Paperwork or action?

The Detroit Free Press reports today that area law enforcement officials were headed south to assist aid and rescue efforts despite Michigan's emergency management agency telling them to stay put.

Local law enforcment claims it's taking too long for required paperwork to move through the proper state channels. Instead they have been coordinating directly with local departments in the affected areas. The Freep reports that Oakland County Sherrif Michael Bouchard was headed to New Orleans with 12 Oakland County deputies in three Chevrolet Tahoes and a borrowed motor home. All without official "permission."

"Bureaucracy be damned, we're going to help," Bouchard was quoted as saying. "They can sort out the paperwork later."

State officials protested this circumventing of the rules, citing lack of liability coverage and other challenges that could result from going into the disaster area without all the i's dotted and t's crossed.

I guess I understand the bureaucrats needing to have order; rules are made in everyone's best interest, after all.

Or are they?

While people are doing cya with paperwork, it's already too late for so many in New Orleans.

How much higher will the death toll go? What will be the final extent of this tragedy? The sluggish rescue effort has become a national scandal of huge proportions.

Those like the sherriff and his deputies have the desire and the means to help. Why would the state even think of holding up their efforts for some fucking paperwork? What have we become when process and paperwork are the desired deliverables over content/results/action?

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Also

UPSIDE: Michigan-based Meijer sent trucks south with water and food.

DOWNSIDE: A local company is forced to suspend deliveries to businesses in several southern ZIP codes.