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Return to Article: Louisiana governor defends decision not to federalize Guard units

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  There are two root problems: 1- Bush is responsible for the ruin of New Orleans becasue he stole he money slated to fix the levees, to cover tax breaks he gave to his rich friends.

  2- Bush, failed to put emergency response people and gear in place before the storm, rendering the question of who controls the guard moot. Bush wanted to use the guard as a political tool to take power away from Blanco. note that Bush never asked about federalizing the Guard when Florida was hit. Wonder why?.

  And one more for the road: From Blanso' well documented testimony befor Congress:

  "I requested massive federal assistance in letters to President Bush on Aug. 27 and Aug. 28 -- before the storm's landfall," she said in one. "I spoke with President Bush on Sunday (Aug. 28) and Monday (Aug. 29) and told him I needed everything he had. I believed FEMA officials who told me that every federal resource was at my disposal. I believed this meant every single available resource." Later on in the talking points document, she responds to a hypothetical question about what she did wrong in response to Katrina. "I believe my biggest mistake was believing FEMA officials who told me that the necessary federal resources would be available in a timely fashion," she said."

  Teh Ghost of New Orleans Posted September 1, 2008 1:26 PM
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  What a bunch of crap! Half of her guard troops were already federalized by serving in Iraq. The other half should have been. Not because the federal government could screw things up, but because of the resources that would have been available that aren't available on the state level. This governor failed to take advantage of mutual aid agreements a lot of states have during natural disasters. There really needs to be a lesson to both state and federal politicians about how to use your state guard forces.

  GovExec.com reader Posted February 10, 2006 12:34 AM
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  I have to admit, this is hard to understand. Blanco says: Blanco told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. "I told the president that the proper way is for me, as governor, to remain in control of the National Guard," Okay, so why did it take so long to get the Guard in? Why did so many people die while waiting on the Guard to get there?

  Yet Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, noted that during the panel's hearings, senators have been told repeatedly that officials in the hurricane-ravaged states "did the best they could." But, she said, the committee heard testimony earlier in the week from Louisiana Department of Transportation chief Johnny Bradberry that he failed to evacuate the poor, sick and elderly because he did not think it was his job to do so. Blanco: "I have a very honest cabinet secretary," Blanco said. She said the transportation plan was "in transition" but said she and her state would do better next time. "It will never happen again," she said.

  Question: What will never happen again, honesty in government?

  Ted Posted February 9, 2006 8:03 AM