Red Cross kept out of NOLA by Chertoff or Blanco?

[lumberjack_jeff]

Initially, Red Cross people on the ground were saying that they were being kept out of NOLA by federal homeland security.

Russ Knocke, press secretary for Chertoff essentially confirmed this last week.

Now, the Red Cross website says that they were kept out by state and local government, namely the Louisiana Homeland security department.

I hope that the motive isn't because Red Cross CEO Marsha J. Evans is a Republican.

[jobycom]

1. I think you are talking about two different time frames

The story is that before the hurricane the Red Cross was kept out by state and local officials, including Nagin, because they were afraid that allowing the Red Cross into shelters would make the shelters more permanent. I don't know if that's been verified or debunked. I heard another suggestion that the Red Cross themselves stayed out of NO before the hurricane because there were no safe shelters. My aunt, who volunteers for the Red Cross and is a definite opponent of Bush, believes the former reason.

AFTER Katrina, the Red Cross wanted to go into New Orleans but were told by the Louisiana department of the Homeland Security department (no, I don't know exactly how that works) rejected their request. I forget the reason, but it was silly and beauracratic, IIRC.

So I think you are talking about two different time frames. I could be wrong, but that's the way I understand the story.

[jobycom]

2. To add: it could also be

that the Red Cross home page is saying the Louisiana branch of Homeland Security Department is a state agency. Again, I don't know how the HS is divided up, or what it means that there is a state branch of the federal department, or if the two are even connected.

[Kagemusha]

3. No one does. I only found out today about Chertoff's powers.

I mean, in print, from a Knight Ridder article.

This thing's a mess but, who was responsible for what, was written down loud and clear, and simply... ignored. And because it was ignored, after the fact we're supposed to pretend it wasn't important. But the records exist.

[Spazito]

8. It seems, by way of this article from Washington State, directors

are appointed federally not via the state which would make them, imo, answerable to the federal agency as opposed to the state. It is a red herring, surprise, surprise, to point fingers at the state for the action of federal appointees.

"Shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, President Bush appointed Pennington to head the Region 10 office of FEMA, overseeing the government's disaster response in Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Idaho. He makes $138,000 a year."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002484649_pennington10m.html

[lumberjack_jeff]

13. The regional FEMA directors...

...do not answer to state government. Pennington, for instance, does not report to Gov Christine Gregoire.

The red cross is not saying that the regional fema director is preventing them from entering, they're saying that state and local officials are.

If that's true, it's interesting. If it's a lie, it's even more interesting.

[lumberjack_jeff]

4. But it seems to me that...

If that were the case, wouldn't federal HSD and the people on the ground all be singing from that sheet of music? Especially in the first couple of days.

I saw lots of media quotes from people describing the federal HSD refusal to let the Red Cross in, including quotes from Red Cross staffers. Then suddenly I see a new freeper meme - that Blanco kept 'em out, and they point to the Red Cross FAQ's as proof that it wasn't Brownie's fault.

It's all very confusing.

[Coastie for Truth]

7. You're confused

I am a Red Cross volunteer, and a Ham Radio Emergency Operator (Extra Class, ARES/RACES qualified), and a Coast Guard Veteran (Port Safety New Orleans - small world) -- and Wed 9/7 the local chapter told me that "the word" was that DHS-FEMA kept us out. No reason given.

Politically -- Bush-Cheney-Rove want to break the power of African American Democrats and of the Democrats in Louisiana. They want Blanco and Landriew out. Understand. It's all Bush-Cheney-Rove politics.

And Bush-Cheney-Rove will trash anybody that gets in their way.

Do the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" ring a bell? How about Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill? Or Valerie Plame? or Max Cleland? If it served their purpose they would call Pope Benedict a commie.

[lumberjack_jeff]

11. If "the word" is that FEMA is keeping people out...

Then why does the red cross website say that Blanco is holding the reins?

Is the red cross in the pocket of the administration?

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

12. Red Cross is controlled by Bush.

http://www.redcross.org/press/disaster/ds_pr/030417ridge.html

On edit -- He has the power to appoint people to their board. This is just one example. I have to work and this was the quickest way to show it.

