Was President Bush Forced to Use the Insurrection Act?

Hurricanes do not sneak up on people. Unlike tornadoes, hurricanes don’t just reach down out of the dark storm clouds to wreak havoc on humanity. Hurricanes are tracked, named, have warning flags dedicated to them, and all coastal cities have long-standing plans for dealing with them. Nearly everyone in the world knew Katrina was going to hit Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, and yet so many have died in New Orleans. Why?

Hurricane Katrina struck the tip of southern Florida as a category 1 hurricane and made a beeline for the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. For three days Katrina churned her way across the Gulf, growing in size and strength until it was a monster storm. With sustained winds of over 175 mph, Katrina bore down on the city of New Orleans. Literally, at the last possible moment, Katrina was pushed, ever-so-slightly, by dry air from the Midwest, off to the East and dropped from a category 5 to a high category 4 with sustained winds of 150 mph. Katrina was still a killer storm by anyone’s description. For three long days, the governor of Louisiana and the mayor of New Orleans watched Katrina bear down on their state and city respectively but took very little action to protect their citizens other than to state the obvious: “Leave town.” No assistance was offered to the poor or elderly.

Aerial views of New Orleans have shown pictures of hundreds of buses, left parked and unused. Why didn’t the mayor of New Orleans activate those buses to move the people out of the city those who wanted to leave but had no way out? Why was this golden opportunity to save lives left parked, only to be lost to the floodwaters? This from the Louisiana disaster plan, pg. 13, paragraph 5, dated 01/00: “The primary means of hurricane evacuation will be personal vehicles. School and municipal buses, government-owned vehicles and vehicles provided by volunteer agencies may be used to provide transportation for individuals who lack transportation and require assistance in evacuating'...” Why was the city’s own disaster plan for using those buses to evacuate people not implemented? Governor Blanco and Mayor Nagin had three days to evacuate the poor and elderly from New Orleans but they did not. Why?

While the governors of both Mississippi and Alabama put in a formal request for federal assistance before Katrina even made landfall, the governor of Louisiana refused to relinquish any of her power for the good of the people. Now she and her party point the finger of blame at the White House.

Liberal blogs and websites are pointing to the Department of Homeland Security’s website which states that it can take control in any disaster, natural or otherwise, but this is not true. The Department of Homeland Security can only work with the state and local officials in organizing relief efforts such as food, water, and shelter. There is no military arm of the Department of Homeland Security or the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the military is what was needed and everyone knew that.

Instead of asking why the Democratic leaders of Louisiana failed the people, these sites post disgusting pictures of floating bodies with the message: “George Bush did nothing.” The truth is, the Democratic governor wouldn’t allow Bush to do anything. That floating body belongs to Governor Blanco. She is the one who “did nothing.”

Roving bands of violent criminals quickly took control of the streets. While Mayor Nagin did declare martial law, it was a toothless declaration. The New Orleans police department was instantly overwhelmed. Many policemen just threw up their hands and walked off the job. Some joined the looters and were videotaped by MSNBC “shopping” in the local Walmart. The handful that was left on the job did their best but the best they could do was try to stay alive in a now lawless and dying city.

Because there was no one in charge, the initial rescue operations were feeble at best and there was chaos. The scope and magnitude of the disaster, which covers an area the size of Great Britain, still had not been realized by Governor Blanco who steadfastly refused to declare martial law and officially request that the federal government “send in the troops.”

It has come to light that all during the night on Friday, September 2, the president of the United States was forced to “negotiate” with Governor Blanco for the lives of the suffering and dying people of New Orleans. She feared that allowing the federal government to take control would make her administration appear as though it had failed. How she would be judged was more important to her than the lives of those people who were dying in the squalor. How many died as Blanco maneuvered to protect her reputation?

The Posse Comitatus Act prevents, by federal law, the president of the United States from sending federal troops into any state without the direct request of the elected governor of that state. A frustrated President Bush could only stand by and watch as the horror unfolded until he received the request for help. Despite the finger-pointing at President Bush, there was little that he could do until he was formally asked for assistance. No matter how loudly the liberals scream, they know full well that the president was helpless to do much of anything.

