Sunday, September 03, 2006

NOLA a year later

Ok, it's a year after Katrina bitchslaped the gulf coast. A large chunk of the Mississippi coast was flattened, along with eastern LA and western 'bamma. The Feds are estimating over 100 billion in damage. In Mississippi, cleanup and reconstruction is trundling right along (Republican gov), not a lot of winning. Not to say that all is goodness and light. Let's face it, those people are dealing with a government agencies. Each agency as there own rules and regulations that have to be complied with and they will conflict at the worst possible time.

That being said, who is responsible for the delay, foot dragging and assorted hoops that must be jumped through? The President, FEMME, State, County or local elected leaders? Like the hurricane itself, the left will place the blame directly at the feet of the President. Some will blame FEMA. But, no one at the state or local level will bother to look in the mirror and place the blame for the delays on the face they see in that mirror. Yes, I place the blame at those at the lowest level who are responsible for the direct delivery of services to those in the local community.

Has there been errors or delays in the delivery of federal aid? You bet. As memory serves, FEMA was slammed for not getting direct aid to the people who were effected. Then they were slammed when it was discovered that some people ripped FEMA off. All of this was political posturing designed to damage the administration and make them seem to be a bunch of cold hearted bastards or bumbing fools.

What is sick is the fact that very few have read the law that authorizes FEMA to take action and the limits of that action. If there are complaints about the way FEMA function, place pressure on the congress to change the law. Otherwise, close your pie hole.