Does FEMA Do Anything?

Michael "Brownie" Brown, in testimony before the congressional committee investigating Katrina divested so much responsibility for the disaster on others that one has to question what he believed his role was? He stated that the reason for all that went wrong was the ineffective and incomplete evacuation of the city, which he stated was not FEMA's job, "Those are not FEMA roles. FEMA doesn't evacuate communities. FEMA does not do law enforcement. FEMA does not do communications." Following the flawed evacuation of Houston last week we know this is an impossible task; not just a failing of Louisiana local government. If evacuation plans were as effective as FEMA assumes, would there really be a role for them? Would anyone notice if FEMA were disbanded? If FEMA in the future takes as much responsibility as Brownie, probably not.

Evacuating Ain't So Easy

City and State officials in Louisiana have been taking incredible heat for their perceived lack of effectiveness in evacuating New Orleans before Katrina. Yet, despite 48 hours less notice they evacuated 80% of the population, and provided shelters for others (however squalid). The long traffic jams and gas shortages in Houston shows how difficult it really is to evacuate a major metropolitan area, even with plenty of warning. It bascically cannot be done.

New Orleans had a sophisticated evacuation plan, and its populace were well prepared and educated. The plan worked well by comparison to what is going on in Houston--despite the media (and dare I say Federal) scrutiny in face of Rita.

This just proves the New Orleans and Louisiana officials were as prepared as possible before Katrina. The Bush spin machine will have to lay off Nagin and Blanco now, shifting the focus from the preparation and evacuation to the paucity of the response.

Letter from FEMA

I registered at FEMA web site for Katrina and was told a SBA loan applicaton would be mailed to me. Got a letter a few days later from Mike Brown at FEMA. It stated the phone number I should call if I want a SBA loan application. So, the web sends a letter saying to dial a phone number to get a letter. I guess that is about what we are to expect from FEMA. I'm not jumping to make the call.

Still Asleep at the Wheel

This blog has discussed at length how disconnected the Dunce in Chief was during Katrina. So, with the eye of the world watching their response to Hurricane Rita, you'd think the Federal Government would be doing everything in the power to seem in control. Alas the incompetence seems to continue.

As early as last night CNN reported that mandatory evacuations for Galveston had been ordered beginning this morning. However, in an interview with Charlie Gibson on Good Morning America this morning, Michael Chertoff was clearly unaware of this. Following his role in delaying relief to Katrina (deliciously fingered by Mike Brown) he should be replaced immediately before he does anymore damage. The guy is too clearly working in the Bush mode of aloofness to have any position of responsibility for peoples lives.

Will the Cronyism Ever End

In the aftermath of Katrina it has become clear that there is a need for a leader with impeccable qualifications to head up the Gulf Coast reconstruction effort: many have suggested Rudolph Giuliani or Colin Powell. After the Michael Brown debacle you'd think that Bush would follow these sentiments, realising that cronyism in areas that require actual talent and skill ruins his credibility. But no, the The Dunce in Chief, in perhaps the most cynical move of his Presidency, has appointed Karl Rove to oversee this critical effort. This is cronyism at its worst. What experience does Karl Rove have in leadership? What experience does Karl Rove have in urban planning? Karl Rove's talents are in spin. New Orleans and the Gulf Coast does not need spin, it needs reconstruction. Sadly, all we are going to get is a line about how well things are going, while the real work goes undone, and the corporate interests line their pockets with the billions intended to rebuild.

Fiscal Conservatism is Dead

After 9/11 the Dunce in Chief felt a need to push through tax cuts for the fat cats. This was despite the clear need for spending on national security to protect the country from future disasters. The result of this folly was clear for all to see in the Gulf Coast the last few weeks. Now faced with not only the post-Katrina rebuilding effort, but also fixing the national security and emergency preparedness that was criminally short changed the first time, Bush still refuses to come up with a payment plan. Those tax cuts will be made permanent, plunging the country to dangerous levels of deficit.

Obvious questions come to mind. Will a lack of funding leave our disaster preparedness look even worse than it does today? Will the rebuilding effort leave the people of the Gulf Coast living in double-wides for ever as a result of non-existent or unimaginative urban planning.

