Let me get this straight. Last year, New Orleans, Louisiana, FEMA, and Homeland Security got together and worked out plans for disaster response in New Orleans. It was a natural disaster or terrorist attack plan similar to ones that cities and states are planning and drilling for around the nation.
The name of the mock up Hurricane was Hurricane Pam. Each administrative body had their duties mapped out. When the big one happens, FEMA and Homeland security decide not to jump in as planned, leaving local, which had no outside communication, and state government to fend for themselves. The president decides at this time to forget the plan and strong arm the governor to give complete control of the rescue, cleanup, and rebuilding to the federal government. The governor balks at this proposal so the president who has the superior public relation machinery in place, manages to convince a lot of the public that it was the local government's responsibility, even though the public wanted a Homeland Security department just for this type of disaster. Cries of, "Where is Louisiana's Giuliani", are heard even though the disasters of 9-11 and Hurricane Katrina can hardly be compared. While the president plays hardball with the governor, people die of dehydration and lack of essential medications. FEMA turns help away, including the Red Cross, from New Orleans. How can this be happening in America? Does the rest of the country feel secure knowing the Federal government might not act according to their local disaster plans and the National (disaster) Response Plan that this administration signed on to in December 2004 (
TPM Cafe
). The National Plan in part states, "Notification and full coordination with States will occur, but the coordination process must not delay or impede the rapid deployment and use of critical resources". It is this president and his party that claim the moral high ground in this country. What am I missing here? They'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.