Bush Administration Delayed The Evacuation Of Thousands Of New Orleans Residents

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Something that most of us could see unfoldiong live on TV. How many people did Bush kill by lying about the levees breaking and delaying evactuations?

-----------------------------------------------
Republicans' Report on Katrina Assails Administration Response
By ERIC LIPTON
Published: February 13, 2006

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 — House Republicans plan to issue a blistering report on Wednesday that says the Bush administration delayed the evacuation of thousands of New Orleans residents by failing to act quickly on early reports that the levees had broken during Hurricane Katrina.

A draft of the report, to be issued by an 11-member, all-Republican committee, says the Bush administration was informed on the day Hurricane Katrina hit that the levees had been breached, even though the president and other top administration officials earlier said that they had learned of the breach the next day.

That delay was significant, the report says, rejecting the defense given by the White House and the Department of Homeland Security that the time it took to recognize the breach did not significantly affect the response.

"If the levees breached and flooded a large portion of the city, then the flooded city would have to be completely evacuated," the draft report says. "Any delay in confirming the breaches would result in a delay in the post-landfall evacuation of the city." It adds that the White House itself discounted damage reports that later proved true.

The report, by the select House committee examining the government's response to Hurricane Katrina, is the first of three major investigations into the subject; the others, for which reports are expected within one or two months, are being conducted by a Senate committee and by the White House.
(CONTINUED)
http://tinyurl.com/9f2xt

[Mile High Shack]

you always are harping on states rights

why didn't the state do anything?

[TailgateNut]

you always are harping on states rights

why didn't the state do anything?


Ultimately the "Buck always stops at the Top". I know that's the rule in most businesses. Although the finger pointing starts as soon as a problem arises, and many middle level managers may have contributed by actions or the lack thereof ,the "Top Dog" must take the blame for the failure.
When a disaster is evident and others have not or cannot respond as required, the next "level" must recognize and act appropriately without delay!

[Mile High Shack]

Ultimately the "Buck always stops at the Top". I know that's the rule in most businesses. Although the finger pointing starts as soon as a problem arises, and many middle level managers may have contributed by actions or the lack thereof ,the "Top Dog" must take the blame for the failure.
When a disaster is evident and others have not or cannot respond as required, the next "level" must recognize and act appropriately without delay!

I agree

since the city was inept and so was the state, the Federal government should have done something

but honestly, the state should share most of the blame, disaster response is a state issue first

[Bronco_Beerslug]

you always are harping on states rights

why didn't the state do anything?

They didn't do enough, everyone knows that. This report is about Bush lying about when he knew the levees gave way and then delaying evacuation of thousands of people. How many people do you think died because of him lying not evacuating people?

[Garcia Bronco]

Here we go again...people have blamed this on everybody. They've blamed it on the Mayor...the LA Gov...Mike Brown...President Bush....Some people have actually blamed global warming for the strength of the hurricane...and they blame global warming on...you guessed it...President Bush. Get over it. The reason all those people died is because they were caught in a cat 4 hurricane and were ill-prepared for the conseqences. The saddest part is people that use their deaths to push their agenda

don't be the grasshopper...be the ant.

[Mile High Shack]

Here we go again...people have blamed this on everybody. They've blamed it on the Mayor...the LA Gov...Mike Brown...President Bush....Some people have actually blamed global warming for the strength of the hurricane...and they blame global warming on...you guessed it...President Bush. Get over it. The reason all those people died is because they were caught in a cat 4 hurricane and were ill-prepared for the conseqences. The saddest part is people that use their deaths to push their agenda

don't be the grasshopper...be the ant.

this right here is the truth

people had AMPLE warning to get out

[Garcia Bronco]

They didn't do enough, everyone knows that. This report is about Bush lying about when he knew the levees gave way and then delaying evacuation of thousands of people. How many people do you think died because of him lying not evacuating people?

What would you have done different?

[Spider]

don't be the grasshopper...be the ant.
And dont get a hummer from a fat chick ...... you will be branded evil .....

[Garcia Bronco]

And dont get a hummer from a fat chick ...... you will be branded evil .....


