If anyone can explain what happened re: Blanco/WH/rescue efforts,

[complain jane]

can we please do it here in one compact thread?

I don't know how to separate fact from fiction anymore regarding what happened, and before I start to talk about it anywhere else I want to have my facts as straight as they can be right now.

From what I understand, the right is saying that the White House didn't send help because Blanco has to ask for help and didn't, and in addition she even refused it... and that Bush wanted to federalize the rescue effort (and I can't tell if that sounds like a good thing because it would unify the whole effort, or, a bad thing because of politics).

1. Is that an accurate description of what happened?

2. If it is, why did Blanco refuse the 'federalization' request?

3. Does the WH really have to wait for Blanco to agree to federalize the operation and/or request the help? Couldn't they have helped regardless?

4. Was this a political move by the Republicans? If it was, how so?

I just want my ducks in a row and I thought we could bring this together in one thread for an easily accessible source of info for anybody who wants to talk about it outside of here too.

Thanks!

On edit:

I've got this, the letter on the governor's website:

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

And this snippet from Homeland Security's website:

Preparing America

In the event of a terrorist attack, natural disaster or other large-scale emergency, the Department of Homeland Security will assume primary responsibility on March 1st for ensuring that emergency response professionals are prepared for any situation. This will entail providing a coordinated, comprehensive federal response to any large-scale crisis and mounting a swift and effective recovery effort. The new Department will also prioritize the important issue of citizen preparedness. Educating America's families on how best to prepare their homes for a disaster and tips for citizens on how to respond in a crisis will be given special attention at DHS.

http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/theme_home2.jsp

So now I don't understand if the governor wrote a letter August 28 (which, by the way, the right is starting to say is just a "cover your ass" letter, whatever that means- I guess they're saying it's fake), doesn't that give Homeland Security the ball?

[ananda]

1. re Blanco, tmk

To my knowledge, Blanco asked for help on August 26th and officially wrote the letter on August 28th, all proper, legal, and timely.

What I don't know is what she could have done regarding the LA NG and getting public transportation to evacuate the poor in NOLA?

Anyone?

Sue

[rwenos]

2. War is Peace. Blame the Democratic Governor.

Gee, has anyone heard anything unflattering about Governor Haley Barbour of Mississippi? (Ex-chair of RNC?)

Can we generalize from the disparate treatment of Governors Barbour and Blanco here? Is there a distinguishing trait between them?

I detect the hand of Iago Rove.

[NMDemDist2]

3. thanks dog, I'd love some help with this too. n/t

[kmccarthy]

4. Blanco

I understand from CNN that the WH did not inform Blanco of the trip. She had to call Andrew Card this AM to verify * was coming. She had to change plans at the last minute. They said that she was at the airport but the cameras weren't focused on her. She refused to sign over control of the LA National Guard to the Feds - rightly so, as the Guard is always under state control Looks like Bush is giving her the snub. I think this is a set up to make her look bad. Got Rove's stench all over it

[snot]

5. Here's a small compilation of info

Go here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4631895&mesg_id=4631895

The info is in the form letter and the links. While you're there, if you haven't already done so, please USE it to help make sure the media et al. are AWARE of these questions.

Thanks!

[blitzburgh55]

6. According the the FEMA website

they were ready to go and the National Guard was deployed. So where in the hell were they for days?

Homeland Security Prepping For Dangerous Hurricane Katrina
Residents in path of storm "Must take action now"

Release Date: August 28, 2005
Release Number: HQ-05-173

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency is warning residents along Gulf Coast states to take immediate action to prepare for dangerous Hurricane Katrina as it approaches land.

“There’s still time to take action now, but you must be prepared and take shelter and other emergency precautions immediately,” said Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response. “FEMA has pre-positioned many assets including ice, water, food and rescue teams to move into the stricken areas as soon as it is safe to do so.”

Landfall is currently expected late Sunday evening, with the eye of the storm arriving Monday morning.

On Saturday, President Bush has declared an emergency for the states of Louisiana and Mississippi opening up FEMA’s ability to move into the state and assist the state and local governments with mobilizing resources and preparations to save lives and property from the impact of Hurricane Katrina. FEMA is moving supplies of generators, water, ice and food into the region for immediate deployment once the storm passes. FEMA’s Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) and Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs) are also staged for immediate response anywhere in the region. The funding and direct federal assistance will assist law enforcement with evacuations, establishing shelters and other emergency protective measures.

