Another part of the rantgent
The previous post examines whether DHS had previously asserted primacy in disaster response situations. A related question is whether Gov. Blanco of Louisiana deserved more of the blame for what happened in New Orleans. Well, to some extent that answer has been objectively answered in the negative.
On September 7, Rep. John Conyers (D-Michigan) sent a letter to the Congressional Research Service asking whether the facts show that Blanco did what she needed to do in a timely manner to get federal aid and assistance. I was going to conduct my own analysis of this, but now the CRS has done it for me.
Before detailing the response, here is some info on the Congressional Research Service. The CRS is a part of the Library of Congress. It's purpose is descibed on the Library's website:
With this is mind, let's take a look at the CRS analysis. The memo details what is required under federal law, which is primarily statutes known as the Stafford Act and regulations promulgated thereunder. Next comes an examination of what Blanco did, which is primarily contained in a letter she wrote to Bush. That letter shows that Blanco declared a state of emergency on Aug. 26--one day before Bush (you can see the official declaration here). Blanco's letter also stated the following:"Pursuant to 44 CFR § 206.35, I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and that supplementary Federal assistance is necessary to save lives, protect property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a disaster." The letter goes on to state what steps the Governor had taken.
After looking at all the relevant facts, CRS came to this conclusion:
On September 7, Rep. John Conyers (D-Michigan) sent a letter to the Congressional Research Service asking whether the facts show that Blanco did what she needed to do in a timely manner to get federal aid and assistance. I was going to conduct my own analysis of this, but now the CRS has done it for me.
Before detailing the response, here is some info on the Congressional Research Service. The CRS is a part of the Library of Congress. It's purpose is descibed on the Library's website:
About CRS(emphasis added). Can you tell that I want to stress that the CRS is nonpartisan?
The Congressional Research Service is the public policy resear ch arm of the United States Congress. As a legislative branch agency within the Library of Congress, CRS works exclusively and directly for Members of Congress, their Committees and staff on a confidential, nonpartisan basis.
History and Mission
Congress created CRS in order to have its own source of nonpartisan, objective analysis and research on all legislative issues. Indeed, the sole mission of CRS is to serve the United States Congress. CRS has been carrying out this mission since 1914, when it was first established as the Legislative Reference Service. Renamed the Congressional Research Service by the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970, CRS is committed to providing the Congress, throughout the legislative process, comprehensive and reliable analysis, research and information services that are timely, objective, nonpartisan, and confidential, thereby contributing to an informed national legislature.
With this is mind, let's take a look at the CRS analysis. The memo details what is required under federal law, which is primarily statutes known as the Stafford Act and regulations promulgated thereunder. Next comes an examination of what Blanco did, which is primarily contained in a letter she wrote to Bush. That letter shows that Blanco declared a state of emergency on Aug. 26--one day before Bush (you can see the official declaration here). Blanco's letter also stated the following:"Pursuant to 44 CFR § 206.35, I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and that supplementary Federal assistance is necessary to save lives, protect property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a disaster." The letter goes on to state what steps the Governor had taken.
After looking at all the relevant facts, CRS came to this conclusion:
From the above review of the statutory authorities under the Stafford Act, the letters of Governor Blanco to President Bush requesting first a declaration of emergency and then a major disaster declaration in anticipation of the effects of Hurricane Katrina, as well as the President’s responses to those requests in declaring a state of emergency with respect to Louisiana effective August 28, 2005, and continuing, it would appear that the Governor did take the steps necessary to request emergency and disaster declarations for the State of Louisiana in anticipation of Hurricane Katrina.
posted by WCharles @ 9/14/2005 07:47:00 PM
6 Comments:
Everytime I try to access the CRS link it locks up my computer. (I hate AOL, but my son works for them). OK, your house catches fire. You call 911 because a garden hose just will not suffice. Then you sit by the curb timing the response of the local fire department with a stop watch complaining the whole time they are too slow. Well, maybe if your name is Nagin or Blanco you will. As for me, I'd be doing everything I could to fight the fire or salvage valuables until the fire arrived. I'd be working so hard I would have no idea how long it took them.
I read today that Tim Russert asked Nagin why he didn't order the 150 idle school buses to transport people to safety. His answer was he couldn't find drivers. Come on, entitlement mentality at its worst. He should have been driving one and Blanco another. He was sitting by the proverbial curb... no wait, I understand he was cowering in a city further north to protect his own skin (maybe a little hyperbolic).
I will try to access the CRS link at work tomorrow.
And keep in mind I said, "Well, to some extent that answer has been objectively answered in the negative."
As for the CRS link, I assume your are talking about the CRS report. It is a lengthy .pdf file, and that might be the problem.
Well, it seems now people are tripping over each other taking blame. Bush has publicly admitted fault with the disaster response and his removal of Brown from the scene and quick replacement is tacit admission of error. Today, on NPR it was reported that Blanco has said the buck stops at her desk, shades of Truman. OK, now that they have owned up to their deficiencies, now lets move forward.
Something was wrong with the link to the CRS report. I believe the problem has been corrected.
I was able to access it today. Interesting information. I posted the link on an HR forum where there has been an intense discussion. I'm waiting for the Rush Limbaugh wannabee to tear it apart.
There is nothing to tear apart. The report contains indisputable facts. There is no question that Blanco took the required steps in terms of getting federal aid. What the report does not address is what the State of Louisiana did or did not do prior to the events described therein.
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