At least Blanco has followed Bush's lead and accepted responsibility for the state's failure, and she was also unknowlingly caught by CNN (on video) telling her aide that she "should have asked for the military" -- Link can be found at http://thepoliticalteen.net/2005/09/12/blancocnndaybreak/ -- (Note: I have yet to see BOTH of these things mentioned in the N&R), but I can't find where Nagin has yet to admit any mistakes or accept any responsibility for failure on his part.

Nagin is going to be sued into oblivion by the relatives those he killed through his negligence.

Issuing a directive telling people to go into the Convention Center without providing any type of Law Enforcement or Paramedical assistance in the building was negligence of the highest order.

Then there's the School Bus issue, here and here .

Oh, Yvonne and Tony, there were Bus Drivers available, Nagin just didn't want to use the busses because they did not have Bathrooms or AC.

What's better riding 7 hours at 45 mph with the windows down and no AC or spending 4-5 days in gansta' hell with no food or water?

So many accusations. I'm sure those who are finding fault support Hillary Clinton's call for a bi-partisan and independent commission to examine the failures of the Katrina preperation and response.

'Off camera moment': Blanco, "well I guess I really need to ask for troops"

Roach, after the 911 Commission fiasaco the Democrats can't be trusted to be "independent".

Actually, I WOULD like to see an independent investigation, but I don't want Hillary selecting the independent members of the committee. An independent investigation will at least (HOPEFULLY) produce an accurate report and one which the Democrats can't say was bias.

Hugh, that's what I thought.

I support an independent commission but I don't credit Hillary Clinton with the idea for one.

Does anyone seriously believe that forming a bipartisan and independent commission in this country is possible anymore? I've seen nothing in the past 5-6 years that leads me to believe that you could truly find 10 bipartisan and independent and fair-minded people in this country. Who are they and where are they?

Stormy, bipartisan means that the commission would be made up of people from both parties (and hopefully, some independents) not that the individuals themselves are bi-partisan. Independent means that the commission would operate apart from the authority of the White House or Congress. In those regards, you may have less doubt about the ability to have a bi-partisan and independent commission.

I question whether those who condemn the 9/11 commission have even read their final report. It is clear that, even though there were Republicans and Democrats on the commission, the report contains a wealth of insight and explaination that was, at times, unflattering to both parties. Such an unvarnished examination of the facts are in order for Katrina. Afterall, we don't want this left up to the liberal media, do we? And we all certainly agree that we'd like to know how to do better next time, don't we?

Roach, I have not read the 911 report. I question the integrity of a commission where a member(s):

1. Had a player's role in what was being investigated, ie: Jamie Gorelick.

2. Didn't acknowledge "Able Danger".

Hugh, that's what I thought.

Any commission other than an independent one will not be taken seriously. Why not have an independent one?

I can't believe that some of you are still in denial about the competence of our republican government. Even with the remarks that Barbara Bush made, you can clearly see how they feel in regards to the disadvantage american, even in their time of struggle. At the point when the Presiden seen that the Governor and Mayor was not taking the proper precatiouns, that's when he should have stepped in and saved those people. It wasn't the Governor or the Mayor that killed those people, the President did.

So Still in Disbelief, what you are saying is that because they didn't do their jobs, and the president didn't immediatly jump in and do it for them, they are not to blame? What kind of logic is that?By your logic if I am driving down the road and fail to hit my breaks in order not to kill someone, and you don't jump in front of my car to stop it. Then you are to blame if someone dies and not me?

I will say it: You people blaming the Governor and Mayor are LIARS.

The Mayor and Governor did everything they were supposed to do.

Bush decided to do what he does best: Vacation.

If you think that you have some handle on reality, you are sadly mistaken. Your idiotic conservative ways are spending us all into the poorhouse, where only people like the Bushes and Cheneys will have money.

And some of you conservatives who are blue collar workers like myself are getting screwed while asking for more.

It really is amazing to watch the 'Swift Boating' of these two people in Lousiana. The lies could not be any more indecent.

To top that all off, GWB is allowng his cronies to pay less than the prevailing wage for reconstructuion work. I guess you know where his priorities are now- with his greedy conservative friends not with AMERICA.

You Neo-Cons HATE AMERICA, You support the dismantling of everything that made us a super-power.

