[Rhodes22-list] Rummies observation

Ronald Lipton rlipton at earthlink.net
Tue Sep 6 09:51:47 EDT 2005 

Brad,

   I can't believe thast you are willing to absolve FEMA and 
the Federal government for this disaster.  It was clearing beyond 
the scope of any local abilities.  There was more than adequate 
warning of the hurricane, and the were multiple statments about 
resources being prepositioned to be available immediatlely after 
landfall.  The chaos was obvious. Statements by Chertoff and 
Brown were immediately contradicted by facts on the ground.  
Part of this may be the belief in the the government that spin 
is everything - if you spin right it doesn't matter what you do.

It seems to me that there is plenty of blame to go around, local,
state, and national.  But I am hoping that people start thinking 
about real priorities - do we want to continue spending ~100 billion\
to create the most fertile breeding ground for terrorists in the 
world in Iraq.  Is the environment important? Is is worth ~20 billion
to restore the protective wetlands?  Global warming is real. Do we have 
a policy?  What are the effects? Are we happy with the loss of 
manufacting in the US?  What does it really mean to the economy and 
the workforce?  

Whoops - I am getting off subject.  But a final quiz question - what 
was the head of FEMA's previous job?  

Ron
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "brad haslett" <flybrad at yahoo.com>
To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2005 7:44 AM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Rummies observation


