Hurricane Katrina Blame Game

[Guest What]

To me there are a few things wrong with this picture. It makes me sick what is going on in this city. When most of the city was evacuated, why did all these people stay? People blame this all on poor finances and crap. I dont believe this, the city was abandoned. They could of left if they really wanted to. I still feel bad for these people dont get me wrong. I just feel they made a terrible mistake. Yes the government should help, but these same people who want this help are shooting at national gaurds men and rescue boat earlier in the week. I would have left them there to, if they did that. These people want help than act civil about it please.

 

Also I think instead of sending freaking national gaurd troops in who like to play soldier once a month is stupid. They are not handling the situation well at all, in fact it is a disgrace to the military that they are there. Declare martial law and send the Army and Marine Corps in. The city would not see any more violence for awhile. This is ignorant. We can drops 60,000 plus troops into Iraq in 2 days but we cant in New Orleans. We need to send in Active Duty troops who are trained for this not these national gaurd morons. Lets get someone in there to get the job done now.

[Guest David]

I am a retired police officer and live on gulf coast. There are several tihngs that struck me watching the coverage. First is that evacuation planning is by local offical with state help.Intwo evacuation that I was in;one of our most important resources wre the local school buses and transit buses to get people who had no other way inland.I have watched but noticed no N.O. transit bus seen return to new Orleans. I also noted in arerial views school buses parked at school bus barn parking lots in flooded areas.The today ;I live near TX-La border local police stopped a N>O> school bus. It was driven by two young guys and load with others. The bus was hotwired. They learned that they had hotwired the bus thursady nite and loaded it with people to get out of N.O. What were local offical thinking not using them to evacuate people?It looks to as if local officals had no plan really;or they would ahve used all means possible to evacuate people. What's more disturbing is that since 9-11;city have been given money to come up emergency plans that include evcuation as part of homeland security.I also must say that the majority of the people I saw looting wre people getting food ;diapers etc.No police officer I know would have shot anyone under the circumstances as some are calling for. The Mayor only seemed again to be concern when the looting got near the hotel district;calling off police rescueing people form there home to stop that looting. I naver once saw the N.O. police chief on the news after the storm assuring people.The N.O. police seemed to lack leadership in interviews. I am sure that they were exhausted having been probably on 12 hrs or more shifts two days prior to the storm directing the evacuation.Where were the State Police that the Governor controls.There should have been hundreds assigned to help local poilce after the storm.You have to take control as fast as you can in these situations.The convention center and the Dome should have been heavily policed immediately.

[Guest Edith]

some of the comments that i'm reading on this site are very appalling. Yes SOME people are rapping, shooting, looting. But there are THOUSANDS that are NOT. Put yourself in their shoes. You have 1 job, you live in public housing, live paycheck to paycheck, have children and most likely all your family members live in the same state ... please tell me where are you supposed to go???

 

We had warning of hurricane katrina for 3 days. The governement did nothing about the situation except for leave the city. When Katrina hit on SUNDAY, there was soo much devastation I only saw Red Cross and helicopters saving people's lives the governement didn't react, didn't say anything or do anything until FRIDAY of the next week.... do u see anything wrong with that???? you should. when 911 occur the president was in NY the next day .... the gov't was helping out and just imagine if we had a warning what could have happen ... do you see the prejudice??? you should

 

The issue of race has also been brought up. I do believe that it is a racial issue. Mississippi, Alabama, Louisana are the most poorest states and around 80% of the people in those states are African Americans. Why did help arrive so late? Why wasn't there a plan of getting the people who had no where to go somewhere to go? Why? If this would've happened in New England, DC, California we would not be having this discussion we would be praising how good of a job the gov't has been doing

 

Shame on the governement . The most powerful nation in the world is NEGLECTING their OWN. The media has the nerve of calling people from Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana refugees.... REFUGEES how can you be a refugee in your own country ???? My prayers go out to the VICTIMS of hurricane Katrina and Eventhough help arrived VERY VERY late atleast it arrived

[Guest The White House]

President George W. Bush spoke to the nation live from the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C.

 

Good morning. Yesterday I saw the aftermath of one of the largest natural disasters ever to strike America. A vast coastline of towns and communities are flattened; one of our great cities is submerged. The human costs are incalculable.