I don't understand your meaning.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Here we go again...people have blamed this on everybody. They've blamed it on the Mayor...the LA Gov...Mike Brown...President Bush....Some people have actually blamed global warming for the strength of the hurricane...and they blame global warming on...you guessed it...President Bush. Get over it. The reason all those people died is because they were caught in a cat 4 hurricane and were ill-prepared for the conseqences. The saddest part is people that use their deaths to push their agenda

don't be the grasshopper...be the ant.

Good job Garcia!

Never admit the president is lying and ultimately causing a how many deaths of Americans since he's been in office?

[Rigs11]

Here we go again...people have blamed this on everybody. They've blamed it on the Mayor...the LA Gov...Mike Brown...President Bush....Some people have actually blamed global warming for the strength of the hurricane...and they blame global warming on...you guessed it...President Bush. Get over it. The reason all those people died is because they were caught in a cat 4 hurricane and were ill-prepared for the conseqences. The saddest part is people that use their deaths to push their agenda

don't be the grasshopper...be the ant.

maybe you can call all the relatives of those people that died "after" the storm in that dome and tell them to "get over it" The saddest part is people like you continue to support and pardon the idiot in the white house who's lack of action has killed hundreds of americans.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

What would you have done different?
Start off by not hiring non-qualified cronies to run government positions.

[Spider]

What would you have done different?
LOL , meaning no matter how trivial it seems , the USA republicans will spend 44 mil to expose the hummer , meanwhile , they simply dismiss anything negative against bush despite people dying ...............

[Mile High Shack]

I don't understand your meaning.

he just pulls out a list of things he has found other people to think is clever and reuses them over and over again

[Spider]

he just pulls out a list of things he has found other people to think is clever and reuses them over and over again
ooo still hurt are we ? thats ok Shack , time heals everything .........

[Garcia Bronco]

maybe you can call all the relatives of those people that died "after" the storm in that dome and tell them to "get over it" The saddest part is people like you continue to support and pardon the idiot in the white house who's lack of action has killed hundreds of americans.


Whoa..Now that you've got that out of your system. The President deployed the Navy almost as soon as the hurricane left town. I really don't think you folks understand the scope of what happned in the entire region. Your response does tell that you are indeed one of the people I was talking about. Don't try and use the death of those people to push you political agenda...you really make yourself look like an ass when you do that.

[Garcia Bronco]

LOL , meaning no matter how trivial it seems , the USA republicans will spend 44 mil to expose the hummer , meanwhile , they simply dismiss anything negative against bush despite people dying ...............


Idiot...I voted for Bill Clinton twice. So you want to bring the Ken Starr investigation into this...okay.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Whoa..Now that you've got that out of your system. The President deployed the Navy almost as soon as the hurricane left town. I really don't think you folks understand the scope of what happned in the entire region. Your response does tell that you are indeed one of the people I was talking about. Don't try and use the death of those people to push you political agenda...you really make yourself look like an ass when you do that.
Did you read the story?

House Republicans plan to issue a blistering report on Wednesday that says the Bush administration delayed the evacuation of thousands of New Orleans residents by failing to act quickly on early reports that the levees had broken during Hurricane Katrina.

A draft of the report, to be issued by an 11-member, all-Republican committee, says the Bush administration was informed on the day Hurricane Katrina hit that the levees had been breached, even though the president and other top administration officials earlier said that they had learned of the breach the next day.

[Mile High Shack]

ooo still hurt are we ? thats ok Shack , time heals everything .........

no, I just see a pattern in your posting

I have yet to see anything original come from your fingers

if you didn't have this ROFL! you'd be speechless 9/10, the english language is hard for you to grasp

[Spider]

no, I just see a pattern in your posting

I have yet to see anything original come from your fingers

if you didn't have this ROFL! you'd be speechless 9/10, the english language is hard for you to grasp
gee was it somthing I said ?

[Garcia Bronco]

Start off by not hiring non-qualified cronies to run government positions.


Okay...but you didn't have a problem with Mike Brown the year before when all those other hurricanes came through Florida...and still we're talking about in the moment. What would you Bronco_Beerslug done different in the moments of this past fall right after Hurricane Katrina? You don't have answer...because you don't know. But you seem amply able to sit back and play armchair president and critcize a situation that you can vaguely wrap your mind around in order to push a politcal agenda. All while using the deaths of people you don't even know. I guess it makes it easier that way. Bravo.

