It's no different from any activity you do that you don't do yourself. If you get your house painted, you do the planning and you contract with a painter to do the actual painting. The painter doesn't just show up at your house when he sees it needs painting.
When terrorists plant a nuclear device in your house and then throw some biological stuff in your garden, the feds are not going to ask you, "may I take care of this matter for you?".
And as Mike Tyson, the boxer. once said, "everyone has a plan, until they step into the ring and look you in your face".
I do understand there are existing protocols and methodology in place.
But, the existing protocols did not work in New Orleans. When people are waiting in shelters and rooftops for 2 or 3 days with getting help, food, or water - somebody screwed up. The plans didn't work.
Just as you are responsible in your own house to prepare for small emergency (have flash lights, batteries, portable radios, food and water for a few days, and to communicate with family members - most people are not prepared). They have a lot of other things to do. This does not mean that they have a right not to be prepared.
The feds, meanwhile, have large budgets, and the responsible agencies or department, are in the business 24/7 of preparing for emergencies.
Even if you are right, the locals in NO and Louisiana:
1. did not have a plan.
2. did not have a reasonable plan
3. did not have a plan that could work
4. were overwhelmed and incapacitated
5. were reckless and irresponsible
6. obstructed justice
the feds still needed a plan that took all that into consideration.
But I don't think local officials in New Orleans did any better or any worse than most local officials would have. That is just my opinion. |
