Hurricane Katrina is now being used for political purposes to stir up anti-Bush hatred. This is sadly predictable and entirely inaccurate. Blaming Bush for all of mankind’s ills might satisfy the American hating left-liberals in the US and beyond, but it is divorced from reality. Sure the Federal government was slow to move, but they are not to blame for the 10.000 dead and the destruction of a city. That blame lies squarely with local politicians in Louisiana, and with politicians at all levels, from both parties, who over the course of 50 years refused to build the proper sea defenses and flood control systems that the city required. Blaming Bush for 50 years of political greed, eco-fascist regulations and obstructions and local and state incompetence is incorrect.

In most countries, including the USA, the primary responsibility for dealing with emergencies does not belong to the federal government. It resides in the local, state and regional officials who are charged by the law to ensure the safety of civilians in their respective legislative domains. In the US, the law, and constitutional division of powers are clear. The first responder to a crisis is the city, and then the state, depending on the magnitude of the disaster. The state if it wishes, it can then call in the Federal government. In a Katrina-type disaster, which affects the entire state, the first response should be carried out by local and state emergency personnel under the supervision of the state governor. If the situation warrants, the state governor then calls on the Federals to help with aid or troops. Yet the state and local leadership and coordination during Katrina was largely non-existent.

As Bob Williams, a former legislator who had to deal directly with the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, stated in the WSJ [Sept. 6-05]:

Mr. Williams is correct, you cannot blame Bush for the following:
-No buses or public transport was made available to the poor to leave the city before the storm hit
-No security was provided at the Superdome or Convention Centre where 50.000 people were huddled and where rape, shootings and violence occurred
-No state reaction was given for 2 days after the collapse of the levees and the drowning of the city
-Local and state agencies did not provide, food, water, or security for 3 days after the disaster struck
-Local and state agencies ignored yearly reports and plans on evacuation and emergency procedures should the levees be breached.
-Not enough police, national guardsmen or Federal troops [which the state has to ask for], were in place to quell potential riots and disturbances in New Orleans.

Indeed all of the above problems were experienced during previous evacuations when Hurricanes Ivan and George threatened the city. Yet state and local officials did not learn from these experiences and ignored recommendations to improve evacuation and emergency plans in case a larger storm hit New Orleans. Indeed the city’s evacuation plan on its website states: "The city of New Orleans will utilize all available resources to quickly and safely evacuate threatened areas." New Orleans has enough school and transit buses to evacuate 12,000 citizens per fleet run, but the mayor did not use them. To compound the problem, the buses were not moved to high ground and were of course flooded. Additional workers were not made ready, no backup plans were in existence, and yet the world was given the wailings and moanings of Mayor Nagin who blamed Washington and Bush for his failure to mobilize what should have been an automatic emergency plan. Nagin was a pathetic and inspirational-less sight and one hopes that he loses any re-election bid since he is culpable for 10.000 dead.

It is hard to blame Bush for such local and state mismanagement and incompetence.

In fact it is not hyperbole to state that the actions and inactions of La. Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin of New Orleans area an American national disgrace. Neither of these failed leaders provided leadership, or even implemented previously established evacuation plans of the state and city. Neither of these poor leaders can claim that they were surprised by the extent of the damage and the need to evacuate so many people. Detailed written plans were already in place to evacuate more than a million people. These 2 politicians and their thousands of tax payer funded workers simply failed to do their job.

Blaming Bush is politically expedient but immoral. The federal government does not have the authority to intervene in a state emergency without the request of a governor. President Bush declared an emergency prior to Katrina hitting New Orleans, so the only action needed for federal assistance was for Gov. Blanco to request the specific type of assistance she needed. She failed to send a timely request for specific aid. But yet she blames FEMA the Federal Emergency Management office for not responding quicker. This is rich. FEMA was slow and incompetent, but this is to be expected from a federal agency. FEMA however, cannot be blamed for 10.000 dead and a drowned city.

Let’s hope that a full and fair hearing into this preventable disaster occurs. When the facts are known, let’s also hope that the incompetents – Nagin and Blanco – are ridden out of office, and if criminal conduct and negligence can be proven, let them face the consequences. In the meantime the media should report the facts and apportion blame where it lies.

CraigRead.com ©