[lumberjack_jeff]

14. Rhetorical question

If politial patronage on the Red Cross board of directors is inhibiting the political reforms which would mitigate future Katrina's, why send them money?

Why should the DNC website have a link to the Red Cross when they spend the money collected, publishing news releases blaming disaster response on us?

I mean, if money I send to the red cross will be spent to protect the empires of those who allow disasters to happen, wouldn't I be better off keeping it? For disaster response, I'm obviously on my own. I may need that money to buy my own guns and sandbags.

The appearance of partisanship is a pitfall that intelligent people would have avoided. Yet another reason that anyone Bush would appoint should be automatically excluded from just about anything meaningful.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

15. And this is precisely why I haven't sent money to the Red Cross.

You don't have to contribute to them if you feel the need to help. There are lists of many other organizations that are giving assistance.

[Coastie for Truth]

17. Be there

VOLUNTEER your time and effort and ATP (ATP is the enzyme in your body that converts food to energy) to helping these people.

Take somebody's training - anybody's. I am not a Salvationist - but they have an outstanding training and service program.

When you personally have changed somebody's life for the better by "being there" and "doing something" - something more then writing a LTTE or a blog or even a check -- it is a high for you and for that recipient.

I am not a Bible Thumper (I'm somewhere out there with the United Church of Christ and Glide Methodist Church and Beyt Tikkun and the Unitarians) - but I really believe that "Whatever" works miracles through the intervention and presence of volunteers on the ground (along with the fire fighters and paramedics and Coast Guard people)

[Coastie for Truth]

16. Answering a bunch of questions

OmmmSweetOmmm - - and lumberjack_jeff - and ---

You folks asked a bunch of questions.

The Red Cross is and is a "501(c)(3) corporation" (tax exempt charity) See http://www.access.gpo.gov/uscode/title26/subtitlea_chapter1_subchapterf_parti_.html|Internal Revenue Code - Exempt Organizations>. Because of it's role under international treaties (The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Geneva Conventions) and its tax status, the American Red Cross is subject to substantial Federal Oversight.

Sec. 501. Exemption from tax on corporations, certain trusts, etc.

(a) Exemption from taxation - An organization described in subsection (c) or (d) or section 401(a) shall be exempt from taxation under this subtitle unless such exemption is denied under section 502 or 503.
(c) List of exempt organizations

(3) Corporations, and any community chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literary, or educational purposes, or to foster national or international amateur sports competition (but only if no part of its activities involve the provision of athletic facilities or equipment), or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals, no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder
or individual, no substantial part of the activities of which is
carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence
legislation (except as otherwise provided in subsection (h)), and
which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the
publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on
behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.

OmmmSweetOmmm - the President's power to appoint Board members derives from the 1905 Act of Congress chartering the Red Cross - and its international role under three Geneva Conventions.

Lumberjack_jeff, good questions--

If politial patronage on the Red Cross board of directors is inhibiting the political reforms which would mitigate future Katrina's, why send them money?


What appears to be "political patronage" is actually Congressionally mandated. See the above links to a discussion of the Congressional Charter and the Geneva Conventions


Why should the DNC website have a link to the Red Cross when they spend the money collected, publishing news releases blaming disaster response on us?


I don't follow your question


I mean, if money I send to the red cross will be spent to protect the empires of those who allow disasters to happen, wouldn't I be better off keeping it? For disaster response, I'm obviously on my own. I may need that money to buy my own guns and sandbags.


Do yer own thing. The Red Cross does publish location specific guidance on "go kits" for the various natural disasters that can strike our country - hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, earthquakes, floods. I live in a flood plain between two active earthquake faults.

<>

---I live between the San Andreas and Calaveras/Hayward Faults, in the Guadalupe River-Coyote Creek-Alviso Spill Way in the Red, "VIII-Very Strong" region at the southern tip of SF Bay in the map---


The appearance of partisanship is a pitfall that intelligent people would have avoided. Yet another reason that anyone Bush would appoint should be automatically excluded from just about anything meaningful.


It's part of the Congressional Charter - and would require an Act of Congress to change.


