Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff

[UPTRAIN]

I was watching Hannity and Colmes on Fox News a few minutes ago, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff just said they are going to try to get trains to help with the evacuation. This is exaclty what I said yesterday, I'm not sure if these people will be riding in Superliner equipment or in gondolas and on flatcars. He just said "trains". This seems to be kind of a clash with Mr. Norman Mineta's little idea of trains and railroading and Amtrak being a dieing industry, let's watch and see if trains save the day, and see if his oppinion changes.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by UPTRAIN

I was watching Hannity and Colmes on Fox News a few minutes ago, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff just said they are going to try to get trains to help with the evacuation. This is exaclty what I said yesterday, I'm not sure if these people will be riding in Superliner equipment or in gondolas and on flatcars. He just said "trains". This seems to be kind of a clash with Mr. Norman Mineta's little idea of trains and railroading and Amtrak being a dieing industry, let's watch and see if trains save the day, and see if his oppinion changes.

Zach [;)]

According to the recent trains article Mr. Mineta has told so many "whoppers" that his nose should be a foot long. But if that were the case, then Washington D. C. , would be the Museum of Noses. [}:)] [:p] [;)]

[UPTRAIN]

So would the Clinton Library, lol, but I digress.

[jeaton]

As near as I can tell at this point, Chertoff, and many of the other top leaders responsible for dealing with this disaster are still looking up the phone numbers for the companies that could provide products or services for relief.

Note, for example, one of the New Orleans hotels hired charter bus companies to come in, bring water and some food (energy bars?) and haul the hotel guest out of town.

As I have indicated on a previous thread, rail service might have been able to provide some modest assistance in the evacuation, but I submit that there are far more buses of all kinds, including school buses, and if there was even the most modest of contingency plans, one hell of a lot more could have been done by this time.

There are times when I think that the only contingency planning done by this administration is for damage control. In case you haven't heard that term used before, it means the the junk but by the PR hacks to explain away a major screw-up.

Jay

[Junctionfan]

I can't understand for the life of me why Bush hasn't authorized the 30+ countries offering to help, to send what they can. I am under the impression that he thinks the U.S is capable of doing this alone. What makes him think that is the best course of action? I don't think any country should go it alone in face of destruction of biblical proportions.

[UPTRAIN]

Well, that's what we're built upon, doing it ourselves. Another thing, there is a very small minority of the people down there that I really have sympathy for, that's the ones that were physically unable to leave, they told the rest to get the hell out 4 days in advance, it's their fault for not heeding the warning, but now because they were so stupid, it's not like we can't help them.

[morseman]

Re comments about those who didn't leave
Certainly there were those who refused to leave, those
who saw an oportunity to loot , those invalids, those
who thot they could handle a storm, and other stupid people.
All the TV broadcasts show poor, black people, most
probably earning minimum wages.

When viewing the exodus before Katrina, the highways
were jammed with cars, probly quite a few with only the
driver or with a few passengers. Where were the busses
to transport those in New Orleans who didn't own a car?
How many public busses does New Orleans have?
Couldn't this complete fleet have been used? The poor
that were left used these public busses every day to
get to their minimum paying jobs, they would have gladly
utilized them to get out of town.

[CShaveRR]

Evac trains would have to come in from the west, on UP--that's the only way they could even get close.

That's still across the Mississippi River from the problem area.

And Mineta would come down and claim that the trains were empty.

[oltmannd]

I don't think Maneta even knows there are RRs in NO! Heard him on the TV the other day talking about getting transportation infrastructure repaired and operatable. He mentioned the airport, highway and pipeline but not RRs. Apparently, RRs are forgetable.

[MP173]

This one caught everyone off guard.

For instance, while it is now open season on the present administration, just what the heck was the New Orleans and Louisianna governments doing leading up to this?

This was a category 5 storm. Reports were out which outlined exactly what would happen in this type of disaster. What plans did the local and state and fed government have for evacuation PRIOR to the storm?

Based on information that was available, it should have been mandatory evacuation.

Now, I realize that hindsite is ALWAYS 20-20 and that it is very easy for me to sit here and say this, but the comment of the hotel getting supplies in and guests out show it could have been done.

ed

[eastside]

Most of us concentrate on the immediate images of individuals suffering to the exclusion of the comprehending the scope and scale of the devastation of the hurricane and its aftermath, something the media aren't good at emphasizing. Suppose the US had had 100,000 relief workers or soldiers ready beforehand, clearly a huge and impractical number to have standing by for every potential disaster. What's 100,000 relief workers and soldiers to 90,000 sq. miles, the area affected? About 1 per sq. mile. Another number: the Coast Guard says that its helicopters have plucked 3000 individuals from rooftops in New Orleans. No one could disagree with using them for this purpose, however, if a majority of those individuals had heeded prior warnings to evacuate the city or had gone to higher ground a valuable resource would have been available for other relief missions such as ferrying supplies and people.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

I can't understand for the life of me why Bush hasn't authorized the 30+ countries offering to help, to send what they can.

I don't think they need to be "authorized," they are free to come and assist if they want. As with many disasters the problem seems to be logistics and communications -- damaged infrastructure (no electricity, flooded roads and rails) -- not material. Most foreigners don't know that here in the US, the first line of defence for disasters is state and local officials. The US Government steps in only at their request. It seems clear now that in the case of New Orleans officials lost control much earlier than they admit.

[oltmannd]

This'll get you worked up:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050902/ts_nm/weather_katrina_criticism_dc

This disaster was predicted and emergency response practiced a year ago.

[eolafan]

Every time I begin wondering why I hate politicians so very much, something like this happens to make me remember....THEY ARE ALL NO BLEEPING GOOD, PERIOD.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

QUOTE: Originally posted by UPTRAIN

I was watching Hannity and Colmes on Fox News a few minutes ago, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff just said they are going to try to get trains to help with the evacuation. This is exaclty what I said yesterday, I'm not sure if these people will be riding in Superliner equipment or in gondolas and on flatcars. He just said "trains". This seems to be kind of a clash with Mr. Norman Mineta's little idea of trains and railroading and Amtrak being a dieing industry, let's watch and see if trains save the day, and see if his oppinion changes.

Zach [;)]

According to the recent trains article Mr. Mineta has told so many "whoppers" that his nose should be a foot long. But if that were the case, then Washington D. C. , would be the Museum of Noses. [}:)] [:p] [;)]

When your nose gets longer, something else gets smaller[:p]

[edbenton]

Just remember FEMA used to be its own divison now Bush has it in Homeland Security and so thye can't just jump in and strart to help they have to ask Mother May I first. Bu***he so called conservitive since he took office added about 2 million more to the federal payrolls for the last 4 years record deficits. Lets not forget invaded Iraq against the world view. We have lost 2,000 dead in IRaq and Afganastan plus thousands wounded tha Army Reserves and the National Gaurrds are at their breaking points. He also cut the budget for upgrading the leeves around New Orleans. All I now is we only have 3 more years of his leadership.

Bush is the same guy who said I will fire anyone in my adminastration who does anything illegal. Well evedently that does not include his cheif of staff Mr Rove. Rovee outs a CIA opertive since her husband defied Bush on Iraq. All I know is Bush needs to be IMPEACHED. Congress impeached Clinton for getting a little relief in the Oval Office, yet Bush has lied to the poeple of this nation to go to war, still has not given our troop in Iraq the armor they need to survive the IED bombs that are killing them. I am afraid of the way this country is headed Miami gets hit by a hurricnae within 24 hoiurs supplies are there. New Orleans gets hit and it is a poor city with 40% of its people living below the poverty line and sorry we can't get there faster than 4 days after the leeves broke.