Fun Conversation From Terrorism Class #2

Fun facts about Hurricane Katrina.

Apparently, one of the reasons that all those people were stuck on roofs for days is because of federalism. Not the federal government, but federalism. In order for the federal government, i.e. FEMA, to come in, the LOCAL government has to ask for help. If the LOCAL government doesn't ask for help, the feds can't come in. Technically, the Federal government can declare a state of emergency, but over two hundred years, the Federal government has never actually done that.

FEMA told the local government in New Orleans that they had to ask for help 72 hours before the hurricane hit. And the well run government of New Orleans not only did not ask for help, it did not announce its evacuation plan until 36 hours before the hurricane hit. "Hey guys, you've got a day and a half, lets evacuate hundreds of thousands of people! It will work!"

And there were weeks before a state of emergency was declared. There are transcripts with the people from FEMA calling the government in New Orleans, begging them to allow FEMA in. And the local government did nothing.

Bush is to blame for a lot of things. But he can't be held responsible because Mayor Nagen is a moron who lacks the moral courage to ask for help under dire circumstances.

There's a reason that Florida gets hit by hurricanes every year, but people don't get stranded on roofs. All politics may not be local, but a lot of screwups are.