OT: Why FEMA Was Missing In Action

Just thought I would provide another viewpoint.

I think this is actually the correct viewpoint. I'm sure a lot of this will come out in the finger pointing stages of the game when that plays out. It's interesting to see how some politicians are so intent on getting political mileage from this natural disaster that they were willing to waste valuable time and resources DURING the crisis to start carping at their political opponents.

When this is all over, I think the people who are going to wind up looking the worst are the state and local officials and authorities in some of the affected areas. But time will tell. There will be time to worry about that AFTERWARDS. Now it's time to focus on helping survivors and identifying/burying the dead.

President Bush and the director of FEMA have said that this is not the time to investigate. Right now it would only take the people who are providing relief away from performing their jobs. IMO, all these politicians that are busy pointing fingers should be using their time to help people instead. FEMA probably could have performed better but without support from the first line responders I don't see how they could be anywhere near 100% effective. I also think the local and state officials are going to have a lot of explaining to do when the dust settles. FEMA and the military were the only groups that performed at all during this disaster. If it weren't for them there would be thousands of people dying daily by now. Personally, I think we might find they deserve a lot of praise when the full story is known. Problem is I doubt the major media networks (CBS/ABC/NBC/CNN/NYT etc.) will ever tell us the truth because they would have to be critical of a Democratic mayor and governor. They certainly haven't wasted time piling blame on the President though.

"Michael Johnson, PE" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

I figured you might. ;)

BTW, here are a couple of interesting links on the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, of which Bob Williams (the author of the article in your url) is president.

Bob Williams, of course, is the author of the viewpoint you've provided.

Interesting reading, to say the least.

This site is run by a left leaning group that supposedly tracks financing for conservative groups. I don't see where it has relevance to the WSJ article. I think almost all of the statements he made in the editorial are accurate. I just heard reported tonight that the Red Cross said it was ready to supply aid immediately after the hurricane hit but Gov. Blanco's state Dept. of Homeland Security refused their request to move into New Orleans. A lot of stuff is starting to come out about her performance. She has placed a gag order on the LA National Guard regarding release of what orders she gave before and after the hurricane hit. Sounds like a cover up in the making. The mayor of NO wants to evacuate everyone from the city for health reasons and she has stopped that. Also, it appears she was very delinquent in requesting FEMA assistance. By law FEMA cannot come into a state to give assistance unless requested to do so. This is going to really get interesting as more comes out.

I also don't see where this is relevant to the editorial in the WSJ either. Sounds like his organization is turning up the heat on Washington State government. Washington State should have a Republican governor right now but the incumbent Democratic candidate kept forcing recounts until the she won. Sounds like what the Democrats tried to do in Florida in 2000. ;)

It is too early to tell but I think the kitchen is going to get awfully hot for Gov. Blanco in the up coming weeks. People are starting to ask hard questions that she doesn't seem to want to answer right now. First on my list of questions for her to answer was why did she wait until the Wednesday after the hurricane to ask for federal assistance from FEMA? Second is why was there absolutely no evacuation of the poorer residents using public transportation? Third is why didn't she immediately mobilize the state national guard (which she controls solely) to maintain order immediately after the hurricane (or before it for that matter)? Sooner or later the answers to these questions will be known whether or not she gives them herself. I think the truthful answer from her for all three questions should be "Because I'm incompetent". ;)

Michael, the two links I provided earlier were simply an attempt to show that the EFF's credibility is certainly no greater than that of the L.A. Times.

I wonder how the concept of the feds coming into a state plays out after a 'federal disaster' has been declared. At that point, I don't know if the same rules apply.

At any rate, here's the transcript of a press briefing by Scott McClellan. I don't know if you can get more "official" than this:

Q&A part is pretty interesting. ;)

"Michael Johnson, PE" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

Believe me, I look at everyone with a skeptical eye. I thought the WSJ article listed some good points that were backed up better than most news articles.

From what I understand FEMA can't enter a state without their request. It is illegal for them to do it. I suppose if the entire state government was wiped out them they could take over but that wasn't the case here. I think the Feds basically pushed Blanco to the side when they realized the scope of the problems. She still won't support removing people by force, if necessary, because she wants to know if the environmental dangers are "bad enough" to warrant removing them. The EPA has done the tests and said the water has 10X the recommended levels of toxic bacteria and it shouldn't even touch human skin.

That news conference is a good example of a big waste of time, IMO. I saw a few video clips on the news of it. Asking him about whether the President agrees with his Mother's remarks is just an idiotic question. All the reporter was trying to do is stir up controversy. He has shown he is liberally biased well before now. The Democrats think they have an opportunity to hurt Bush on this and the press is more than happy to be their pawns. This news conference is just an example of it. Just when I think the likes of Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Ted Kennedy etc. can't sink any lower in their quest to regain power they rise to the occasion. Don't get me wrong, I think Republicans can do the same thing but the Democrats seem to have a better knack for this disgusting behavior. NOTHING is off limits if they can gain politically. I would feel better about the press and Democrats complaints if they were going after Blanco and the Mayor of New Orleans with the same enthusiasm. We all know why they aren't - it is because they are Democrats. I think that says it all. ;)

Joe wrote in news:0NqTe.16184$FO3.8476 @bignews3.bellsouth.net:

FEMA is a federal Bureaucracy! FEMA f#$$%d up, but the locals screwed the pooch worse.

