More evidence piles up

This from ABC News:

NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 6, 2005 — In New Orleans, those in peril and those in power have pointed the finger squarely at the federal government for the delayed relief effort.

But experts say when natural disasters strike, it is the primary responsibility of state and local governments — not the federal government — to respond.

New Orleans' own comprehensive emergency plan raises the specter of "having large numbers of people … stranded" and promises "the city … will utilize all available resources to quickly and safely evacuate threatened areas."

"Special arrangements will be made to evacuate persons unable to transport themselves," the plan states.

When Hurricane Katrina hit, however, that plan was not followed completely.

Instead of sending city buses to evacuate those who could not make it out on their own, people in New Orleans were told to go to the Superdome and the Convention Center, where no one provided sufficient sustenance or security.

FEMA can't order anybody around. President can't order anybody around unless a) the Governor asks him to or b) he federalizes the state using Civil War Insurrection laws. So, let's recap, no matter how much you hate President George Bush (R), he and his people could have done nothing more than they did to alliviate the suffering of the people of New Orleans. It was the job of the state and local officials.

When the FEMA laws were written, nobody believed that state and local officials would get into a squabbling match over who did what. Gov. Jeb Bush (FL - R) didn't do it last year with his four hurricanes. Mayor Rudy Giulliani (R) and Governor George Pataki (NY - R) didn't during the 9-11 attacks. So far, Haley Barbour (MS- R) hasn't. So what's the problem with Governor Kathleen Blanco (LA -D) and Mayor Nagin (D)? Can someone 'splain me why the ones with the Ds at the end of their name can't seem to handle executive decisions? I seem to remember that it was Lawton Chiles (FL -D), a former US senator, who was in office when Hurricane Andrew hit Florida. Of course, the MSM affixed a lack of appropriate response on then President George Herbert Walker Bush (R), but as we're starting to see, the president has very little to do with what happens in hurricane relief.

It's the locals. And in Louisiana -- but not Mississippi or Alabama -- the local dropped eveything. And people are dead.