Republicans' Report on Katrina Assails Response

[Sapphire Blue]

Republicans' Report on Katrina Assails Response
By ERIC LIPTON
Published: February 13, 2006

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 — House Republicans plan to issue a blistering report on Wednesday that says the Bush administration delayed the evacuation of thousands of New Orleans residents by failing to act quickly on early reports that the levees had broken during Hurricane Katrina.

A draft of the report, to be issued by an 11-member, all-Republican committee, says the Bush administration was informed on the day Hurricane Katrina hit that the levees had been breached, even though the president and other top administration officials earlier said that they had learned of the breach the next day.

That delay was significant, the report says, rejecting the defense given by the White House and the Department of Homeland Security that the time it took to recognize the breach did not significantly affect the response.

"If the levees breached and flooded a large portion of the city, then the flooded city would have to be completely evacuated," the draft report says. "Any delay in confirming the breaches would result in a delay in the post-landfall evacuation of the city." It adds that the White House itself discounted damage reports that later proved true.

Continued @ http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/13/politics/13katrina.html

[Kurovski]

1. House Republicans finally admit to the reality we all witnessed

in horror from our own homes.

Well, that's something.

recommended.

[Solly Mack]

2. Giving it a vote up

but I can't help but wonder what the "catch" is

[Kurovski]

4. I'm hoping the catch is that Americans were appalled

and traumatized by the lack of response to the storm, and will vote out anyone who doesn't speak up and do something about it.

[Solly Mack]

5. That's my hope

[Kurovski]

6. I'm thinking this report is a response to their consituents concerns,

and is also motivated by just plain old human decency.

But you never know exactly what always motivates the pubbies these days...

[Solly Mack]

7. I can't imagine anyone - human - seeing what happened

and not being appalled - outraged - shocked to the very core. The response to Katrina was the kind of thing that pulls the rug out from under you - quick, harsh landing. breath knocked out...disoriented. ...then you look around.

I do think Katrina made some people realize "This could be me" - just one disaster - tornado, mudslide,earthquake - and this could be me. And that made a big difference in how people saw the Bush administration.

[druidity33]

9. catch...

I think the catch is that NOTHING WILL COME OF IT. They will protest, somewhat loudly, fire some other middle men within FEMA, create some new program (that'll cost millions) to fix the "communication" problems, and off we go to the next bungled response, with the next figurehead idiot... then they'll blame it on the Clenis, or the fact we haven't made the tax cuts permanent, or that there's too many state agencies in the way of the guvmint control over the disaster area. Don't forget the Halliburton "detention centers" and the Bardas amendment/attachment. Is this Rethug committee the same one that Dems walked out on because they didn't think it was going to be a fair hearing? And that the Committee had no authority to implement/suggest changes or punish/prosecute wrongdoers?

[Solly Mack]

11. That's what I've come to expect

:(

[Swamp Rat]

3. kick and recommended n/t

[ClayZ]

8. Another K and R

:kick:

[annabanana]

10. day-yum!

All Republicans? In the House?
If they are good and angry (and since this particular issue doesn't rest on foreign policy points) they could safely pursue the big "I" from this platform..

[Kurovski]

12. Eleven members issued the report.

[lpbk2713]

13. Looks like the Emperor's new clothes

are starting to have a wardrobe malfunction.


Is Hell freezing over?

[Kurovski]

14. kick(nt)