The "Blame Game"

[Walt Starr]

This is a commentary I submitted to the Chicago Tribune:

The "Blame Game" is not something I even want to engage in. All I want is accountability. I believe sincerely that only one person has anything of value to say about accountability in this mess, and those words were put into text on August 27th, 2005. The words issued by the White House on behalf of President George W. Bush are as follows:

Statement on Federal Emergency Assistance for Louisiana

The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts in the parishes located in the path of Hurricane Katrina beginning on August 26, 2005, and continuing.

The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives, protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the parishes of Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, Catahoula, Concordia, De Soto, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Pointe Coupee, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Helena, St. Landry, Tensas, Union, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, West Feliciana, and Winn.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding.

Representing FEMA, Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Department of Homeland Security, named William Lokey as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FEMA [phone].

# # #


These words are archived for posterity at the White House Web site:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050827-1.html

This is damning evidence when assessing accountability for the debacle in Louisiana. All debate about accountability begins and ends with this single document. The moment this statement was issued, accountability rested with the following five individuals:

1) William Lokey as the the Federal Coordinating Officer

2) Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response

3) Michael Chertoff, Secretary of Homeland Security

4) Richard B. Cheney, Vice President and head of the Office of National Preparedness

5) George W. Bush, President of the United States.

[Swamp Rat]

1. I blame Bushler for murdering my city...

THEY will turn it into a McNew Orleansland.

[asjr]

9. Murder is the correct word. The city of

NOLA may be forever uninhabitable. The toxins are seeping into the soil, flushed into the lake, and probably have already affected the people who had to remain for days on end without care. The environmental damage that has occured may be irreversible. The city is still in dire straits and all we hear on news now is the blame game. Bush will not take any blame for it and has his cohorts out there trying to protect him. Why everyone in this country can't see this for what it is just astounds me. The "unimaginable" actually happened and the man who is supposed to be in charge of the welfare of his country hides, or tries to hide his unworthiness.

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[gmoney]

2. "The Blame Game" Name Game...

FEMA-FEMA-BO-BEMA, BANANA-FANA-FO-MEENA, FE-FI-FO-FENNA.... FEMA

Scotty-Scotty-bo-botty, banana-fana-mo-motty, fe-fi-fo-fotty... Scotty...

[confludemocrat]

30. These people deserve blame and this is NO GAME (n/t)

[H2O Man]

3. The fact that they

call it a "game" is revealing. It isn't a game. People suffered and died.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

7. It once again shows their reckless disregard for human lives. nt

[Bozita]

4. "ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts"

Good one, Walt!

[Catchawave]

17. The NG should have been driving those school buses during

the evacuation, as those drivers were probably too busy evacuating their families.

New Orleans first responders couldn't possibly handle the evacuation of a city that size by themselves, which is what FEMA's designed to do. The document cited just that! The Mayor had enough on his mind at the time to be making "official" phone calls and trying to save his citizens at the same time.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

5. Thank you for this Walt. Although no fan of hers, this morning on both

the Today Show and CNN, Hillary Clinton cited this document as to whom was responsible, including the date.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

6. Nominated. nt

[CantGetFooledAgain]

8. I love it that "the blame game" is the best talking point

that they can come up with.

Umm, it's called accountability. And it's not a game.

[iconoclastic cat]

10. When they say, "Stop playing the blame game!" you say, "Stop the cover-up!

Spread the word! When they say, "Stop playing the blame game!" you say, "Stop the cover-up! Investigate now!"

[Im with Rosey]

11. I am very concerned

The words "BLAME GAME" disturb me, I don't believe the responsibility of the government to take care of the safety of all Americans should be reduced to what sounds like a teenage parlor game. The deaths of thousands warrant terminology with something more serious and dignified. I realize the Blame Game was initiated to minimize the catastrophic failure of this misadministration and I am in NO way assigning that responsibility to you. I have a great deal of respect for the posts you share with us. That being said, my main concern is that it appears that "brownie" is being set up to be the fall guy. IMHO, I think we should try to ensure the responsibility for this sticks where it needs to be, starting at the top and working its way down. I have written to Senator Boxer and others, Boxer is my Senator, to emphasize this very issue. We cannot and must not allow anyone to take the fall without the top criminal to go down along with everyone else.