FEMA is run by a political hack, just as the lefty moonbats claim.

So lets get back at Bush and elect progressives so political hacks can have a finger in everything.

From where came the 'gag order' info, please?

fock bush and the bin laden family will blow up another building

I LOVE IT

hu rc

Yesterday or the day before Major Garrett was reporting on Special Report with Brit Hume about an interview he held with some high level officers of the LA National Guard and they refused to answer several of his questions regarding the orders that were given by the Governor immediately before and after the hurricane hit. I tried to find a link but since he was doing a live interview with Hume I don't think there is an written article to reference. IMO, Major Garrett is much better than the average reporter so I tend to believe him.

Ditto. Thanks for trying.

I love the way everyone is circling their wagons into political camps. Is it any wonder that a Canadian SAR group was able to fly from Vancouver (2 hours north of Seattle), and get to St. Bernard parish, LA

5 days before fema or the army showed up? These are not governmental people, just a private organization staffed by volunteers who respond to disasters around the world. Maybe US state and federal agencies can ask for lessons from them?

Could be because they didn't need to have Gov. Blanco request their assistance like FEMA does. If they had asked for her permission to help the victims they may have received the same answer the Red Cross got when they asked her if they could provide aid... NO! My big gripe with FEMA, the Red Cross etc. is they should have run over her like a steam roller when the levies breached. She is obviously incompetent and therefore should have been ignored. Same goes for the Mayor of New Orleans. As for circling wagons into political camps the first ones to do that was Democrats in Congress and the main stream press when they thought they could use this disaster to hurt Bush politically. Take a look at this rant during an NBC fund raiser for hurricane victims:

It wouldnt be becuase you are a raving Con, and she's a democrat?

Not at all. Don't take my ranting with Hank as anything more than a Usenet debate. Actually, I would classify myself as being conservative on economic and national security issues. On social issues I am not that conservative. I can't remember the last time I went to church, I don't have any problem passing out condoms in schools, I don't want religious leaders dictating government policy etc. Truth be told I'm probably more Libertarian than anything. My dislike of the current situation is that people are dying and need aid and this isn't the time for liberals or Democrats to try and make political points against Bush or the Republicans in Congress. There is no other reason for their ranting at this time. They certainly didn't waste any time starting the Bush bashing. IMO, what they are doing is amazingly self serving.

Here's another link to an article in the NYT about the Federal response:

The NYT isn't exactly a supporter of conservative ideas or Republicans so what they are reporting is probably worse in actuality than what they published. IMO, this article is far from flattering to Gov. Blanco and it highlights the issues the Feds were facing about going into LA without her request or cooperation. It also shows what happens when first responders don't perform as planned.

North vs South, tastes great vs less filling, con vs dem, football team a vs football team b. etc etc etc.

Your entire culture is based on being combative. As an amermican comedian I watched once said 'we love to fight, in fact, we love to fight so much that when we ran out of other countries to fight, we said f*ck it, two teams' (referring to the civil war).

As an outsider, american culture is apparently mostly about conflict. You people thrive on it. 'War on drugs', 'war on poverty', 'war on terror'. In other countries, 'war on poverty' is called social welfare, but noooo, you have to make up a catchy phrase for it. Same goes for the rest of the spin doctor propoganda drivel being belched there.

Funny to see the buttmunch that heads FEMA recalled to Washington. I wonder why that is? The Governor of LA ordered him there? Hardly.

One last thing; I'll openly admit that I have participated in this thread. Guilty as charged. However I want to ask WTF any of this has to do with the Ford Mustang?

If what you claim is true (which it isn't) it sure came in handy for the world in the 20th century. A lot of us war mongering Americans died liberating hundreds of millions of people in the last 100 years. Tell me, what is your problem with us really? Is it jealosy, envy or you just believe everything you read in the liberal biased press? I don't know if it is just me but Canadians are sounding more like the French every year that passes. No offense intended to all you Canadians that still have a backbone left and, if you are still the majority, I sure wish you all would get out to vote in the next election.

I'm starting to think there is some USA envy going on here. ;)

The LA Governor couldn't order a hamberburger at McDonald's correctly. Truth is you or I don't know why he was recalled. With the terrible performance of the Governor and the Mayor of NO I wonder if anyone could have done a better job. If he was incompetent then I guess Bush should deserve some credit for making a change? My guess is you would rather just complain that he shouldn't have been there in the first place. What you think of the performance of the Mayor and Governor?

Not a damn thing but if it weren't for OT threads this place would be dead in a month. Consider them a necessary evil. ;)

"Michael Johnson, PE" wrote in news:vqqdnSpfu73lhL snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

Just a few comments..

a) Even with Bumbling Bush at the helm, this is still the greatest country on the planet. Not to worry though, Dubya's time will come.

b) With idiots like Chertoff and Brown on the federal side, the locals flat out look like heroes.

c) What this has to do with Mustangs is that there are some underwater down in NO. Also, most of us own and drive them.

d) The OT stuff is a helluva lot more interesting than the on-topic stuff. I'm real sick of 'what color stripes look good on my baby?'

e) FWIW, I'm a registered Independent. I'm not allowed to vote in primaries.

Have a great day, y'all.

Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC