This is an e-mail I got from someone I know, "Let's have an investigation"

[ralps]

THE REST OF THE STORY !!!!!!!! ROY
From: xxxxxxxx
Sent: Saturday, September 10, 2005 9:29 AM
To: xxxxxx
Subject: Let's have an investigation

Subject: In case You Did not Hear this on the NEWS

As Paul Harvey would say, "now you know the rest of the story".

On Friday night before the storm hit, Max Mayfield of the National

Hurricane Center took the unprecedented action of calling Nagin and

Blanco personally to plead with them to begin MANDATORY evacuation of NO

and they said they'd take it under consideration. This was after the

NOAA buoy 240 miles south had recorded 68' waves before it was

destroyed.


President Bush spent Friday afternoon and evening in meetings with his

advisors and administrators drafting all of the paperwork required for a

state to request federal assistance (and not be in violation of the

Posse Comitatus Act or having to enact the Insurgency Act).


Just before midnight Friday evening the President called Governor

Blanco and pleaded with her to sign the request papers so the federal

government and the military could legally begin mobilization and call

up. He was told that they didn't think it necessary for the federal

government to be involved yet. After the President's final call to the

governor she held meetings with her staff to discuss the political

ramifications of bringing federal forces. It was decided that if they

allowed federal assistance it would make it look as if they had failed

so it was agreed upon that the feds would not be invited in.


Saturday before the storm hit the President again called Blanco and

Nagin requesting they please sign the papers requesting federal

assistance, that they declare the state an emergency area, and begin

mandatory evacuation. After a personal plea from the President Nagin

agreed to order an evacuation, but it would not be a full mandatory

evacuation, and the governor still refused to sign the papers requesting

and authorizing federal action. In frustration the President declared

the area a national disaster area before the state of Louisiana did so

he could legally begin some advanced preparations.


Rumor has it that the President's legal advisers were looking into the

ramifications of using the insurgency act to bypass the Constitutional

requirement that a state request federal aid before the federal

government can move into state with troops - but that had not been done

since 1906 and the Constitutionality of it was called into question to

use before the disaster.


Throw in that over half the federal aid of the past decade to NO for

levee construction, maintenance, and repair was diverted to fund a

marina and support the gambling ships. Toss in the investigation that

will look into why the emergency preparedness plan submitted to the

federal government for funding and published on the city's website was

never implemented and in fact may have been bogus for the purpose of

gaining additional federal funding as we now learn that the

organizations identified in the plan were never contacted or

coordinating into any planning - though the document implies that they

were.


The suffering people of NO need to be asking some hard questions as do

we all, but they better start with why Blanco refused to even sign the

multi-state mutual aid pack activation documents until Wednesday which

further delayed the legal deployment of National Guard from adjoining

states. Or maybe ask why Nagin keeps harping that the President should

have commandeered 500 Greyhound busses to help him


I would like to send a rebuttal back with articles to support the facts. Thanks for your help.
:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[Child_Of_Isis]

1. Shrub just accepted responsibility.

What else do they need to know? ;-)

[skids]

2. Here's your response.

One word:

"Bullshit."

[LynneSin]

3. bush was on fucking vacation

the only 'paperwork' he was dealing with was the morning sports section

[China_cat]

7. And the toilet paper.

[acmejack]

4. Your friends are slow!

Try this: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4689467

[tanyev]

5. How many monkeys does Karl have chained up in a room

churning out this drivel? Seriously, is there any way to track these things back to their source? I'll bet you will find they are the work of some PR firm with very incestuous ties to the GOP.

[ralps]

6. Here is my reply

If you all would please take the time to read the link I'm providing I think you all will see that the e-mail xxx sent is wrong, xxx in the future please check your facts before you send me any more right wing talking points. I then added a link to the Thinkprogress Katrina timeline. :hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[crispini]

8. This has already been debunked.

Try snopes.com for lots of good info.

[cry baby]

9. Go to thinkprogress.org, they have a timeline with sources and links.

here is the link to thinkprogress.org: http://thinkprogress.org/page/4/

[ralps]

10. Thanks, I sent them the Thinkprogress Katrina timeline webpage

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[cry baby]

13. It's a great wrap up!! I carry a copy of it around with me, just in case.

:toast: :hi: :applause:

[EstimatedProphet]

11. That's so untrue it should be white ink on black paper

It is completely a reversal of reality. It's like a photonegative of the truth.