 

In Biloxi I met Bronwynne Bassier and her sister, Kim. Bronwynne told me that the only earthly possessions she has left were the clothes on her back. I also met relief and rescue workers who are performing heroically in difficult circumstances. They've been working around the clock, risking their own lives to save the lives of others. Yet, despite their best efforts, the magnitude of responding to a crisis over a disaster area that is larger than the size of Great Britain has created tremendous problems that have strained state and local capabilities. The result is that many of our citizens simply are not getting the help they need, especially in New Orleans. And that is unacceptable.

 

This morning I received a briefing on the latest developments on the ground. Right now there are more than 21,000 National Guard troops operating in Louisiana and Mississippi, and more are on the way. More than 13,000 of these troops are in Louisiana. The main priority is to restore and maintain law and order, and assist in recovery and evacuation efforts. In addition to these National Guard forces, the Department of Defense has deployed more than 4,000 active duty forces to assist in search and recovery, and provide logistical and medical support.

 

Hour by hour, the situation on the ground is improving. Yet the enormity of the task requires more resources and more troops. Today I ordered the Department of Defense to deploy additional active duty forces to the region. Over the next 24 to 72 hours, more than 7,000 additional troops from the 82nd Airborne, from the 1st Cavalry, the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, and the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force will arrive in the affected areas. These forces will be on the ground and operating under the direct command of General Russ Honore.

 

Our priorities are clear: We will complete the evacuation as quickly and safely as possible. We will not let criminals prey on the vulnerable, and we will not allow bureaucracy to get in the way of saving lives.

 

Yesterday I also signed a $10.5 billion emergency aid package to fund our ongoing relief efforts. This is a down payment on what will be a sustained federal commitment to our fellow citizens along the Gulf Coast. I want to thank the Congress for their quick, bipartisan action, and I look forward to working with them in the days and weeks ahead.

 

 

President George W. Bush speaks to the nation during a weekly radio address, live from the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C., September 3, 2005. Accompanying the president are (L to R) Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Richard Myers, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Homeland Secretary Michael Chertoff. White House photo by Paul Morse I know that those of you who have been hit hard by Katrina are suffering. Many are angry and desperate for help. The tasks before us are enormous, but so is the heart of America. In America, we do not abandon our fellow citizens in their hour of need. And the federal government will do its part. Where our response is not working, we'll make it right. Where our response is working, we will duplicate it. We have a responsibility to our brothers and sisters all along the Gulf Coast, and we will not rest until we get this right and the job is done.

 

This week we've all been humbled by the awesome powers of Mother Nature. And when you stand on the porch steps where a home once stood, or look at row upon row of buildings that are completely under water, it's hard to imagine a bright future. But when you talk to the proud folks in the area, you see a spirit that cannot be broken.

 

The emergency along the Gulf Coast is ongoing; there's still a lot of difficult work ahead. All Americans can be certain our nation has the character, the resources, and the resolve to overcome this disaster. We will comfort and care for the victims. We will restore the towns and neighborhoods that have been lost in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. We'll rebuild the great city of New Orleans. And we'll once again show the world that the worst adversities bring out the best in America.

 

May God bless you, and may God continue to bless our country. - President George W. Bush

[Guest markwebber]

O.k. first of all you Bush worshipping morons need to stop putting whole speeches by your idiotic president on these discussion baords. You want to know what Bush is about, watch what he does not what he dribbles out from some paper that some other high paid moron wrote for him.

 

Secondly, I am asking this question on every discussion board that I can get on in hopes that someone else will start asking this question:

 

I want to start asking the question and I want others to start asking the question, why the governement was able to get 26 FOREIGN COUNTRIES to promise oil to the US before it was able to get clean water and food to people dying and in need?

That should tell you where their priorities are! Go back and trace the news stories and find out what they were working hard to do!

 

This is negligence to the highest level and all of these politicians, scumbag republicans or scumbag Democrats, that were supposedly responsible should go to jail for passing themselves off as someone capable of handling a crisis!

