Why government exists and who's responsible

[bblight]

In my opinion, the recent calamity on the Gulf coast is one of the major reasons that government exists - to lessen the impact of calamity through preparation and to help in the recovery.

Local government (city and county) should ensure that there's an infrastructure in place to help people during the worst possible situation that might occur - to make sure that adequate housing, water and food are readily available to those in need; to provide evacuation services; to make sure that fire, police, hospital and municipal workers have an emergency plan in place, are trained for catastrophy, and have the tools that they need to execute that plan. To make sure that there's a pipeline in place to the state and federal authorities who would be looked to for help in time of crisis.

State government should oversee lacal and county government to make sure they're doing their job as noted above; to ensure that the budget busting requirments will be shared with or fully supplied. The state should act as a coordinator between local authorities to make sure that the strengths and weaknesses of each municipality are adequately accounted for and can share limited resources between themselves.

Federal government should act the same way in coordiantive efforts between the various states where catastrophy might strike. The Federal government should assist in situations where the calamity is too large and costly for state or local gov't to handle.

In my opinion, everyone failed in New Orleans, but I see limited success in the rest of the 4 state area that was impacted.

Time will tell how badly or how well Federal and each of the state governments performed their duties.

However, I think the mayor of New Orleans failed miserably in his duties - the city was totally unprepared for an historically recognized threat. Totally unprepared! It'll be months before they know how many people died because of this hacks incompetence. I think he should be arrested and put on trial for his reckless negligence!

 

[PatPatriot]

I guess its safe to say that the mayor is no Guilliani

 

[docmercer]

Time will tell how badly or how well Federal and each of the state governments performed their duties.

I think he should be arrested and put on trial for his reckless negligence!

Time for others..just not the mayor I guess.

 

[bblight]

ktv - if you disagree, then please elucidate.

The way I see it at this time, areas that were harder hit had plans in place and are recovering - New Orleans had no plans in place and are now suffering the follies of a do-nothing mayor.

If the sports dome was planned for an emergency shelter, why weren't emergency supplies stored there or somewhere nearby?
Why weren't the police and fire trained and supplied for just such an emergency?
The Mayor has stated that the roving gangs are addicts - why wasn't this possibility planned for.
What plan was in place for a municipal emergency - water, sewer, gas, electric?
Why wasn't there a plan to handle large breaches in the dike?

This disaster was seen years ago - everyone knew it would happen sooner or later - so why wasn't there an overall plan for such an eventuality.

This mayor is a do nothing hack who's pointing his finger everywhere but where it belongs - at himself - he's the mayor and it was his responsibiltiy to protect his people - he failed!

My house is my responsibility - I live there - I can't plan on the mayor or governor or the President helping me, so I have to make sure I've done everything that I can to ensure that MY house is as protected as I can make it! The same rule applies here.

 

[thatsrich]

He was also very late in ordering an evacuation... Not that it would have mattered. It was a very well prepared speech and I'm sure it took many people time to pull it together but your are right....There was little or no plans in place. This has been predicted for 100 years. The buses used to get people out are mostly from the private sector.. most all all other city buses are under water.

I wonder what the qualifications are for the people he had in charge of Govt. functions. Did anyone see any interviews with the guy in charge of homeland security from N.O.? Geez

 

[docmercer]

ktv - if you disagree, then please elucidate..

Merely found it funny that you're willing to give these other levels of gov't "time to tell" but already figure this mayor should be arrested.

 

[bblight]

ktv - I'm willing to give all of the other municipalities, along with state and federal gov't time to tell.

The mayor of New Orleans isn't doing his job right now - he's blaming everyone else for his problems - he's causing a problem, not helping to overcome any problems.

I find it rather amusing that you, yourself apparently don't get it.

 

[eek.]

For a combat veteran you sure have a weird sense of priorities BB.

While you're playing the-blame-game a major American city is being turned into Atlantis...

whatcha smokin' dude

 

[Phaedrus]

posted by bblight:

In my opinion, the recent calamity on the Gulf coast is one of the major reasons that government exists - to lessen the impact of calamity through preparation and to help in the recovery.

You got it backwards. Government's existence is one of the major reasons for the recent calamity on the Gulf Coast, especially in New Orleans.

Click here for an old article about the dangers and futility of levee-only flood management such as has been practiced in New Orleans since the CoE took over two hundred years ago, using data from and leading up to the last great flood of the area, in 1927.


Phaedrus

 

[t3a]

the dangers and futility of levee-only flood management such as has been practiced in New Orleans since the CoE took over two hundred years ago, using data from and leading up to the last great flood of the area, in 1927.

All the finger pointing now at Bush admin budget cuts neglect to mention that a lot of previous admins made similar cuts but even if they hadn't, the levee system is inherently flawed so throwing more money at it and building bigger isn't the solution.

