Bush accepts blame, says Mayor and Gov did all they could

[crazyhorse1]

I take the President at his word and admire him for it. Thumbs up for coming clean. Feds have also said the evacuation expectation for New Orleans was 60% and New Orleans acheived 80%, 20% above the expectation. The President also justly praised the Coast Guard, which responded immediately, unlike FEMA and other federal forces.
I'd like to think he's come of age and not just playing a Rovian political game. I'd like to think he's stopped listening to Cheney, corporate lobbyists, and party hacks of both the left and right and started to listen to some other voices.
I note that some columnists, like George Will, still think now's a good time to scold the pregnant poor for getting caught in floods rather than tell the truth about FEMA, but, as far as I can tell Bush's speech has quieted down the White House PR goons of war. Here's hoping his words have affected us all for the better.

[JansenFan]

I was wondering how long it would take you to post this.

[NikiH]

I'm just waiting to hear how Ramsey losing the starting job is Bush's fault.

[Scooter]

Yep, the elected officials did all they were capable of doing. Is that really saying a lot? They dressed themselves, fed themselves... they're regular heroes!

[REDEEMEDSKIN]

:shock:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Why'd he accept the blame, that fool???!!!!

This can only mean that crazyhorse now has more time to trolling and bashing our beloved Skins.***

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

***Don't act like you haven't seen it happen already.***

[Hoss]

I'm just waiting to hear how Ramsey losing the starting job is Bush's fault.

Wait, you mean Bush didn't have anything to do with Ramsey's
situation? I just figured he did it to take the heat off
Katrina......

[crazyhorse1]

I'm just waiting to hear how Ramsey losing the starting job is Bush's fault.

Ramsey didn't lose the starting job. It was taken from him unfairly by a Bush supporter.

[thaiphoon]

Just remember - do you really expect this President of the United States to stoop down into mud slinging and play the "blame game". Its noit his style my friend. The local and state officials were inept. It is a miracle that 80% evacuated but besides that the rest of their responsibility was a dismal failure. FEMA shares some blame too and Bush should shoulder that blame since it falls under him. But lets just put this to rest since there's lots of blame to go around...shall we ??

[crazyhorse1]

Yep, the elected officials did all they were capable of doing. Is that really saying a lot? They dressed themselves, fed themselves... they're regular heroes!

Are you making fun of the words of our President?

[crazyhorse1]

Just remember - do you really expect this President of the United States to stoop down into mud slinging and play the "blame game". Its noit his style my friend. The local and state officials were inept. It is a miracle that 80% evacuated but besides that the rest of their responsibility was a dismal failure. FEMA shares some blame too and Bush should shoulder that blame since it falls under him. But lets just put this to rest since there's lots of blame to go around...shall we ??

Yes, I did. But I was presently surprised. I'm also surprised that the inept Mayor of New Orlean pulled off a miracle. Hey. If he pulled off a miracle, might it be that he wasn't....you know....inept. Maybe it's just that somewhere along the line somebody whom you believed fed you some phony...er...facts. I wonder what you were told that made you feel as you do about the Mayor? I wonder who told it to you?

[thaiphoon]

Yes, I did. But I was presently surprised. I'm also surprised that the inept Mayor of New Orlean pulled off a miracle. Hey. If he pulled off a miracle, might it be that he wasn't....you know....inept. Maybe it's just that somewhere along the line somebody whom you believed fed you some phony...er...facts. I wonder what you were told that made you feel as you do about the Mayor? I wonder who told it to you?

Lets see... the evacuation plan that New Orleans had wasn't followed. Noone needs to tell me anything - that picture of all the buses underwater speaks volumes my friend. That was the mayor's responsibility to get the buses and use them to evacuate the inform and those who did not have transportation. The Superdome had also been designated as a place to go (even though FEMA had stated that it should not be used as a temporary shelter). The order wasn't given to evacuate until too late. Blanco and Nagin wrangled about who had the authority for a forced evacuation. The Red Cross itself stated that they were prevented by the Governor's office from sending aupplies to the Superdome. The Governor waited way too long to send the Louisiana State Guard and still refuses to place them under federal control. Meanwhile the heroic Mayor fled to Baton Rouge and for days noone could see him outside of a news conference blaming Bush and the Federal government. Contrast that to the way things happened in Mississippi. Miss. was hit just as hard and cleanup and relief efforts are farther along. Officials there were on the ball and didn't run around like chicken littles like in N.O. and Louisiana.

[crazyhorse1]

Yes, I did. But I was presently surprised. I'm also surprised that the inept Mayor of New Orlean pulled off a miracle. Hey. If he pulled off a miracle, might it be that he wasn't....you know....inept. Maybe it's just that somewhere along the line somebody whom you believed fed you some phony...er...facts. I wonder what you were told that made you feel as you do about the Mayor? I wonder who told it to you?

