Does anyone remember that Bush declared Florida a disaster area

[Zen Democrat]

BEFORE the hurricanes even hit last year. He did a preemptive declaration in order to mobilize FEMA and the Guard and show what a compassionate conservative he was in the election year summer of 2004.

This time a Category 5 is announced to be moving into New Orleans. A mandatory evacuation is announced. Bush hid out from Cindy Sheehan in Crawford. No early mobilizations of aid.

I think this is Bush's MO. I don't think it's necessarily New Orleans that caused his lack of concern. It's that he NEVER has concern. The act he put on last summer for Florida voters was for two reasons: 1) his own campaign, 2) his brother was governor.

[liberaliraqvet26]

1. I lived in Palm Beach county during Frances...

we were just south of landfall. It was a bitch of a storm but nothing close to this. FEMA had water points all over the place and were giving out MRE's within a few hrs of the storm.

It was an election year though, remember that.

[Old and In the Way]

2. Maybe he's not concerned....but where are his advisers?

Huges, Rove, McClellen ought to be keeping him on task.....is he willfully choosing to heed their advice or are they part of the problem. Whatever it is, he needs to be force fed some "give a shit" pills.

[KerryOn]

8. Rove and McClellan were....

.... probably out playing golf or something why their boss was on vacation. (That's what I do when my boss goes on vacation.)

And I think Chaney must have had a heart attack.

[nytemare]

3. I think they did with Katrina as well.

Not that it appears to have done too much good, but I thought I remembered Saturday or so it being declared a disaster area.

[JimmyJazz]

4. He did in this case, too.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/08/28/hurricane.katrina/

I am only pointing this out because I don't want to give fodder to the right for saying we don't have our facts straight. However, I will also state that these declarations also mean little.

[Pirate Smile]

5. He declared LA and Mississippi disaster areas before the Hurricane

hit but that appears to have been all he did.

[DoYouEverWonder]

6. They did the same here

but they didn't follow through with any assistance. He stalled and dragged his feet as much as possible.

[Mabus]

7. The differences between the Florida declaration and Louisiana one

FWIW, the Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi declarations are identical except for the parishes/counties named and the person in charge.

And where is William Lokey, "the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area" for Louisiana? I haven't heard his name bantered around.

Florida's:

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
August 28, 2005

Statement on Federal Disaster Assistance for Florida

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Florida and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by Hurricane Katrina beginning on August 24, 2005, and continuing.

Federal funding also is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis in the counties of Broward and Miami-Dade for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance.

For a period of up to 72 hours, Federal funding is available at 100 percent of the total eligible costs for emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance. The period of up to 72 hours at 100 percent excludes debris removal.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. more at link

Louisiana's declaration: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050827-1.html

Statement on Federal Emergency Assistance for Louisiana

The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts in the parishes located in the path of Hurricane Katrina beginning on August 26, 2005, and continuing.

The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives, protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the parishes of Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, Catahoula, Concordia, De Soto, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Pointe Coupee, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Helena, St. Landry, Tensas, Union, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, West Feliciana, and Winn.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding.

Representing FEMA, Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Department of Homeland Security, named William Lokey as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

Links to the other two states named Alabama (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050828-3.html) and
Mississippi (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050828.html)