As the death toll rose and the animalistic behavior of some of those who chose to remain within the city became public knowledge, it was obvious that authorities needed to regain control. As the scenes from New Orleans, now a national disgrace, were being beamed around the world, a shameless Governor Blanco only cared about her own political image.

There is reason to believe that President Bush, running out of patience with Blanco by Saturday morning, used the only option that remained to him. It is being reported that Bush went around Blanco and utilized the Insurrection Act to federalize the National Guard and send in active military troops to take over the rescue and put down the lawlessness that had taken over New Orleans. The forces that Bush had poised to move into the city, swung into action. It was no accident that the major, organized rescues began when the sun came up on Saturday morning. At 6:30 AM, when the sky over New Orleans was suddenly filled with military helicopters and military convoys poured into the streets, they were there because of President Bush, not Governor Blanco.

The largest military evacuation the world has ever seen moved with the precision and efficiency that is only seen within the military. With men like Lt. General Russel Honore, 1st Army Commander and Army Brigadier General Mark Graham in charge, law and order was quickly restored, and an endless line of helicopters and boats began removing the stranded people and taking them out of the hell-hole called New Orleans. Those forces were ready to act because the President of the United States had positioned them to be ready.

Everyone demands answers and everyone wants to put the blame for this catastrophe on someone. The most convenient person to blame is President Bush. In truth, he is the least responsible on the local level. While the liberals feel this is the perfect time to make political hay because so many African-Americans are involved, the first line of defense for those people, the mayor of New Orleans, and governor of Louisiana, both Democrats, are the leaders that failed them. The people of New Orleans were abandoned by an arrogant governor and a hapless mayor as both struggled to save their own political careers. But, because they are both Democrats, the leftists want these ineffective leaders seen as helpless victims of a thoughtless and racist Bush who ignored their repeated pleas for help.

Mayor Nagin has been reduced to babbling about how the CIA is out to kill him because he “spoke his mind,” and Governor Blanco has become the invisible woman hoping that no one will notice that her gross incompetence and arrogance cost lives. But the left marches on, blaming President Bush because it knows it can. Most Americans are not aware of the laws preventing the federal government from “taking over” a city or a state.

The Democrats have closed ranks around their incompetent members and blame the president who was forced to “deal” with an inept governor. Governor Blanco’s thanks is to point the finger of blame back at the president when she knows the fault is her own.

The Democratic Party could not possibly sink much lower than it has this past week. The mayor, the governor, and all those liberal websites, blogs, and shrieking leftist politicians should jump into the sewer water that now flows in the streets of New Orleans. That’s where they belong, with the rest of the floating waste. The Democratic or “Progressive” Party should be buried with the dead. Cause of death: Gross incompetence, asphyxiation from lies, and the failure to accept responsibility for the deaths of thousands of American citizens because power meant more to them than lives.

About the Writer: Barbara J. Stock is a registered nurse who enjoys writing about politics and current events. She has a website at http://www.republicanandproud.com/. Barbara J. receives e-mail at dickens502003@yahoo.com.

Does looting rise to the level of insurrection?

Does murder, rape, sniping and preventing the rescue of flood stranded men, women and children?

I don't know the answer, but someone on another Katrina thread said that a terrorist act (vs. natural disaster) made a 'national security' difference, and thus troops could be federalized immediately.

That may or may not be accurate, but it makes some sense to me.

If Bush had sent in troops without the governor's authorization, regardless of what happened then, the Democrats would have initiated impeachment proceedings.

The MSM would have headlined every story "Feds Invade New Orleans."

God forbid a soldier shooting a looter. The MSM would have said "Military Slaughter In The Streets."

The governor and her advisors put politics ahead of human life. They set Bush up for blame regardless of what he did.

He could not constitutionally have acted other than he did. You may not like it, but that is the rule of law.