[Guest what(heres another reply)]

I dont believe in the excuse of not enough money, they were just hoping it would miss them. If they wanted to leave bad enough they could have. That is a lame excuse. Now I did say I still felt concern for these people. It is sickening yes. But I knew people would see this as a chance to blame the government. They could of reacted better but by no means is this there fault. Im surprised this honestly hasnt happened yet. Look at the area. On top of that who straightened out the Mississppi River? This has been causing the city to sink for years, oh yes that was the brilliant plan of the democrats. On top of that why is it federal gov's responsibility to have a plan for emergency for every city. The people of New Orleans should of taken the precautions themselves years ago. That is my opinion but that doesnt mean Im a sick heartless person. Because I still care about these people and what they are going through. It is sad to see that in the US but we cant rely on the government to do everything for us. Sometimes the people should just do it. I know if I was there I would have found a way out no matter how poor. Its bad when you see the other part of the city leaving. Ive even seen reports where police officers pullled over a school bus loaded full of people, guess what they got sick of waiting and hot wired a bus. Good for them, at least they are using there freaking brains. I remember seeing a picture where they levy was actually breaking and right in front of it were some morons dancing like it was a game. Im sorry but that is stupid. Im glad the coast gaurd left those people that were shooting at them. What is wrong with some of these people, they are shooting at the people trying to save them. Along time ago this would have been considered natures way of controlling life, now people freak out because some die. Yes it is wrong but it could have been alot worse. Look what happened in Asia at least these people got a warning.

 

But none of this changes the fact that NOW we need to come together as a nation and take care of this. Just like a 9/11 the country was united. People now are just worried about pointing fingers at everyone but themselves. I got an idea on where they can put that finger but oh well. There is always some bleeding liberal out to criticize the government.

[Guest Very Angry Republican]

Ok I have had it. I am hearing reports of 10,000 or more dead in New Orleans.

I heard a story how a woman stuck in a flooded nursing home called nonstop for someone to rescue her. She died drowning in fustration.

 

David Vitter, Louisiana's freshman Republican senator, gave the federal government an F on Friday for its handling of the whirlwind after the storm. "The operational effectiveness" of federal efforts to date deserved a failing grade, or lower."

 

Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu on Saturday branded President George W Bush's visit to a busted levee in New Orleans a mere photo-op, and slammed his government's response to the hurricane tragedy.

 

Former Louisiana Senator John Breaux says for decades, there was talk about the need for more money to improve the levees that were supposed to keep the flood waters out of New Orleans. He says he and other lawmakers tried to secure the funds pointing to warnings from experts that the city could be under 20-feet of water.

 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) — once a lone agency, now part of the Homeland Security Department — has been slow to answer the crisis in the Gulf Coast states of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.

 

Did you know that three out of every four dollars the FEMA provides in local preparedness and first-responder grants go to terrorism-related activities, even though a recent Government Accountability Office report quoted local officials as saying what they really need is money to prepare for natural disasters and accidents.

 

Louisiana's Jefferson Parish is desperate for relief, but parish President Aaron Broussard says officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency turned back three trailer trucks of water, ordered the Coast Guard not to provide emergency diesel fuel and cut emergency power lines.

 

Why? FEMA has not explained. But the outraged Broussard said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" that the agency needs to bring in all its "force immediately, without red tape, without bureaucracy, act immediately with common sense and leadership, and save lives."

 

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff affirmed the frustration, telling NBC that local and state resources were so weakened, federal authorities need to take "more of an upfront role earlier on, when we have these truly ultra-catastrophes."

 

FEMA's director has Michael Brown, has made several shocking public admissions, including interviews where he suggested FEMA was unaware of the misery and desperation of refugees stranded at the New Orleans convention center. He obviously was not watching the news.

 

I guess this makes sense to the man in charge of this bungled New Orleans rescue. Michael Brown was fired from his last private-sector job overseeing horse shows.

And before joining the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a deputy director in 2001, GOP activist Mike Brown had no significant experience that would have qualified him for the position. It makes me wonder what qualifications our nations appointed leaders have to do a good job.

 

"I look at FEMA and I shake my head,'' said a furious Massachusetts Republican Governor Mitt Romney yesterday, calling the response "an embarrassment.''

 

On Friday, shortly after Brown contended that "people are getting the help they need," President Bush offered a different assessment, saying the level of relief was unacceptable.

 

Louisiana Congressman Bobby Jindal stated it best "People who want to volunteer for search and rescue operations, police from outside the state who want to help, all should be able to come to New Orleans without fear of wading through bureaucratic red tape. My constitutients don't care who brings them food and water, or take them to safety, just help these people."

 

I ranted enough. Thanks for giving an old timer a place to voice an uncensored opinion.

[Guest DC Government]

Almost 300 hurricane evacuees are now at the D.C. Armory.

 

They arrived at Dulles Airport shortly before noon on a Delta Air Lines flight from New Orleans. Metrobuses then brought them to the armory, where they were met with applause. Those on the buses made peace signs and waved out open widows. Some have yellow ribbons on their wrists. All are being kept far away from reporters.