[Garcia Bronco]

Did you read the story?


It doesn't matter what your story says...the truth is the Army Corp on Engineers were working on patching the leeve's the entire time. Even Nagin thought the could patch it. Like I said....your over their playing armchair leader and you can vaguely wrap you mind around the scope of what was going on down their.

Anger leads to hate man...and it clouds your judgement. I think Yoda said that.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Okay...but you didn't have a problem with Mike Brown the year before when all those other hurricanes came through Florida...and still we're talking about in the moment. What would you Bronco_Beerslug done different in the moments of this past fall right after Hurricane Katrina? You don't have answer...because you don't know. But you seem amply able to sit back and play armchair president and critcize a situation that you can vaguely wrap your mind around in order to push a politcal agenda. All while using the deaths of people you don't even know. I guess it makes it easier that way. Bravo.
Talk about being joined at the hip with Bush the liar!

I realize your memory works selectively but
I posted what I would've have done as it was happening.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Anger leads to hate man...and it clouds your judgement. I think Yoda said that.
Denial and ignorance leads to tyranny.

[Hotrod]

this right here is the truth

people had AMPLE warning to get out

Im not sure what to think about the slow response of the Feds BUT does anyone remember the television reports/interviews with people days in adavance where the folks were saying "Were gonna ride this out were brave we are NO we dont run from this kind of thing" Those people were flat out stupid period.

[Mile High Shack]

Im not sure what to think about the slow response of the Feds BUT does anyone remember the television reports/interviews with people days in adavance where the folks were saying "Were gonna ride this out were brave we are NO we dont run from this kind of thing" Those people were flat out stupid period.

yeah, and the excuse was "we had no money to get out"...

that may be true, but I'm sure they coud've found a ride to at least get 90 miles up the road

more than likely they just didn't think it was going to be that bad

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Im not sure what to think about the slow response of the Feds BUT does anyone remember the television reports/interviews with people days in adavance where the folks were saying "Were gonna ride this out were brave we are NO we dont run from this kind of thing" Those people were flat out stupid period.

Most people on the coast have been through hurricanes before. No one predicted a Cat 4. until the day before.
The largest part of NO was poor and elderly.

[Rascal]

How many buried buses did they find when the water went down...something like 30 that the city didn't even bother to use. Yeah go ahead and hang Bush when you should clearly be focusing on the mayor. Democrats are on a hunting trip to hang Bush, fortunately their aim is worse then dead eye dick.

[Spider]

Im not sure what to think about the slow response of the Feds BUT does anyone remember the television reports/interviews with people days in adavance where the folks were saying "Were gonna ride this out were brave we are NO we dont run from this kind of thing" Those people were flat out stupid period.
yeah this whole Katrinia thing ...... Enough blame to go around ......... i think a simple we all screwed up from everyone involved would suffice ....... as long as no BJ's were passed out .......

[Garcia Bronco]

Im not sure what to think about the slow response of the Feds BUT does anyone remember the television reports/interviews with people days in adavance where the folks were saying "Were gonna ride this out were brave we are NO we dont run from this kind of thing" Those people were flat out stupid period.


Plus all those school buses underwater. Cities in America are not prepared for a mass evacuation at all. It's almost sickening. What was left of Hurricane Gastone came through Richmond two seasons ago and it flooded the James River...most were not able to get out of downtown Richmond...they, the city, had no plan....they have no plan....they are not in the process of getting a plan. Most people left their cars as water levels rose while sitting in grid lock. It's a joke...the illusion of saftey and security.

[Rascal]

Most people on the coast have been through hurricanes before. No one predicted a Cat 4. until the day before.
The largest part of NO was poor and elderly.

Who waited to be rescued by their gov't instead of taking actions themselves.

This is one of the biggest differences between democrats and republicans.

[Spider]

Who waited to be rescued by their gov't instead of taking actions themselves.

This is one of the biggest differences between democrats and republicans.
That and getting blow jobs . we know Republicans dont tolerate that

[TailgateNut]

Denial and ignorance leads to tyranny.

You have to realize no matter how clear the picture, the blind will never see, the deaf will never hear, and the dumb will never learn!