FEMA has deployed USAR teams from Tennessee, Missouri and Texas to stage in Shreveport, LA.. USAR teams from Indiana and Ohio are staged in Meridian, MS. Two teams each from Florida and Virginia and one team from Maryland are on alert at their home stations.

A total of 18 DMATs have been deployed to staging areas in Houston, Anniston and Memphis. There are 9 full DMATs (35 members per team) and 9 strike teams (5 members per team) in these staging areas.

Both Mississippi and Louisiana have mandatory evacuation orders in place for some areas. National Guard troops have been deployed to assist law enforcement in evacuations.

Meanwhile, in Florida, joint federal-state-local damage assessments continue in the heavily impacted areas of south Florida from Hurricane Katrina’s impact on Thursday. The joint damage assessment teams are expected to finish much of their work on Sunday. Assessment teams are not only looking at whether structural damage to communities and individual homes and property exists, but also to what extent private insurance and other federal agency and volunteer organization programs will cover any damage found. This will help determine the need for a federal disaster declaration or if state and local resources can cover the remaining needs. The state of Florida has opened distribution centers in Homestead and Miami for commodities of ice, water and food. Power outages continue to be addressed and shelters are open for those in need.

FEMA’s Regional Offices in Atlanta, Georgia, and Denton, Texas, are monitoring Hurricane Katrina’s progress through the Gulf and are closely coordinating with Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama state Emergency Operations Centers. FEMA Advance Emergency Response Teams have been deployed to Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. FEMA has also sent Mobile Emergency Response Support vehicles to Mississippi and Louisiana. Eighteen Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs) and 3 Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) task forces have been deployed to the region for further dispatch when needed.

FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18461

[Lerkfish]

7. partial answers, to the best of my understanding:

1. there is a pdf floating around here somewhere of Blanco's direct and official request for aid, as early as tuesday. It was phrased something like "any and all available federal logistics and aid". The white house is trying to say that because she did not specifically say the exact word "troops" their hands were tied. It depends on what your definition of "is" is.
2. IF Blanco refused a "Federalization" request, she had good reasons: for one, FEMA is required to direct aid for disasters, without ever having to "federalize" an entire state. In other words, FEMA ALREADY has the responsibility to mitigate disasters. For the white house to demand she allow further "federalization" would mean putting her state's NG units under white house control. If you think for a moment, you realize why that would be a bad idea. Suppose Bush brought in thousands of active duty troops, enforced martial law, and started shooting citizens, a national guard could defend or put a halt to that. However, if she allowed "federalization" she would have no recourse, and no say in how the state was run or protected.
Knowing what we do about the Bush bunch, she might have been a doing an angel's work by refusing. Don't forget, Bush had already landed Blackwater Mercs and the Sonic Laser for ground "control" and Rove was spinning anarchy that Blanco knew was being exaggerated.
Under that scenario, I daresay I would have refused "federalization" as well. It would have been approving a military coup of Lousiana with no way to undo it.
3. Yes, as I stated further up, in the case of a natural disaster, FEMA has the responsibility to run the operations. They do not need federalization to do so, but they do have to coordinate with the governor, which apparently they refused to do, trying to blackmail her into capitulation on the federalization issue.

4. Hell yes, this was a political move by the republicans. Why hold up rescue effort to do a turf battle unless they considered politics above humanitarian efforts. A REAL leader would have gone with the best actions first, and haggle jursidiction later or during the efforts, without hampering existing efforts.

Now, the REAL question is: WHY did Bush want to federalize the rescue? WHY did Bush want to do so before effecting aid?

For some reason, it was vitally important to:

1. make exaggerated or false reports of anarchy and violence, to make pronouncements about zero tolerance for looting.
2. place Crowd control units and EXPENSIVE experimental crowd control equipment "in theatre" before aid was ever expedited. the sonic laser was allegedly brought in to broadcast instructions over long distances. Did that EVER occur? why not?
3. thwart attempts to remove the population earlier for no apparent reason.

experimental equipment suggests EXPERIMENT.
I leave it to shrewder minds than mine to determine the nature of the EXPERIMENT