Lets see... the evacuation plan that New Orleans had wasn't followed. Noone needs to tell me anything - that picture of all the buses underwater speaks volumes my friend. That was the mayor's responsibility to get the buses and use them to evacuate the inform and those who did not have transportation. The Superdome had also been designated as a place to go (even though FEMA had stated that it should not be used as a temporary shelter). The order wasn't given to evacuate until too late. Blanco and Nagin wrangled about who had the authority for a forced evacuation. The Red Cross itself stated that they were prevented by the Governor's office from sending aupplies to the Superdome. The Governor waited way too long to send the Louisiana State Guard and still refuses to place them under federal control. Meanwhile the heroic Mayor fled to Baton Rouge and for days noone could see him outside of a news conference blaming Bush and the Federal government. Contrast that to the way things happened in Mississippi. Miss. was hit just as hard and cleanup and relief efforts are farther along. Officials there were on the ball and didn't run around like chicken littles like in N.O. and Louisiana.

Let's see. How to begin.

1) The evacuation plan has not been made known to the press. How do you know what it was?

2) The buses were underwater after the flood, after the evacuation the day before. Did you expect the buses not to return to the city after the evacuation. They evacuated themselves by cars and trucks or simply went home of guard their property and weather the storm, Besides, as mentioned earlier, New Orleans succeeded in evacuating 80% of its population, which was beyond government expectations.

3) The evacuation order was given the day before the storm and was successful to an extraordinary degree. It
might also prove that the deaths will prove to be fewer than a thousand, an extemely low number considering the size of the storm and the fact that New Orleans is the nation's 5h largest city with a population over a million. You're a victim of myth, or, if you will, instant BS.

4) A major can order an evacuation, not a forced evacuation that might involve shooting and killing his constituents. Mayors, typically, don't have the means of conducting a forced evacuation. Also, it's frowned upon by government at any level.

5) Sorry, the Red Cross stated that FEMA prevented it from distribing supplies, not the Governor's office.

[thaiphoon]

Let's see. How to begin.

1) The evacuation plan has not been made known to the press. How do you know what it was?

The plan is here. http://www.cityofno.com/portal.aspx?portal=46&tabid=26
I'm trying to get around the "access denied" now...ever since it was reported the city has tried to deny access to the plan. I'll search for a copy of it somewhere else though if you really need to see it...

CNN references the plan here:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/12/katrina.mayor.tm/index.html

According to the plan the Mayor and city officials failed miserably.


For example, the plan has this to say about the responsibility for evacuations (fortunately I've saved part of the text I copied off the link previously):


The safe evacuation of threatened populations when endangered by a major catastrophic event is one of the principle reasons for developing a Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan. The thorough identification of at-risk populations, transportation and sheltering resources, evacuation routes and potential bottlenecks and choke points, and the establishment of the management team that will coordinate not only the evacuation but which will monitor and direct the sheltering and return of affected populations, are the primary tasks of evacuation planning. Due to the geography of New Orleans and the varying scales of potential disasters and their resulting emergency evacuations, different plans are in place for small-scale evacuations and for citywide relocations of whole populations.
Authority to issue evacuations of elements of the population is vested in the Mayor. By Executive Order, the chief elected official, the Mayor of the City of New Orleans, has the authority to order the evacuation of residents threatened by an approaching hurricane.

Evacuation procedures for special needs persons with either physical or mental handicaps, including registration of disabled persons, is covered in the SOP for Evacuation of Special Needs Persons.


In short, Mayor Nagin had the responsibility not just for the declaration of evacuation, but to have a plan ready to handle its implementation. As noted repeatedly, the only actions Nagin took was to call a press conference and ready the Superdome for refugees. Those with personal transportation available hit the roads and got out of the way. Those unable to move themselves, either from poverty or infirmity, got left behind. Why? Nagin had a responsibility under this SOP to have a plan and to implement it.

The document then goes on to discuss exactly how to conduct an evacuation of the city. It delineates several tasks for the city government, which it notes in section III-A is solely the responsibility of the city government. This makes perfect sense; in a potential catastrophe, one cannot rely on outside help that might have long-term difficulties in reaching the city, especially one with the geographical obstacles of New Orleans.

New Orleans established a time line for evacuations:


Evacuation notices or orders will be issued during three stages prior to gale force winds making landfall.
> Precautionary Evacuation Notice: 72 hours or less

> Special Needs Evacuation Order: 8-12 hours after Precautionary Evacuation Notice issued

> General Evacuation Notice: 48 hours or less


The mandatory evacuation order came a little less than 48 hours before the storm made landfall, but well past 48 hours before the levees broke. Further, the precautionary evac notice came about 96 hours before landfall, and the mayor only upped that to a general evac after George Bush exhorted the mayor and Governor Blanco to do so. (Notice that Bush could not, himself, give such an order; he has no authority to do so.)

Section III-B-V lists the tasks assigned to the various city government offices in the event of a hurricane catastrophe. The Mayor has three tasks: to initiate the evacuation, to retain overall control of the emergency operation, and then to authorize a return to the evacuated areas. The city's Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) reports to the mayor and must coordinate with the NOPD, the state OEP, and the regional transit authorities to:

* Supply transportation as needed in accordance with the current Standard Operating Procedures.
* Place special vehicles on alert to be utilized if needed.

* Position supervisors and dispatch evacuation buses.

* If warranted by scope of evacuation, implement additional service.


