This Sunday's Remark blows like the wind.

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First of all, this disaster is not a failure of our President.

There are several failures taking place here.

Unfortunately, some of the levees failed, flooding 80% of the city.

Another failure is the inability to stop a category 4 hurricane from hitting the U.S. That's as about as likely as it would be for Asia to stop a magnitude 9.0 earthquake from creating a tsunami.

One key difference, people had notification and plenty of time to prepare for this natural disaster. When you have "hurricane" and "below sea level" in the same sentence, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that you get the hell out of there.

Where the real failure started was when people didn't heed those warnings and take part in the mandatory evacuation of New Orleans. I've heard that only about 80% of New Orleans evacuated, leaving some 20% in the danger zone.

Another failure is the people. The looting. The shooting. The mob mentality.

That's a failure of the public to pull together and overcome this tragedy without resorting to violence and disobedience. And that makes the tragedy that much sadder that someone would take advantage of a moment this tragic.

Did our nation look weak? Sure, what nation wouldn't look weak that got blasted with a category 4 hurricane? Or a tsunami. Or even a volcano.

Could things have been done better? Sure. The President said that the situation was "not acceptable". Then Congress authorized 10.5 billion for disaster relief and the President stated he would sign it later in the day.

How is that a failure? That's exactly what should happen.

The people that are responsible for natural disasters are FEMA. That stands for "Federal Emergency Management Agency".

According to their site, they are doing an awful lot to help. Much more, than say, some guy in Lancaster sitting at his desk ranting and raving on paper how angry he is about the whole thing and implying the President hasn't done enough.

Actually, as I will get into, the President has done an awful lot.

Their most recent news is "Critical Commodities Continue Into Disaster Areas While Government Responds to Challenges of Most Catastrophic Disaster in U.S. History".

Here is an excerpt.

To date,

• 15,000 evacuations have been made from the New Orleans Superdome to the Astrodome in Houston and are continuing today to San Antonio for housing at Kelly Air Force Base. Evacuations will continue from Louisiana to Reunion Arena in Dallas, and Lackland AFB, Tex.


• 2,000 patients have been evacuated from the New Orleans airport. Seven National Disaster Medical Service Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs) and 3 strike teams are supporting New Orleans medical facilities and hospitals not fully operational and setting up MASH-style tents. Five DMATs and 5 strike teams are working in medical facilities and hospitals in Gulfport, Biloxi and other areas of Mississippi.


• Commodities delivered to date include:


• 1.9 million MREs
  
• 6.7 million liters of water


• 1.7 million pounds of ice


• More than 600 buses to transport evacuees




• As of yesterday, there were 204 shelters with a population of 53,004. This number fluctuates daily.


• More than 170,000 meals a day are being served throughout the affected areas.


• 14,000 National Guard are on the ground in three states and an additional 1,400 will arrive today and 1,400 on Saturday to assist with security of victims and responders. A total of 27,000 members of the National Guard will be deployed to the affected areas.


• 200 Border Patrol agents, 200 additional law enforcement officers from other Louisiana jurisdictions and 2,000 officers from neighboring states are assisting in restoring order in the streets of New Orleans.


• Nearly 500 U.S. Corps of Engineers civilians and soldiers are working on the New Orleans levee breach and coordinating the transport of ice and water.


• A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is opening today in Bayou La Batre, Ala., and another tomorrow in Chatom, Ala.


• FEMA is setting up a Joint Housing Solutions Center to bring together public, private and voluntary agency stakeholders to develop innovative funding and streamlined operational partnerships to address the short and long-term housing needs of disaster victims.


• More than 7,000 people have been rescued – Urban Search and Rescue task forces have made more than 2,000 rescues and U.S. Coast Guard ships, boats and aircraft have been used to rescue approximately 5,000 people.

Was FEMA always part of the federal government? According to the site, FEMA was "a former independent agency that became part of the new Department of Homeland Security in March 2003...FEMA can trace its beginnings to the Congressional Act of 1803."

Since that merger, according to FEMA's Under Secretary's history says "In 2004, Mr. [Michael] Brown led FEMA’s thousands of dedicated disaster workers during the most active hurricane season in over 100 years, as FEMA delivered aid more quickly and more efficiently than ever before."

FEMA has a very interesting site that shows that Bush has actually done alot for FEMA and there has been billions pouring into this organization since 9/11. It's interesting that Gil never even took the time to mention this organization that has been essential to the relief effort.

Kind of makes him look like a real tool, doesn't it?

For more info, visit http://www.fema.gov.