Race - sick of the nonsense

[SlowMovin]

I am wondering why the military has not used the infrared devices to survey all of the houses in order...

I may be wrong about what I'm about to say, but my understanding is that...

...in any city dealing with a crisis, the primary responsibility starts with the Mayor who controls the police, fire department, etc. If they are unable to deal with the situation, they turn to the state--i.e. the governor--who controls the National Guard. If the state and Nat'l Guard are unable to deal with it, then the federal government--which controls the military--is brought in. The mayor cannot just bring in Marines and the president cannot just send them in. When you get right down to it, the president does not have authority over a city and/or state unless the equivalent of martial law is declared and he/she takes authority away from the mayor and/or governor.

There are reports that the president has asked the governor to request that the Feds step in and that the governor is refusing to do so because she sees it as a political power grab. I do not know how much truth there is to that story because I do not take the media source which reported it very seriously (no, I will not say who).

 

[SlowMovin]

The above was how they taught it in civics class, back when they still taught civics in school.

With FEMA, though, there is something of a gray area now. I know they are intended to deal with crises which span state lines, but they still don't (I think) have authority over the state or local governments...they are more there (I think) to coordinate between the states...but they don't get to boss them around and tell people what to do.

Does anyone have a better understanding of where FEMA fits in?

 

[Hollibird]

I could tell Kanye was upset about his people, but Bush has absolutely nothing to do with it. This is an unprecedented situation and all of the companies are doing the best they can with what they've god. To blame Bush is ridiculous.

 

[Hollibird]

The reason the tv is croweded with poor blacks is because those are the people that live there, and didn't get out of town when they knew what was coming.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I may be wrong about what I'm about to say, but my understanding is that...

...in an city dealing with a crisis, the primary responsibility starts with the Mayor who controls the police, fire department, etc. If they are unable to deal with the situation, they turn to the state--i.e. the governor--who controls the National Guard. If the state and Nat'l Guard are unable to deal with it, then the federal government--which controls the military--is brought in. The mayor cannot just bring in Marines and the president cannot just send them in. When you get right down to it, the president does not have authority over a city and/or state unless the equivalent of martial law is declared and he/she takes authority away from the mayor and/or governor.

There are reports that the president has asked the governor to request that the Feds step in and that the governor is refusing to do so because she sees it as a political power grab. I do not know how much truth there is to that story because I do not take the media source which reported it very seriously (no, I will not say who).

SlowMovin, thanks for the reminder of gov't. I, too, learned the same thing in my civics classes. The last thing we want is for the Fed Govt to have great authority over the States. I guess I cut through the political caca when I posed the question about the Military getting involved in search and rescue. My thinking was that the military has already been involved in the heli-transports I saw yesterday. The Coast Guard is involved as we speak. If your news story is right, the Fed is stepping on the Gov's toes.

I have not seen any reports from the NOLA Mayor. Did he shove his other shoe in his mouth? Where is the leadership? I have not seen the Gov or the Mayor on the news for two days. In the days following 9-11, Juliani was in front of the cameras all the time, letting people know what was happening. There are NOLA residents scattered all over the country now, and the only info they are getting is from the news reporters. Again I ask, where are the leaders?

 

[Smiling JOe]

I could tell Kanye was upset about his people, but Bush has absolutely nothing to do with it. This is an unprecedented situation and all of the companies are doing the best they can with what they've god. To blame Bush is ridiculous.

I am not blaming Bush. I am starting from the bottom up. It begins with the NOLA Mayor who is scared to rear his head from the sand.

My question is, when everyone from the Mayor, at the local level, to the Governor, at the State level, fails to act appropriately to save lives, what is the recourse? Do we, as a country, stand by and watch our fellow citizens die? I understand the stops in place between State and Fed gov'ts, but to stand by and watch hundreds or thousands of people die due to incompetence of local leaders, and I use that term loosely, seems foolish and trivial. Just reminds me of another flaw of our great country -- politics! Hogwash. Our politicians need to lead with any heart which they may have. I know, you give them an inch and they take a mile, but God help us all if we respect politics more than saving lives of so many people.

 

[Smiling JOe]

The reason the tv is croweded with poor blacks is because those are the people that live there, and didn't get out of town when they knew what was coming.

Sure, there are many people who did not leave town when warned. Some had a choice while others did not. My understanding is that people were told to go to the SuperDome where they would be bussed out, PRIOR to Katrina's arrival. Many people who are stranded, did not have cars, money, etc to escape the wrath of Katrina. Tourists were stranded without a plane to fly out on. All rental cars were taken. The only way out for so many people were the buses which were promised. If that is true, the Mayor abandoned all of those people, and left them to die, IMHO.

 

[SlowMovin]

I don't like having the federal government messing around in state affairs, either, (believe me I DON'T like it), but in this case, a week later, the situation still not in hand, I think it's time (past time) for the governor to put the politics aside and ask them to come in.

Just my opinion.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I don't like having the federal government messing around in state affairs, either, (believe me I DON'T like it), but in this case, a week later, the situation still not in hand, I think it's time (past time) for the governor to put the politics aside and ask them to come in.

Just my opinion.

The crazy thing is that if the Fed's went in and stepped on toes in order to save the lives of its citizens and guests, when local gov't would not do so, the focus would quickly shift from the disaster and rescue to the Fed Govt taking over State's rights. There would be no other story for the next 12 months at least.

 

[Travel2Much]

.... My understanding is that people were told to go to the SuperDome where they would be bussed out, PRIOR to Katrina's arrival. .... The only way out for so many people were the buses which were promised. If that is true, the Mayor abandoned all of those people, and left them to die, IMHO.

If you mean that there would be an evacuation prior to the storm, no. No one was told anything of the sort. The SuperDome was the shelter of last resort. You ride out the storm there. You were instructed to bring a five day supply of food and water.

Many, many people ignored that option. If you are on your roof (or floating in the attic) you did not evacuated to the SuperDome. Only 9k people did go there.

The plan would have been--once Katrina left, send buses in to get the evacuees out. The mass panic & anarchy (and lack of government response) that immediately ensued prevented that.

We had always been told that if we rode it out and this happened (and it was predicted) we would be left to die. Period I am amazed by the number of people who had no plan whatsoever, but given the NOLA public schools in hindsight am not surprised.

I don't have an opinion on the racial issue yet, although certainly there are lots of questions of race going on. The local government is and has been completely black for years. The violence you have heard about is black on black violence (a constant problem in NOLA). But, I am flummoxed over the federal government response. This wouldn't have happened in FL. Doesn't mean I am of the view expressed on tv, although I respect his right to say it.

The tvs are not showing the harm to white folk. The area most affected by the 17th street canal levee break is completely white and middle to upper middle class. Every house there has been destroyed (we know several people) and I have no doubt there are many bodies floating around in attics

Before pointing fingers at LA please consider the the LA nat'l guard is in Iraq.

All I know is that the incompetence at all or whatever levels of government has turned a three week exile (even after the levee break) into a complete freaking nightmare.