So the failure to order the buses out of their yards wasn't some failure of imagination on the part of Nagin and New Orleans. It isn't a case of the city not understanding the scale of what a Cat-4 storm could do to the city. According to New Orleans' own emergency plan, those buses should have rolled at least as soon as the mandatory evacuation order was given, if not when the voluntary evac order came earlier. The city's OEP failed to carry out this crucial part of the emergency-response plan, which is why so many of the poor, infirm, and just plain stubborn citizens got stranded when the levees broke.

And did the city anticipate the amount of people that would get left behind? Apparently so, and designated shelter for 100,000 of them. Curiously, the Superdome does not appear on this order:

Shelter demand is currently under review by the Shelter Coordinator. Approximately 100,000 Citizens of New Orleans do not have means of personal transportation. Shelter assessment is an ongoing project of the Office of Emergency Preparedness through the Shelter Coordinator.
The following schools have been inspected and approved as Hurricane Evacuation Shelters for the City of New Orleans: Laurel Elementary School

Walter S. Cohen High School

Medard Nelson Elementary School

Sarah T. Reed High School

Southern University Multi Purpose Center

Southern University New Science Building

O. Perry Walker High School

Albert Wicker Elementary School


Did these shelters remain open, and did they have the resources on hand to provide food and water for 100,000 people? Did the decision to select these locations take into account the probability of massive flooding due to potential levee failure? Most importantly, if the Superdome had no plan for sheltering citizens during a general evacuation order -- and apparently had no provisions to do so -- why did New Orleans stack its citizens like cattle there during the early hours of the hurricane?

Many people have jumped to the conclusion that because the response in New Orleans has produced such a bad result, the underlying reason must have been a lack of planning. Had this document been followed and the city trained to react in accordance to it, it would have produced a far different result than what we see today. How often did city officials review this plan? Did they train to it, as required in the first section? When was the last time they ran drills against this plan?

It sure looks like no one in charge in New Orleans knew of this plan's existence. They certainly skipped over the part where they had the primary responsibility to take care of their own citizens. New Orleans residents should ask themselves why Nagin failed to follow his own disaster planning, instead of sitting on his rear and waiting for the feds to bail him out.

2) The buses were underwater after the flood, after the evacuation the day before.

This is BS. The mayor himself stated that the buses weren't moved.

Besides, as mentioned earlier, New Orleans succeeded in evacuating 80% of its population, which was beyond government expectations.

In spite of ... not because of the mayor ...

3) The evacuation order was given the day before the storm and was successful to an extraordinary degree. It
might also prove that the deaths will prove to be fewer than a thousand, an extemely low number considering the size of the storm and the fact that New Orleans is the nation's 5h largest city with a population over a million. You're a victim of myth, or, if you will, instant BS.

The mayor and Governor were asked to order the evacuation 2 days beforehand. They dithered a full 24 hours before anything mandatory was ordered. He declared a mandatory evacuation only 24 hours before Hurricane Katrina hit. He did not even declare a voluntary evacuation until the day before that, at 5 p.m. At that time, he explained that he needed to study his legal authority to call a mandatory evacuation and was hesitating to do so lest the city be sued by hotels and other businesses The Governor still sparred with the mayor over who had the authority to EXECUTE the evacuation. Additionally, the FORCED evacuation has still yet to be implemented. This is not myth...this is not BS. This is what was reported widely. Of course - if all you did was read the DNC talking points then you obviously missed it.

4) A major can order an evacuation, not a forced evacuation that might involve shooting and killing his constituents. Mayors, typically, don't have the means of conducting a forced evacuation. Also, it's frowned upon by government at any level.

Yes we agree...but a governor can.

5) Sorry, the Red Cross stated that FEMA prevented it from distribing supplies, not the Governor's office.

Wrong !!!! They stated that the Louisiana Department of Homeland Security (the state branch office that is run by the governor) was who warned them not to come. Here is the link:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46224

One can forgive you for not knowing that FEMA does not run that office since you've been pretty much wrong on everything else so far.

[crazyhorse1]

Bush declared a state of emergency on the 27th, days before landfall. The act empowered him to take control of all city and state assets and personnel to combat Katrina. He was in total control and responsible for both the Mayor's and the Governor's actions after that point. Any faults of theirs were technically his after that date, and, fundamentally, the reason Bush finally accepted responsibily and exonerated them both. I know you don't believe this because other things you have accepted as fact are spin. The federal government's failure to act was purely elective and absolutely not a result of authority or law after the 27th. Let me emphasize: the plans, responsibily, etc. that your post and proofs assign to the Mayor and the Governor did not apply after the 27th. The responsibily for their execution fell to the president, which he has now acknowledged...on the advice of both legal and political council.