> Wally,
> 
> It will be years before NO recovers from this, the
> nation as well, and there will be lots of failing
> grades passed around when all the investigations are
> over.  In the meantime, a lot of people are still
> suffering and still need our help, and money, or both.
> 
> The last revision of a bad plan from the city of NO
> was to make and distribute DVD's before this years
> hurricane season, educating the citizens that in the
> event of a major hurricane, "you are on your own". 
> The city plan also included using the city and school
> system bus fleet for evacuation but even that wasn't
> implemented.
> 
> As we speak, the National Guard is still under command
> of the LA governor.  If regular military units
> step-in, they can engage in relief efforts only, not
> law enforcement under the Posse Comitatus Act.  Every
> FEMA engagement plan assumes that the local
> authorities will control the first 72 hours.  It is
> painfully clear that NO either could not or would not
> do that.  "Cowboy" Bush could have stepped up to the
> plate and taken over the whole operation early-on
> through his emergency powers, something no President
> has done since Reconstruction.
> 
> Unless we are willing to re-write the constitution
> dividing the separations of local/state/federal power,
> we have to assume that each level of government will
> do their part at the appropriate time.  If they can't
> or won't, these are the results we get.  Tragically
> for the citizens of NO, a lot of elected officials
> failed to do their part.
> 
> The lesson that should be burning in all our 'noggins'
> as we discuss these issues is this:  Take
> responsibility for you and your family's welfare.  Be
> a Boy Scout - be prepared.
> 
> Brad 
> 
> --- Wally Buck <tnrhodey at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> As always it is hard to figure out the truth. One
>> thing for sure I have 
>> never seen anything like this. It does seems that
>> many mistakes were made by 
>> local, State and Federal officials. You can also
>> second guess anyone who had 
>> the means to leave but stayed. I can't see murder
>> charges for officials but 
>> it does seem that Home Land Security running FEMA is
>> a cluster f**k.
>> 
>> Did FEMA really send water back? Was the Guard
>> authorization form just 
>> haning out of a fax machine waiting a signature or
>> what? I am not a big Bush 
>> fan but it is hard for me to believe that the whole
>> delay was because Bush 
>> was chopping wood. Local officials let the people
>> down years ago by not 
>> developing a solid plan. It cost dearly, hopefully
>> other areas learn from 
>> this.
>> 
>> A nice three days sailing! What a weekend.
>> 
>> Wally
>> 
>> 
>> >From: Bill Effros <bill at effros.com>
>> >Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
>> <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>> >To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
>> <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>> >Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Rummies observation
>> >Date: Mon, 05 Sep 2005 12:28:38 -0400
>> >
>> >Nice try, Ed, but it won't wash.
>> >
>> >1/2 the Louisiana National Guard was in Iraq--along
>> with all of their meals 
>> >ready to eat, and most of their equipment.  (We
>> have now asked your friends 
>> >in France to send us food and water trucks.) 
>> Walmart immediately sent 
>> >water, but FEMA sent it back saying New Orleans
>> didn't need it.
>> >
>> >The Director of Homeland Security and the Head of
>> FEMA both said they 
>> >didn't even know there were 15,000 people totally
>> at the mercy of roving 
>> >gangs within the New Orleans Convention Center at a
>> time when news 
>> >organizations were reporting about it on national
>> television from the site.
>> >
>> >The Governor and Mayor immediately called other
>> states for help, and the 
>> >other Governors were ready to send, but W. was
>> clearing brush in Texas, 
>> >Condi was shopping in NYC, -- (August is a vacation
>> month) -- and there was 
>> >no one in DC to authorize the transfer of National
>> Guard troops.  (You see, 
>> >the states can't just send their armed militias
>> into other states, they've 
>> >got to get authorization from the Federal
>> Government--which didn't happen.  
>> >And why should it?  "I don't think anyone
>> anticipated the breach of the 
>> >levees" -- George W. Bush, Good Morning America,
>> September 1, 2005.
>> >
>> >The USS Bataan has been moored in the Gulf since
>> last Monday, basically 
>> >doing nothing.  It can make 100,000 gallons of
>> fresh water a day, it has 6 
>> >(unused) operating rooms, and hundreds of (empty)
>> hospital beds, it's 
>> >supposed to have helicopters so all these resources
>> can be made available 
>> >to people in disaster areas.  It aided Tsunami
>> victims...
>> >
>> >PUH-leeze.
>> >
>> >Bill Effros
>> >
>> >PS -- This information comes to me, not from the
>> New York Times, but from 
>> >Fox News.  Even Mr. Murdoch has had enough.  It's
>> fine to have an 
>> >orientation, but it's time to take your head out of
>> the sand.
>> >
>> >
>> >ed kroposki wrote:
>> >
>> >>Mr. Rummy, You want the Louisiana's Governors
>> head to roll?  But she is a
>> >>liberal democrat!  Where are your political
>> loyalties?  You know my 
>> >>orientation.  The truth is she should have
>> declared
>> >>martial law the day before the storm.  On the day
>> of the storm she had
>> >>responsibility to call for not only Louisiana
>> National Guard but also out 
>> >>of
>> >>state Guard assistance.  There was another state
>> Governor that said he had
>> >>alerted his National Guard and was waiting for a
>> phone call (or any other
>> >>official method of request).  How can you be in
>> agreement with me?  This 
>> >>is
>> >>impossible. I will one up you.  Both she and the
>> Mayor of New Orleans 
>> >>ought to
>> >>be tried for murder.  I request that you be put on
>> the jury.  People were
>> >>officially told to go to the Superdome and
>> convention center and no 
>> >>security
>> >>was in place.  That was a major abdication of
>> responsibility.
>> >> I have no problem holding those who accept high
>> political office to
>> >>a high standard or even just a reasonable
>> standard. Why are you on the 
>> >>list, if I lived where you do, I would have been
>> >>out in that cool breeze.
>> >>
>> >>Ed K
>> >>Greenville, SC, USA
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>    -----Original Message-----
>> >>From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
>> >>[mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On
>> Behalf Of
>> >>R22RumRunner at aol.com
>> >>Sent: Monday, September 05, 2005 8:43 AM
>> >>To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
>> >>Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Hurricane Katrina see
>> latest track
>> >>
>> >>Thena,
>> >>It is sooooo good to hear from you. I have been
>> traveling for a family  
>> >>members wedding and just returned. The highest gas
>> price we saw was $3.41
>> >>per  gallon. It was really frustrating watching
>> the news and seeing all 
>> >>the
>> >>people  sitting around and nothing being done.
>> Some political heads are 
>> >>going to
>> >>roll  for this fiasco, starting with the
>> governor's.
>> >>
>> >>Rummy
>> >>__________________________________________________
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>> >>
>> >>
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>> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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