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September 02, 2005
Truth = What You Feel Like Believing
Whose leadership was responsible for the mandatory evacuation order?
[...] This mandatory evacuation order was a departure from past practice, when evacuations in the face of approaching hurricanes have always been voluntary.
So what prompted the order that prevented Hurricane Katrina from being a natural disaster of unprecedented magnitude?
The mayor called the order unprecedented and said anyone who could leave the city should.
Gov. Kathleen Blanco, standing beside the mayor at a news conference, said President Bush called and personally appealed for a mandatory evacuation for the low-lying city, which is prone to flooding.
The City of New Orleans and its residents owe the President a profound debt of gratitude.
Don't hold your breath for mainstream media acknowledgement of that little item. Now contrast the above with this from "Democrats for America's Future" (via The Corner):
What Hurricane Katrina started, Republicans are doing their best to make even worse - turning a natural calamity into a horrific national embarrassment and scandal. First, President Bush shortchanged New Orleans of the funds it needed to secure itself from flooding. Then, he drained Louisiana and surrounding states of the National Guard troops and equipment they need to impose order within their own borders. When disaster struck, Bush dawdled in Texas while thousands were without food, water and shelter.
Every single one of these statements is a bald-faced lie:
First, President Bush did not "shortchange" anyone. Final responsibility for funding public programs lies with the Congress of the United States.
Second, there are plenty of National Guard troops available; and their purpose is to serve as a fighting unit in any event.
Third, GWB cut short his vacation and returned to Washington as soon as the magnitude of the disaster became apparent. It's a shame that the mayor of New Orleans did not act with the same sense of urgency. Bill Hobbs wonders:
Why are scores of school buses sitting in the flood waters of New Orleans today? Blame New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, who is one reason things have gotten worse, not better, in his stricken city since it was hit by Hurricane Katrina. His laissez faire approach to looting allowed the looters to become increasingly armed and violent, interrupting rescue and recovery operations.
But even before Katrina hit, he failed his poorest citizens horribly. He told them to evacuate the city - and then gave his city's poorest residence no way to do so.
I'm sorry to say I think it doesn't matter: no matter what Bush does, the African-American community along with the liberal Left has already made their determination. Just as the outrageous idea that GWB "stole" the 2000 election still persists, this is a meme that will stick, I fear.
And Blanco and Nagin will skate.
UPDATE: elephants in academia comes to the same conclusion I did. And check out essential posts by AJStrata and Machiavel at Red State.
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Comments
It appears that great minds think alike.
Posted by: AcademicElephant at September 3, 2005 02:35 PM