The Governor had nothing whatever to do with keeping the Red Cross out. Bush himself was responsible for keeping the Red Cross out by failing to monitor Brown. Bush thought so little of FEMA that Brown had no direct access to him. It was Brown's uninformed decision that kept the Red Cross out. He thought that the free food would attract people back into the city, and, as has been revealed, was at the time unaware of the numbers of people in New Orleans in need of food and water, in spite of the ranting of local authorities.
Also, the Governor didn't dither about the evacuation order. The Major stalled for the reasons you give. The Governor wanted earlier evacuation. In the end, it doesn't matter. Bush, literally, had the authority to order a forced evacuation by both Federal and all state resources on the 27th, but did nothing. The decision never should have been left in the hands of either the Governor nor the Major, both untrained and underfunded and undermanned, nor the evacuation attempted by the city or state alone. Bush's fault is that he left a matter too weighty for city and state officials and resources in local hands after ostensibly taking charge on the 27th.
Your statement about the buses not being used is in direct contradiction to those of city officials. It is true that some buses were never used for lack of drivers. Many female drivers did not report, for fear of evacuees, or because they were terrified of Katrina and evacuated themselves and their families by automobile, etc. The loss of local personnel in the face of a disaster is a factor in determining a city's expected evacuation figure and points up the responsibily of the federal government to provide an outside relief force.
No one asked the Mayor and Governor to do anything. Stop listening to Hannity and O'Reilly. Bush could have ORDERED THE EVACUATION ANYTIME HE WANTED TO AFTER DECLARING THE EMERGENGY ON THE 27TH. He didn't do the job because he has never believed disaster belief should be federal business, Bush has been deliberately marginalizing FEMA by siphoning off its funds and weakening it. Brown's job was not to make it active, but to do the opposite. Bush wanted the money for Iraq, withheld money for levee repair and strengthening and basically dismantled Fema, which couldn't effectively respond. Then, he compounded the problem by not responding with the full force of the federal government's power and authority immediately after declaring the state of emergency.
He gambled and lost. He's admitted it. He's not only admitted it, he's called off the usual surrogates that try to slime him out of tight spots-- like Ken M., maybe the most obvious and repugnant snake oil salesman I've ever encountered. Still, there's spin out there from die hards...tons of it.
Before you accuse me of being wrong again, try checking out what it means when a president declares a state of emergency...or better yet...what a president can do by law if a major emergency presents itself.
Then, try to think of when Bush ever let anything stand in the way of what he's wanted to do before.

[crazyhorse1]

The article below refers to a FEMA that had yet to be marginialized by the Bush doctrine of fund shifting and crony hiring. Remember those days, when FEMA director Witt was always first at the scene of disaster and FEMA assisted cities with evacuations, going so far as to line up buses and save the belongings of the poor by gathering up their most valuable stuff in vans so as to encourage them to leave?

New Republic, Sept. 26
The cover points out that FEMA warned against three threats back in 2001: a terrorist attack on New York City, a hurricane in New Orleans, and an earthquake in San Francisco. "Four years later, it's two down, one to go," the piece notes, asking whether San Francisco is going to be the nation's next catastrophe zone. The piece argues that even "a single season of new planning and building laws" could ensure that the city is much safer for decades. …

Guess what, guys. Nothing has been done in San Francisco and according to all sources, this new weakened FEMA is utterly incapable of handling a major quake in San Francisco. Neither can the Major or the Terminator (a Republican).

[thaiphoon]

Wow...so much B.S. coming from you I'll have to get my hip-waders... Lets review your "low lights"

Bush declared a state of emergency on the 27th, days before landfall. The act empowered him to take control of all city and state assets and personnel to combat Katrina. He was in total control and responsible for both the Mayor's and the Governor's actions after that point. Any faults of theirs were technically his after that date, and, fundamentally, the reason Bush finally accepted responsibily and exonerated them both. I know you don't believe this because other things you have accepted as fact are spin. The federal government's failure to act was purely elective and absolutely not a result of authority or law after the 27th. Let me emphasize: the plans, responsibily, etc. that your post and proofs assign to the Mayor and the Governor did not apply after the 27th. The responsibily for their execution fell to the president, which he has now acknowledged...on the advice of both legal and political council.

Wrong... a state of emergency allows the affected area to apply for federal assistance and allows federal officials to work with local and state officals. You see...in this country we have something called the Constitution. I know you liberals don't believe in it but it is there nonetheless. When it was formed the states themselves retained certain powers. One power which states (and their governors) don't like is when the federal government runs roughshod over them (even in a disaster). In a disaster the state and local governments direct the operation until they relinquish the control of operations to the federal government. FEMA is a federal organization. It cannot do squat without the help of local and state officials helping to direct the operation.

The Governor had nothing whatever to do with keeping the Red Cross out. Bush himself was responsible for keeping the Red Cross out by failing to monitor Brown. Bush thought so little of FEMA that Brown had no direct access to him. It was Brown's uninformed decision that kept the Red Cross out.

This is not just B.S, - its a bold-face lie !! The Red Cross has stated that it was the Governor's office which prevented it from sending supplies. Yet you keep saying the Red Cross is lying. Curious... what color is the sky in your world ??

Also, the Governor didn't dither about the evacuation order. The Major stalled for the reasons you give.

Yup ... he did...

The Governor wanted earlier evacuation.

Where's the proof?? She didn't ask the mayor to order one. In fact she still has yet to order a forced evacuation (you know...something that would've saved lives)...

In the end, it doesn't matter. Bush, literally, had the authority to order a forced evacuation by both Federal and all state resources on the 27th, but did nothing.

