The Katrina 'Prior Knowledge' Laundry List.

[reprehensor]

The Bush administration claims that they could not foresee the levee break in N.O.

This is irrelevant.

The fact of the matter is, that the flooding that would ensue from a Category 4 or 5 hurricane was well known, and it was also well known that MAJOR evacuation procedures would have to be enacted prior to landfall.

Beyond that, other experts did foresee a levee break.

But the poor of N.O. were left to drown due to budget cuts, cronyism, privatization, downsizing and plain old incompetence, a current specialty in D.C. these days.

This is Compassionate Conservatism in full swing.

'Culture of Life' my ass.

-----------------------------------------

'Drowning New Orleans'
October, 2001
http://sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa006&articleID=00060286-CB58-1315-8B5883414B7F0000

'Keeping Its Head Above Water'
New Orleans Faces Doomsday Scenario
December 1, 2001
http://www.hurricane.lsu.edu/_in_the_news/houston.htm

'Washing Away'
2002
http://www.nola.com/hurricane/?/washingaway/part1.html

'City in a Bowl'
September 20, 2002
http://www.pbs.org/now/printable/transcript_neworleans_print.html

'Disaster in the Making'
September 22, 2004
http://www.indyweek.com/durham/2004-09-22/cover.html

'A Way Out' ( Despite advances, the subject of evacuation has been a widely overlooked issue within the transportation field.)
April, 2004
http://hurricane.lsu.edu/_in_the_news/tmemag0404.htm

'A Disaster Waiting to Happen'
September 28, 2004
http://www.bestofneworleans.com/dispatch/2004-09-28/cover_story.html

'Gone With the Water'
October, 2004
http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0410/feature5/

What if Hurricane Ivan Had Not Missed New Orleans?
Novermber, 2004
http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/o/nov04/nov04c.html

Fire Michael Brown as FEMA head, Rep. Wexler urges President Bush
January 26, 2005
http://www.jewishsightseeing.com/dhh_weblog/2005-blog/2005-01-blog/2005-01-26-wexler-fema.htm

-------------------------------------------------------

Contrary to Scott McLellan, the time to lay blame is right now.

Meanwhile in the mirror universe;
http://thinkprogress.org/2005/09/02/katrina-estate-tax

BREAKING: Despite Katrina, Frist Will Call Vote on Estate Tax Repeal
Senate Finance Committee members were informed this morning that Sen. Bill Frist will move forward with a vote to permanently repeal the estate tax next week, likely on Tuesday, ThinkProgress has learned.

One stands in awe of Sen. Frist’s timing. Permanently repealing the estate tax would be a major blow to the nation’s charities. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has “found that the estate tax encourages wealthy individuals to donate considerably more to charity, since estate tax liability is reduced through donations made both during life and at death.” If there were no estate tax in 2000, for example, “charitable donations would have been between $13 billion to $25 billion lower than they actually were.”

As they did after 9/11 and during the lead-up to the Iraq war, conservatives have placed tax cuts for the most wealthy and well-off over the spirit of shared national sacrifice. What a stark contrast to the outpouring of generosity being shown by the American people in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

[longship]

1. Get this to the MSM

Recommended.
:kick:

[texpatriot2004]

2. Great post. Good list of events. n/t

[FrenchieCat]

3. Bookmarked!

Tbanks!

[rocktivity]

4. There were TELEVISION programs on the subject, for chrissakes!

I understand Bill Moyers did one, and I saw one on either the History or Discovery channels. I came away with the message that it was only a matter of time before a category 4 storm hit it, and they had Category 3 levees. Oh, and a PSA starring "Mr. Bill" of Saturday Night Live fame was also done!!!

:headbang:
rocknation

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

5. My new interpretation of what Bush meant when he said they did not

foresee the levee break. Let's just go ahead just take the man at his word, that THEY (he and his inner circle) did not foresee the levee break. And that threw a big monkey wrench in their Hero of Katrina time frame. I believe Bush has said somewhere that he wanted to get to the disaster area on Wednesday. The National Guard, some military, etc. were all set to go as SOON AS THEY GOT THE WORD FROM BUSH. (for support see the DU thread about the Northern Command being in place and useless until they heard from Bush)So, their initial plan must have been to visit the area on Wednesday.

But, the unforeseen levee break foiled that. All of a sudden the rising water and levee break had to be dealt with first, totally throwing off the initial time frame outlined for Bush to be the Cavalry and the Conquering Hero both as he literally rides in with the re-enforcements. You know that the people who cooked up the landing on the aircraft carrier would have been more than capable of dreaming up something like this.

So, anyway, being the stupid, immoral evil assholes that they are, they STILL keep with the program and try to time the incoming aid with Bush's arrival as a photo-op. Only, of course now they have actually caused who knows how many untold deaths due to the delay.
I think as time goes by and people are asked -"why were you in place and yet inactive - the answer will be time and time again "we had to wait for Bush."

[Mr_Spock]

6. Yep, most documented potential catastrophe ever

There are few excuses that can be used here. And it's what happens after the inevitable that says a lot - Bush failed miserably. MISERABLY!

[reprehensor]

9. Chertoff & Brown must resign NOW.

As for their boss, there is no suitable punishment.

[Usrename]

7. Very persuasive. I doubt not one whit.

And for the "just a bunch of science geeks making up stuff like global warming and CO2 and just a bunch of stuff Jesus never talked about, just a whole bunch of stuff, too much complicated science stuff, ya know" crowd theres:

"BETSY"don't ya luv er


http://www.usatoday.com/weather/resources/askjack/2003-10-09-hurricane-betsy_x.htm


probly don't need her though, but some people think (?) the longer ago it was the more another is 'imminent', -were due for a doozy.

[Usrename]

8. OH YEAH this nugget

Drowning New Orleans



If Congress and President George W. Bush hear a unified call for action, authorizing it would seem prudent.



<top of page 6 first sentence>

[BootinUp]

10. Excellent sources of info

thanks.

Anyone interested in the evacuation problem, read "A Way Out".

[reprehensor]

12. It's all good stuff.

I've been hammering trolls like whack a moles.

[NAO]

11. Thanks, I am working on a similar list. This is MOST IMPORTANT criticism

The prior knowledge / deliberate ignorance / greed motivated cheapness of disaster preparedness plans is THE WORST, MOST EGREGIOUS thing Bush has been guilty of to date.

The media need to talk less about how slow the response was, and what problems there are with current response, and LAY THE BLAME WITH BUSH AND HIS POLICIES for CUTTING PROGRAMS that would have largely mitigated this disaster.

[babylonsister]

13. Bookmarked for delusional brother! nt

[reprehensor]

14. Here's the sequel...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4634115

When we're out of Level 3, look for Eloriel's thiread in GD, very informative.