 

A second plane of evacuees later arrived at Dulles. Those evacuees arrived at the armory about an hour and 20 minutes after the first group.

 

D.C. officials said 177 people were on the first plane of hurricane survivors, and two had to go straight to hospitals when they arrived at the airport. Ten children and two infants were among the group on the first plane. The second plane has 118 people.

[Guest Another Sickened Citizen]

I cannot believe there are people in our country that think that any part of what has and is happening along the gulf is acceptable. And, it is wrong to believe that those who have suffered the most had alternatives. I am sickened by the poor government response and unfotunately it was too little to late for the 1000s likely to have died. Whether it is the poor person who had too little money to leave, the tourist who could not find a ride, the elderly person stuck in a nursing home or the patient in Charity hospital. None of them should have died. We have spent billions planning on Homeland security. These plans should have been relatively easily adjusted to fit a natural disaster. I pray that no other emergency occur until the government gets it head out of its butt and can prepare to deal with a crisis efficiently..

[Guest all]

All some people are saying that it could have been worse. It is very sad people have died, but we are talking a category 5 hurricane with 200 mph winds. No not everyone is going to survive. Are you one of those morons who think that not a single troop should of died in Iraq? Yes it is horrible and I can imagine the pain but sometimes sh** happens. That doesnt mean we are saying it was good or bad. I just think it is lame that instead of just helping these people everyone wants to point their fingers. This is just something else for people who hate bush to complain about. What was he supposed to send in the national gaurd before the storm? There was an order evacuation, to me this is the cities fault FIRST than the federal governments fault. I mean all these people have been in this city for awhile and they get many hurricanes. They should of thought this could eventually happen. And in case you want to know I have donated to help these people. We as a country should come together instead of worrying about the blame. We need to discuss how it could have went better not who is at fault. Im just thankful it isnt worse than it is. I mean what if the city wasnt even evacuated? Can you imagine that? That is worse. Im just saying quit complaining all the time about government. It seems everyone blames everyone else sometimes and its annoying to listen to.

[Guest Another thing]

Your talk about Homeland Security. To me that is a load of crap. I think homeland security should go for securtiy as in terrorism and attacks not natural disasters. FEMA is responsible for that and the national gaurd and such. It is the states responsibility to order the national gaurd not Bush. This was a predicted category one just a day or so before it hit new orleans and still the city wouldnt have flood if the levies hadnt broke. What is Bush supposed to go and inspect every levy built in every city? Sometimes the STATE government needs to act first and not federal. Another thing that is ironic lets say somehow the federal gov did step in and got everyone out of the city, and than the hurricane barely misses new orleans somehow. No flooding or severe damage, than you people would all be complaining cause the federal gov stepped in and now it is their fault that the citizens couldnt go to work and they were wrong for evacuating the city and the hurricane missed. It doesnt matter what happened you all would complain about something.

[Guest Semper Fidelis]

This is the largest continental National Guard deployment in history, including 9/11. Units have arrived from 40 states. The problem is management. Soldiers in New Orleans are getting fustrated because it is a giant fuster cluck down there. Our green side out leaders need to get squared away or our boys will be **inappropriate material** to elbows.

[Guest Nancy]

Michael Chertoff, President Bush's director of Homeland Security, had just given host Tim Russert his explanation of why there should be no accountability for the White House. Mr. Broussard responded that determining who was responsible was absolutely necessary:

 

"And believe me, they need to be fired right away, because we still have weeks to go in this tragedy. We have months to go. We have years to go. And whoever is at the top of this totem pole, that totem pole needs to be chain-sawed off and we've got to start with some new leadership."

 

The White House has insisted over and over again that accountability is simply a matter of political gamesmanship. This could not be further from the truth.

 

Accountability ensures that our government can function as the American people deserve -- and for the past week and a half, it clearly has not.