The president does not have such blanket authority. Any such action by any President would be met with stiff resistance by the governor of that state and the state itself. This would setup a Constitutional quandry for sure my friend.

The decision never should have been left in the hands of either the Governor nor the Major, both untrained and underfunded and undermanned, nor the evacuation attempted by the city or state alone. Bush's fault is that he left a matter too weighty for city and state officials and resources in local hands after ostensibly taking charge on the 27th.

Once again you keep stating the same lies over and over again. You seem to think that the federal government controls every little thing in our lives. No - it doesn't. The state and local government emergency plans of Louisiana state that THEY are primarily responsible for the evacuation operations. I'm curious...why would you state that these Democrats are liars??

Your statement about the buses not being used is in direct contradiction to those of city officials.

Qhich ones? Thesame ones CYA'ing themselves because they didn't deploy them??

It is true that some buses were never used for lack of drivers.

Ah the crack in your protective BS allowing the glimmer of light of truth to come in...

Many female drivers did not report, for fear of evacuees, or because they were terrified of Katrina and evacuated themselves and their families by automobile, etc. The loss of local personnel in the face of a disaster is a factor in determining a city's expected evacuation figure and points up the responsibily of the federal government to provide an outside relief force.

Gee crazyhorse...why have a state and local government at all since you think that the federal government is reponsibile for everything...maybe we should do away with state and local governments (or at least those in Louisiana since apparently listenign to you they are so powerless and inept)

No one asked the Mayor and Governor to do anything. Stop listening to Hannity and O'Reilly. Bush could have ORDERED THE EVACUATION ANYTIME HE WANTED TO AFTER DECLARING THE EMERGENGY ON THE 27TH. He didn't do the job because he has never believed disaster belief should be federal business,

I'm not listening to anyone except you lie to me. disaster relief is primarily the responsibility of the state and local governments to a.) evacuate b.) deal with things until the feds can arrive. FEMA's own website basically states that they will be there in force a few days afterward. In fact this time around FEMA's response was actually faster than many other hurricane's past. I can list them if you want.

withheld money for levee repair and strengthening

Wrong - Democrats (and especially the NYTimes) campaigned to gut the money in the last transportation bill that would've gone to levee repair. Ask the Orleans Levee Board what it has spent its money on in the past few years. Ask Louisiana and local officials what happened to the over $1.9 Billion thats have been spent on public works projects in that state since Bush took office. Trust me - you don't want to ask b/c it will embarrass your Democrat friends in the state and exonerate Bush.

He's admitted it.

He's taken blame for any failures of the federal government. He has not taken the rap for the failure of the state and local governments who were the real cuplrits here.

Before you accuse me of being wrong again, try checking out what it means when a president declares a state of emergency...or better yet...what a president can do by law if a major emergency presents itself.

When a federal emergency is declared all it does is give federal officials the authority to get involved with state and local officials. Under our law (which you seem to know so little about), specifically the Posse Comitatus Act of 1872, the federal government cannot send troops into a state without the permission of the Governor. That’s right, the mere fact that the Governor of the State did not ask for assistance prohibited the President from doing anything meaningful.

The exception to this would be the Insurrection Act, which would allow the President to declare the Governor in violation of the law and deploy the troops anyway. That would have been great, right? The Democrats on the hill (and you on these pages based upon your rabidly anti-Bush posts) would have demanding an impeachment after such an action, and we would be right back to the same criticism that the President mishandled the situation.

Then, try to think of when Bush ever let anything stand in the way of what he's wanted to do before.

Its called the law my friend...you liberals should try respecting it instead of twisting it around to suit your ends.

[thaiphoon]

BTW- even New Orleans residents know who is to blame ...

"ABC News producers probably didn't hear what they expected when they sent Dean Reynolds to the Houston Astrodome's parking lot to get reaction to President Bush's speech from black evacuees from New Orleans," the Media Research Center's Brent H. Baker writes at www.mediaresearch.org.
"Instead of denouncing Bush and blaming him for their plight, they praised Bush and blamed local officials. Reynolds asked Connie London: 'Did you harbor any anger toward the president because of the slow federal response?' She rejected the premise: 'No, none whatsoever, because I feel like our city and our state government should have been there before the federal government was called in.' She pointed out: 'They had RTA buses, Greyhound buses, school buses, that was just sitting there, going under water when they could have been evacuating people.'
"Not one of the six people interviewed on camera had a bad word for Bush -- despite Reynolds' best efforts. Reynolds goaded: 'Was there anything that you found hard to believe that he said, that you thought, well, that's nice rhetoric, but, you know, the proof is in the pudding?' Brenda Marshall answered, 'No, I didn't,' prompting Mr. Reynolds to marvel to anchor Ted Koppel: 'Very little skepticism here.'?"

[crazyhorse1]

Those who continue to maintain that the Federal Government was prevented from offering assistance to New Orleans even days before landfall because of law and/or protocol and/or local interference might want to check out this document. Homeland Security had total control by August 27th when Bush declared a State of Emergency. After that time, Homeland Security bore the responsibility for the coordination of and the assistance in all functions of incident management, state, local, and federal, including the evacuation of New Orleans.