The US can't afford more debt. It also can't afford to skimp on the challenges ahead.

They found the dolphins

Boston Globe reports today that the 8 dolphins in Gulfport that were washed out of their tank by Katrina are hanging out in the Gulf waiting to be rescued. All but 5 of 19 sea lions that were swept away were also rescued. The remaining dolphins and sea lions were evacuated before the storm to hotel swimming pools and a staff members personal residence. Its good to hear of a bit of good news coming out of the recovery efforts.

Consequences of a dream deferred, fear, and incompetence

A Dream Deferred
By Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over-- l
ike a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

How could it be that our city has exploded, or perhaps, crumbled. New Orleans was always a city of dreamers, the image of iron scrollwork and bananna trees peeking from courtyards all so romantic. The heavily segregated neighborhoods, the racial undercurrents and tensions provided a bit of quaint danger for tourists. The residents of the city knew of something else, something deeper, something dangerous. They knew of resentment, of aggression, of injustice.
Did race matter in the slow response to Katrina? Yes and no. The local response was not deliberately slow out of racism. But it was deliberately slow out of fear. Some judge this to be racist, others consider it pragmatic. The larger federal response was slow out of incompetence, and obliviousness. When a system is set up based on “who you know” rather than qualifications and experience, the system reacts based on personal appeal, not need. It seems the folks at the convention center in New Orleans didn’t know the right people. Thank god for the news reporters or they would be there still. Is that racism? Perhaps not directly, but it is still a flagrant violation of the principles of individual worth, respect, and meritocracy on which this country were built. The people have a right to be outraged.

Nagin vs Giuliani

I am perplexed by the many comments that Nagin is "no Rudy Giuliani" and provided weak leadership in a crisis. There are several differences between these tragedies that seem relevant.

911: No wounded people

Katrina: Thousands of wounded or chronically ill cut off from modern medical attention.

911: Evacuation of New York by boat, walking across bridges, by train and subway

Katrina: No trains, few roads, a few helecopters and boat to dry land but not out of the city. Walkers across Mississippi river bridge met on other side with guns and dogs and forced back.

The list goes on.

I think if the Brooklyn police had barricaded the Brooklyn bridge and refused to allow the commuters out of the city we could have had a parallel. What would Rudy have done about that?

The jury is still out on Nagin, but the comparisons to Giuliani demonstrate a complete lack of understanding of the situation.

Me and Bobby McGee

I'm going to keep posting lyrics that reflect on New Orleans. I know the citizens of New Orleans will take solace in the many artists that have reflected on our great town.

"Me And Bobby McGee"
(As recorded by Janis Joplin)
KRIS KRISTOFFERSON
FRED FOSTER
Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waitin' fer a train
When I's feeling nearly faded as my jeans
Bobby thumbed a diesel down, just before it rained
And rode us all the way to New Orleans
I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana
I's playing soft while Bobby sung the blues, n-yeah
Windshield wipers slapping time I's, holding Bobby's hand in mine
We sang every song that driver knew
Freedom's just another word for nothing left to loose
Nothing, I mean nothing honey if it ain't free, no no
Yeah feeling good was easy Lord when he sang the blues
You know feeling good was good enough for me
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee.
From Kentucky coal mine to the California sun
Yeah Bobby shared the secrets of my soul
Through all kinds of weather, through everything we done
Yeah Bobby baby kept me from the cold world
One day a near Selina Lord, I let him slip away
He's lookin' for that home, and I hope he finds it
But I'd trade all of my tomorrows for one single yesterday
To be holdin' Bobby's body next to mine
Freedom's just another word for nothing left to loose
Nothing, and that's all that Bobby left me, yeah
But feeling good was easy Lord when he sang the blues
Hey feeling good was good enough for me, hmm-mm
Good enough for me and Bobby McGee.
La da la la la, la da la la la da la
La da da la la la Bobby McGee yeah
La da la la la, la da la la la da la
La da da la la la Bobby McGee yeah
La da la la la, la da la la la da la
La da da la la la Bobby McGee yeah
Lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo
Lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo
Lo lo lo lo lo lo Bobby McGee
Lo lo lo lo lo lo Bobby McGee
Lord I called him my lover, I called him my man
I said called him my lover just the best I can and c'mon
And and a Bobby oh, and a Bobby McGee yeah
Lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo
Hey hey hey Bobby McGee, lord.
La da la la la, la da la la la la la
Hey hey hey Bobby McGee yeah
(c) Copyright 1969 by Combine Music Corp.