[Bronco_Beerslug]

How many buried buses did they find when the water went down...something like 30 that the city didn't even bother to use. Yeah go ahead and hang Bush when you should clearly be focusing on the mayor. Democrats are on a hunting trip to hang Bush, fortunately their aim is worse then dead eye dick.

This is a REPUBLICAN report. They realize they're going down this year if they don't find some morals, start tellling the truth and distance themselves from the Bush liar machine.

[Rascal]

That and getting blow jobs . we know Republicans dont tolerate that

???

How does a blow job relate to this...stay focused.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

???

How does a blow job relate to this...stay focused.
You're the one who lost focus (trying to blame locals instead of addressing the report) but it is expected.

[Rascal]

You're the one who lost focus (trying to blame locals instead of addressing the report) but it is expected.

:stupid:

Expected BS from you as usual.

Was I not talking about New Orleans?

[Mile High Shack]

You're the one who lost focus (trying to blame locals instead of addressing the report) but it is expected.

why can't anyone take personal responsibility anymore?

I know if I was stupid enough to stick around in my house when an F-5 tornado hit my house, I wouldn't blame the president for not informing me

[Bronco_Beerslug]

:stupid:

Expected BS from you as usual.

Was I not talking about New Orleans?
Thread is about an all republican committee reporting Bush delayed evacuation of thousands of people and a lied about the levee breaches.

[Spider]

???

How does a blow job relate to this...stay focused.
LOL , go ahead and tell me if this Happened under Clinton everyone would be as forgiving ...... Look what the Republicans did over a blow job ........ in my defense kinda hard to stay focused over lip service to Bush , when we all went through , Clinton - Monica and 44 Million dollars ..........

[Mile High Shack]

LOL , go ahead and tell me if this Happened under Clinton everyone would be as forgiving ...... Look what the Republicans did over a blow job ........ in my defense kinda hard to stay focused over lip service to Bush , when we all went through , Clinton - Monica and 44 Million dollars ..........

rinse, wash, repeat

you need a new writer spider, your material is dated

[Spider]

rinse, wash, repeat

you need a new writer spider, your material is dated
But very true ......

[Mile High Shack]

But very true ......

I tell ya.....Teddy Roosevelt was fat I tell ya...fat

[Spider]

I tell ya.....Teddy Roosevelt was fat I tell ya...fat
Probably got a blow job also ... Call Ken Starr , get Bob Barr on the phone ....

[Play2win]

Just curious, How many American lives is President Bush responsible for?

Or, moreover, how many american lives is President Bush resonsible for ending (in their deaths)?

Accountablility is something BUSH will never accept. But, I guess he would have actually had to SERVE in the military to learn, understand and experience why everyone has to be personally accountable for their actions...

[Rascal]

Accountability for their own actions is something this country is losing at an alarming pace. You shouldn't need the president or any other political figure to tell you to get the hell out of dodge.

[Play2win]

Probably got a blow job also ... Call Ken Starr , get Bob Barr on the phone ....
Lord knows what Thomas Jefferson did in his day. Wasn't he over in Paris womanizing about the time the Declaration of Independence was being signed...

[Mile High Shack]

Accountability for their own actions is something this country is losing at an alarming pace. You shouldn't need the president or any other political figure to tell you to get the hell out of dodge.

no kidding

people are expecting the government to wipe their ass too

[Spider]

Lord knows what Thomas Jefferson did in his day. Wasn't he over in Paris womanizing about the time the Declaration of Independence was being signed...
too bad we didnt have Henry Hyde , back then Jefferson would have been impeached ....when Henry Hyde cheated it was a youthfull mistake he fully admitted after larry Flynt exposed it ........

[Play2win]

Accountability for their own actions is something this country is losing at an alarming pace. You shouldn't need the president or any other political figure to tell you to get the hell out of dodge.

I do agree. You have to take care of Numero Uno first. There are alot better RISK-vs-REWARDS than to chance it to ride out a massive storm in a very dangerous area. But at the same time, I am not trying to tell other people how they should run their lives, I just know how I would run MINE.

Accountabillity and Action happens on a number of levels. Shoot, just plain acknowledgement would be a good place to start...

I also believe if more people were accountable for their own actions, this Country (and World) would be a much better place.

