Could Bush Have Done More

[kgeaux]

So what happened to Dara? I haven't seen her around in a few days.

 

[Ntegrity]

http://www.floridabaptistwitness.com/3178.article

I don't think those kinds of links are allowed in this forum. It's clearly a right wing conservative website.

 

[tybee204]

LOL I thought it was a church bulletin. It was late and my sense of humor was on warped mode lol.

 

[BillyGoatGruff]

BillyGG, wasn't the Convention Center called something else also? Because I know I heard the reporters refer to it as something else, and then they would correct themselves and say ConventionCenter. I'm wondering when Brown stated he didn't know about the people at the convention center if he was confused by what they were calling it - because I know for a time I was too. I heard it referred to something else besides "convention center"?

It's part of the RiverWalk, an upscale mall that was created utilizing rennovated warehouses after the World's Fair. The Convention Center was part of that refurbished warehouse zone on the river as well. I haven't been there in years, but they're right next to one another, with adjacent open-air food courts thatover look the Mississippi.

 

[concernedperson]

It is called the Ernest Moriel Convention Center. So some of the confusion could have come from Ernest Moriel, the former mayor, who has been a frequent guest on the cable channels.

 

[tybee204]

http://www.opencrs.com/rpts/M20050912_20050912.pdf

Congressional Research Service Report

Ya'll need to read this

 

[Nova]

Can we agree that there was no unrest in Florida like there was in New Orleans? Security for the President in N.O. would have been a nightmare. I'm sure it was hard enough in Florida - but N.O. where they were shooting at rescuers it seems to me it was prudent for the President not to go there.

I'm plenty critical of President Bush as a rule, but here I agree. It makes no sense to me for the president to wade into a lawless area. That's really not what we pay him for.

 

[fran]

Red Cross was ready to go in on day one - before all the "thirsty lions." Had the Red Cross gone in just maybe with a little food, water and supplies, things would have been calmer at the Dome. They were held out. Therefore, things got decidedly worse in the days to come.

The Red Cross was working with FEMA; therefore, the supplies that was held up was actually FEMA response.

These are things I've seen or heard in the past few days and since I've been reading from so many places, I can't remember where I saw these. But, I saw, I think it was Times or Newsweek or something, that they (government, meaning state and fed) knew that it was imparative supplies etc got to the evacuees within the first 18 hours or so, or unrest would set in.

I heard just the tail end of a talk program tonite, KFI640, whereby a truck driver called in (from Illinois) and he said that working for FEMA, he had a semi full of ice at the bridge to go into NO on Tuesday. The State stopped them from going across the bridge and he had to wait until Thursday before they'd let him cross. Oh,........and he was one of FIFTY semis being held up by the State of La.

The State's excuse, to this truck driver anyway, was that they were not able to contact LE in NO (by radio or whatever) and that was why they couldn't go in.

FWIW, I saw that NO's was given $18,000 to update their communication equipment. What happened?

JMHO
fran

 

[kgeaux]

The Red Cross was working with FEMA; therefore, the supplies that was held up was actually FEMA response.

These are things I've seen or heard in the past few days and since I've been reading from so many places, I can't remember where I saw these. But, I saw, I think it was Times or Newsweek or something, that they (government, meaning state and fed) knew that it was imparative supplies etc got to the evacuees within the first 18 hours or so, or unrest would set in.

I heard just the tail end of a talk program tonite, KFI640, whereby a truck driver called in (from Illinois) and he said that working for FEMA, he had a semi full of ice at the bridge to go into NO on Tuesday. The State stopped them from going across the bridge and he had to wait until Thursday before they'd let him cross. Oh,........and he was one of FIFTY semis being held up by the State of La.

The State's excuse, to this truck driver anyway, was that they were not able to contact LE in NO (by radio or whatever) and that was why they couldn't go in.

FWIW, I saw that NO's was given $18,000 to update their communication equipment. What happened?

JMHO
fran

The state stopped all aid and even busses which rushed to help rescue the trapped were turned back. There is a lot to answer for.

Kathleen Blanco was on TV last night blistering the federal government for the "lack of respect" shown to the dead by not picking up the bodies in a timely fashion: this morning I am hearing that LAST WEEK SHE ASKED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO REFRAIN FROM PICKING UP BODIES BECAUSE SHE WANTED THE STATE TO HANDLE THE RECOVERY. I have HAD it with her.

