[percy-l] Countdown to a Meltdown

Tommy Armstrong tfa at brickengraver.com
Fri Sep 9 18:04:09 EDT 2005


The declaration of the state of emergency was only the first step. She was
declaring a state of emergency for the State of Louisiana. 
Read it.

That declaration gave her as governor to delclare martial law and do such
things as she deemed fit to "preserve the lives and property of the citizens
of the State of Louisiana"

She did not do so and I contend did not act to fulfill the mission of
"preserving the lives..."



 



This puts the "director of the state (my emphasis) office of Homeland
Security, essentially in charge under the Governor of the State. 

We are not talking about any request to the Federal Government at this
point. 

Now it is true that perhaps the President could have pre-empted the state
with the powers of the NRP--but to do so would have been essentially
subjugating the States Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness  to
that of the Federal government. And Ms. Blanco subsequently stated that she
was against such a command structure. The state National Guard is under her
command, but never can be the Military forces of the US. 

The President cannot simply send in the 82nd Airborne or the Marines to
enforce civil state and local laws. In fact, I think this might have been
the first use as such in American History--might be wrong. Federal troops
were sent to Little Rock, but that was to enforce federal laws that the
local establishment refused to enforce.

But no matter how you look at it there was an incredible "cluster screwup"
as a good redneck would call it. Blame is everywhere to be found--but to
rest it solely on an incompetent administration is only looking at the tip
of the iceberg. The 80% of the iceberg that remains below water are local
and state authorities, criminals, incompetents, and mostly just unprepared
normal people. 

 

Tommy Armstrong

PO Box 484 
Lillington, NC   27546
http://www.brickengraver.com <http://www.brickengraver.com/> 
 
...with the method of science one beholds what is generally true about
individuals, but art beholds what is uniquely true.
 
Walker Percy
Signposts in a Strange Land





 

 

-----Original Message-----


From: percy-l-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:percy-l-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Teresa Brader
Sent: Friday, September 09, 2005 4:49 PM
To: Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion
Subject: [percy-l] Countdown to a Meltdown

She declared a state of emergency on August 26.  Is that not soon enough?

Teresa
 
> >From the Newsweek Article cited.
> "... Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco seemed uncertain and
> sluggish, hesitant to declare martial law or a state of emergency,
> which would have opened
the door to more Pentagon help.


       
               
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