I am 65 years old - and served my country in the United States Coast Guard. I enjoyed doing emergency response/disaster response in the Coast Guard -- I like helping innocent people in peril (see the web site of Saint Florian). I do emergency service/disaster service response for a number of volunteer organizations -- Red Cross, FEMA's Citizen Corps Community Emergency Response Team (FEMA just publishes the core training guides - your local Office of Emergency Services and Fire Department run it), ARES/RACES (Congressionally chartered radio amateur response - one has workers' comp, the other one "you're on your own"). I have worked with the Southern Baptist Brotherhood and the Salvation Army.

Everybody has something to contribute -- Bush/Cheney/Rove/Chertoff are attempting to use and abuse and besmirch to cover their own asses and accomplish their own political ends.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

22. Thank you Coastie for your response and thank you too for your

service in the Coast Guard, my favorite branch of the armed services.
I used to do a lot of boating on Long Island Sound and it was wonderful to see them do rescues.

As to Bush and the Red Cross.... I doubt that the Congress in 1905 realized that there would ever be a President as corrupt as Bush is.

[jobycom]

9. The confusion is deliberate

BushCo is trying to confuse people, hoping they will forget what they already know and just let him fill in the blanks. Classic Bush tactic. Look how many reasons he has given for invading Iraq.

[Spazito]

5. Nah, no way, lol, they didn't change their story after being 'urged'

to do so by the bush admin, they didn't change their story from their original premise that it was FEMA who would not let them in to it was the STATE rep from FEMA who was to blame, Marsha wouldn't do that, would she? ROFLMAO

To assume that the Red Cross is autonomous from the bush admin is to assume that pigs fly.

[Selatius]

6. None of this would have happened if there...

were clear, definite boundaries of responsibility. How come Homeland Security was set up this way where there would easily be confusion as to who can do what???

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. There was a report that the Red Cross was at the table with the Feds

When these decisions were made.

So not only did the FEDs decided to deliberately withhold assistance. The Red Cross sat at the table when they made the decision and agreed to go along with it.

This change of tune sure sounds like they are trying to cover up their tracks.

[libertypirate]

18. Read between the lines

Louisiana Homeland security department is not a state office it is a federal office. Appointed by president cuckoo-bananas.

[hugo_from_TN]

20. No

It is a state agency. Here is the URL
http://www.loep.state.la.us/agencyrelated/aboutagency.htm

[Coastie for Truth]

19. YOU ARE SEEING THE ROVE MACHINE SHIFT INTO HIGH GEAR

First, listen to Ed Schultz on Jones Network (Carried with AAR) and Ray Taliafero on San Francisco's KGO-810 (audio streaming on the web). There is another scandal that is breaking with the politicization of FEMA --

These newly homeless people are being moved by FEMA to specific cities and Congressional Districts like chess pieces. This is to enhance Republican control of Congress. It is as blatant as DeLay's gerrymandering in Texas.

And the Rove controlled FEMA is going to try to blame everybody

-the Red Cross
-the cities that were supposed to receive them,
-the Orleans Parish and Louisiana State governments.

Everybody but the Rove plan - to cement political hegemony by moving people to Districts where they can't upset the GOP control in Congress or the GOP Electoral College Vote - or Gubernatorial vote.

Ed Schultz and Ray Taliafero and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome blew the whistle on this scam and have been on it for a week.

-- but it's still going on.

Blaming the Red Cross?

Read "What's the Matter with Kansas? How Conservatives Won the Heart of America" by Thomas Frank.

This is the Rove Big Lie - Red Cross, Max Cleland, Swift Boat Veterans, Paul O'Neill, Valerie Plame, .........

[Oilwellian]

21. The bottom line...

The State Homeland Security Department is a part of Homeland Security.
When a Federal State of Emergency is declared, Homeland Security is the acting manager/partner of State Homeland Security in all 50 states.

[lumberjack_jeff]

23. So the state homeland security department...

no longer has the power to, (as the Red Cross website's FAQ section says) prohibit the Red Cross from entering NOLA?

What I'm hearing leads me to believe that HSD (federal) is telling HSD (louisiana) whom to let in and whom not to.

[Coastie for Truth]

24. Here's another DU Link---

-- and bobbieinok is not my sock puppet.