 

[less0305]

The Red Cross was working with FEMA; therefore, the supplies that was held up was actually FEMA response.
JMHO
fran

Oh Fran, I agree with you that they were working with FEMA and it was held up by the head of the state FEMA guy. The Red Cross made that very plain on national TV. She initially said FEMA said no, can't go in - and interrupted herself to go back and say the state FEMA" said no, you can't go in.

 

[less0305]

The state stopped all aid and even busses which rushed to help rescue the trapped were turned back. There is a lot to answer for.

Kathleen Blanco was on TV last night blistering the federal government for the "lack of respect" shown to the dead by not picking up the bodies in a timely fashion: this morning I am hearing that LAST WEEK SHE ASKED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO REFRAIN FROM PICKING UP BODIES BECAUSE SHE WANTED THE STATE TO HANDLE THE RECOVERY. I have HAD it with her.

She is indeed one of the most wishy-washy people I have ever seen. Just what is her deal???!!!!

 

[fran]

Thanks for the replies less and kgeaux.

Since this disaster occurred, each day has brought new revelations of incompetence on all levels of government. That is why, from day one, I said we should wait to point fingers until we had at least rescued all that need to be rescued and buried the dead. When the city and it's people are in the process of recovery, that's when we should look back and see just exactly what went wrong. We can't fix it if we don't know about, and boy! do we know!!

It's not as simple as saying Bush coulda' or shoulda'. There are laws, rules, regulations, that go far beyond our knowledge as ordinary citizens. There are many things that went on behind the scenes that completely contradict what we saw unfolding on our tv screen. In this age of instant gratification, just because we saw it on tv, didn't mean it could be solved before the next commercial or before dark fell. The unforunate thing is, as we were watching this disaster unfold, minute by minute, there was human suffering going on of our fellow Americans.

There are many people and agencies that are going to have to answer for their actions or lack there of. It will take a long time to gather the facts. Until then, we just need to come together as a nation and take care of each other.

JMHO
fran

PS......Like what this thread was originally established for, What could Bush have done?.........Nothing more than he did at the time.........He sent immediate aid and it was refused by the State of LA. Perhaps the question should be, What could the State of LA done?........I guess there's probably a thread for that though....jmho, fran

 

[JBean]

PS......Like what this thread was originally established for, What could Bush have done?.........Nothing more than he did at the time.........He sent immediate aid and it was refused by the State of LA. Perhaps the question should be, What could the State of LA done?........I guess there's probably a thread for that though....jmho, fran

Hi Fran! :blowkiss: I am with you on this.

 

[BillyGoatGruff]

It is called the Ernest Moriel Convention Center. So some of the confusion could have come from Ernest Moriel, the former mayor, who has been a frequent guest on the cable channels.

Hardly. Ernest "Dutch" Morial's been dead at least 15 years.
You might mean his son, who was also a mayor of the city back in the 1990s.

 

[less0305]

It is called the Ernest Moriel Convention Center. So some of the confusion could have come from Ernest Moriel, the former mayor, who has been a frequent guest on the cable channels.

I really didn't hear a name applied to it - I meant that I heard some reporters referring to it as Auditorium or Civic Center - something other than Convention Center during the very first days and coverage. I even said to my husband - they're confusing themselves even with what this place is.

 

[JDB]

I try and stay away from these type of threads. But I have to put my :twocents: in. The FEDeral goverment wanted to send help before Katrina hit. They were turned down.The blame for this Disaster starts at the local Govt. in La and then up the Chain to the Fed.I heard a story today from Tim Green that was at the Superdome. People had not had water for two days or anything to eat. Yet there were pallets on top of pallets of water. But they were told you would have to wait your turn.
The Gov waited over 24 hours to ask the Pres. for help.The blame here is all the way around.And I betcha if a Demo were in the White Hiouse the same thing would have happened.
I am sick an tired of hearing Bush this Bush that. I figured out many years ago the Pres. Might be our Commander and Chief. But guess what we are ran by the Senate an The House.Regadless of Rep or Demo.