You don't have a clue about all the factors involved in this, and neither do I. I elected a President whom I could trust. I still do.

Has the federal gov't acted perfectly? Of course not!

Did the Mayor and Governor act despicably. Of course! And then had the gall to blame Bush.

Bush did what he could legally do. What else can you demand of him?

Yes they do. They know everything outlined in this article. They are purposely ignoring it. Since 2000 the MSM, Democrats, Liberals and Lefties have had only one goal ... persecute George Bush and do everything they can to make him look incompetent, evil and uncaring in front of the world. At any cost.

Right. Continual turmoil, divide the people, exude venom and anger, and prevent anything from being accomplished. This is their goal.

I do not believe he issued the Insurrection Act. Federal troops were brought in, and can be by the government, as long as they don't "enforce the law," they don't violate "posse comitatus."

I agree. The military's role in this instance is rescue/recovery efforts not law enforcement which belongs to the national guard and local law enforcement.

Its interesting that GW quickly agreed to have a investigation (he didn't say commission though) of the entire episode. For the city, the mayor, and the governor...this will be a very negative experience, and they probably would want a strong democrat in the senate to halt any investigation. Considering we have hurricanes 5 or 6 times a year, and nothing like this has happened in decades...and the crime episode...you couldn't do anything about...then this will be a quick investigation. We already must prepare for the next hurricane.

They thought they could hide behind the MSM's lies. It ain't gonna happen, Blanco and Nagin are "dead in the water" on this one with no way out.

Quick observation: There is mention of 10 special needs shelters and 6 general population shelters for all the parishes. It is well established that neither Nagin nor Blanco designated the Convention Center as a "general population shelter".

Posse Comitatus prohibits the use of armed forces for domestic law enforcement, but there are exceptions: The Insurrection Act allows the president to send in troops, but only at the request of the governor or a state legislature; Nuclear materials situations do not require a request from a governor; and issues with chemical or biological weapons also do not require a request from the affected states.

Posse Comitatus does not apply to National Guard activities within the state.

The President was negotiating on who was in charge not on whether or not to send in the military. Blanco won. The State is still in charge. While some of this is right, the whole write-up should be ignored unless all of its claims can be substantiated.

Wonder if all this started before the hurricane because Mayor and Gov did not want to issue evacuation order and definitely did not want mandatory evacuation. So she was ticked.

I agree.

This one knocks it out of the park.

Wish everyone could read this...it smacks of common sense and truth.

"No good deed goes unpunished"

Its going to be hard for them to do that now since so much compassion has been displayed for the victims rescued. All Bush will have to do is surround himself by people that were saved by his actions. I think in time of war the saying 'the first casualty in war is the truth', should be modified to be 'the first casualties in war and natural disaster are the lawyers'.

Nuclear materials situations do not require a request from a governor; and issues with chemical or biological weapons also do not require a request from the affected states.

Lets hope in the present climate a biological WMD attack does not occur. Can you imagine the combination of corrupt politicians and a wailing MSM defending these politicians during a biological WMD. We would group people together in disaster shelters, then have to 'rescue' them and then have to ship em all over the country.

The MSM would have headlined every story "Feds Invade New Orleans."

New Orleans is gone. It was gone a week ago. The posturing corrupt Louisiana politicians do not even realize that we can not even give their state away right now.

Defense of the President is the job of the U.S. Secret Service. The U.S. Capitol has its own Police force. But beyond that there is the Military District of Washington, whose 3rd Infantry Regiment has the mission to "conduct NBC operations, conduct area security operations, and control civil disturbances in support of the Military District of Washington’s defense to the National Capital Region."

FWIW, back in the Nixon administration, when they put machine guns nests on the Capitol Building, Nixon comissioned a study to see where he could flee if the anti-war riots forced him to seek refuge outside of DC. It was decided that as a last resort he would go to Marine Corps Base at Quantico, Virginia. It was thought that the nearer Army and Air Force units might not be as loyal to the Presidency.

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