[zbdent]

12. I would say

"Let me be the first to sign your petition! But it has to be an independent commission, not George W. Bush investigating, like the 'hunt for WMDs' he held in his office."

The last thing that the Repukes would want is an investigation of what went wrong. Like the sandbagging that took place when the calls for investigating 9/11 were going on . . .

[NYCGirl]

14. Reply to all with this debunking from Snopes:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/katrina/nagin.asp

[ralps]

15. Thanks NYCGirl

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[zbdent]

16. Here's a link to help them with the investigation:

and the data is from the Wall Street Journal, no less!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4759780

[distantearlywarning]

17. Um. Yeah.

And that's why I heard both the Governor of LA and Mayor Nagin on TV BEGGING, BEGGING the feds to please come down as requested and help them on Monday or Tuesday or so????

It must have been my lying eyes, because this document you posted seems to suggest that I didn't, in fact, see that. And I KNOW the right-wing nutjobs wouldn't MAKE THIS STUFF UP or anything. It must be my mistake.

And slavery is freedom. And we've always been at war with Eurasia.

[noahmijo]

18. PM ME for the letter written by Blanco requesting aid

FEDERAL AID, and a statement that she did in fact declare a state of emergency on the 26th of August.

This letter by the way is dated Aug 28th.

What was Bush doing on Aug 28th again? ohhh yeahh....

[ralps]

19. I got this e-mail from my father and this is what I sent back

Hi Everyone
If you all would please take the time to read the link I'm providing I think you all will see that the e-mail Dad sent is wrong, Dad in the future please check your facts before you send me any more right wing talking points.
http://thinkprogress.org/katrina-timeline

So this is what I got back today
Your E-Mail is hardly the way to talk to your father.

Was I being offensive or snooty in my original reply? I didn't think. Please let me know what you all think. :hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[Nickster]

20. Yeah, it did kind of come of snooty as far as talking to your Dad.

It's really hard to convey things like that via email. Just my two cents.

[ralps]

24. Thanks Nickster

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[gratuitous]

21. When your father's being a dope

He deserves the very polite smackdown you administered. If he's upset that someone called him on his bullshit, then he should stop bullshitting. It's a simple equation.

Anyway, back to the original post. The Congressional Research Service, at the request of John Conyers, prepared this report:

http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/crskatrinarept91205.pdf

Read it and heed it.

[ralps]

25. Thanks gratuitous

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[Stephanie]

22. Here you go - debunked by a DU'er, with links >

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4758136

[ralps]

27. Thanks Stephanie, I would have liked to have sent them that post

but considering the reaction I got w/ my reply I don't think a DU Thread would have gone over well. :hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[ProfessorGAC]

23. Sounds Like Dad Has The Attitude Problem

Respect, dad, is earned, not endowed.
The professor

[ralps]

28. Thanks ProfessorGAC

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[Horse with no Name]

26. Here is a rebuttal I sent to one yesterday--use what you can

I do believe in backing up my educated accusations with facts. So here goes. Fox News has stated before that they are aware that they do favor the President and lean that way in their news coverage. People that watch Fox News tend to mostly be supporters of the President, and they put the spin on the news that their audience demands.
The author, Lee Ellis, is a noted right wing shill.
http://www.chronwatch.com/site_search.asp?auth=203
It isn't a far stretch to imagine him defending the President.
However, his "facts" don't match the official documents.
Notwithstanding, Bush did admit federal responsibility failure today.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9324891 /
One of the facts is, that appointing unqualified people in jobs of great importance did cost lives. Croneyism--whether it is Democrat or Republican--needs to stop. There needs to be a non-partisan committee appointed to oversee such political appointees, regardless of which party is in the White House.
The safety of American lives are at stake. We need to make these positions available to qualified people, not use them for political favors and rewards.
However, so far, Mike Brown did resign.
Let me start one by one with the facts and sourcing them with official documents.
1. On August 26, Governor Blanco declared a state of emergency in Louisiana.
http://www.gov.state.la.us/2005%20%20proclamations/48pr...
Please notice Section 2 where it states:
"The State of Louisiana's emergency response and recovery program is activated under the command of the director of the state office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to prepare for and provide emergency support services and/or to minimize the effects of the storm's damage."
On August 27, she forwarded a letter to the President requesting federal assistance for the State of Louisiana.
http://www.gov.state.la.us/Press_Release_detail.asp?id=...
" Pursuant to 44 CFR § 206.35, I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and that supplementary Federal assistance is necessary to save lives, protect property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a disaster. I am specifically requesting emergency protective measures, direct Federal Assistance, Individual and Household Program (IHP) assistance, Special Needs Program assistance, and debris removal "
On the same day, August 27, President Bush declared Louisiana a federal disaster area.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/2005082...
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.

