FEMA In The Hot Seat
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) head Michael Brown has been replaced as the lead federal official in the Katrina recovery effort and criticized for his agency's response to the disaster. But some readers question whether the criticism is justified or politically motivated.
"Mike Brown is NOT the problem," writes artthedart . "Brown exemplifies the highest standards one could expect of a Presidential appointee. He is intensely dedicated to the FEMA mission and...his track record at FEMA has been universely praised until a week ago... Ask the senators now crucifying Mike Brown for being uncredentialed in emergency management why they voted to confirm him several times."
Nfmannik1 agrees, saying, "The problem isn't the political appointees at the top. The problem at FEMA was the gutting of the agency under Homeland Security where the professional staff was thinned, funding reduced, and training all but eliminated."
Realhturt takes a critical and unforgiving view. "What would anyone expect from the WH occupant's track record of putting people from his have-mores base in government positions? An incompetent hiring incompetents."
Harsh, but 2Cincinnatus is equally cynical, remarking that a disastrous FEMA performance, "...reflects perfectly the Republicans' utter contempt for government as a positive force and their belief that government is the problem, not the solution. The appointment of a blithering incompetent political hack such as Brown is entirely in character for this crowd, which views government service as an opportunity to line one's pockets and nothing more."
An interesting subconversation on the nature of today's political process has spun off from this, with lamarrll remarking that the citizenry and its elected officials do too little vetting before deciding on leaders, relying instead on marketing, spin and superficial attributes and accepting appointees without regard to standards or accountability. Lamarrll says, "WE VOTED THESE PEOPLE IN FOR A SECOND TERM. WE DESERVE WHAT WE GET. I'm just sorry for the unfortunate victims. They didn't deserve what they got no matter who's running the country."
And motiv8ted is really mad. "...it gets even worse. Pat Robertson, our national religious 'advisor' on proposals for assassinations on a global basis, is allowed a listing on FEMA's web site for charitable donations related to the Katrina disaster. This same Pat Robertson was found to have misused funds donated to other global disasters by diverting them to his own personal gain. When does this sickening disgusting and criminal behavior stop...?"
Gat2005 is critical, too, but for him the real culprit is agitated left-wingers. "They only care about what will push their particular political agenda ...they represent a moral vacuum of nothing other than concentrated anger and hate-- like a weapon they are seeking to unload it onto someone, anyone connected to George Bush."
By Lindsay Howerton |
September 12, 2005; 5:00 AM ET
| Category:
National Issues
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Next: The Future Of New Orleans
Posted by: luee | September 12, 2005 07:21 PM
Look. Michael Bown is not the problem. The man who hired him is the problem. Bush no more believes in the mission of FEMA than he believes in the mission of any other federal government function other than the military or fondling his faith based constitutuency which primarily resides in the south and the west.
You cannot govern effectively if you are a captive of an ideology that minimizes the role and importance of the federal government. Everyone now knows why the levees failed. They failed because we have been governed over the past 25 years--even during the Clinton administration--by a ruling elite that seeks to weaken the central government and rely more on states and localities--which historically have suffer from adequate tax bases--to deal with such events as Katrina, which only a strong federal government can muster the resources to address.
Why we try to avoid that obvious conclusion arising out of all of this, baffles me.
Posted by: jaxas | September 13, 2005 10:51 AM
Look. Michael Bown is not the problem. The man who hired him is the problem. Bush no more believes in the mission of FEMA than he believes in the mission of any other federal government function other than the military or fondling his faith based constitutuency which primarily resides in the south and the west.
You cannot govern effectively if you are a captive of an ideology that minimizes the role and importance of the federal government. Everyone now knows why the levees failed. They failed because we have been governed over the past 25 years--even during the Clinton administration--by a ruling elite that seeks to weaken the central government and rely more on states and localities--which historically have suffer from adequate tax bases--to deal with such events as Katrina, which only a strong federal government can muster the resources to address.
Why we try to avoid that obvious conclusion arising out of all of this, baffles me.
Posted by: jaxas | September 13, 2005 10:53 AM
At some point America must regain its reasoning on the issue of emergency preparedness and response. No one person is responsible for the debacle in New Orleans. Michael Brown is merely the federal scacrificial lamb!It is a very high level of shared irresponsibility that must be addressed. There are a plehtora of assistants, special assistants; deputies' this and that; and a range of middle managers who operate and make independent decisions each and every day! Those agencies who spend billions of dollars on consultans and so-called experts are equally at fault.The city of New Orleans and the federalgovernemnt failed to plan and execute in a satisfactory manner. There isn't any need to point fingers and blame, This is a painful lesson for America. The burden now shifts to every citizen and the press to ask more informed question and to see for themselves how really prepared our cities can become!
Posted by: Tom Blagburn | September 14, 2005 04:13 PM
The buck stops at Congress and the Oval office on this one. The local folks did make some bad calls and did not use the resources they had at their disposal prior to this event. However, the magnitude of this event demanded response from the Federal level. As someone who was a FEMA volunteer for 15 years and experienced the response to the '93 Midwest floods first hand, the response to Katrina was a disaster in and of itself.
Funding at all levels was lacking, equipement that was requested weeks ago still has not shown up due to la excuse du jour, Aide organisations were told they could not enter areas, and the list goes on. FEMA had structure and a chain of command along with standard operating procedures that used to be followed. It is plain to see the book containing that information was never opened by those in charge.
Yes, Brown needed to go, and his boss too. There is plenty of blame to lay at everyone's feet in this country. It is by the grace of God that it is not your community laying in shambles. Most cities do not have proven evacuation plans, enough equipment to deal with a disaster, nor informed residents that know what to do and where to go. All of that costs money and that money comes from our taxes which most people will not want to pay. All Americans need to take part in assuring their personal safety and if their communities do not have disaster plans; keep screaming until there is one or remove the fools from office ASAP. And keep this in mind; safety comes at a price, but one worth investing in with the correct and experienced people in charge. Disaster management is not something that can be left up to a "political payoff" appointment, unless that person has the proven emergencey response credentials for that level.
Posted by: Shelley Jeltema | September 15, 2005 06:54 AM
As a NO evacuee there are several issues to be addressed about theinadaquacy of FEMA. "Brownie" couldn't do a god job because he doesn't know anyting aobut the issue of emergency relief. Cherkoff was surprised tha the hurricane knowcked down trees!
Within days of the storm FEMA anoujnced that all evacuees would receive $2000 to helpl with expenses. I applied on line immediately and am stillwaiting. The telephone line says that all representatives are busy and the disconnects. I went to the FEMA officein NYC to resolve the issue. They are not connected to the system. LUckily I have friends putting me up butif I were on y own I"d be broke by now and would have exhausted my REd Cross housing vouchers (which I didn't aply for) and on the streets.
The article in Tuesday's paper says that Hastert apointed a committee of all republicans toinvestigate. He is the man who said that he doubted that NO was worth saving. How could one expect fairness from such?
Posted by: Anthony E | September 28, 2005 12:04 PM
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The problem is the tax cuts for the wealthy and the resultant budget cuts that have basicly rendered all federal governmental services almost inaccessable. It is a horror scene that will be played over and over again unless and until a new regime puts the government back on track with a realistic domestic economic policy that allows agencies to actually perform and respond.