I think BB made some good points about the Mayor and local planning especially stuffing people in the Superdome apparently without a plan.

It is sad so many kids and other innocent people are paying the price now for so many people being unprepared for something that has been brewing since the 1920's

 

[Phaedrus]

Just to be clear, I'm not "finger pointing at Bush." What the left cheerleaders have neglected to mention (and probably don't know anyway) is that Bush actually pushed for increased funding and manpower of Mississippi River channels and flood management back in 2002, believing that the CoE had its priorities mixed up in its funding requests.


Phaedrus

 

[Phaedrus]

An in the interest of being thorough and fair:

In my opinion, everyone failed in New Orleans, but I see limited success in the rest of the 4 state area that was impacted.

Time will tell how badly or how well Federal and each of the state governments performed their duties.

I totally agree.

However, I think the mayor of New Orleans failed miserably in his duties - the city was totally unprepared for an historically recognized threat.

I totally disagree. Political differences aside, the fact is that the federal government has claimed full responsibility for and power over New Orleans' flood management since 1803. Pushing blame off on locals who are likely seldom kept fully in the loop about situations, plans etc. doesn't help the problem.


Phaedrus

 

[edub69]

ktv - if you disagree, then please elucidate.

The way I see it at this time, areas that were harder hit had plans in place and are recovering - New Orleans had no plans in place and are now suffering the follies of a do-nothing mayor.

If the sports dome was planned for an emergency shelter, why weren't emergency supplies stored there or somewhere nearby?
Why weren't the police and fire trained and supplied for just such an emergency?
The Mayor has stated that the roving gangs are addicts - why wasn't this possibility planned for.
What plan was in place for a municipal emergency - water, sewer, gas, electric?
Why wasn't there a plan to handle large breaches in the dike?

This disaster was seen years ago - everyone knew it would happen sooner or later - so why wasn't there an overall plan for such an eventuality.

This mayor is a do nothing hack who's pointing his finger everywhere but where it belongs - at himself - he's the mayor and it was his responsibiltiy to protect his people - he failed!

My house is my responsibility - I live there - I can't plan on the mayor or governor or the President helping me, so I have to make sure I've done everything that I can to ensure that MY house is as protected as I can make it! The same rule applies here.

I have no doubt this would have happened under any mayor, Republican or Democrat. No one would have planned for something like this, why would you expect a guy who just took office a few years ago to suddenly reverse decades of policy (or lack thereof) and focus his administration on a potential flood instead of the day-to-day operations of the city? The only reason you even care is because he was critical of your dear leader George W. Bush.

 

[t3a]

Phaedrus, good article - I actually learned something here besides a new insult

the finger-pointing wasn't at your comments I meant in general, like in the media reports as if this was all some recent development. I haven't heard any reports mentioning the previous floods or the real history behind all of this

 

[docmercer--banned]

The only combat duty Gomer "Bblight Coulter" has ever seen is when him and Jeff Gannon get together for a little "hand to hand combat" ....

 

[cutacrossshorty]

Some here might make the assumption that N.O. mayor Ray Nagin is a Democrat. That assumption would be false. He is a Republican.

 

[sammythesage]

get your facts straight....http://www.gov.state.la.us/Disaster%20Relief%20Request.pdf

this letter is quite damning....

 

[docmercer]

Some here might make the assumption that N.O. mayor Ray Nagin is a Democrat. That assumption would be false. He is a Republican.

In a fine example of Capitalism meets Civics (a la Zell Miller)...he switched parties days before the Mayoral race (from Repub to Democrat).

 

[PatPatriot]

The recomendation from the Army corp of Engineers mad e the recomendations for the levee system in 1999....Will you guys please tell me what BILL CLINTON was doing????....fighting terrorist....bwahahahahaha!!!!

 

[Jointpleasure]

Well here we go again...

We have a major crisis and we have basically three different sides to the issue.
1. We have the libs. In their typical bleeding heart fashion this is when they are historically at their best. Their hearts just bleeding a terrible bloody red as racism and class warfare are injected into the minds of Americans hoping that their medicine will cause a sense of fear and guilt into the silent majority.

2. Then we have the intellectuals and anti-statists who will talk with a speared tipped tongue almost subconsciously trying to convice you that if A>B then C<F because d=g. Yes we already know the twin tower were built like shit because they could withstand jets flying into them. And we already no the levees couldn't withstand a category four or five hurricane.



3. The people of sound mind who know that if people would have been evacuated prior to the hurricane hitting - there would be less people dead. It's really not rocket science.

For those of sound mind who have to put up with the group 1 then after their argument gets old once again and then 1 and 2 join together to blame the levee and the builders thereof, I wish I could pull a winner, a lock, out of my ass and give it to you all today - you deserve it!