The US Federal Government's Lack of Action, New Orleans & The South USA Options

[Guest_Jox_*]

Lori suggested porting this here - so I have done so...

What I don't understand from this side of the Pond is the US Federal Government's (lack of) reaction. I saw GW Bush on tv asking people to give donations to Sally Army and Red Cross. Why? Shouldn't the Government get on and rescue people. I'm completely bewildered that the richest nation on Earth should just abandon people for four or five days whilst society breaks down. Of course, going in is not easy but no attempts at much were made for so long. Many people are saying that the rich powerful men in Washington (at best) don't have a clue about the urban poor of the south - let along the racial issue which is being discussed by the hour on tv over here.

However, that was me being gentle over in that tile. Here I would like to know why the US Government should not be charged with negligent homicide and crimes against humanity. It has presided over many deaths which were preventable. Most people are poor and many black. How much does that tell us about the powerful white Republican establishment in DC?

If the people in this disaster had been New England white liberals, would help have come quicker? There is much discussion on UK tv that this represents a major racial schist in the USA and that the black poor don’t matter to the white republicans. I’m not actually sure I agree with that - as far as I can see this simply looks like massive incompetence. I marvel at the fact that Clinton was impeached for having an affair with his associate simply to attack his liberal regime - using Star as the battering ram - but GWB will probably serve-out his time in office after precising over what seems tantamount to mass murder.

The weather situation was known. But why were the urban poor (mainly black) populations not evacuated? Because they couldn’t afford it? Because they had no cars? Because no one cared?

OK to be logical for a moment we have split responsibilities here. It is hard for a Brit to appreciate that States and local governments do not appreciate having their jurisdictions infringed by the US Federal Government. The US is a federation: to a large degree individual states are politically independent. So the initial failure may be fairly charged at the New Orleans and Louisiana authorities; they must have cases to answer. Of course, they may have asked for Federal assistance then - I don’t know yet.

But from the moment the weather system hit the US State had a responsibility. Instead it has allowed people to thirst to death, to die from lack of medical care, from violence in a society which has partially dived into anarchy. TV showed the New Orleans Police giving up I believe. One can’t blame them - the disaster was overwhelming.

Overwhelming is that a defence? Nope. Because the US could deploy people far faster; break-out reserves of water, food, medicine far faster. The European Union (including the UK) have asked the US if they would like humanitarian assistance. None (to my knowledge) has been taken up. Why? Because the US can cope? Well it should be able to and may be it can but it has not hitherto. Is there a political fear that such aid would be politically damaging to this dreadful President? Important to save the No1 skin, of course.

Troops had to be diverted from humanitarian relief to tackle looters, violent criminals, murderers. Why has that city broken down so quickly? Might existing poverty and deprivation have been factors? Hour upon hour here in the UK we’re seeing women plea that gangs are raping people, others hold babies aloft to the camera, pleading for their lives to be spared from disease and thirst. These are scenes fit for Dante’s Inferno, played out in the Southern swamplands of Louisiana.

Those of us who regard the US as one of our very top international friends are horrified at the state of affairs. Globally, everyone will be appalled at the humanitarian catastrophe that has suddenly happened. As a friend we should be ready to give any human assistance at all which is needed - and we are.  But we should also make sure the utter disgust and contempt, which we feel towards the appalling way in which this crisis has been allowed to fester, over the rotting corpses of New Orleans especially, is voiced. (There are many other places too but their situation - terrible as it is - is not quite as awful). The US Federal Government is only responsible to the US people - I do hope they let no one in the Administration off the hook. But, also, there is a wider responsibility in terms of human care - we are all concerned about that. So we can all, in our own ways, try to help hold the US Federal Government to account.,, if only to maintain pressure to help those that still desperately need it.
J.

[Guest_Jox_*]

Hi Lori,

Thanks for your reply.

>L>You are upset and appear to be bent on Bush bashing.

Let’s not personalise this. I’m not upset with the debate - but yes I’m very upset and angry with the politicians who have failed. Aren’t you? Isn’t everyone? Shouldn’t we all be? Aren't we failing the people of Southern USA if we aren't upset; aren't we failing humanity? What sort of people would we be if we weren't upset and angry?

No. If I wanted to Bush-bash I could dig up vast quantities of evidence. He is the Head of State and Head of the Executive (Government). What was that notice on his predecessor’s desk....? “The Buck Stops Here.” OK, well it has. Well not quite - maybe he should be impeached? Or does he have to commit the ultimate two sins - be a Democrat and have an affair with a member of staff to do that?

But if you read my reply, I do mention the local authorities and the regional authorities and the rest of the Bush Administration. Let’s spare none of them, please. They should not hide behind GWB’s incompetence - many have splendid stories of their own to tell, I expect. But if the buck stops with the President then he must be criticised too - and where the Federal Government fails it is, ultimately, his fault.

