On Sun, 18 Sep 2005 08:29:30 -0400, "Starbuck"
wrote:

JohnH,

I believe it should be up to the local government to ask for state
assistance, and the state government should ask for federal assistance.

It appears that some in here believe it is up to FEMA to decide when they
should step in. If that happens, I can imagine FEMA stepping in a week
before landfall initially, then stepping in permentantly to make sure the
local and state governments are properly prepared. Heck why was resources
on local and state governments, when the FEDS can do it all.

I agree with what you say 'should be'. But, as we've seen, that doesn't work
unless the local and state officials are competent and use their own resources.
This time neither was true, so the feds got blamed for not solving the problem.
And, more importantly, the people suffered needlessly because of it.

Today's Wash Post highlights the problems of the feds trying to work through the
local governments to get things done. It isn't happening. As Bush is going to be
held responsible anyway, I believe the feds should just do the job. In the case
of 'where to place shelters', the feds should pick a spot and put them there,
rather than try to coordinate with the locals.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...referrer=email


--
John H

"All decisions are the result of binary thinking."