Hurricane Katrina Thoughts

Every day I read a story that makes me think, “wow, our government couldn’t have produced a more fucked up response to Hurricane Katrina if they tried.” Sadly, each day I’m proven wrong again.

Chertoff: Katrina scenario did not exist – despite the fact they had been warned for years. In fact, try taking a look at this October 2004 National Geographic story.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency lists a hurricane strike on New Orleans as one of the most dire threats to the nation, up there with a large earthquake in California or a terrorist attack on New York City. Even the Red Cross no longer opens hurricane shelters in the city, claiming the risk to its workers is too great.

And, let’s not forget the fact that FEMA paid a private company “more than half a million dollars” to develop just such a plan.

Federal troops get limited role in Katrina work:

The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, enacted during the post-Civil War reconstruction period, prohibits federal military personnel from acting in a law enforcement capacity within the United States. But the president can waive the law in an emergency.

Asked whether Bush might waive the law, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said, “We continue to consider the full range of options.”

And, on the nit-picky side, maybe this isn’t the time to smile for the cameras, you know?

At least the mayor of New Orleans had the balls to call them out. This was followed by some members of the press growing a few too. Some of these incidents are documented here.

And while the news is concentrating on the New Orleans angle of the disaster, what about the people in Mississippi and Alabama?