 

[Jules]

I try and stay away from these type of threads. But I have to put my :twocents: in. The FEDeral goverment wanted to send help before Katrina hit. They were turned down.The blame for this Disaster starts at the local Govt. in La and then up the Chain to the Fed.I heard a story today from Tim Green that was at the Superdome. People had not had water for two days or anything to eat. Yet there were pallets on top of pallets of water. But they were told you would have to wait your turn.
The Gov waited over 24 hours to ask the Pres. for help.The blame here is all the way around.And I betcha if a Demo were in the White Hiouse the same thing would have happened.
I am sick an tired of hearing Bush this Bush that. I figured out many years ago the Pres. Might be our Commander and Chief. But guess what we are ran by the Senate an The House.Regadless of Rep or Demo.

:clap: :clap: :clap:

 

[heavenlydaze]

I try and stay away from these type of threads. But I have to put my :twocents: in. The FEDeral goverment wanted to send help before Katrina hit. They were turned down.The blame for this Disaster starts at the local Govt. in La and then up the Chain to the Fed.I heard a story today from Tim Green that was at the Superdome. People had not had water for two days or anything to eat. Yet there were pallets on top of pallets of water. But they were told you would have to wait your turn.
The Gov waited over 24 hours to ask the Pres. for help.The blame here is all the way around.And I betcha if a Demo were in the White Hiouse the same thing would have happened.
I am sick an tired of hearing Bush this Bush that. I figured out many years ago the Pres. Might be our Commander and Chief. But guess what we are ran by the Senate an The House.Regadless of Rep or Demo.

Yep, JDB, you’ve hit it.
We’re a great country bogged down by so much red tape that we can’t function.
When this happened, it wouldn’t have mattered one iota who was in charge. Bush, Gore, Clinton or FDR himself (having to function in this day & age).
Sue me, sue you, sue your neighbor. Just place the blame SOMEWHERE. SOMEBODY’S responsible. Certainly not some big- piece of wind that blew in here from the clouds.
We’re supposed to KNOW what to do. We(USA) have it all together. We pay these people BIG BUCKS to figure this out. Right?
When my Mom’s house up in South Dakota was destroyed by lightning 4 years ago and the insurance people came, she couldn’t file a claim without her ORIGINAL, RECEIPT paper-work. Excuse me... It BURNED UP! WHAT exactly do you want her to SHOW you? These insurance folks (who stayed for two weeks and visited Mt. Rushmore) were probably making more money in ten years than she had ever seen in her LIFETIME.
When our store was broken into in 1999, BEFORE we had a digi cam, they relied on Police photos, our invoices and OUR WORD. If we were dishonest people, we could have really worked this & I guarantee you, we’d be better off than we are today.
(we’re still struggling, so I guess we’re not the smartest plastic ring on the six-pack).
Blame this one, blame that one, file lawsuits, SPEND money on litigation that could help us repair levies.

Our levies (Yuba County, Ca) broke out here in ‘86 and ‘97.

http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/archives/105cong/fullcomm/hr478/debate.htm

http://www.highbeam.com/library/sea...+flood+&submit.x=31&submit.y=11&submit=submit

So now...there’s an ‘Endangered Beetle” who saw fit to take root in two of our levies. One of these levies is four miles from our house. I’ve written letters to the EPA, City Council, The Mayor, Gov. Arnold, our congress- people, and anyone else who MIGHT listen. I’ve written ‘Letters To The Editor’ (which stirred up quite a stew), and even contacted senators from my birth state of South Dakota. Nobody listens. Form letters are all I I get back. In the meantime, developers keep building houses beneath these doomed structures. Flood insurance here is a moot prospect. Insurance Co’s will NOT insure anyone here against levy failure, yet they continue to collect premiums based on other, remote possibilities. FEMA offers flood insurance based on the current value $$ of the house, but covers only STUCTURAL damage.

So why don’t we move? Because Marv’s parents are still alive and we’re all they have. They're in their 80's & they won't move.
Believe me, I don’t think this area is safe, but I take my chances. So...if the levy breaks, should we place blame, sue, , whine? Oh, yeah...we can always blame the PRESIDENT. Maybe when the waters come, it'll be a dem in power. Does anyone really think it will matter to us then?

 

[close_enough]

my answer is a big yes....