"The killer hurricane and flood that devastated the Gulf Coast last week exposed fatal weaknesses in a federal disaster response system retooled after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, to handle just such a cataclysmic event.
Despite four years and tens of billions of dollars spent preparing for the worst, the federal government was not ready when it came at daybreak on Monday, according to interviews with more than a dozen current and former senior officials and outside experts.
Among the flaws they cited: Failure to take the storm seriously before it hit and trigger the government's highest level of response. Rebuffed offers of aid from the military, states and cities. An unfinished new plan meant to guide disaster response. And a slow bureaucracy that waited until late Tuesday to declare the catastrophe "an incident of national significance," the new federal term meant to set off the broadest possible relief effort."
The Federal Government was not ready? The MSM has been on the "All Bush Fault" All day long. But where is the "fault?"
Well let's check that.
Here is a limited timeline thanks to J. Drummond over at Polipundit:
"August 24: Tropical Storm Katrina forms from a Tropical Depression crated just one day earlier, gaining strength faster than most storms do.
August 25: Katrina kicked in the door to say hello to Florida, killing 3 and knocking out power to more than a million people. This, as a Category 1 Hurricane. Katrina swept out west to the Gulf of Mexico.
August 26: Media breathe a sigh of relief as Katrina appears to weaken slightly, and is expected to turn North and make landfall as a Tropical Storm over Florida’s Panhandle.
August 26, 5 PM: The National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced a shift in the projected path of Katrina. Now at risk are the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, and states upland from its path.
August 27: Against expectations, Katrina is upgraded to Category 3, and appears to be homing in on the Louisiana-Mississippi coastline. New Orleans is predicted to receive about eleven inches of rain from Katrina. The Mayor of New Orleans suggests a voluntary evacuation of the city, but the recommendation is largely ignored, according to the press. USA Today quotes Fred Wilson, who said “”The only dangerous hurricanes so far are the ones we’ve been drinking,” President Bush also ordered a state of emergency for Louisiana in anticipation of the need for Federal assistance, and ordering FEMA to be prepared to assist.
August 28: Katrina reaches Category 5 strength, about 250 miles South of the mouth of the Mississippi River, with sustained wind speeds of 175 mph. The Mayor of New Orleans orders a mandatory evacuation of the city. Mississippi emergency authorities track the storm, but order no evacuations.
August 29, 630 AM: Katrina made landfall in Plaquemines Parish Louisiana, just South of Buras, as a Category 4 storm with 140 mph winds. A wall of water approximately 20 feet high crushes the Gulf Coast along a line more than two hundred miles broad."
The fact is that on first the local and state level there was outright negligence - deadly negligence.
Let's look at this fact. The only reason that the Federal Government is getting all the blame is because of 'who' is sitting in the Oval Office - period.
If this tragety happened under Clinton or any other democratic leader - forget about it.
You can easily prove that by looking at the "pass" that both the Governor of Louisiana and the Mayor of New Orleans, who are both Democrats - are getting despite overwhelming evidence that they didn't act appropriately or in time.
Incredibly, because of the overwhelming ineptness of the Leadership in Louisianna, the Federal Government has now taken over.
But don't look for the MSM to take it that way not as long as there is a "Bush to Bash". Papers like the Times-Picayune has it's priorities and anger focused on the wrong person - look towards your City Hall.
Update: Powerlineblog examines some of the MSM hypocrisy reference Paul Krugman of the NY Times.
Update II: Read this Excellent article and a "here! here!" on the Media's deporable performance during Katrina.
Filed under Katrina disaster relief new orleans emergency response
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