I am not trying to support everyone else while blaming the federal gov't. I am only trying to say that there is plenty of blame to go around. And that a problem at this level primarily falls at the federal level.

I don't consider myself a member of any political party. As Chris Rock has stated, on some issues I'm conservative, on some I'm more liberal. I like to look at the issue and make a decision.

In this case, did cronyism exist before? Absolutely. Maybe it's just that because of the internet and all the alternative news sources, I'm hearing a lot more about things I don't like then ever before.

And I don't like that so many were given positions in the rebuilding of Iraq based on their standing in the Republican party. Causing a failure in the rebuilding process, hence giving fundamentalists more ammo as to why you should hate the U.S. This was followed by appointing so many to the top of FEMA that the department was like a boat without a rudder in the first days of the hurricane.

How much clearer can it be when Bush comes out and announces that noone could have anticipated the breech of the levee's? And stand on the aircraft carrier and talk about how the war is over? These are people making decisions that risk thousands and thousands of lives.


>People like me?!? I refuse to get into thread drift. I am talking about this point and this point only. The Red Cross probably did try appealing to the State numerous times, including Sept 1st. This does not excuse the State from preventing them from going in on day 1.
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>I am NOT ignoring the Federal level mistakes, cronyism, etc., but that is NOT what this thread is about. Of course no other Administration has put cronies in top level positions either. We all know Clinton was perfect.
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>Can you explain why Nagin did not implement the N.O. disaster plan? Oh, that's right, Sen Landrieu has blamed the Bush Administration for mass transportation cuts and lack of support for that. What the hell does that have to do with hundreds of school buses sitting idle before the hurricane hit and the first day after before the levees broke.
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>I don't understand why people like you want to blame the Federal gov't for everything negative. Why is it that Florida was able to handle 3 straight hurricane disasters last summer with minimal Federal assistance right before and right after they hit that State? Hmm, lets' see, competent leadership at the State and local levels.
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>FWIW, I think the Federal gov't should stay the hell out of our lives for this very reason. In general, "they" have no clue about my community, our schools, my family or me. They are too far removed from reality to be particularly effective at anything.
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>>There were several articles that showed up this weekend that analyzed what happened in NO. I read thru 2 of them, from Wall St. Journal and Los Angeles Times. Both articles seemed to be fair treatments of the situation.
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>>Did the local and state authorities make some hugh mistakes? Absolutely!!
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>>However, the far, far, far bigger point was the failure at the federal level. Many of the worse comments describing the situation came from those who worked at Fema. The hurricane was a test of plan put in place at the federal level to handle disasters. The plan was put in place after 9-11.
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>>The results of the plan were a major disaster. Nothing worked correctly.
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>>And we've seen some of the same issues that were reported in Iraq. Many of the top positions were filled based on cronyism, nothing to do with experience. Do you think this is acceptable when lives are at stake???
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>>Obviously there is some blame at the state, local level. But the performance at the federal level was particularly abismal.
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>>I don't know how you can sit there and try to ignore what went on at the white house. People like you amaze me. I've always wondered when I've heard about events in the world. How could some of these things happen. Since they require the support of the people, but who would support such a plan.
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>>I feel extremely saddened to be a witness to the same behavior in my own country.