On Fri, 02 Sep 2005 20:21:37 -0400, thunder wrote:

On Fri, 02 Sep 2005 19:09:53 -0400, PocoLoco wrote:

On Fri, 02 Sep 2005 16:41:46 -0400, thunder
wrote:

On Fri, 02 Sep 2005 13:15:25 -0400, PocoLoco wrote:


...as though Bush could force evacuations!

Uh, actually he could. I'm not saying he should have, but he definitely
could have.

By declaring the Gulf Coast under a state of martial law? What about
enforcement? Could he, on his own, send in the US Army to enforce the law?
Am I totally wrong about the Posse Comitatus Act?

No, but you are limiting a President's options. He could have declared a
State of Emergency, federalized some National Guard units, and evacuated
New Orleans.

How? Is he suppose to use federalized National Guard units, which are now part
of the US Armed Forces, as law enforcement officers? Why didn't the governor of
Louisiana do that? Do you really think Bush, at the very onset, should have
overridden the authority of the governor?

Look, I'm not putting the blame for New Orleans on President
Bush. Everyone would like to see the suffering ended, but there is no
magic wand. The devastation is incredible, and of a huge magnitude. New
Orleans seems to be getting the major focus, but it is not the only
location devastated. This bureaucracy may be a little slow, but when it
comes to natural disasters I believe it does a pretty damn good job.

I agree. But in this case there are some pretty damn good reasons for the
slowness. Just look at the map of available roads in and out of NO.

If I were to find fault, after the fact, it would be with New Orleans
evacuation planning, knowing full well that this was a probability.
Unfortunately, it wasn't a question of if, but when New Orleans was going
to take the hit.

First responders are supposed to do just that, respond first. They're not
supposed to run, but I guess it's OK if the mayor has already run.

One does not start relief efforts without coordinating with the folks on the
scene. In this case, the folks on the scene had left!
--
John H

"All decisions are the result of binary thinking."