Read for yourself:





Homeland Security Presidential Directive/HSPD-5

Subject: Management of Domestic Incidents
Purpose
(1) To enhance the ability of the United States to manage domestic incidents by establishing a single, comprehensive national incident management system.
Definitions
(2) In this directive:
(a) the term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Homeland Security.
(b) the term "Federal departments and agencies" means those executive departments enumerated in 5 U.S.C. 101, together with the Department of Homeland Security; independent establishments as defined by 5 U.S.C. 104(1); government corporations as defined by 5 U.S.C. 103(1); and the United States Postal Service.
(c) the terms "State," "local," and the "United States" when it is used in a geographical sense, have the same meanings as used in the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Public Law 107-296.
Policy
(3) To prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies, the United States Government shall establish a single, compre-hensive approach to domestic incident management. The objective of the United States Government is to ensure that all levels of government across the Nation have the capability to work efficiently and effectively together, using a national approach to domestic incident management. In these efforts, with regard to domestic incidents, the United States Government treats crisis management and consequence management as a single, integrated function, rather than as two separate functions.
(4) The Secretary of Homeland Security is the principal Federal official for domestic incident management. Pursuant to the Homeland Security Act of 2002, the Secretary is responsible for coordinating Federal operations within the United States to prepare for, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies. The Secretary shall coordinate the Federal Government's resources utilized in response to or recovery from terrorist attacks, major disasters,
or other emergencies if and when any one of the following four conditions applies: (1) a Federal department or agency acting under its own authority has requested the assistance of the Secretary; (2) the resources of State and local authorities are overwhelmed and Federal assistance has been requested by the appropriate State and local authorities; (3) more than one Federal department or agency has become substantially involved in responding to the incident; or (4) the Secretary has been directed to assume responsibility for managing the domestic incident by the President.
(5) Nothing in this directive alters, or impedes the ability to carry out, the authorities of Federal departments and agencies to perform their responsibilities under law. All Federal departments and agencies shall cooperate with the Secretary in the Secretary's domestic incident management role.
(6) The Federal Government recognizes the roles and responsibilities of State and local authorities in domestic incident management. Initial responsibility for managing domestic incidents generally falls on State and local authorities. The Federal Government will assist State and local authorities when their resources are overwhelmed, or when Federal interests are involved. The Secretary will coordinate with State and local governments to ensure adequate planning, equipment, training, and exercise activities. The Secretary will also provide assistance to State and local governments to develop all-hazards plans and capabilities, including those of greatest importance to the security of the United States, and will ensure that State, local, and Federal plans are compatible.
(7) The Federal Government recognizes the role that the private and nongovernmental sectors play in preventing, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies. The Secretary will coordinate with the private and nongovernmental sectors to ensure adequate planning, equipment, training, and exercise activities and to promote partnerships to address incident management capabilities.
(8) The Attorney General has lead responsibility for criminal investigations of terrorist acts or terrorist threats by individuals or groups inside the United States, or directed at United States citizens or institutions abroad, where such acts are within the Federal criminal jurisdiction of the United States, as well as for related intelligence collection activities within the United States, subject to the National Security Act of 1947 and other applicable law, Executive Order 12333, and Attorney General-approved procedures pursuant to that Executive Order. Generally acting through the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Attorney General, in cooperation with other Federal departments and agencies engaged in activities to protect our national security, shall also coordinate the activities of the other members of the law enforcement community to detect, prevent, preempt, and disrupt terrorist attacks against the United States. Following a terrorist threat or an actual incident that falls within the criminal jurisdiction of the United States, the full capabilities of the United States shall be dedicated, consistent with United States law and with activities of other Federal departments and agencies to protect our national security, to assisting the Attorney General to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice. The Attorney General and the Secretary shall establish appropriate relationships and mechanisms for cooperation and coordination between their two departments.
(9) Nothing in this directive impairs or otherwise affects the authority of the Secretary of Defense over the Department of Defense, including the chain of command for military forces from the President as Commander in Chief, to the Secretary of Defense, to the commander of military forces, or military command and control procedures. The Secretary of Defense shall provide military support to civil authorities for domestic incidents as directed by the President or when consistent with military readiness and appropriate under the circumstances and the law. The Secretary of Defense shall retain command of military forces providing civil support. The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary shall establish appropriate relationships and mechanisms for cooperation and coordination between their two departments.
(10) The Secretary of State has the responsibility, consistent with other United States Government activities to protect our national security, to coordinate international activities related to the prevention, preparation, response, and recovery from a domestic incident, and for the protection of United States citizens and United States interests overseas. The Secretary of State and the Secretary shall establish appropriate relationships and mechanisms for cooperation and coordination between their two departments.
(11) The Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs shall be responsible for interagency policy coordination on domestic and international incident management, respectively, as directed by the President. The Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs shall work together to ensure that the United States domestic and international incident management efforts are seamlessly united.
(12) The Secretary shall ensure that, as appropriate, information related to domestic incidents is gathered and provided to the public, the private sector, State and local authorities, Federal departments and agencies, and, generally through the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, to the President. The Secretary shall provide standardized, quantitative reports to the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security on the readiness and preparedness of the Nation -- at all levels of government -- to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents.
(13) Nothing in this directive shall be construed to grant to any Assistant to the President any authority to issue orders to Federal departments and agencies, their officers, or their employees.
Tasking
(14) The heads of all Federal departments and agencies are directed to provide their full and prompt cooperation, resources, and support, as appropriate and consistent with their own responsibilities for protecting our national security, to the Secretary, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of State in the exercise of the individual leadership responsibilities and missions assigned in paragraphs (4), (8), (9), and (10), respectively, above.
(15) The Secretary shall develop, submit for review to the Homeland Security Council, and administer a National Incident Management System (NIMS). This system will provide a consistent nationwide approach for Federal, State, and local governments to work effectively and efficiently together to prepare for, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents, regardless of cause, size, or complexity. To provide for interoperability and compatibility among Federal, State, and local capabilities, the NIMS will include a core set of concepts, principles, terminology, and technologies covering the incident command system; multi-agency coordination systems; unified command; training; identification and management of resources (including systems for classifying types of resources); qualifications and certification; and the collection, tracking, and reporting of incident information and incident resources.
