SwiftVets.com

[BuffaloJack]

I talked to a buddy with FEMA. FEMA was ready to go several days before the storm. Apparently federal law prohibits them from acting until actually asked. When the law was enacted, the states and local governments wanted to put in safeguards so that the federal government couldn't just barge into a local matter and take over. As a result, federal anything can't act until asked.
As I recall Bush gave the OKs to prepare a few days before. This then put the burden on the state and locals to formally ask for aid. Since hizonor the mayor beat feet to Baton Rouge and their ineffective governor also failed to act, the feds were required, by law, to sit on their hands until they got the GO.
I see this whole thing as a huge SNAFU on the part of the state and locals. The feds did everything they could in prep work, and then nobody fired the starting pistol.
_________________
Swift Boats - Qui Nhon (12/69-4/70), Cat Lo (4/70-5/70), Vung Tau (5/70-12/71)

[srmorton]

I just saw an excellent report by FOX's Adam Housley that he says will
be shown throughout the day today. It shows a toddler in diapers on the
second floor balcony of a house, the entire first floor of which is flooded.
A woman can be seen in the background and a dog is on the balcony,
barking its head off. A volunteer who was using his own boat to try to
rescue people was YELLING at the woman, telling her that she had to
leave because the water was not going to go down any time soon. She
had the means to leave because the top of a car was barely visible in
front of the house. Apparently, these people are used to having the
lower floor of their houses flood from time to time and were counting on
the water receeding on its own. Thank God, he finally convinced them
to leave.

What really amazed me is that in his follow-up to the footage, Adam
said that New Orleans - a town that is below sea-level and is surrounded
by water on three sides- has only THREE rescue boats, two of which are
currently not operational. One more thing for the left to blame on
President Bush - he did not make sure that NO had enough rescue boats
and that they were kept in working order at all times. Give me a break!!
_________________
Susan R. Morton

[rparrott21]

He hates black people...

[srmorton]

If you all have not ever checked out PoliPundit.com, it is a WONDERFUL
blog. There is a "regular" commenter on that blog who calls himself
Liberal Chris. He is currently having a "blogument" with anybody
who will respond to him about how all of this is President Bush's fault
and he refuses to acknowledge the facts of which we are all aware.
People keep patiently trying to explain to him that, by law, the POTUS
can not just go "take over" a state without authorization by Congress
or the explicit request of the governor. It is well documented that Blanco
did not make such a request until Wednesday. At any rate, all this
discussion "jogged" my brain to recall 1992 and Hurricane Andrew when
Governor Chiles deliberately did not request federal assistance at first
so as to make President George H. W. Bush look bad and uncaring in
an election year. That was when I first became aware that a governor
has to request help before the Feds can step in. IMO, any competent,
compassionate governor would do so ASAP, no matter what the political
ramifications might be!
_________________
Susan R. Morton

[shawa]

BuffaloJack said

[homesteader]

Correct me if I am wrong but did I hear hizonor the Mayor complaining about being out of coffee? I thought I heard that on a clip of him this AM.

[becca1223]

Ray Nagin Memorial Motor Pool