[Rhodes22-list] Rummies observation

[brad haslett]

Ron,

I haven't absolved anybody of anything.  Iraq and
Katrina are two separate issues, however, the same
people who complain about ursurping the power of the
dictator in Iraq are now complaining that the POTUS
didn't ursurp power from the mayor of NO and the
Governor of LA.  Maybe W learned his "Pottery Barn"
lesson in Iraq and didn't want to make the same
mistake twice.  What some people seem to be saying is
that the President should have immediately flown to
NO, stood on the dike with shovel in hand, had his
Cabinet take over the state and local governments, and
personally command the evacuation of the city.  He DID
call the Governor and "twist her arm" to do just that,
and she acknowledged that in the evacuation press
conference with the mayor at her side.  Did FEMA
underperform?  Probably, no matter how well some
person or institution performs, they can always do
better.  Was FEMA a complete failure?  They did a
pretty good job in Florida last year, perhaps less
than adequate this year.  This all deserves to be
investigated and will be.  What did the head of FEMA
do before that job?  I forget, I think he was some
political hack, kinda like Truman.

Speaking of performing, I have to jump in the
simulator for training for my new job.  Afterwords I'm
going to the Memphis Center for Peace and Prosperity
for some scotch, I mean meetings.  They always have an
answer.  I'll let you know this evening.

Brad

--- Ronald Lipton <rlipton at earthlink.net> wrote:

> 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.
> >> >
> 
=== message truncated ===


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