[Play2win]

no kidding

people are expecting the government to wipe their ass too

WELL, this Administration is the one that got SH!T all over everyone's Bodies, every NOOK and CRANNY of IT, Atleast they could wipe some peoples ASSES...

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Accountability for their own actions is something this country is losing at an alarming pace. You shouldn't need the president or any other political figure to tell you to get the hell out of dodge.

Not all could leave if they wanted to so how do you spin Bush delaying evacuation and lying about the levee breaches on them?

[Garcia Bronco]

Well...just wait until this year...while it might not be at the same scope of this past season...the temps down here haven't gone down to that of a typical winter. The water will be warmer..faster and Cane season will be as long as last year. I hope people are prepared. I live about 80 miles from the coast of Virginia..probably not that far...I'm gonna be ready.

I've posted this before here. There was a guy that was on the cover of most newspapers right after KAtrina...a sheet over him...his wife sitting next to him crying because he died. He died because the power was out and his oxygen system wouldn't work without it. He was living at home with his wife and needed oxygen to breath for basically lung cancer. I'm faced with the same issue for my mother. Years of cigs and a house fire caught up with her. The last time a hurricane hit the Va coast we lost power for over two weeks. If that were to happen now my mother would probably have to go to the hospital. We're going to be prepared. We'll have smaller tanks on standby...plus...I might throw down for a generator in May.

The man that died in NOLA couldn't get to the hospital because of the destruction there...and he wouldn't evac before hand and his wife stayed with him. Who's fault is that? Is it his? Is it the governements? Is it global warming? Tell me. Please tell me where the line should be drawn on who's fault it is that this man died because of a lack of power, oxygen, and ability to get medical attention. Anybody know? I don't know...all I can do is say a prayer and hope for the best. I'm not going to blame the President, the Mayor, or anybody in between

[smalltowngrll]

I haven't read all of the posts...so forgive me if I repeat...

But, I seem to recall several days before the hurricane hit ground the news reporting that there was NO WAY those levees would hold. Why was an Amtrak train told to leave empty when they offered to take 600+ out of harms way? Why were there hundreds of school buses sitting under water after the hurricane? People were given 48+ hours hours notice to get out. There were tons of interviews with people that CHOSE to stay because they didn't "think" it would be that bad. Granted, there were some that had no transportation....but, for crying out loud...go to higher ground! People were told to go to the dome with 5 days supplies...there were people showing up with NOTHING.

Ultimately, the local and state government was not fully prepared for any type of disaster of this magnitued. They had not tested and solidified any type of plan! What a terrible shame! There are so many to blame in this I wouldn't even know where to begin. It begins with the citizens all the way up to the Federal Government!

IMO, people need to stop relying on the government to be the "answer" to all of their problems, and get off their hineys and get a move on!

[Garcia Bronco]

I haven't read all of the posts...so forgive me if I repeat...

But, I seem to recall several days before the hurricane hit ground the news reporting that there was NO WAY those levees would hold. Why was an Amtrak train told to leave empty when they offered to take 600+ out of harms way? Why were there hundreds of school buses sitting under water after the hurricane? People were given 48+ hours hours notice to get out. There were tons of interviews with people that CHOSE to stay because they didn't "think" it would be that bad. Granted, there were some that had no transportation....but, for crying out loud...go to higher ground! People were told to go to the dome with 5 days supplies...there were people showing up with NOTHING.

Ultimately, the local and state government was not fully prepared for any type of disaster of this magnitued. They had not tested and solidified any type of plan! What a terrible shame! There are so many to blame in this I wouldn't even know where to begin. It begins with the citizens all the way up to the Federal Government!

IMO, people need to stop relying on the government to be the "answer" to all of their problems, and get off their hineys and get a move on!

Excellent post

[Bronco_Beerslug]

IMO, people need to stop relying on the government to be the "answer" to all of their problems, and get off their hineys and get a move on!
Katrina didn't reach Cat 4 until early Sunday am. Evacutation orders were issued 9am Sunday. As I also said, the majority of people who were left in NO were the poor and elderly. Once evacuation orders are given, where are you going to find bus drivers?

