Shortly following Katrina's landfall, Mayor Nagin and Governor Blanco began ripping the Federal government and blaming President Bush on the slow response to the major disaster in Louisiana. They both had ample time to react themselves as per law. Instead one of the most damaging catastrophe occurred without any proper evacuation.
A the post in FreeRepublic.com, Why Didn't Louisiana Follow its Required Emergency Plan?, it clearly illustrates the time-line of events and the laws in effect for evacuation and other action to be taken by local and state governments in major catastrophes. It clearly shows the the President did respond in a very timely manner and that Mayor Nagin and Governor Blanco themselves did not respond to President Bush's request for help or by following the established State and local laws.
Some of the documents used as evidence that illustrates the lack of concern and failing duties of Mayor Nagin and Governor Blanco are: Louisiana State Emergency Operations Plan – 2005, Southeast Louisiana Hurricane Evacuation and Sheltering Plan, Southwest Louisiana Hurricane Evacuation and Sheltering Plan, and the Shelter Plan.
And the evidence clearly shows there was no lack in response by President Bush. The White House Declarations: the August 27, 2005 Emergency Declaration and the August 29, 2005 Major Disaster Declaration by President Bush clearly shows his concerns for Louisiana and th impending disaster.
There are ten major questions raised in the FreeRepublic.com post that are not addressed by the main-stream media:
1) Why Didn't Louisiana Follow it's Emergency Plan? Why isn't anyone talking about this?
2) Why hasn't anyone mentioned that a Pre-Requisite for a Federal Response BY LAW is that State Law is Executed and the Emergency Plan is Executed FIRST?
3) Why did the Governor abandon the City of New Orleans for the Safety of Baton Rouge, before the Plan was Executed?
4) Why, when the federal Government was acting in accordance with the Stafford Act, did the State of Louisiana, by its Governors acts, delay making requests when being told this storm was going to hit?
5) Why did Mayor Nagin or Governor Blanco, delay while sleeping on it Saturday night, the Mandatory evacuation spelled out in the Louisiana Emergency Plan? Saturday the Mayor said he may order an evacuation tomorrow. (Sunday)
6) Where were the Parish Presidents who were signatories to the Louisiana Emergency Plan, and why did they fail in its Execution to the plan?
7) In the Parish failure to implement, why didn't the State take over as required by the plan?
8) Why weren't the Hospitals nursing homes, etc. evacuated since the plan required them to do so?
9) Why did the Mandatory evacuation only occur AFTER President Bush called, and why did Governor Blanco stress that it was only after President Bush Called to urging the Evacuation order? Was she concerned for the Citizens, or was she grandstanding so she could blame the President if the Storm didn't hit?
10) Why were the Action Plan implementations required not done by the Local and State Government?
The FreeRepublic.com post ties all the evidence and the press releases by all parties involved and presents a excellent partial time-line on the events and who is to blame which are not presented or covered by and of the main-stream media.
I recommend the reading of this FreeRepublic.com post. And if your eyes are not opened by this evidence, then you have been brainwashed by the main-stream media.