So in this document, FEMA takes control of ALL disaster relief in Louisiana.

All disasters come under the Stafford Act, Title V
http://www.ohioema.org/robertt.htm (easiest copy to read--however, it is federal)
Sec. 302. (a) Immediately upon his declaration of a major disaster or emergency, the President shall appoint a Federal coordinating officer to operate in the affected area.(disaster declared on the 27th, President took responsibility).

(b) In order to effectuate the purposes of this Act, the Federal coordinating officer, within the affected area, shall

(1) make an initial appraisal of the types of relief most urgently needed;
(2) establish such field offices as he deems necessary and as are authorized by the President;
(3) COORDINATE the administration of relief, including activities of the State and local government, the American National Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Mennonite Disaster Service, and other relief or disaster assistance organizations, which agree to operate under his advice or direction, except that nothing contained in this Act shall limit or in any way affect the responsibilities of the American National Red Cross under the Act of January 5, 1905, as amended (33 Stat. 599); and
(4) take such other action, consistent with authority delegated to him by the President, and consistent with the provisions of this Act, as he may deem necessary to assist local citizens and public officials in promptly obtaining assistance to which they are entitled.

(c) When the President determines assistance under this Act is necessary, he shall request that the Governor of the affected State designate a State coordinating officer for the purposes of coordinating State and local disaster assistance efforts with those of the Federal Government. Governor Blanco did this in her initial letter on the 26th--per the Louisiana disaster plan.

Governor Blanco did follow up with a specific request of assistance on the 28th.
http://gov.louisiana.gov/Disaster%20Relief%20Request.pd...
In this letter, she states
"I have determined that this incident will be of such severity and magnitude that effective response will be beyond the capabilities of the State and the affected local governments and that supplementary Federal assistance will be necessary".
It then goes to list what she needs from the Federal government and what Louisiana will be able to provide.

It is also noteworthy to understand that EVERY state's disaster plan HAS to be filed with FEMA and approved in order to receive Federal assistance.

The City of New Orleans Emergency Preparedness Plan.
http://www.cityofno.com/portal.aspx?portal=46&tabid=26

The State of Louisiana's Disaster Plan
www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/plans

You will find that these are all in order and that the State and Local governments fulfilled their mandatory obligations.

He also goes into Posse Comitatus. This applies to Federal troops on American soil. National Guard belong to the state.
If they weren't fighting in Iraq, the state would have had their manpower,high water vehicles and generators needed to better handle the emergency.
On August 1, Gov. Blanco did request their men and equipment to be returned from Iraq. President Bush declined.
Perhaps even more significant has been the absence of equipment critical for emergency responses. WGNO-TV, the ABC affiliate in New Orleans, reported on August 1 that, "Dozens of high water vehicles, humvees, refuelers and generators are now abroad," warning that "in the event of a major natural disaster, that could be a problem." They interviewed Lieutenant Colonel Pete Schneider of the Louisiana National Guard, who observed that "The National Guard needs that equipment back home."
As a result of the absence of these high-water vehicles and other equipment that could have been used in the aftermath of the flooding, it appears that many hundreds of people died while waiting to be rescued. Even Thomas Donnelly of the neo-conservative American Enterprise Institute observed that, "This is what happens when you take Guardsmen and put them on the conveyor belt into Iraq."

2. The mayor did not use a loudspeaker from what I understand, but did go on TV and tell the people of the city there was to be a mandatory evacuation. Not only that, they used buses and had pickup points which were well advertised and was part of the FEMA approved disaster plan as noted above.

3. Levees were a huge concern. Levees broke the next day and previous to the hurricane hitting, it was warned by the local officials they would more than likely be breeched.
http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript_neworleans...