National Vacation Day

President Bush has declared September 16th a National Day of Prayer. I don't know about you, but I was saying my prayers while watching the citizens of New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast die. Bush of course was still on vacation then. My proposal therefore is for the rest of us to take a vacation day then. Hopefully, by three weeks after the disaster things will be sufficiently under control and some accontability will have been taken for the rest of us to stop fretting and praying for the people of New Orleans.

It doesn't go unnoticed that Bush only ordered flags to fly at half staff after Judge Renquist died; adding that it was in remembrance of the Katrina victims too only the next day. If this is compassionate conservatism, I hope I never meet an uncompassionate one.

How many times have you been called to change vacation plans, have to stay late, or do overtime become something came up at work? Wouldn't you be fired or at least be killing your career if you refused. Yet the man in the highest office in the land can apparently get away with this unprofessional attitude. Which brings me to my final point. Shouldn't we introduce a constitutional amendment fixing how many days vacation the President should get. We entrust our lives, our security, our welfare, and our best interests in him. Don't we deserve to know he's on the job? Some can say a work life balance is important even for the President. Perhaps, but these people spend millions upon millions of dollars to serve at our pleasure. The least they can do is show up to work.

Of course many of us don't have unlimited vacation time like the President so may not be able to join me on National Vacation Day, and I understand that. Perhaps the Dunce in Chief is right after all, we should continue to pray for the people of the South.

Stop Blaming the Victims: A petition

The President and his administration failed at their most important job: keeping America safe. The federal effort was too little, too late and the cost of their delay will be paid for in human lives. Now, they are seeking political cover by blaming state and local officials, despite the fact that they had begged the administration for help early on. Its really outrageous that the President would blame the victims at a time like this. Will you help me tell him he needs to stop blaming the victims and get to work helping them?

http://political.moveon.org/helpvictims

FEMA steals fuel for hospital generator

Dr. Albert Barrocas at Methodist Hospital in New Orleans, on Fox News at 1:30 PM EST today indicates that FEMA confiscated the fuel for their generators. He indicated there were 175 patients in hospital and 14 patients on ventilators, and that 12 patients died. He feels half of these patients would have survived if FEMA had not stolen their fuel. They were finally evacuated in Friday, 4 days after the storm passed.

Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans

Heres the lyrics to a song that we will be hearing more often, that has been recorded by many including Louis Armstrong and Harry Connick Jr.

Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans

Do you know what it means to miss New OrleansAnd miss it each night and dayI know I'm not wrong... this feeling's gettin' strongerThe longer, I stay awayMiss them moss covered vines...the tall sugar pinesWhere mockin' birds used to singAnd I'd like to see that lazy Mississippi...hurryin' into spring
The moonlight on the bayou.......a Creole tune.... that fills the airI dream... about Magnolias in bloom......and I'm wishin' I was there
Do you know what it means to miss New OrleansWhen that's where you left your heartAnd there's one thing more...I miss the one I care forMore than I miss New Orleans
(instrumental break)
The moonlight on the bayou.......a Creole tune.... that fills the airI dream... about Magnolias in bloom......and I'm wishin' I was there
Do you know what it means to miss New OrleansWhen that's where you left your heartAnd there's one thing more...I miss the one I care forMore.....more than I miss.......New Orleans

Bush Desperate

I know there will be an independent Katrina Commission. You know there will be an independent Katrina Commission. And in his heart the President knows it too. So why does Bush risk make his already tenuous political position on this untenable by trying to sweep this under the carpet and head up the investigation himself. On top of that, his political hack Tom Delay is trying to shut down House committee hearings. There can be only one explanation: a desperate attempt to cover up his own culpability.

Bush spent the entire weekend attempting to shift blame to local and state officials. Sadly for him the story was not how these people were at fault, but that the Bush spin machine was working full tilt. The smear tactics of the Bush administration have finally failed. At the same time they were shoveling blame upon others, these same people threw up the defensive blocks, “Let’s not play the blame game.” Remember, it’s not a game if only one side is allowed to play.

