September 20, 2005
Nagin Admits New Orleans Is Not Federal ResponsibilityIt's becoming clearer and clearer that New Orleans residents were not let down by the federal government as much as they were let down by their breathtakingly incompetent and stunningly indignant mayor. Nagin, out of one side of his mouth, has been lambasting the federal response to Hurricane Katrina. Now, in a fight over whether it is too soon to allow residents back amid the threat from Hurricane Rita, he says the city is his responsibility, not the feds'.
After backing off on his call for some residents to return to New Orleans, the city's mayor ripped into the top U.S. government relief official on Tuesday, underscoring the rising tension between city and federal authorities over who has the final say after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina...So when it comes to blaming someone else for his failures or begging for money, he turns to the feds. But when it comes to other issues, he selectively asserts his control. Meanwhile, amazingly, some New Orleans residents have not learned from Katrina as Rita approaches.On Tuesday, Nagin had harsh words for the federal government's top official in the city, Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad Allen, who he said "stepped outside his lane by talking directly to the citizens of New Orleans."
But some business owners who started selling cleaning supplies and serving po boys said they wanted to stay put...Del Juneau, owner of a Bourbon Street lingerie shop in the once-raucous French Quarter, said it would be premature to order another evacuation based on the storm nearing Florida. "Where are you going to go? What are you going to do?" he said. "I'm not going anywhere."
Posted by Jonathan R. on September 20, 2005 02:48 PM
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Insanity: Repeating the same behavior and expecting different results
From the New York Times, we have Mayor Naggin cheerleading the return to New Orleans; Ignoring Risks, Some Head Back to New Orleans Neighborhood:
NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 19 - A trickle of residents returned to a New Orleans neighborhood today under a plan by the mayor to begin reopening areas of the city, despite the reservations of the top official in charge of the federal response to the Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts.
The official, Vice Adm. Thad W. Allen of the Coast Guard, has urged a delay to the plan put in motion by Mayor C. Ray Nagin that is bringing people back to a city largely without power, clean drinking water or a working 911 system, but he has stopped short of saying that the government would try to halt it.Why is Naggin being handled with kid-gloves? He just screwed up the evacuation of his city (a city in which corruption was rampant and contributed to the loss of lives) and he's still around giving orders to 'come on back y'all, were open for business'.
New Orleans doesn't even have a new evacuation plan yet! Where's Governor Blanco on bringing some sanity into the situation?
Posted by: Porkopolis at September 20, 2005 03:10 PM
The mayor needs to take his lead from the feds, or the feds should just leave and let him deal with "his" city. I know they won't, but they should at least make him think they'll leave. This guy is a real piece of work.
Posted by: windybon at September 20, 2005 04:36 PM
Health problems, especially respiratory, are already showing up in evacuees and rescuers, as well as other volunteers. The man was an utter fool to want people to come back in until that city has been cleaned of the foul water! Lack of flooding does not stop air-born contamination from reaching even the dry areas.
Posted by: DagneyT ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.gopbloggers.org/nav-commenters.gif)
at September 20, 2005 05:32 PM
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