The Governor didn't say the MAGIC WORD--she didn't say troops.

[bklyncowgirl]

On Tuesday she asked for military response. She told the White House to give her everything they could give her.

But she didn't say the word troops.

That's how they are going to defend themselves. The Governor faced with the loss of thousands of lives and the destruction of a unique and beautiful city didn't cross every T and dot every I in her application form. Sort of like throwing your car registration in the garbage because you left out the zip code.

This is ridiculous. Even if, and I doubt this happened, the Governor, in her request for military aid failed to say the word troops, any half way intelligent person would ask a simple question or two to get to the response that the law requires.

Even a clerk at the Motor Vehicle Bureau knows that if someone leaves out something on a form, that you hand the form back to the person and tell them what they have to do. You don't throw the form in the garbage and go about your business because someone left out the Zip Code.

The President of the United States is not a Motor Vehicle Bureau clerk. If somehow, the Governor failed to say troops, the President should have said "Governor, I need a specific request from you for troops."

We're in the shift the blame game now and this is going to get ugly. They're going to blame it on the Governor, they're going to blame it on the Mayor. They're going to blame it on the victims.

This is disgusting.

[ananda]

1. not only disgusting but..

.. also inhuman and vengeful.

Bush is one of the nastiest pieces of work I've ever seen in a president, but then he's the selection of the corporate greedfuckers and crazee evangelicals and not elected by nor responsible to the people.

He and his admin do not care about LA because the governor is a Dem and NOLA is black and blue (play on words intended).

Sue

[ClintonTyree]

2. I think most people will be able to see through this smoke-screen

the bush administration is in full CYA mode and, GASP! blaming everyone but themselves! Who would have thought? :shrug:

This sin;t going to wash with anyone, it's the lamest excuse I've ever heard.

[PA Democrat]

3. There aren't any more resources reaching worst-hit areas of Mississippi

and Alabama. So if the Bush administration really was just waiting for the request, why aren't there resources in those states either? Are we to believe that no state or local authorities have requested federal help in ALL THREE STATES??????

Gee, what are the odds, state and local officials in all 3 states haven't requested federal help or the federal government has failed miserably to manage the federal relief effort?

[DeepModem Mom]

4. Good point. There's nothing there either --

I just saw it on TV earlier this morning. Folks just sitting around, still waiting for help.

[wli]

8. We aren't hearing a peep from Alabama or Mississippi. n/lt

[PA Democrat]

10. I guess their Republican governors place party loyalty over the welfare

of their people. Haley Barbour has been falling all over himself to praise Bush.

But CNN's Anderson Cooper is reporting from Mississippi and says the people the Feds are not present there either. He actually broke down in tears last night over his frustration that the dire needs of victims were not being met.

[Lerkfish]

5. you are a prophet, They are today starting to blame victims.

and further , a cracker-head white professor of sociology says the people did not leave before they were supposed to because they were "stubborn"

translation: code word for "shiftless"

sorry, I am mad beyond words today.

:mad:

[AnnInLa]

6. She said Send EVerything You've Got

she didn't say the word troops. They sent her Michael Brown. They will try to pin everything on Kathleen and the mayor. The people of LA will go ballistic when that happens.

[WI Independent]

7. Legally, she can't ask for troops... and Bush can't send them.

That's why we ALWAYS see the National Guard used in these situations, they report to the Governor. Federal troops are explicitly prohibited by law from being used to police civilians.

[BooScout]

9. Actually that's not quite right.....

Congress CAN authorize the use of Federal troops. There is a Congressional Exception to the Posse Comitatus Act which is the actual law you are referring to. They have done it in the past and they can do so now.

The other exception to the rule is the use of the National Guard as you pointed out. Of course Bush has not helped matters by calling up the National Guards all over the country and sending them to Iraq.

[Junkdrawer]

11. I don't think the Feds have the troops they say they have...

Every military organization has a 90/10 ratio of "support personnel" versus "on the ground with weapons personnel".

I submit the 60% of the NG that is still here has a WAY larger ratio and finding anything like a sufficient number of TRAINED Guardsmen with weapons so that order can be restored may well be an impossible task.

The muscle is in Iraq. The fat is stateside.

[Junkdrawer]

12. Kick

:kick: