posted on September 6, 2005 04:44:34 PM new
To Fox...
Watching both Fox and NBC after President Bush had been inspecting the Gulf Coast and New Orleans, I was shocked at how the nets and even some newspapers were trying to blame the Bush Administration for the slowness of help reaching these damaged cities. Obviously, Brian Williams and his news team do not know the laws nor do they know the past history of New Orleans, the city built in a bathtub of a swamp.
This is a city where the dead, for centuries, have had to be buried in above-ground structures because the water is so close to the surface of this sinking city. If coffins are put in the ground, they will rise to the surface as the underground water pushes them up. I have been to these cemeteries personally.
“Why did it take five days for Bush to help” has been the mantra voiced constantly by all the “Talking Heads” on TV. Here are the reasons.
1. It is against the law for any president to order troops into a city or across state lines without a request and permission from the Governor of that state.
John Armor, a First Amendment lawyer and one of my favorite writers, told me, “Federal law prevents the president from sending in the National Guard until the governor gives the order. It is little known, but the commanding general of the National Guard in every state reports to the governor, not the president, until the governor says otherwise. U.S. military units (regular Army, not the Guard) cannot be used because of the Posse Comitatus law, until the Guard has been authorized."
According to some news sources, the governor of Louisiana who knew the levees were weak, who knew that the city had been slowly sinking and who knew that a major # 5 hurricane was approaching her city did not call Washington for help.
2. The mayor of New Orleans did call for evacuation over a loud-speaker, but did nothing to be sure that the police went door-to-door followed by transportation to pick up all those who did not have cars or any ability to leave. There was no other leadership practiced by the mayor as there had been in New York City during 9/11 by Mayor Giuliani.
3. The hurricane veered east and “saved” New Orleans, Brian Williams announced a week ago and all breathed a sigh of relief until the levees broke a day or two later allowing the surrounding waters to pour into the city.
4. It was this predicted levee failure which had been ignored for so long that doomed the local people to be held hostage in their attics or on rooftops, not the storm. It was also the failure of the local bureaucrats and local elected leaders to maintain law and order and to have pre-arranged for complete evacuations of the city. It was only after a request went out to the president that troops could be sent in. Can you imagine the anti-Bush media screaming that Bush had invaded Louisiana as he had done in Iraq if he had done this before being asked? I can just imagine the New York Times headlining, “A Repeat of Shock and Awe by Bush!”
Bill O’Reilly was the only commentator that I heard who explained this on Fox News. All other network commentators seemed to allow the implication inferred by the viewers that this was all the fault of the Bush Administration. I guess the far left also works in mysterious ways!
Now you know that my television is turned to Fox News and why I no longer listen to NBC or its aide-de-camp, MSNBC!
posted on September 6, 2005 04:50:45 PM new
Bill O' Reilly also made a very good point during one of his talking points - if you allow yourself to become completely dependent on the government, you will be disappointed.
There's much to be said for self-sufficiency.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Caroline
posted on September 6, 2005 05:24:11 PM new
Bear, I have to say, though, NBC had some good video on the 'scientific' aspects of the flooding and what the Army Corps of Engineers had to say about it. I wish I could find it. They way they did it, it was very easy to see how it happened and understand it. (I think this was dateline with StonePhillips, but not sure.)
posted on September 6, 2005 05:30:26 PM new
O'Reilly also has said that he did not understand though why the feds did not just step in and take over earlier in the game.
They did a poll asking viewers to grade how people felt the government dealt with the situation and he openly mocked the 8% who gave it an A.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
An intelligent deaf-mute is better than an ignorant person who can speak.
posted on September 6, 2005 05:49:20 PM newCan you imagine the anti-Bush media screaming that Bush had invaded Louisiana as he had done in Iraq if he had done this before being asked? I can just imagine the New York Times headlining, “A Repeat of Shock and Awe by Bush!”
Bear I can imagine that. I also can imagine the liberals expecting Bush to hold up the levee with his body after it broke, and still no one would be satisfied.
posted on September 6, 2005 05:56:10 PM new
That's the sad truth of the situation. This is just another excuse to put his feet to the fire....while holding no one else responsible at all...even those who were ordered to leave the scene.
Caroline 