Privatization responsible for the 5 day wait... ?

[EVDebs]

FEMA and the Bush administration dawdled for FIVE days before an enraged New Orlean's mayor shamed them into action. I am now learning that FEMA and the Army Corp of Engineers 'farm out', that is contract out, much of the work they used to do 'in house'. This includes the hiring of the buses that were supposed to rescue those stranded at the Superdome and Convention Center sites.

Fox News showed a private party helicoptering in and rescuing some stranded N.O. residents and gushing that privatizing was being done in order to get the job done. This appears to me to be IDENTICAL to the run-up to the Iraq War where contracts were being let out to favored parties, i.e. Halliburton, CACI, etc., etc.

DUers, please investigate who got those busing contracts that should have been arranged for PRIOR to Hurricane Katrina !

Also, since hurricane season isn't over yet until Nov., we can expect more. Where are the 'staging areas' and if buses for evacuation are necessary along with bottled water and 'meals ready to eat', why on God's green earth aren't those staging areas set inland around 150 miles from the coastal 'destruction zones' close enough but out of the way probability-wise from the brunt of the hurricanes ?

Oh, furthermore, those 'faith-based' groups like Salvation Army and the Souther Baptists are great for hurricane aftermath, don't get me wrong, but in immediate hurricane response evacuation and rescue...ahem, the National Guard (armed response) teamed with N.O. police and fire should have been there. As it turned out, the local police and fire units were overwhelmed; the National Guard is busy in Iraq.

If 'team Bush' tried to get off cheaply by privatizing response and rescue, THIS needs to be investigated. We need an independent investigation by DHS/FEMA Office of Inspector General and if that can't be trusted a simultaneous Congressional one.

[bloom]

1. You might find

this thread interesting:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4605531#4606142

[EVDebs]

2. Yeah, why rent buses when NewOrleans city must have buses also?

I can see why that post was locked up. This is VERY radioactive. Hurricane Emily was in 1993, so you've thought Repubs would have said something and tried to get Clinton then...they obviously had a completely compromised situation where no one would have investigated the situation, therefore nothing was changed. If you're too afraid to speak up and rock the boat the end result is a New Orleans 2005.

We need to demand an investigation NOW. The word is out.

Tom Oliphant and the PBS Lehrer Newshour mentioned 'corruption' the other night, but I thought they meant just in Louisiana. Very good questions...

[bloom]

8. There was an "Emily" this year as well...

2005 Hurricane Names


Arlene
Bret
Cindy
Dennis
Emily
Franklin
Gert
Harvey
Irene
Jose
Katrina
Lee
Maria
Nate
Ophelia
Philippe
Rita
Stan
Tammy
Vince
Wilma
-----

I think that what the thread is referring to.

They need to come up with more names and not repeat them as often. It gets confusing.

[EVDebs]

9. You're right. I still can't see what the Bush's have on Bill Clinton

who is now a real suck-up to the BFEE according to Arianna Huffington's huffingtonpost. Get away from those people Bill, before it's too late.

[Old and In the Way]

3. Outsourcing FEMA = Outsourcing responsibility.

No one gets held accountable in government.

[Totally Committed]

4. I couldn't agree more...

The responsibility lies squarely where it should: on the shoulders of George W. Bush and his band of thieves.

Racists.

Classists.

War profiteers.

Misery Profiteers.

Neo-Con Trash.

TC

[bloom]

5. FEMA "said they had to CONTRACT OUT for that and couldn't use volunteers.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4608106


"A group in Florida wanted to volunteer to bring in 500 air boats to help in the rescue efforts.

FEMA "emphatically" refused. They said they had to CONTRACT OUT for that and couldn't use volunteers.

Republican Rep. Mark Foley just said that on MSNBC.

UN.F#$KING.BELIEVABLE!"

[kansasblue]

6. I think you got it all wrong.... the investigation will find that...

(the Congressional investigation lead by the Republicans) will find that the private sector did ok, but the government screwed up. They'll recommend that FEMA and other agencies be outsourced.

so says KB

[applegrove]

7. Amen - only I don't think privatizing a public good actually saves

money (or people). They want a huge profit. The work does not get done professionally.