Pretty bizzare to walk into the local shop this morning to find left and right wing papers condemning the US govt for its reaction to hurricaine Katrina. "Third world America" says the Daily mail (Tory women's paper) "Left to die" says the Sun.
I don't read a lot of left wing US blogs so I didn't know that George Bush was also called "Chimpy" and "Scooter" I gave up demonizing Blair and Bush etc a long while back as it is counter productive and gives them a fictional power which I am not sure they deserve. I think both are more misguided than evil. I could be wrong.
5 comments:
See, Dave, here in the US, the fifty states are (or are supposed to be) autonomous. Each state takes care of its own disasters unless it gets out of control and then the Feds are called in. FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) basically distribute money to folks after the event has happened. They're paper pushers.
The responsibility for a disaster is placed entirely on the shoulders of the governor of the state. It is ILLEGAL under U.S. law for the federal government to interfere unless it is asked to by the governor of the state in question. There are procedures which must be followed in order for an area to be declared a disaster. Unless those procedures are followed, FEMA may NOT enter the picture. A day or two is required, at least, in order to follow the procedures.
I know of where I speak, because I got my county declared a disaster after a flood & subsequent tornado destroyed many many homes where I lived. It took me two days of phone calls to accomplish the task. The governor of Texas had to get involved.
It wasn't Bush that dropped the ball because he can't carry the ball until the governor of Lousiana asks him to. That, unfortunately takes time.
Since it was not until Tuesday that anyone realized that New Orleans was in trouble, it would have been Wedensday or even Thursday before the Feds could get involved. Which, in fact, is what happened. Give one day for logistics planning and that puts the evacuation on Friday, which is what happened.
No socio-economic status, race, or any other such factor was responsible for the apparent breakdown in relief / rescue.
One can make an argument that our laws should be modified to facilitate more rapid response in the case of a multi-state disaster, but that's about all we can do.
r&b you're mis-informed. louisiana was declared a disaster area before katrina ever hit land.
An area the size of the UK is wipped out and they have to wait for pen pushers? Didn't they watch TV?
Where did you see that tequilita? Post a link!
Unfortunately, pen pushers rule America.
http://www.fema.gov/news/disasters.fema
all three states were declared the day katrina hit...the news said prior to landfall.
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