[Guest Get A Clue Right Wingers]

First of all, I believe that the person who mentioned Homeland Security plans is correct. Not that Homeland Security needed to be involved. It is the job of FEMA. However, one would think that FEMA could access some of the emergency plans set up by Homeland Security and adapt them to the situation. Secondly, I agree that there are failures on the part of the local government as well as the Federal government. However, I fault the US Government for having 60% of LA's National Guard troops in Iraq. Evenso, the state could have and should have done more. As for the local city, town and parish governments, I do not blame them at all. Their infrastructures were destroyed. It would be impossible for those governments to respond when they are in the the middle of it. Yes, in a Catagory 5 (or in this case it was actually a Catagory 4 when it hit) unfortunately people will die. But, the fact is most people did not die from the storm and even from the initial flood. They died because no one was there to get them out. And, do not tell me one more time that it is the individuals fault because they stayed. If it was your grandmother in the Nursing Home that no one responded to after days of calling for help, I doubt you would be singing the same tune. If it was your wife or child that was raped in the Superdome because there was such a minimal police/military presence would you still blame the victims. More should have been done and could have been done. No one can change what as happened, just as no one could change what happened on 9/11. That does not mean that mistakes weren't made and that in some cases certain agencies and individuals should be held accountable. FEMA as well as State Emegency Management Agencies are mandated with responding to this exact type of emergency, they failed in the initial response and people died because of it. Congress is right to look into what happened and what failures occured. And if there are individuals found to have dropped-the-ball they should be fired.

 

... one more thing ... you asked the other person if they are the type that believe that no troop should have died in Iraq ... I say that no soldier should have given his life. I belive this not because I am blind to the fact that there are casualties in all wars, but because Bush should never have started the war in the first place. Right

[HailtotheChief]

The crisis is over Help has arrived.

 

Some people stand in the darkness

Afraid to step into the light

Some people need to help somebody

When the edge of surrender's in sight

 

Don't you worry

It's gonna be alright

Cause I'm always ready

I won't let you out of my sight.

 

I'll be ready

I'll be ready

Never you fear

No don't you fear

I'll be ready

Forever and always

I'm always here.

 

 

David Hasselhoff

[Guest HalliburtonWatch.org]

In March, the former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which is tasked with responding to hurricane disasters, became a lobbyist for KBR. Joe Allbaugh was director of FEMA during the first two years of the Bush administration.

 

Today, FEMA is widely criticized for its slow response to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

 

Allbaugh managed Bush's campaign for Texas governor in 1994, served as Gov. Bush's chief of staff and was the national campaign manager for the Bush campaign in 2000. Along with Karen Hughes and Karl Rove, Allbaugh was one of Bush's closest advisers.

 

"This is a perfect example of someone cashing in on a cozy political relationship," said Scott Amey, general counsel at the Project on Government Oversight, a Washington watchdog group. "Allbaugh's former placement as a senior government official and his new lobbying position with KBR strengthens the company's already tight ties to the administration, and I hope that contractor accountability is not lost as a result."

[Guest Congressman Jim Moran]

Our government failed its people last week. As the flood waters rose, thousands of residents in New Orleans were trapped, some in their homes, some in the Louisiana Super Bowl, the city’s massive, makeshift shelter. Starting last Tuesday, reporters from CNN, FOX and other media outlets captured the destruction, death and tragedy for a worldwide audience. You had to be living under a rock not to know what was going on.

 

Which makes the statement by the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Michael Brown, all the more egregious. When presented with the question of why early last week, FEMA did not get food, water and medical assistance to the people ensnared in what is one of the worst natural disasters in our nation’s history, he stated that he wasn’t aware, until Thursday, where the people were or what their needs were.

 

This ineptitude by the federal government violated the trust the American people have a right to vest in their government. In so many ways, Americans trust that their government will protect their interests. It’s why we let our sons and daughters go to foreign lands to fight wars. It’s why we pay our taxes. It’s why we obey official laws and orders.

 

But last week that sacred trust was breached. Whether it occurred because the images of poverty became so visible or the results of institutional racism were made so stark, or because of just pure incompetence, negligence on a criminal scale occurred when we abandoned thousands of American citizens to rot in squalor.

 

Two things must take place in the coming weeks. One, Congress must stop looking to the White House for all its cues and exercise its authority as an independent branch of the government. There must be an immediate, rigorous, and harsh determination of accountability for what happened, including hearings and a task force to carry out a full investigation.

 

On a second track, we need to prepare for the temporary resettlement of evacuees, the rebuilding of New Orleans and other areas ravaged by Katrina and the eventual return of the affected residents to their homes. I believe a person of the caliber of a Colin Powell, must be given singular authority and responsibility to carry out such an undertaking.

 

What’s already occurred cannot be undone. But the people of New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast have a right to at least expect this much from their government, and the people of America have a right to demand no less.