[Rascal]

Katrina didn't reach Cat 4 until early Sunday am. Evacutation orders were issued 9am Sunday. As I also said, the majority of people who were left in NO were the poor and elderly. Once evacuation orders are given, where are you going to find bus drivers?

Should be part of the cities evacuation plan...sorry Bush's plan.

[Mile High Shack]

Should be part of the cities evacuation plan...sorry Bush's plan.

Bush should have an evacuation plan for every city in America damnit

no excuse

especially Butte, Montana, that place needs to be cleaned up

[RaiderH8r]

Bush should have an evacuation plan for every city in America damnit

no excuse

especially Butte, Montana, that place needs to be cleaned up
Everyone in Butte just needs to jump into that hole just before it is backfilled.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Should be part of the cities evacuation plan...sorry Bush's plan.

Why didn't you volunteer to go drive buses there?

No major city has 24 hour evacuation plan in case you didn't know that.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

So how many people you think died because Bush lied about knowing the levees breached and delaying evacuating the thousands of people in NO?

[Rascal]

Why didn't you volunteer to go drive buses there?

No major city has 24 hour evacuation plan in case you didn't know that.

Because I don't live there???

Link or are you talking out of your ass? And if they don't they are stupid not to.

[Rascal]

So how many people you think died because Bush lied about knowing the levees breached and delaying evacuating the thousands of people in NO?

It's the Presidents job to order the evacuation of a city? Isn't that the mayor's or the governor's job?

The people that died are a result of a major hurricane hitting a major city with the mayor and governor too inept to do anything themselves.

[Hotrod]

Why didn't you volunteer to go drive buses there?

No major city has 24 hour evacuation plan in case you didn't know that.

Thats simply not true. My lovely little town actually has an evacuation plan in case of attack/fire/WMD whatnot. We actually have a board of citizens who meet and come up with plans for all kinds of possible things. Although this is obviously stupid since our town has like 7,500 people total.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Because I don't live there???

Link or are you talking out of your ass? And if they don't they are stupid not to.

No major city has a 24 hour evacuation plan (once more for the hard of hearing).
This was said over and over after NO and Houston.


From Los Angeles to Boston, from Seattle to Miami, plans to relocate, house and feed potentially hundreds of thousands of displaced people are embryonic at best and nonexistent at worst. As the exodus from Houston this week demonstrated, in many places highways would clog quickly, confusion would reign and police resources would soon be overtaxed. New Orleans offered a different and more deadly example of what could go wrong, as tens of thousands of people, many of them poor and lacking private transportation, could be left to fend for themselves in cities without basic services or law enforcement.

Most major American cities have made preparations for localized emergencies like fires, floods or large toxic spills that might involve the relocation of a few thousand or tens of thousands of people. Since Sept. 11, 2001, cities have received billions of dollars from the newly formed Department of Homeland Security to prepare for a major terrorist attack.

But few have prepared in detail for a doomsday possibility like Hurricane Katrina, the storm that engulfed New Orleans and left much of the city a wasteland. Nor have they prepared workable plans to evacuate millions of people with little or no notice, as the residents of the Gulf Coast of Texas learned to their dismay late this week. Officials in Texas are now struggling with how to manage the return of residents.
http://tinyurl.com/8yycy

[Bronco_Beerslug]

It's the Presidents job to order the evacuation of a city? Isn't that the mayor's or the governor's job?

The people that died are a result of a major hurricane hitting a major city with the mayor and governor too inept to do anything themselves.
I already pointed out when evacuation orders were given.
Bush called after they were given to suggest they should issue them.

[enjolras]

The reason all those people died is because they were caught in a cat 4 hurricane and were ill-prepared for the conseqences.

It was actually a category 3, and quite weaker than that within New Orleans.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/12/22/officials_downgrade_katrinas_intensity?mode=PF

[Rascal]

State and city evacuation plans ([79] Part 1 Section C and part II-2) mention use of school buses for evacuation. With the following language: "The primary means of hurricane evacuation will be personal vehicles. School and municipal buses, government-owned vehicles and vehicles provided by volunteer agencies may be used to provide transportation for individuals who lack transportation and require assistance in evacuating." Several hundred school buses were left parked on low ground where they would be easily flooded with storm water and then later by the levee flooding making their use impossible in the emergency evacuation. It is not clear whether these buses were owned by the city or by a private contractor to which the city had outsourced school bus services. Mayor Nagin testified in his hearing in Washington that those buses were owned by the school board and that he had no control over them. The precise number of buses available was been cited anywhere from a couple of hundred to a likely exaggerated 2,000 [80].