Jim, the Democratic Mayor and Governor KILLED those people with their corrupt and incompetent leadership. But what else would you expect from the thieving Democrats?
They've had control of New Orleans and Louisiana for decades, and they've been stealing and keeping the poor in poverty for political reasons all those years.
The best thing to happen for New Orleans would be for the Democrats to be thrown out of office so they could get some responsible and competent leadership.
By stealing all of the money they could get their hands on, the Democrats kept the poor enslaved to the government handouts and therefore insured their votes so the welfare money would keep dribbling in.
The Democrats in Louisiana have engaged in slavery of their citizens for their own personal gain. And they killed people by doing it.

KILLIAN:

SPOKEN LIKE SOMEBODY WHO DOES NOT THINK HIS S***** STINKS! MUST HAVE TAKEN YOU THE MOST PART OF 5 MINUTES TO COME UP WITH THAT BRAINWASHED CRAP, BUT IT WAS ENTERTAINING! I JUST PRINTED IT FOR TOILET PAPER!

Killian,

How would you have tried to help the 1/3 of the New Orleans population that was living at or below the poverty level?

It is absolutely hilarious that you Neo-Cons scream about corruption. The connection to and awarding of contracts to Halliburton is Corruption of the highest order.

Its no different than what you claim happened in New Orleans prior to the hurricane and breaching of the underfunded FEDERAL levees.

The GAO (non-partisan) found that Nagin and Blanco fulfilled every part of their plans, and obligations, and Nagin was told on Tuesday that Federal help was coming. They didn't show up until Saturday.

What really steams me is the lies. You people are trying to re-write what actually happened to benefit your president.

Oh yes- when he made his speech last night, he fired up the generators to light up a huge section of New Orleans. When he left, they shut them down. Damned compassionate, wouldn't you say?

Would someone from this forum please see to it Jeffrey Sykes stops harrassing the writers at their residents (see below)

----- Original Message -----
From: Jeffrey Sykes
To: heavyh20@triad.rr.com
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 6:04 PM
Subject: Radiators

Hey, piss ant, shouldn't you be back in your hole figuring out how to cool your motherboard?

I'll bet you hide behind an LCD monitor making up for your tiny wee-wee by designing ways to get an ever faster video card.

Go fcuk yourself.

Jeff

New Orleans, and Louisiana as a whole, has been a bottomless pit of corruption for decades. Federal money poured into the programs there has been systematically looted by the Democrats. If not, how did New Orleans get to be so poor with so much federal aid coming in all these years?
To suggest that Nagin and Blanco fulfilled their obligations is ludicrous. They had an evacuation plan; they didn't follow it. They were offered more aid early on; they didn't take it. They both failed to implement simple and logistically sound practices to save their citizens from certain death; hundreds died from their mistakes. federal funds were offered years ago for levees; it was turned down by corrupt politicians.
Democrats are liars and thieves, people die from their corruption. If it comes out of a Democrats mouth, it's a lie.

Corrupt Louisiana Democrats steal money meant to save lives:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-money17sep17,0,1698555.story?coll=la-home-nation

"...federal auditors are still trying to track as much as $60 million in unaccounted for funds that were funneled to the state from the Federal Emergency Management Agency dating back to 1998."

Those who want to blame the federal government should realize they also pay state and city taxes.
I agree that federal aid certainly should be avalible for extensive infrastructure. However, Louisiana and New Orleans has a more direct responsibility toward it's population. Monies spent on Casinos, recreational areas and tourist attractions should have been allocated to safety first.
Evacuation centers lacking food, water or fuel supply for generators. Transportation of disabled, or non-ablatory individuals not instated immediatly, etc.
Inadequate leevees that have needed attention for many decades, left alone.
No question, federal response was delayed.
How can anyone blame Mr. Bush? He is only one man and in simple context a Chief manager. He is ultimatly responsible for the delayed response, but not directly so. That immediate responsiblity is delegated to another individual, and so on. The government is a business.
Would you have blamed the Chief Executive Officer of General Motors directly for the Fading paint on your Buick?

Killian

You said,
"Democratic Mayor and Governor KILLED those people with their corrupt and incompetent leadership."

I couldn't agree more! Just like George W Bush has KILLED all those American troops and Iraqi civilians with his corrupt and incompetent leadership.

We agree!!!

Harper, your comment is ignorant and just plain stupid.
You're an asshat.