Why did President Bush take the blame for Katrina?

Question

In the hurricane Katrina, the President acted a little late. But is that his fault? I wanna know everyone's opinion on this. It is the job of the governor to react to a natural disaster and send up a request, giving up their right as head executive of their state in order for the federal executive branch to take charge (the law previous to 2006). Was the delay in federal activity to blame for the chaos caused by Katrina? My opinion is that the governor of Louisiana had plenty of resources available to buy time for the declaration from the President (if the governor had of sent up the request immediately). The governor did not request help from the states surrounding, even though the states initiated by asking if Louisiana needed, their national guard was at the governors disposal. The states fight tooth and nail for power and demand the federal government not step in. Then, when the state is given the chance, and fail, the state immediately blame the president. Was the President wrong in waiting for the request for help? And did he have a choice? The federal government is not made to react quickly to domestic issues such as natural disasters, right? State governor, assistant governor (not sure of the position), attorney general, and legislative all have the power to intervene. Why put blame on the President? I want some input on this please.

Answer 1

I don't ever remember him taking any blame for anything....ever

When other places outside of the country were devastated by a huge disaster did he wait until they asked for help or did he automatically offer it?

I am not saying that their governor was not a complete idiot the fact that he twiddled his thumbs and they never bothered to fix their own levees is mainly to blame ....but he still did not take any responsibility......

Answer 2

ACCORDING TO THE DEMOCRATS EVERYTHING IS BUSH'S FAULT

MY CAR HAD A FLAT

THE T.V. DOESN'T WORK

IT'S RAINING OUTSIDE

Answer 3

The mayor and the governor could have acted earlier in giving an evacuation order.  Really, the blame should be placed on Chertoff.  The real fear with Katrina was that the levees wouldn't hold.  When the hurricane passed, FEMA was informed that the levees were holding.  They pretty much assumed any disaster was averted.  It wasn't until a day later that they broke, and Chertoff claims he doesn't check his email often and was not aware the levees broke until almost 24 hours later.

The federal government cannot act until the state governor declares a state of emergency, and Blanco dragged her heels on that one too.  The Bush administration had no ability to act until she did this.

Katrina was the turning point in Bush's popularity, it pushed his approval below 50%.  This was the point that the media was no longer willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, and the people were eating the story up.  Hurricane Andrew was almost as bad in terms of disaster and response, but since Clinton was so popular their was no point in vilifying him.

As for 'Brownie', I think he took the fall.  FEMA has not ever been capable of handling large scale disasters, they are not equipped to do so, because keeping that much staff on hand to handle something of that magnitude is cost prohibitive (again, I'll cite Andrew as an example).  People will cite Bush saying 'Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job' but beyond that they are clueless about the intricacies of FEMA and why it failed and was destined to.

FEMA has gotten smarter since, they now have responders available everywhere that aren't on payroll.  They are people capable of doing thins like clearing disaster sites and providing relief, but they get this ability from their own private industries, such as construction companies or hospitals.  In other words, they are working and doing their jobs but capable and ready to respond when needed.  Later in the same year as Katrina, Ohio was terribly flooded and they did a great job of relieving those people (and the governor acted promptly to obtain federal relief).

Answer 4

The fact that he was eating a birthday cake with McCain while the city drowned and it took him a week to view anything is very telling.  Was it his fault?  Partly, partly state and city officials and partly the people themselves.

He personally appointed a FRIEND of his to the highest position to run FEMA -- "brownie" had ZERO qualifications for the position, so yes, that was Bush's fault.  There are many other reasons I could list that he was partly to blame, but it was a nightmare on many different levels.  Ultimately it was HIS administration that failed the most.  This wasn't a tornado or tsunami no one noticed until the last moment, he knew the levees would break, he was told that day after day until it finally hit and he made no preparations to respond.

Answer 5

It's only because it was G. Bush.  People would blame him for cancer if they could.  Everyone share's in the blame.  Including the people who continue to vote their local and federal representatives into office to do nothing.

In the end...New Orleans died of Apathy!  Simple as that.

Answer 6

I think Presidents Bushs biggest mistake here was believeing that the two morons in charge, Ray Nagan, mayor, and the LA governor could handle the problem. Looking back he should have brushed them aside and took over, hindisght is 20/20. Incredibly Nagan got reelected, hard to feel sorry for people who cannot learn a lesson so hard taught.

Answer 7

Because that's where the buck stops where government is concerned.  But in general it was a great example of who's really responsible for your safety.  That's you, not Bush, Not Ray Nagan not anyone in government, just you.  

As far as I'm concerned the masses who didn't get out deserved it.

Answer 8

come on bush is the worst i dont like him who with me

Answer 9

the gov of LA refused to allow help into the state despite repeated pleadings by FEMA and the government.

Answer 10

When you consider the fact that the officials in LA. knew for years beforehand that the levees were insufficient, and that virtually every dollar the U.S. government sent down over the years to repair the levees were spent on things other than levee enhancement, THEN when the announcement was made that the city was going to be hit by a hurricane and many simply sat on their rear ends instead of getting out or heading for higher ground,THEN the city and state government failed to organize evacuation of the populace, THEN the populace began preying on each other instead of helping each other,,, ok, I guess it was Bushes fault. He should have declared southern Louisiana a death trap as soon as he entered office and just evacuated the whole lower half of the state immediately.

d**n the short sightedness of that man!!

Answer 11

My simple response or question would be....Why in the h**l would it take the U.S. Gov't 5 days to respond to any natural disaster?

Other countries ran to the aid of New Orleans before we did.

So yes Bush is to blame!

Answer 12

With a failure that epic, how could the blame not rise to the very top?

starting with his appointment of Brownie to the head of FEMA ... and a complete lack of urgency... to the careless statements his mother made about displaced residents after the disaster.

these are the kinds of things we actually need a national government for ... I don't think it was his fault, but Bush absolutely dropped the ball

... what more is he didn't even try to pick the ball up