To have Bush head this up is to put the fox in charge of the investigation about who left the chicken coop door open, and it will not fly. The Dunce in Chief is running scared if he thinks the world will accept this. If these feeble efforts to dodge accountability continue, you can be assured that all that shit flowing out of New Orleans will head directly to a fan on Capitol Hill.

Bush volunteers to lead investigation

"Someone should have thought about what to do with hundreds of thousands of evacuees, both in the days after a disaster and in the long term. As people flooded out of New Orleans, it was officials at the state and local level who rose to the challenge, making it up as they went along. Bring a bunch of people to the Astrodome. We have a vacant hotel that we can use. Send a hundred or so down to our church and we'll do the best we can.Tent cities aren't a happy option, but neither is haphazard improvisation. Is the problem the Bush administration's ideological fervor for small government? Does the White House really believe that primary responsibility should fall on volunteers, church groups and individuals? Or is it just stunning incompetence and lack of foresight?" Eugene Robinson, Washington Post, 9/6/05, article entitled "It's your failure, too, Mr. Bush".

Hmmm, I wonder why Bush wants to lead the investigation into the post-disaster events. Could it be to cover up his incompetence? That would certainly be the first time he has thought ahead of the game but hopefully the Congress will not fall for this transparent ruse.

Bush Must Resign!

Nero fiddled whilst Rome burned. George Bush golfed whilst New Orleans flooded and the Gulf Coast was destroyed. Nero offered no excuses. Now the Bush spin machine is trying to dodge accountability. After Hurricane Katrina cleared the Gulf Coast Region, it the federal response to the greatest humanitarian disaster in United States history was woefully inadequate for 5 days. Three days after the hurricane the President gave us a laundry list of aid. On the face of it the 7,000,000 prepared meals and 15,000 tarps and however many gallons of water sounds impressive. Yet none of this reached the thousands who have not seen food, water or shelter for 5 days. Could this have reached the area sooner if 35% of the Louisiana and Mississippi National Guard was deployed in Iraq. It took 5 days to deploy the New Mexico National Guard to the region due to Federal Government red tape. Meanwhile, the lack of these basic needs led directly to death, with people reported to have died while waiting for relief outside the Morial Convention Center. This is the type of humanitarian disaster associated with governmental neglect in places like Niger and Sudan. The American people should not tolerate this at home.

In an interview with Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America on Thursday September 1st, 72 hours after Hurricane Katrina blew through the Gulf Coast region, Bush said, “I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees.” Meanwhile White House press secretary Scott McLennan suggested the same day that the destruction in Gulfport and Biloxi was caused by wind! This displays a complete lack of understanding of the situation, a lack of caring, and a complete detachment from reality in this administration. Perhaps if he had spent some time on Tuesday watching one of the many documentaries on the vulnerability of New Orleans (we know he doesn’t read the paper, so the myriad newspaper articles would be worthless to him) instead of flying to Arizona to play golf he may have been better informed.

Following the formation of the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA assessed the greatest risks—both natural and terrorist—to the United States; they identified a catastrophic hurricane hitting New Orleans as the most significant danger. Last year FEMA war-gamed this. Yet Bush says we could not have anticipated a breach in the levees. Does he not realize that the risk associated with a hurricane hitting New Orleans isn’t wind or rain, but breaches in the levee. The administration continues to maintain that the hurricane and the breach of the levees were discrete events. It was a coincidence that levees in New Orleans gave way 12 hours after the storm?

If the people of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama could see what was going on they would be even angrier than they are already. They deserve better leadership, and more importantly, support. How many people have died as a direct result of the paucity of the federal response?

The White House spin machine hides behind the “this is not the time” for politics mantra. This is not a matter of politics, this is a matter of saving lives and restoring basic human dignity to hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens. If Bush’s constituents in the southern states and the rest of us are to recover from this catastrophe there needs to be accountability. Bush needs to step aside and a competent caring leadership installed in his place if the South is to recover. If Bush is too arrogant to step down, Congress needs to begin drafting articles of impeachment to address this President’s criminal negligence.

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