[djsunzi]

how can the buses be taken away from the hotels? they're also shipping people out of New Orleans... what difference does it make? someone please explain rationale of FEMA... :(

[BenLurkin]

Frankly, I wouldn't put too much credence in any given AP report.

[Keith in Iowa]

It's not FEMA - it's the LA State Patrol or NOLA PD that did the bus hijacking...and they have the authority to do it under the emergency declaration.

[HarryCaul]

Sure, FEMA's rationale is that its leader is being embarrassed on TV for not knowing the convention center people are there- thus the buses go to the convention center.

[An.American.Expatriate]

how can the buses be taken away from the hotels? they're also shipping people out of New Orleans... what difference does it make? someone please explain rationale of FEMA... :(

It's called coordination and, to some extent, prioritization (and possibly protection as well).

FEMA is charged with the evacuation of the city. Some people may have more of an immediate need to get out than others (hospital patients for example). Lastly, when the "mob" at the Superdome startes seeing that "the wealthy" are being given "priority" (a subjective perception!!) the situation could spiral even further out of control!!

Sorry, but in this situation, the old saying - all are equal - MUST apply.

[singfreedom]

They had to get the troubling turds out of the Super-Dome before they killed, raped, and robbed more people. (Sarcasm/off) They had to get the subhuman slime out before they started to riot. I don't get it. People in the dome had water, shelter, and food. It may not have been the best but it was better than what most of the people had.

For God's sake, these poor tourists were victimized not only by the subhumans, but by FEMA. What jerkof* at FEMA would authorize that! They had certainly better, at least, reimburse the hotel owner. This pis*es me off and I was prepared to give the government the benefit of the doubt, but this is awful. Can you imagine what kind of stories these people will take back to Canada and the states where they live!! It's damned embarrassing. Another group New Orleans won't have to worry about visiting again!!

[justa-hairyape]

how can the buses be taken away from the hotels? they're also shipping people out of New Orleans... what difference does it make? someone please explain rationale of FEMA... :(

They might be playing a numbers game. A bus that they own can be reused. From what I gather 25,000 have been moved within the last 24 hours to the Houston Astro Dome. That probably required 250 buses for one trip, 125 buses for two quick round trips. Quite a feat actually. What we need to realize is that numbers are FEMA's main responsibility. Limited total death. Thats probably why we wont have a final number anywhere near the real one. In a situation like this you really are on your own. There were two asian tourists who were interviewed during the Los Angeles riots. They were terrified. They were pulled off the freeway by a police road block and directed to side streets where they got lost and were accosted by armed gang bangers.

[airedale]

Not only that but the tourists have homes to go to and once out of the city and on their way home they no longer require support unlike the permanent residents.