>L> Remember what I said above, it's not like any of this is unprecidented. Inthe Galviston, TX storm of 1900 there was looting, people with boats charging exorbinant fees to rescue, and a lot of other social behaviors that mirror what is happening in New Orleans (and what happened in Florida afte Andrew ht just to name 2 examples.

I don’t see the relevance of the storm per se - except that past experience simply further indicts present failures.

Besides as the quote from “Cider With Rosie” (I think) goes “The past is a foreign country - they do things differently there.”

I don’t know what people charging high fees has to do with it. The US is built on capitalism; it is in the blood. it is what has made it the great country that it is. Therefore, it is the Government’s responsibility to cater for market failures - and there will be many.

Let’s assume everyone was sweet and lovely to each other in NO. People would still be dieing because of medical, water and food needs. All that the gangs have done is made helping harder and the lives of those there more miserable. But if sufficient people had arrived early enough...

>L>The Mayor is the first call to action, not the US President, who did BTW make a ground visit yesterday. The over-flight in AF1 was done solely to stay out of the way of the low-flying helicopters and other rescue aircraft while on route to Washington. And besides, where would AF1 land? All the strips are under water.

I know Bush was there - I watched about two hours of the coverage with him meeting and greeting. Why did Bush make a ground visit? What use was that? He should not be there; it is a publicity stunt. He should stay in DC for a few days (or gone to a southern control centre) to help co-ordinate the rescue - and he should have been doing that all week. Then when people were safe he should have gone in to boost morale. His presence merely diverted the attentions pf many people who could better have been used to help the endangered and dying. His visit wasn’t a waste of time; it was far worse. Bush is not a rescuer and had no place there. But as THE person who could have removed red-tape and kicked things when needed, he would be invaluable at the base of the co-ordinators. Another missed opportunity. Still the tv camera gone some very heart-warming pictures of him embracing mother and child. I felt a warm glow.

I didn’t think Air Force One should land anywhere: Bush should keep out. But my point was he used that as publicity (I think that the Secret Service (who protect the President) might have asked the film crews to keep out of the President’s cabin as he surveyed the damage, if he’d wished.) It was a publicity stunt. But then - far worse (because all politicians would have done that) Bush went back to DC and nothing happened for almost a full working week. That is the real problem. He came; he looked; he shrugged it off.

I know the Mayor has first responsibility but this (as I think you said) is the worst natural disaster to hit the US in living memory. It is the President’s responsibility too.. morally, politically and I believe legally.

>L>I'm sorry, but your reply above is WAY too political for me to respond in much further detail. You know I don't like this debating stuff.

But this is about nothing but politics. Are we going to admonish the storm for mis-behaving? Are we going to examine the swamp biology to ask why the dangerous reptiles entered NO? Shall we bring on the sociologists to produce models of urban social breakdown - or is that for later? It is all politics isn’t it?

>L>Let me just say this:

emm not stopping you, honest. :)

>L>Clinton did the same thing when Andrew hit Florida in 1992.

Ah That is the one you mentioned, sorry I thought you meant a more recent hurricane - my error. I don’t know about that. How many tens of thousands of people were killed then? As many as now? More?

>L>The Mayer of NO did call for evacuation, but only within 24 hours of it hitting. And yes, it is illegal NOT to evacuate once the orders have been given, but in this country we don't send the police door to door to drag people away if they fail to obey the order. What it means in effect, is that if you do stay, what you will not have any help from the authorities who have left the area for the duration of the storm and will be back when they are able to.

So in the USA you have laws - especially for emergency situations - but you don’t bother enforcing them? Why have them then? That is almost the Tony Blair approach isn’t it. bad situation - new law... (ok it’s not a new one but...)

So all those poor, mainly black people, were just being awkward when they failed to jump in their 4x4s and their posh cars and leave town? They all had a choice did they? All their fault? OK.

>L>I don't think Jeb B was there 13 year ago when Andrew hit?

No, as I said above, sorry I thought you meant a more recent hot. My error. Apologies.

>L>There was no way even with trains, planes, automobiles, buses etc.. that the New Orleans area could have escaped with less than a 24 hour notice, with or without FEMA/Fed Gov assistance.

On what basis do you say that? How many aircraft were requisitioned to fly there? How many coaches requisitioned and from how many states? How many USAF Galaxies flew in just before? Sorry, I think this is a failure of politics, not logistics.

>F>Armed Forces equipment still require pilots, landing strips and time to mobilize...

They certainly do. Especially if the President can’t be arsed to grasp the seriousness of the situation. On tv he looked like a lad lost.

>L>As for the rest of your comments, I do not wish to reply.

No prob. Your choice.

>L>I will keep my eyes and ears posted as this tragedy continues with the HOPE that those in the the most dire need are served first and that the others 'play nice' while help is offered. Convouys have arrived at least...

That’s it Lori; you have put you finger on the nub of the problem. Hope - local and national governments just hoped all would be ok. And that has translated to no hope whatsoever for so many and little hope for many many more. Hope didn’t fail - it’s obviously still there. Politics and governments failed.

Thanks for the debate.

J.