

[DGray]

The Poliburo Diktat has a brief roundup of current blogger responses to the Gulf Coast disaster, grouped by Left and Right. All of the Right bloggers are posting about relief and aid, while all but three of the bloggers on the Left are wall-to-wall Bush-bashing.

Enlightening.

[CedarDave]

Rev.(?)Sharpton on WWL complaining about Bush's response being a day late and a dollar short, doesn't like "shoot to kill order", playing the race card, reason for the delay is we are dealing with "people of color", going to Houston to talk to folks there. Radio anchors (who both sound like "people of color") saying what would you have them (police) do when looting is for expensive goods. "How are you supposed to have get supplies when they are getting shot?" Sharpton backing off somewhat.

[bwteim]

thank you.

[NonValueAdded]

That is a good point ... I think one of the reasons you don't see the helicopter drop of a load of water to the people on a bridge as is being screamed for in many places is that more people would die than be saved. If you think it through, first the rotor wash would likely blow a few off the bridge; you can't drop water from a great height so the chopper must get low. Next, the crowd would go absolutely berserk rushing to the water. A platoon of soldiers would be no match. Those that didn't get trampled in the stampede might get to the water but once they got it , how would they get out of the way of the crowd pressing in? People would start taking water from those that had it. I think you all can play out this scenario in your mind. Only if there was some societal discipline could a relief drop like that work.

[Broker]

Presidential visit video on common feed to CNN & Fox.