(16) The Secretary shall develop, submit for review to the Homeland Security Council, and administer a National Response Plan (NRP). The Secretary shall consult with appropriate Assistants to the President (including the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy) and the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and other such Federal officials as may be appropriate, in developing and implementing the NRP. This plan shall integrate Federal Government domestic prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery plans into one all-discipline, all-hazards plan. The NRP shall be unclassified. If certain operational aspects require classification, they shall be included in classified annexes to the NRP.
(a) The NRP, using the NIMS, shall, with regard to response to domestic incidents, provide the structure and mechanisms for national level policy and operational direction for Federal support to State and local incident managers and for exercising direct Federal authorities and responsibilities, as appropriate.
(b) The NRP will include protocols for operating under different threats or threat levels; incorporation of existing Federal emergency and incident management plans (with appropriate modifications and revisions) as either integrated components of the NRP or as supporting operational plans; and additional opera-tional plans or annexes, as appropriate, including public affairs and intergovernmental communications.
(c) The NRP will include a consistent approach to reporting incidents, providing assessments, and making recommendations to the President, the Secretary, and the Homeland Security Council.
(d) The NRP will include rigorous requirements for continuous improvements from testing, exercising, experience with incidents, and new information and technologies.
(17) The Secretary shall:
(a) By April 1, 2003, (1) develop and publish an initial version of the NRP, in consultation with other Federal departments and agencies; and (2) provide the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security with a plan for full development and implementation of the NRP.
(b) By June 1, 2003, (1) in consultation with Federal departments and agencies and with State and local governments, develop a national system of standards, guidelines, and protocols to implement the NIMS; and (2) establish a mechanism for ensuring ongoing management and maintenance of the NIMS, including regular consultation with other Federal departments and agencies and with State and local governments.
(c) By September 1, 2003, in consultation with Federal departments and agencies and the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, review existing authorities and regulations and prepare recommendations for the President on revisions necessary to implement fully the NRP.
(18) The heads of Federal departments and agencies shall adopt the NIMS within their departments and agencies and shall provide support and assistance to the Secretary in the development and maintenance of the NIMS. All Federal departments and agencies will use the NIMS in their domestic incident management and emergency prevention, preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation activities, as well as those actions taken in support of State or local entities. The heads of Federal departments and agencies shall participate in the NRP, shall assist and support the Secretary in the development and maintenance of the NRP, and shall participate in and use domestic incident reporting systems and protocols established by the Secretary.
(19) The head of each Federal department and agency shall:
(a) By June 1, 2003, make initial revisions to existing plans in accordance with the initial version of the NRP.
(b) By August 1, 2003, submit a plan to adopt and implement the NIMS to the Secretary and the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security. The Assistant to the President for Homeland Security shall advise the President on whether such plans effectively implement the NIMS.
(20) Beginning in Fiscal Year 2005, Federal departments and agencies shall make adoption of the NIMS a requirement, to the extent permitted by law, for providing Federal preparedness assistance through grants, contracts, or other activities. The Secretary shall develop standards and guidelines for determining whether a State or local entity has adopted the NIMS.
Technical and Conforming Amendments to National Security Presidential Directive-1 (NSPD-1)
(21) NSPD-1 ("Organization of the National Security Council System") is amended by replacing the fifth sentence of the third paragraph on the first page with the following: "The Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall be invited to attend meetings pertaining to their responsibilities.".
Technical and Conforming Amendments to National Security Presidential Directive-8 (NSPD-8)
(22) NSPD-8 ("National Director and Deputy National Security Advisor for Combating Terrorism") is amended by striking "and the Office of Homeland Security," on page 4, and inserting "the Department of Homeland Security, and the Homeland Security Council" in lieu thereof.
Technical and Conforming Amendments to Homeland Security Presidential Directive-2 (HSPD-2)
(23) HSPD-2 ("Combating Terrorism Through Immigration Policies") is amended as follows:
(a) striking "the Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)" in the second sentence of the second paragraph in section 1, and inserting "the Secretary of Homeland Security" in lieu thereof ;
(b) striking "the INS," in the third paragraph in section 1, and inserting "the Department of Homeland Security" in lieu thereof;
(c) inserting ", the Secretary of Homeland Security," after "The Attorney General" in the fourth paragraph in section 1;
(d) inserting ", the Secretary of Homeland Security," after "the Attorney General" in the fifth paragraph in section 1;
(e) striking "the INS and the Customs Service" in the first sentence of the first paragraph of section 2, and inserting "the Department of Homeland Security" in lieu thereof;
(f) striking "Customs and INS" in the first sentence of the second paragraph of section 2, and inserting "the Department of Homeland Security" in lieu thereof;
(g) striking "the two agencies" in the second sentence of the second paragraph of section 2, and inserting "the Department of Homeland Security" in lieu thereof;
(h) striking "the Secretary of the Treasury" wherever it appears in section 2, and inserting "the Secretary of Homeland Security" in lieu thereof;
(i) inserting ", the Secretary of Homeland Security," after "The Secretary of State" wherever the latter appears in section 3;
(j) inserting ", the Department of Homeland Security," after "the Department of State," in the second sentence in the third paragraph in section 3;
(k) inserting "the Secretary of Homeland Security," after "the Secretary of State," in the first sentence of the fifth paragraph of section 3;
(l) striking "INS" in the first sentence of the sixth paragraph of section 3, and inserting "Department of Homeland Security" in lieu thereof;
(m) striking "the Treasury" wherever it appears in section 4 and inserting "Homeland Security" in lieu thereof;
(n) inserting ", the Secretary of Homeland Security," after "the Attorney General" in the first sentence in section 5; and
(o) inserting ", Homeland Security" after "State" in the first sentence of section 6.
Technical and Conforming Amendments to Homeland Security Presidential Directive-3 (HSPD-3)
(24) The Homeland Security Act of 2002 assigned the responsibility for administering the Homeland Security Advisory System to the Secretary of Homeland Security. Accordingly, HSPD-3 of March 11, 2002 ("Homeland Security Advisory System") is amended as follows:
(a) replacing the third sentence of the second paragraph entitled "Homeland Security Advisory System" with "Except in exigent circumstances, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall seek the views of the Attorney General, and any other federal agency heads the Secretary deems appropriate, including other members of the Homeland Security Council, on the Threat Condition to be assigned."
(b) inserting "At the request of the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice shall permit and facilitate the use of delivery systems administered or managed by the Department of Justice for the purposes of delivering threat information pursuant to the Homeland Security Advisory System." as a new paragraph after the fifth paragraph of the section entitled "Homeland Security Advisory System."
(c) inserting ", the Secretary of Homeland Security" after "The Director of Central Intelligence" in the first sentence of the seventh paragraph of the section entitled "Homeland Security Advisory System".
(d) striking "Attorney General" wherever it appears (except in the sentences referred to in subsections (a) and (c) above), and inserting "the Secretary of Homeland Security" in lieu thereof; and
(e) striking the section entitled "Comment and Review Periods."
GEORGE W. BUSH
# # #

