FEMA Cronies

SirMoby · 2005-09-04, 10:36 AM

I'm reading the FEMA web site and trying to figure out WTF is going on. I read about the Michael D. Brown the Under Secretary in charge of FEMA.

"Prior to joining FEMA, Mr. Brown practiced law in Colorado and Oklahoma, where he served as a bar examiner on ethics and professional responsibility for the Oklahoma Supreme Court and as a hearing examiner for the Colorado Supreme Court. He had been appointed as a special prosecutor in police disciplinary matters. While attending law school he was appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee of the Oklahoma Legislature as the Finance Committee Staff Director, where he oversaw state fiscal issues. His background in state and local government also includes serving as an assistant city manager with emergency services oversight and as a city councilman."

He spent his entire career as a legal bean counter and probably helped Dubya get elected. He gets appointed to a high paying position while not having a fucking clue. This explains a lot.

Torn Rose · 2005-09-04, 11:05 AM

think about it.... he and George are buddies.... makes perfect sense

SirMoby · 2005-09-04, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torn

think about it.... he and George are buddies.... makes perfect sense

I know that but giving an old friend a job to design a monument is one thing but a job where so many lives depend on performance should be criminal.

Torn Rose · 2005-09-04, 11:44 AM

Again, you forget... the GOP is above the law, so no laws have been broken, and I am confident he will be given a nice award and other perks for such a well done job. Now had this been a non GOP administration, the president would have been impeached and the right wing would be up in arms.

CNN has just reported that the LA Gov has hired former FEMA director JamesWhit to run the LA recovery, he has over 25 years of experience in disaster management... how is that for confidence in FEMA and George?

Erick G · 2005-09-04, 11:56 AM

It gets even better!
http://business.bostonherald.com/bus...ticleid=100857

The federal official in charge of the bungled New Orleans rescue was fired from his last private-sector job overseeing horse shows.
And before joining the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a deputy director in 2001, GOP activist Mike Brown had no significant experience that would have qualified him for the position.

Bush sure knows how to pick em!

RawAlex · 2005-09-04, 09:12 PM

It's a very typical Bush "team player". You have to remember that Bush himself got ahead because of his family, his contacts, and taxpayer money (see texas baseball stadium financing).

Many of the people around him honestly don't seem to care or even know how to react to these sorts of situations.

heck, Cheney is still on vacation. That should tell you everything you need to know about the poor minorities dying in New Orleans. Not important, they didn't vote for Bush anyway.

docholly · 2005-09-04, 10:57 PM

Bill Maher was talking about this..

he said "paraphrasing*

you give your friends jobs as ambassadors at some obscure country like Lichtenstein or Andorra... NOT appoint them to the head of our only disaster recovery agency.

Ledfish · 2005-09-05, 12:48 AM

Unfortunately, when the Democrats are in the Whitehouse they too do the same type of thing....it's simple political payback.

It is unfortunate because I highly doubt in the aftermath and hearings that are sure to follow, that those hearings will focus largely on why the Republican adminstration felt that "brownie" as Bush has referred to him (which furthers the "He's a Bush buddy angle") was qualified for a job that had such huge implications. In fact, Chertoff is all ready defending Michael Brown by saying that he did a fine job in Florida last year with the hurricanes that hit there.

I also noted that in an interview tonight on CNN with James Witt, he stopped just short of blantly saying that FEMA screwed up. Instead he simple said that making FEMA a second tier agency and stripping it of it's operating funds was a huge mistake by the current administration. For those that don't know, FEMA because a sub agency of the department of homeland security and it's funds were re-appropriated in order to fund the department of homeland security.

As someone else said though, no ones head will role like it should.....otherwise Karl Rove would have found himself brought up on criminal charges for outting a CIA operative.

I will say again and again. If this is how well our goverment can respond to a natural disaster, I sure am scared if we are hit by a large scale terrorist attack !

Linkster · 2005-09-05, 07:42 AM

There is a good reason for the way FEMA is run now and the way it used to be run.
This is a small administrative arm of the new homeland security department and these "director" positions are now just a figurehead position

Back when it was a separate department it was run by people that knew disaster recovery - they dont need to now the way the red tape is set up - its left to the individual states EMAs to do

SirMoby · 2005-09-05, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ledfish

Unfortunately, when the Democrats are in the Whitehouse they too do the same type of thing....it's simple political payback.

As I said in the beginning, giving jobs to buddies is one thing and is expected. Are you now saying that the previous administration put 1,000s of lives in danger by appointing a buddy to a position of such importance? If so, who?