During non-emergency times, drivers of school buses must own and maintain a class D commercial license or better depending on the exact size and weight of the bus. During an emergency any driver is suitable as long as approved by the Governor. In spite of risks and his lack of formal training or license, 20-year-old Jabbar Gibson commandeered a New Orleans school bus and rescued 70 people from the rising floodwaters before making the 13-hour drive to Houston's Reliant Astrodome, arriving on Wednesday evening. [81][82] A day later a commercially licensed driver's bus filled with evacuees flipped, resulting in one death and many injuries after a passenger fought with the driver. [83]

In a phone call to WWL radio made after the idle school and RTA buses were flooded[84], Mayor Nagin called for 500 Greyhound buses to be sent from outside the city to help evacuate. Coordination of transportation from outside the Parish is the responsibility of the Governor according to the State Evacuation Plan (Part 1 Section D).[85] Governor Blanco had yet to exercise this responsibility.

[Rascal]

Johnny B. Bradberry, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation, signed an agreement in April 2005 committing his department to "mobilize transportation to support emergency evacuation for at-risk populations," meaning the frail, elderly, disabled and others who might not be able to get out of the city on their own. But Mr. Bradberry admitted to investigators that he did not honor this agreement. Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, observed: "The initial evacuation from New Orleans in advance of the storm went relatively well. Approximately 1 million people left the greater New Orleans area in a much more efficient and orderly manner than in hurricane evacuations of years past. Then, so to speak, the wheels came off. Those without access to transportation out of the region found themselves stranded high and dry, but only in the figurative sense. Among those left behind were thousands of elderly, disabled and disadvantaged residents." Mr. Bradberry was interviewed by a Senate investigator.

[Rascal]

'A Lot of People Without Personal Transportation'
In July 2005, at an emergency planning session sponsored by FEMA, state and local officials discussed evacuation planning for a possible hurricane in the region, which all parties recognized could cause thousands, if not tens of thousands of deaths. At the meeting, there was a consensus that they were far from ready, as only about 10 percent of the planning was finished evacuation of the estimated 100,000 people who did not have cars or other means of getting out of the city.

[Rascal]

Louisiana Turns Down Federal Assistance
An official from the Department of Health and Human Services, which is charged with helping evacuate medical patients from disaster areas, asked a Louisiana state health official two days before Katrina landed if the state needed help moving patients out of harm’s way. The state official turned down the offer. The National Disaster Medical System (referred to in these e-mail messages) is part of the federal Department of Homeland Security. The e-mail messages are in reverse chronological order.

[Rascal]

List of Needs from New Orleans
On Monday, Mayor C. Ray Nagin of New Orleans provided the Federal Emergency Management Agency with a detailed list of emergency aid his city desperately needed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Most of the requested supplies and other assistance did not arrive for days, if at all.

[Rascal]

City’s Emergency Office 'Failed'
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a New Orleans Police captain, Timothy P. Bayard, prepared an internal report assessing the role played by his city's Office of Emergency Preparedness. He introduced the report to investigators by saying: "The New Orleans Office of Emergency Preparedness failed. They did not prepare themselves, nor did they manage the city agencies responsible for conducting emergency response to the disaster. Their function was to coordinate with state, federal and other local agencies, to enlist logistical assistance. We did not coordinate with any state, local or federal agencies. We were not prepared logistically. Most importantly, we relocated evacuees to two locations where there was no food, water or portable restrooms. We did not implement the pre-existing plan. We did not utilize buses that would have allowed us to transport mass quantities of evacuees expeditiously. We did not have food, water or fuel for the emergency workers. We did not have a back up communication system. We had no portable radio towers or repeaters that would have enabled us to communicate. The other mistakes have been mentioned previously."