[Guest Helen]

How can the administration cope with a terrorist attack on a major city, given the stumbling federal effort in the hurricane’s aftermath.

[Guest Fiaz]

Michael Brown, you just failed to prepare the federal government for one of the greatest natural disasters in U.S. history, you got called out in Time magazine for lying about your qualifications for the job, and you just got demoted by the President of the United States. What are you going to do now?

 

I’m going to go home and walk my dog and hug my wife and, maybe get a good Mexican meal and a stiff margarita and a full night’s sleep. And then I’m going to go right back to FEMA and continue to do all I can to help these victims.

[Guest Lee Youngblood]

U.S. Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi issued the following statement on the decision to relieve FEMA director Michael Brown of his responsibilities of managing Hurricane Katrina relief efforts:

 

"Something needed to be done. While I have been hesitant to publicly criticize Michael Brown, my staff and I had already concluded that FEMA was overwhelmed, undermanned and not capable of doing its job. My office has been successful in working directly with Administration officials in Washington, instead of FEMA, to bring relief to Mississippians impacted by Hurricane Katrina. And we have worked with generous corporations, businesses and charities in funneling targeted relief to Mississippians where it is needed. Something needed to happen. Michael Brown has been acting like a private, instead of a general. When you’re in the middle of a disaster, you can’t stop to check the legal niceties or to review FEMA regulations before deciding to help Mississippians knocked flat on their backs. FEMA needs to just say ‘yes’ and get it done. I’m hopeful we’ll see some changes in that direction after today’s announcement."

[Guest Dumb Fox]

What the heck else could Bush do? He is in desperate need of a scapegoat!

[Guest David B]

BREAKING: The White House took Jon Stewart’s suggestion seriously, and plans to dip Mike Brown in Bronze, so that he can BECOME a medal…

[Guest Danny Murphy]

So he lied on his resume, he’s been shown to be incompetent at doing his job, and he’s going to continue to retain his job and salary? Yep, he’s a republican. This is like bush running his three separate companies into bankruptcy and the press calling him a successful businessman.

 

This CEO politics of protect the wealthy cronies during failure, but try to trash anyone who’s good who isn’t in your political party or wealthy is indicative of the sort of meltdown that is modern CONservatism. It’s irrational, insane and ridiculously incompetent. It also explains why the feel the need to ‘rig’ the election. Their subconscious must know they’re failure so therefore they must ’steal’ the election to ensure their success (at least in their minds). How sad is that?…

[Guest This is just stupid now]

People are complaining about getting help but now there is about 10,000 morons who wont even leave the freaking city. When asked why they wouldnt leave some quoted that there is to much money to be made in the next few months. After all this tradegy people are complaining about, alls some people still care about is money.

 

Another ironic thing, is now reports are that in fact the numbers for the death toll are much lower than expected. Quite frankly i thought this could have been much worse. What is the total population of New Orleans can someone tell me? Now that I find out how low the death toll is gonna be, I dont understand why people complain so much about the response. To me this is a break down of local and state government first and foremost. Now dont get me wrong the federal government still could of done better and they should investigate to see what went wrong here.

 

People complain because Bush didnt fly right down to the city the day of the hurricane. What was he supposed to go down their and start evacuating people himself. His advisors informed him that he shouldnt go down right away. Honestly him being there isnt really going to accomplish anything. He can actually be more affective at his ranch or on air force one. Technology allows him to pretty much operate the government from anywhere.

 

Another thing that gets on me is when ignorant people like Kanye West come out and play the freaking race card. That is disgusting and quite frankly he must be the most be a freaking idiot. The people listening to him about political matters are just as stupid. He is a RAPPER just trying to throw around his fame because he can sing songs. People just trying to find anything to compain about now. I mean yes the city is 60 percent black. What do you think the hurrican chose the city for that reason. NO besides everyone is suffering here not just blacks. Race plays no factor here, right now all who lived in the city are suffering. Frankly all this complaining is making people like me careless about the situation. But come on lets keeps looking for reason to bash the president that way we can try to elect Hilary as president. Dang now there is a primetime show about that. But anyway my concerns and prayers go out to those affected by this terrible situation.

[Guest Bob W]

The actions and inactions of Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin are a national disgrace due to their failure to implement the previously established evacuation plans of the state and city. Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin cannot 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. The plans projected that 300,000 people would need transportation in the event of a hurricane like Katrina. If the plans had been implemented, thousands of lives would likely have been saved.