2005-09-04, 10:36 AM	#1
SirMoby Jim? I heard he's a dirty pornographer. Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 2,706	FEMA Cronies I'm reading the FEMA web site and trying to figure out WTF is going on. I read about the Michael D. Brown the Under Secretary in charge of FEMA. "Prior to joining FEMA, Mr. Brown practiced law in Colorado and Oklahoma, where he served as a bar examiner on ethics and professional responsibility for the Oklahoma Supreme Court and as a hearing examiner for the Colorado Supreme Court. He had been appointed as a special prosecutor in police disciplinary matters. While attending law school he was appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee of the Oklahoma Legislature as the Finance Committee Staff Director, where he oversaw state fiscal issues. His background in state and local government also includes serving as an assistant city manager with emergency services oversight and as a city councilman." He spent his entire career as a legal bean counter and probably helped Dubya get elected. He gets appointed to a high paying position while not having a fucking clue. This explains a lot.

2005-09-04, 11:56 AM	#5
Erick G Look maah I moved out and got my own space:) Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 555	It gets even better! http://business.bostonherald.com/bus...ticleid=100857 The federal official in charge of the bungled New Orleans rescue was fired from his last private-sector job overseeing horse shows. And before joining the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a deputy director in 2001, GOP activist Mike Brown had no significant experience that would have qualified him for the position. Bush sure knows how to pick em! __________________ Exclusive Feeds

2005-09-04, 10:57 PM	#7
docholly Nothing funnier than the ridiculous faces you people make mid-coitus Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Sin-City USA Posts: 4,973	Bill Maher was talking about this.. he said "paraphrasing* you give your friends jobs as ambassadors at some obscure country like Lichtenstein or Andorra... NOT appoint them to the head of our only disaster recovery agency. __________________ Support Indie Porn Sites OMGoddess You know you need some Bling!!

2005-09-05, 07:42 AM	#9
Linkster NO! Im not a female - but being a dragon, I do eat them. Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Sex Delta Posts: 5,084	There is a good reason for the way FEMA is run now and the way it used to be run. This is a small administrative arm of the new homeland security department and these "director" positions are now just a figurehead position Back when it was a separate department it was run by people that knew disaster recovery - they dont need to now the way the red tape is set up - its left to the individual states EMAs to do __________________ Pussy Chompers Porn Links NSCash

2005-09-04, 11:05 AM	#2
Torn Rose "Faith is believing what you know ain't so." ~ Mark Twain Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 4,806	think about it.... he and George are buddies.... makes perfect sense

2005-09-04, 11:44 AM	#4
Torn Rose "Faith is believing what you know ain't so." ~ Mark Twain Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 4,806	Again, you forget... the GOP is above the law, so no laws have been broken, and I am confident he will be given a nice award and other perks for such a well done job. Now had this been a non GOP administration, the president would have been impeached and the right wing would be up in arms. CNN has just reported that the LA Gov has hired former FEMA director JamesWhit to run the LA recovery, he has over 25 years of experience in disaster management... how is that for confidence in FEMA and George?

2005-09-04, 09:12 PM	#6
RawAlex Took the hint. Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 5,597	It's a very typical Bush "team player". You have to remember that Bush himself got ahead because of his family, his contacts, and taxpayer money (see texas baseball stadium financing). Many of the people around him honestly don't seem to care or even know how to react to these sorts of situations. heck, Cheney is still on vacation. That should tell you everything you need to know about the poor minorities dying in New Orleans. Not important, they didn't vote for Bush anyway.

2005-09-05, 12:48 AM	#8
Ledfish Internet! Is that thing still around? Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 8	Unfortunately, when the Democrats are in the Whitehouse they too do the same type of thing....it's simple political payback. It is unfortunate because I highly doubt in the aftermath and hearings that are sure to follow, that those hearings will focus largely on why the Republican adminstration felt that "brownie" as Bush has referred to him (which furthers the "He's a Bush buddy angle") was qualified for a job that had such huge implications. In fact, Chertoff is all ready defending Michael Brown by saying that he did a fine job in Florida last year with the hurricanes that hit there. I also noted that in an interview tonight on CNN with James Witt, he stopped just short of blantly saying that FEMA screwed up. Instead he simple said that making FEMA a second tier agency and stripping it of it's operating funds was a huge mistake by the current administration. For those that don't know, FEMA because a sub agency of the department of homeland security and it's funds were re-appropriated in order to fund the department of homeland security. As someone else said though, no ones head will role like it should.....otherwise Karl Rove would have found himself brought up on criminal charges for outting a CIA operative. I will say again and again. If this is how well our goverment can respond to a natural disaster, I sure am scared if we are hit by a large scale terrorist attack !