[crazyhorse1]

Here are a few tidbits you might be interested in:

New Orleans didn’t have 2000 school buses that the Mayor didn’t bother to use to evacuate the poor before Katrina’s landfall, as reported by Sean Hannity of Fox News. New Orleans uses public transportation (RTA and streetcars) for most of its students. It only had 250 working buses, and most of those had no drivers (for reasons previously discussed).

New Orleans asked FEMA for 700 buses and received only 100.

In spite of the fact that FEMA did nothing to assist evacuation before Katrina’s landfall, it evacuated 80% of its population, which was 20% above government expectation. Still, we have a right-wing hue and cry about the Mayor’s screwing up the evacuation.

Not one of the hundreds of vans that FEMA traditionally sends to pick up valuables of the poor (to encourage the poor to evacuate) was sent by FEMA.

FEMA head Brown did not even have clearance to call the President and made no effort to coordinate anything with local officials.

Statement on Federal Emergency Assistance for Louisiana
The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts in the parishes located in the path of Hurricane Katrina beginning on August 26, 2005, and continuing.
The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives, protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the parishes of Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, Catahoula, Concordia, De Soto, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Pointe Coupee, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Helena, St. Landry, Tensas, Union, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, West Feliciana, and Winn.
Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding.
FACT — FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ABLE TO ACT WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM STATES: The Wall Street Journal: “Mr. Chertoff activated the National Response Plan last Tuesday by declaring the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina an ‘Incident of National Significance.’ The plan, which was rolled out to much fanfare in January, essentially enables Washington to move federal assets to the disaster without waiting for requests from state officials.” [Wall Street Journal, 9/13/05]
CLAIM — GOV. BLANCO DELAYED STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARATION: In a Sept. 4 Washington Post article, which was corrected hours later, an anonymous Bush administration source claimed Governor Blanco had not yet declared a state of emergency in Louisiana. The Post reported, “As of Saturday, Blanco still had not declared a state of emergency, the senior Bush official said.” [Washington Post, 9/4/05]
FACT — GOV. KATHLEEN BLANCO DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN LOUISIANA ON AUGUST 26: Three days prior to when Katrina made landfall. [Office of the Governor, 8/26/05]