[Walt Starr]

12. That's why I beagn the piece by putting "Blame Game" in quotes

and replacing that foolishness with the term "Accountability".

[Im with Rosey]

14. "Accountability" works for me

Thanks. Guess its time for more emails to help with getting that verbage out there. What are your thoughts about brownie taking the fall? That is actually what I am most concerned about. I want everyone held accountable!

[Walt Starr]

16. Nope, five people must take the fall

All five are listed in the OP

[dogday]

13. How about the fact game?

can you deal with the facts?

[Walt Starr]

15. I dealt with the facts

and laid out the only relavent fact when assessing accountability.

[Catchawave]

18. You should post your letter in the DU Activist forum....

great information, and that document alone could and should hang the whole administration.

[emulatorloo]

19. excellent Walt -- kicked and nominating

[Mr Rabble]

20. Excellent post with good resources.

May I send this to my two local papers?

[In Truth We Trust]

21. Thank you for that Walt. As usual you are focused and succint. Mind if I

send it along to my local media?

edit to add: NOMINATED!

[magnolia]

22. Right...accountability and responsibility....not blame.

This is the right wing "framing" that Lakoff wrote about. Calling it the "blame game" makes it sound petty instead of necessary, which it is.

Another misconception is to imply that we can either blame OR rescue and help people. If you are busy blaming, you are not helping. This from the "can't walk and chew gum and the same time" administration.

During 9/11 the blame started even before the towers fell...and continued non-stop...AS IT SHOULD. Did that in anyway interfer with rescue? Imagine how ridiculous it would have been after 9/11 to have someone say..."Can't blame right now...we have to focus on rescue. We'll have weeks and months and investigations...plenty of time for blame."

Yes...a terrorist attack is different than a hurricane, but what happened after the hurricane is no different than a terrorists attack. When all is said and done, negligence will have taken more lives then the 9/11 attack.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

26. August 18th

[yodermon]

23. WAIT JUST A MINUTE! WAIT!

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS LIST?:

"Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, Catahoula, Concordia, De Soto, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Pointe Coupee, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Helena, St. Landry, Tensas, Union, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, West Feliciana, and Winn."

WHERE THE HELL ARE THE PARISHES OF:
Orleans, Jefferson, St. Charles, LaFourche, Plaquemines, St. Bernard .. etc etc! Look at the map! http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/maps/louisiana_map.html All the parishes that were actually most affected by the hurricane were not in chimpy's list! what is going on here?!

Please tell me I'm missing something obvious.

[Walt Starr]

24. Um, those are for additional assistance

The direcly affected parishes are covered here:

The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts in the parishes located in the path of Hurricane Katrina beginning on August 26, 2005, and continuing.

[yodermon]

25. *gasp* ok thank you

reading comprehension clearly not my strong suit.
tinfoil off.

[halobeam]

35. I understand what you are saying, but I don't see where it says

these parishes are in addition to "the parishes located in the path of Hurrican Katrina". They just named the parishes. Please help me see it another way.

[LibDemAlways]

27. Cheney is "head of the Office of National

Preparedness" and he was on vacation until this past weekend? Didn't surface even once last week, and chimp apparently didn't order his sorry ass back to Washington?

No other conclusion but that these criminals all gave a hale and hearty "Fuck You" to NO triggering the worst possible outcome.

[catmandu57]

28. You can't order your boss around

and we all know who's the boss there.

[LibDemAlways]

33. Well you have an excellent point....

Cheney does whatever the hell Cheney wants. The sorry bastard doesn't even pretend to do his job and knows full well he'll get away with it. Every one of these crooks belongs in prison.

[iconoclastNYC]

29. I don't think we should be reinforcing thier frames.

Never react to thier spin points. Use your own. Always be on the offensive. Don't go on the defensive.

[Walt Starr]

32. Whiuch is why I dismessed their frame with my first sentence

They cannot say I am engaing in their "blame game" after my first sentence.

[iconoclastNYC]

34. You need to read Lakoff's book.

When you say don't think of an elephant you immediately do.

When you say : "i'm not doing a blame game" the listener immediately thinks that you are.

Don't use the term "blame game", not even to dismiss it. Ever. Demand accountability. Period.