4. The Louisiana legislators have been begging for the money to reinforce the levees...but the Army Corps of Engineers funding was cut. Money was diverted from FEMA for natural disasters so that it could be rolled into the War in Iraq. Again, if the National Guard was in the state where they belong and where they were requested, national troops would not have been an issue.

This entire SNAFU lies at the foot of the President.
I'm sorry. I've supported my views with official documentation, not simply an OP-Ed from a known Right Wing sympathizer.

[genieroze]

29. Sounds like bull to me. Do these nut-jobs really talk themselves into

believing this crap.

[ralps]

30. The E-mail war continues. I got this from my Mother this afternoon

She writes
Let's call the propaganda war QUITS
Then attaches this message

Forwarded with no comment since none is necessary.


The American Spectator By Ben Stein

Ben Stein is a writer, actor, economist and lawyer living in Beverly Hills and Malibu. He also writes "Ben Stein's Diary" in every issue of The American Spectator.

Published 9-2-05 A few truths for those who have ears and eyes and care to know the truth:

1.) The hurricane that hit New Orleans and Mississippi and Alabama was an astonishing tragedy. The suffering and loss of life and peace of mind of the residents of those areas is acutely horrifying.

2.) George Bush did not cause the hurricane. Hurricanes have been happening for eons. George Bush did not create them or unleash this one.

3.) George Bush did not make this one worse than others. There have been far worse hurricanes than this before George Bush was born.

4.) There is no overwhelming evidence that global warming exists as a man-made phenomenon. There is no clear-cut evidence that global warming even exists. There is no clear evidence that if it does exist it makes hurricanes more powerful or makes them aim at cities with large numbers of poor people. If global warming is a real phenomenon, which it may well be, it started long before George Bush was inaugurated, and would not have been affected at all by the Kyoto treaty, considering that Kyoto does not cover the world's worst polluters - China, India and Brazil. In a word, George Bush had zero to do with causing this hurricane. To speculate otherwise is belief in sorcery.

5) George Bush had nothing to do with the hurricane contingency plans for New Orleans. Those are drawn up by New Orleans and Louisiana. In any event, the plans were perfectly good: Mandatory evacuation. It is in no way at all George Bush's fault that about
20 percent of New Orleans neglected to follow the plan. It is not his fault that many persons in New Orleans were too confused to realize how dangerous the hurricane would be. They were certainly warned. It's not George Bush's fault that there were sick people and old people and people without cars in New Orleans. His job description does not include making sure every adult in America has a car, is in good health, has good sense and is mobile.

6) George Bush did not cause gangsters to shoot at rescue helicopters taking people from rooftops, did not make gang bangers rape young girls in the Superdome, did not make looters steal hundreds of weapons, in short make New Orleans into a living hell.

7.) George Bush is the least racist President in mind and soul there has ever been and this is shown in his appointments over and over. To say otherwise is scandalously untrue.

8) George Bush is rushing every bit of help he can to New Orleans and Mississippi and Alabama as soon as he can. He is not a magician. It takes time to organize huge convoys of food and now they are starting to arrive. That they get in at all considering the lawlessness of the city is a miracle of bravery and organization.

9.) There is not the slightest evidence at all that the war in Iraq has diminished the response of the government to the emergency. To say otherwise is pure slander.

10.) If the energy the news media puts into blaming Bush for an Act of God worsened by stupendous incompetence by the New Orleans city authorities and the malevolence of the criminals of the city were directed to helping the morale of the nation, we would all be a lot better off.

11.) New Orleans is a great city with many great people. It will recover and be greater than ever. Sticking pins into an effigy of George Bush that does not resemble him in the slightest will not speed the process by one day.

12.) The entire episode is a dramatic lesson in the breathtaking callousness of government officials at the ground level. Imagine if Hillary Clinton had gotten her way and the government was in charge of your health care.

God bless all of those dear people who are suffering so much, and God bless those helping them, starting with George Bush.

I sent this message back
Yes, Let's call the Propaganda War Quits. I hope both you and Dad make the decision not to send me any more right wing propaganda and I will return the favor by not sending you all any left wing propaganda.



:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :puke: :puke: :mad: :grr: :banghead: :rant: