LA Governor didn't take the steps necessary to request emergency and major disaster declarations:
So far as I have been aware, the criticisms of Gov. Blanco have focused on her failures to organize reponse at the state level (such as ordering evacuation of the city--something Bush had no power to do), along with her reluctance to allow National Guard assistance from other states under presidential authority (commander-in-chief, don't you know).
It's really a pity that POAC customarily avoids pointing to some source for the alleged talking points. Though maybe that would prove just as much an embarrassment as their attempts to debunk the talking points ...
Here's here's POAC's "counterspin" (aka "spin"):
Blanco pushed all the paper she was supposed to push, prior to the storm hitting, to rouse FEMA into action. (.PDF)
Governor Blanco asks President to Declare an Emergency for the State of Louisiana due to Hurricane Katrina
These sources are likely to confirm that Blanco asked for assistance MOL appropriately, but as noted Blanco's critics accused her of failing in state preparations--nothing to do with FEMA.
Plus I found this aspect of the .pdf interesting:
As reflected in the attachments you provided with your letter, Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco requested, by letter dated August 27, 2005, addressed to the President of the United States, through the Regional Director of FEMA Region VI, that the President declare an emergency for the state of Louisiana due to Hurricane Katrina for the time period from August 26, 2005, and continuing, pursuant to Section 501(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C.{{5121-5206, and implemented by 44 C.F.R. {{ 206.35.The letter is dated after the beginning of the duration of the aid requested. Now, for all I know that's standard operating procedure in the land of government documents--but it struck me as funny.
(the red bits indicate where my keyboard did not have a symbol used in the report)
Here's an MSNBC rundown on Blanco's mistakes.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 — It was Gov. Blanco's first big disaster — and less than 48 hours before Katrina hit, she reassured the state."I believe we are prepared," she said in Jefferson Parish on Aug. 27. "That's the one thing that I've always been able to brag about."
Though experts had warned it would take 48 hours to evacuate New Orleans, Blanco did not order a mandatory evacuation that Saturday.
(read it all)
I did find a Snopes.com entry on a circulating e-mail that blamed Blanco for not asking for assistance early enough. Mainly, however, one is struck by the vast difference between the effectiveness of the Snopes entry compared to what POAC produced.
I won't count this one as an abject POAC failure, however. Though their treatment was amateurish (and probably needless), it was accurate in essence.
3 comments:
the Governor be blamed for what the Louisiana Constitution and NIMS (see FEMA) declare are the local government's responsibilities? Please refer to the following web pages for source information:
http://www.washingtontimes.com - Author: Hudson
Date: August 6, 2006
and
http://www.fema.gov/nimscast/About.do
It was the local government's responsibility to provide for emergency management. The local governments FAILED to cooperate with the FEDERAL government.
I disagree with placing the blame on the Governor.
Sincerely,
LQ
http://louisianaquestions.wordpress.com
LQ,
The point of my blog entry was the treatment of the supposed "talking point" by the "Project for an Old American Century" or POAC.
The blame Blanco issue is the only one thus far where I have allowed that the POAC case succeeded, however inconsequentially.
I have no particular axe to grind against Blanco, though I think the criticisms of Blanco in the MSNBC story I linked are fair.
Let's say that Blanco has zero responsibility under governmental guidelines. Neither does Bush leading up to the event, but the president urged an evacuation order for New Orleans. Blanco said that Louisiana was prepared, on the other hand. What kind of leadership is that?
The reporting on her balking over the authority issue with the National Guard also seems like a legitimate criticism (She's not the head of the National Guard under Louisiana law--you're kidding, right?)
If her state is important to her, the Blanco is doing everything she can to get Ray Nagin to act properly as Mayor. Should Blanco be particularly singled out for blame? No. There's plenty of blame to go around, and her share is relatively small.
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