Will we hold our own accountable too?

[aikoaiko]

First let me say that if this horrible fiasco helps get the Bush successor defeated in 2008, I'll be very happy. The Federal level response to the crisis in NOLA is absolutely freakin horrible.

But having said that. Why did our democratic govenor and mayor leave so many people behind? It was their responsibility to get the National Guard in and get the job done of getting people out.

When Hurrican Floyd was heading for Savannah (where I live) and the largest evacuation at that time took place, there were national guard and LEO types at every major intersection. It kept the order and they helped people. Of course nothing ended up happening, but they were there if it did.

My take: Its our fault the people were left behind. We knew better and should have cared more. Its Bush's fault and the republicans at the federal level for not stepping in when it was clear that the Governor and Mayor screwed up.

[JimmyJazz]

1. IMHO, when authorities call for a MANDATORY EVACUATION, then

anyone who desires to leave should be provided with a means to do so. It should not be limited to those who can afford to leave and it shouldn't mean that the poor get shuffled into inadequate facilities at the 11th hour. So, whoever called for the "Mandatory Evacuation" and didn't provide for the means for the poorest among us to evacuate is to blame, whether they be democrat or republican.

In the future, the term "mandatory evacuation" should mean just that.

[WhollyHeretic]

4. I agree and not only did they not provide means for people to leave

but they ordered people back to the city when the highway got jammed.

edit to add: The federal government should have sent every bus they could get their hands on to evacuate the people before the storm, they knew what would happen with a storm like this. The mayor doesn't have the power or resources to do somehting like that.

[The Traveler]

2. The MAYOR left no one

He has been screaming for support for days. The Governor I am not so sure about. But ... those who brown nosed the Bushistas need not look to me for support. Drive them out of this Party into the Party that truly represents their values vacuum.

[aikoaiko]

5. after the fact he screamed

before, he held a press conference, said people should leave, directed everone else to the superdome, and then he left.

He had the local cops and buses at his disposal.

[The Traveler]

7. A sensible course

of action ... and then he CAME BACK, with his staff intact and completely overwhelmed with the magnitude of the disaster.

But ... he is still there ... get my point?

[aikoaiko]

9. so leaving people there was sensible?

he was not powerless to act before the hurricane hit -- get that point.

I'm for holding everyone accountable for this mess -- Nagin, Blanco, and Bush. The leaders, some of them ours, failed.

[The Traveler]

11. Some of ours did indeed fail

Nagin, I think, did all right. Blanco ... I am not so impressed with. Please bear in mind they were acting from a rehearsed procedure ... but somone in Washington let 'em down. Could they have done a better job? Certainly. A LOT of poor people had no viable escape.

This is what happens when you "starve the beast".

[The Traveler]

8. BTW -- I notice

you are from another great city ... Savannah. Beautiful town, gracious and fun loving people. New Orlean's sister on the coast.

[aikoaiko]

10. ty, i don't mean to be antagonistic...

... i just can'y stand giving anyone a free pass on this mess because of party affiliation.

[The Traveler]

12. I'm not taking it that way

I feel your intention, and we do not disagree in very fundamental ways.

I love you for your outrage ... for this is a time when outrage is the only decent, sane reaction. And Democratic patsys who have kowtowed to this tyrannical regime deserve to be thoroughly spanked by the likes of you and me.

[Frances]

3. FEMA has always been responsible for emergencies

like this. The governor and mayor begged for help and it didn't come. The mayor of Slidell just ripped the federal government for refusing to help as have many other town officials on the Gulf Coast.

Your tax dollars went to Homeland Security just so the U.S. would be prepared in time of emergency.

No way can the mayors or governors be held responsible for what the U.S. is supposed to do and FAILED to do.

(And what happened in Savannah was nothing like this in degree or scale.)

[aikoaiko]

6. Did you read the request for help by the gov on the randi rhodes site

I read it, mostly beaurucratic stuff, but it seemed like she mostly asked for money for cleanup and housing for afterward -- nothing about prehurricane evac.

here it is: http://gov.louisiana.gov/Disaster%20Relief%20Request.pdf

[Blue_Roses]

13. First of all, Savannah is not even a quarter of the population of

New Orleans ....

[aikoaiko]

14. and yet we bussed people inland

for those without the means to leave on their own.

My point was that even though far fewer people and property were at risk, there was a greater national guard/Leo presence throughout the event than there was for NOLA. Our people (the mayor and gov) were in charge of that.

[Holly_Hobby]

15. There is a reason

they call it the WHITEhouse.

I would have named it the PINKhouse, because we're all pink on the inside.

[MadeinOhio]

16. I am fully behind having Governor Blanco resign or whomever didn't help.

I am all for having them resign immediately. And the removal of Nancy Pelosi from office as it seems to me certain democrats like her care more about economic concerns....

[aikoaiko]

17. Some people here say give her a break because

she was a school teacher. That shocks me. She's smart enough to know that there were many poor and carless people in NOLA who would need help and prodding to get out of harms way.

When mandatory evac were called for the mayor of NO and the Gov of LA could have mobilized LEO and buses and gotten many of the poor out.

[Frances]

18. So your answer is to go after the people with little power

and let Bush off the hook.

Great Idea! Bush has made one mess after another his whole life and each time he blamed someone else and moved on to make even worse decisions.

How many people have to die before you hold Bush accountable?

[aikoaiko]

19. perhaps you donn't understand the concept of "too".

there's enough blame to go around and I won't be giving free passes to anyone. Some of our people were responsible for this mess, too.

If you see this is only an opportunity to get rid of Bush, then you are exploiting the pain and suffering of the survivors. If you want to hold all those accountable because the pain and suffering of survivors calls for it, then you have to include some of ours as well as Bush for dessimating FEMA and the response after the crisis.

[NorthernSpy]

21. all the people who brought us this debacle should answer for it

It's not an either-or situation.

[NorthernSpy]

20. Absolutely! Blanco should resign. She is a disgrace, period.

The mayor of New Orleans -- well, I'm not too impressed with him either. But to be fair, he simply does not have the resources that the state government could have brought to bear on the situation while the hurricane was still offshore.

Blanco has no excuse. She's either too callous or too incompetent to protect her people. Which ever it is, she needs to go away and stay away.

Frankly, I'd like to see her prosecuted. There is no excuse for her inaction.