[Rascal]

First was from Wikpedia, the rest from http://www.nytimes.com/ref/national/nationalspecial/10katrina-docs.html?_r=1&8dpc&oref=slogin

From your own source:
The House investigators were told by Kenneth Rapuano, the deputy homeland security adviser to President Bush, that the administration did not immediately act on the report because it had other dispatches suggesting that such a breach might not have occurred.

"The White House failed to de-conflict varying damage assessments and discounted information that ultimately proved accurate," the draft says. "The president's Homeland Security team did not effectively substantiate, analyze and act on the information at its disposal."

"Because the Homeland Security Operations Center (H.S.O.C.) failed to confirm the levee breaches on Monday," the draft says, the first federal decision to line up buses needed to evacuate the city did not happen until Tuesday, when the federal disaster relief worker in New Orleans "saw the water reaching the Superdome and realized it would become an island."


Personally I'd like to know who was responsible for these inaccurate dispatches, and why the Presidents Homeland Security Team choose to ignore some information (the correct information) and only presented the incorrect information to Bush.

[enjolras]

Personally I'd like to know who was responsible for these inaccurate dispatches, and why the Presidents Homeland Security Team choose to ignore some information (the correct information) and only presented the incorrect information to Bush.

Sounds like a very familiar question that has generally been applied to ANOTHER of Bush's problems.

[TheDave]

Personally I'd like to know who was responsible for these inaccurate dispatches, and why the Presidents Homeland Security Team choose to ignore some information (the correct information) and only presented the incorrect information to Bush.


To further what enjolras said, at what point do we stop letting these guys hide behind everyone else. Now i completely agree that many here are conveniently excusing both citizens and local authorities from their share of the blame. But for God's sake how many times does someone get to use the "I got bad Intel" line. In my opinion when you are the head guy, it's your job to delegate responsibility to good, intelligent, and competent people. We all know that the administration hired an Arabian horse judge to head up FEMA... How many other dumbass hires and/or appointments were made? How many other times did Cronyism take precedence over responsibility?

Just read these quotes from his fellow Republicans:

"If this is what happens when we have advance warning," says the report, "we shudder to imagine the consequences when we do not. Four and a half years after 9/11, America is still not ready for prime time."

"The federal government failed to move in a more proactive mode quickly enough," said Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va. "The fog of war prevailed. The information didn't reach the right people until it was too late, and as a result there were preventable deaths and preventable suffering."

Most disturbing, says the report, was that "this crisis was not only predictable, it was predicted."

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=1614461&page=1


You know it's bad when your own party turns on you.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Here we go again...people have blamed this on everybody. They've blamed it on the Mayor...the LA Gov...Mike Brown...President Bush....Some people have actually blamed global warming for the strength of the hurricane...and they blame global warming on...you guessed it...President Bush. Get over it. The reason all those people died is because they were caught in a cat 4 hurricane and were ill-prepared for the conseqences. The saddest part is people that use their deaths to push their agenda

don't be the grasshopper...be the ant.

:rofl:

Not about to let the facts burst your bubble, eh GB?

Blistering Report by House Katrina Investigators

Homeland Security, Chertoff Singled Out

By Spencer S. Hsu
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, February 12, 2006; A01

Hurricane Katrina exposed the U.S. government's failure to learn the lessons of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, as leaders from President Bush down disregarded ample warnings of the threat to New Orleans and did not execute emergency plans or share information that would have saved lives, according to a blistering report by House investigators.

A draft of the report, to be released publicly Wednesday, includes 90 findings of failures at all levels of government, according to a senior investigation staffer who requested anonymity because the document is not final. Titled "A Failure of Initiative," it is one of three separate reviews by the House, Senate and White House that will in coming weeks dissect the response to the nation's costliest natural disaster.

The 600-plus-page report lays primary fault with the passive reaction and misjudgments of top Bush aides, singling out Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, the Homeland Security Operations Center and the White House Homeland Security Council, according to a 60-page summary of the document obtained by The Washington Post. Regarding Bush, the report found that "earlier presidential involvement could have speeded the response" because he alone could have cut through all bureaucratic resistance.

The report, produced by an 11-member House select committee of Republicans chaired by Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.), proposes few specific changes. But it is an unusual compendium of criticism by the House GOP, which generally has not been aggressive in its oversight of the administration.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...101409_pf.html

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

http://www.bartcop.com/chertoff-plan-response.jpg