Newsweek Web Exclusive: Red Tape

[DemsUnited]

Red Tape

New allegations highlight the bureaucratic fumbles that delayed vital help for hurricane-hit New Orleans

WEB EXCLUSIVE
By Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball
Updated: 6:34 p.m. ET Sept. 14, 2005

Sept. 14, 2005 - The Bush administration is continuing to face heavy criticism over the sluggish response of federal agencies, principally the departments of Homeland Security and Defense, to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina.
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New allegations continue to surface that offers of personnel and material assistance to New Orleans and other areas affected by the storm were held up by bureaucratic red tape. There are also indications that a proposed congressional investigation into government responses to the disaster could itself become bogged down in jurisdictional wrangles and partisan infighting.

One example of the criticisms that are still continuing to surface regarding the Bush administration’s slow response to the damage wrought by Katrina comes from Bill Richardson, governor of New Mexico and former secretary of Energy under Bill Clinton. Richardson told NEWSWEEK that on Monday, the day Katrina hit New Orleans, he immediately authorized his state National Guard commander to dispatch 400 New Mexico guardsmen to the disaster area to help out Louisiana state forces. But according to a state official, a hold-up at the Pentagon meant that the New Mexico guardsmen did not actually fly to Louisiana until Friday morning, four days after Richardson authorized them to go.

Richardson said that when he asked his guard commander to explain the delay, he was told the New Mexico troops were not being allowed to travel to the region because of “federal paperwork,” which the National Guard bureau at the Pentagon insisted had to be completed. According to Richardson, this paperwork included various authorizations and certifications as well as “transportation waivers.” “I remember saying to it’s going to be too late” by the time state guardsmen reached the disaster scene, Richardson recalled.

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9344582/site/newsweek/

[AirAmFan]

1. Sounds like FEMA needs to be made an independent cabinet dept again,

and the rest of 'Homeland Security' needs to be dismantled too.

What a bureacratic morass!

Imagine just how many useless committees had to meet and just how many useless chair-warmers had to sign off on four days of paperwork!

[wakeme2008]

2. This is from a Democratic Gov.

I wonder how many Repug Governors are sitting on like stories to protect Bush.

:grr:

[bluedeminredstate]

3. Why all these holdups?

Surely it can't just be because FEMA has been integrated into DHS - we've had lots of hurricanes since FEMA was swallowed up.
The number of shipments turned away, the troops that couldn't go, the supplies that were confiscated, the red tape facing foreign countries trying to help (which is insulting), the Red Cross not being allowed to go in...
This is a very different response than usual which suggests some thought and strategy. This many "screwups" are just impossible!

:grr:

[Trillo]

4. This is what I think too.

The system has been deliberately designed to be immobile unless orders come from above.

[AlCzervik]

5. this is a good article, worthy of a print out

Chertoff has not a clue as to what he's doing.