FEMA Director Incompetent

[Angel]

I HATE what your administration has done to your poor citizens! What the fuck are you guys going to do about it?

Are there any other non-US citizens willing to volunteer to help the poor if, God forbid, a civil war was to break out? My family has already been told that I'm down there in a second to help my American brothers and sisters!

[BigBadBrian]

Originally posted by Angel
I HATE what your administration has done to your poor citizens! What the fuck are you guys going to do about it?

Are there any other non-US citizens willing to volunteer to help the poor if, God forbid, a civil war was to break out? My family has already been told that I'm down there in a second to help my American brothers and sisters!

Geez.

Give it a rest already.

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by Warham
Can we fire the mayor of New Orleans, as well as the Governor of Louisiana?

Yes.

It occurs in what we call ELECTIONS

Try Google


Now, instead of dodging the TRUTH as you usually do, why not just come right out and ADMIT it.


You are ASHAMED as the rest of us at FEMA and the Dept. of Homeland Insecurity.

Just admit it. THEY FUCKED UP BIG TIME.

Just admit it this ONCE, war









Just this ONCE

[Warham]

FEMA acted late in this case, and deserve plenty of blame, but I blame the city and state MORE. Democratic Party sanctuaries, I might add.

[LoungeMachine]

Gee, I wonder how FEMA and DOHS will do in case of a "terrorist" attack on a dam or another levee system.

Good thing Michael and Michael are on the job, eh Warpig?

If you're proud of how your REPUBLICAN APPOINTED Fema and Homeland Security "leaders" acted, then you're worse than I thought.

If that's possible....

[Warham]

I'm not proud of how anyone acted, but like I said, I blame the CITY and STATE more. They deserve the majority of the blame.

[Nitro Express]

With more of these wars and disasters, the United States may indeed fall into civil war. We already have some conservative religiouse kooks in South Carolina who want to separate from the Union.

If you look at the voting population, we are split right down the middle on political, moral, and religiouse ideology. All we have to do is get pissed off enough at one another to where the bullets start flying.

It might be fun though. I would like to see Ted Nugent and Gordon Liddy take on Michael Moore and Al Franken. I suggest a very high caliber weapon or a high powered bow for Michael Moore. He's so fucking fat you are going to need bucko penetration. I don't think Gordon Liddy would shoot Al Franken. They are actually friends; even though, they don't see eye to eye on political issues. The Detroit Madman would kill Al Franken and Gorden Liddy for being friend with the liberal smart ass. Heck, the nuge would probably make jerky out of both of them.

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by Warham
I'm not proud of how anyone acted, but like I said, I blame the CITY and STATE more. They deserve the majority of the blame.

I BLAME 'EM ALL! The difference is if a bomb goes off in my backyard, neither the NEW ORLEAN's city gov't nor the LOUISIANA State gov't is supposed to respond to it!

WTF was FEMA/DHS doing for four fucking days?!

[ELVIS]

"Religiouse kooks" ??


Teeheehee...:D

[Warham]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
I BLAME 'EM ALL! The difference is if a bomb goes off in my backyard, neither the NEW ORLEAN's city gov't nor the LOUISIANA State gov't is supposed to respond to it!

WTF was FEMA/DHS doing for four fucking days?!

Why can't the state respond to it? The Governor, not the President of the United States, has the call to bring in National Guard troops. First responders should always be state and local governments. What the hell are they there for, if not to respond?

I can see this might not go anywhere. You seem to advocate the federal government trampling all over states' rights, and interfering with state protocols in most cases. It's not really surprising though, it's not an idea that's foreign to liberals.

[DrMaddVibe]

Originally posted by Warham
Why can't the state respond to it? The Governor, not the President of the United States, has the call to bring in National Guard troops. First responders should always be state and local governments. What the hell are they there for, if not to respond?

I can see this might not go anywhere. You seem to advocate the federal government trampling all over states' rights, and interfering with state protocols in most cases. It's not really surprising though, it's not an idea that's foreign to liberals.

I can't wait to see nickeroo's tippy glass response!

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by DrMaddVibe
I can't wait to see nickeroo's tippy glass response!

Here you go DickVibe. Your incompetent President hires liars to head Federal agencies;. albeit well-connected Republican liars:

President Bush is briefed by FEMA chief Michael Brown in Mobile, Ala.
How Reliable Is Brown's Resume?
A TIME investigation reveals discrepancies in the FEMA chief's official biographies
By DAREN FONDA AND RITA HEALY

Posted Thursday, Sep. 08, 2005
When President Bush nominated Michael Brown to head the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in 2003, Brown's boss at the time, Joe Allbaugh, declared, "the President couldn't have chosen a better man to help...prepare and protect the nation." But how well was he prepared for the job? Since Hurricane Katrina, the FEMA director has come under heavy criticism for his performance and scrutiny of his background. Now, an investigation by TIME has found discrepancies in his online legal profile and official bio, including a description of Brown released by the White House at the time of his nomination in 2001 to the job as deputy chief of FEMA. (Brown became Director of FEMA, succeeding Allbaugh, in 2003.)

Before joining FEMA, his only previous stint in emergency management, according to his bio posted on FEMA's website, was "serving as an assistant city manager with emergency services oversight." The White House press release from 2001 stated that Brown worked for the city of Edmond, Okla., from 1975 to 1978 "overseeing the emergency services division." In fact, according to Claudia Deakins, head of public relations for the city of Edmond, Brown was an "assistant to the city manager" from 1977 to 1980, not a manager himself, and had no authority over other employees. "The assistant is more like an intern," she told TIME. "Department heads did not report to him." Brown did do a good job at his humble position, however, according to his boss. "Yes. Mike Brown worked for me. He was my administrative assistant. He was a student at Central State University," recalls former city manager Bill Dashner. "Mike used to handle a lot of details. Every now and again I'd ask him to write me a speech. He was very loyal. He was always on time. He always had on a suit and a starched white shirt."

In response, Nicol Andrews, deputy strategic director in FEMA's office of public affairs, insists that while Brown began as an intern, he became an "assistant city manager" with a distinguished record of service. "According to Mike Brown," she says, "a large portion [of the points raised by TIME] is very inaccurate."

Brown's lack of experience in emergency management isn't the only apparent bit of padding on his resume, which raises questions about how rigorously the White House vetted him before putting him in charge of FEMA. Under the "honors and awards" section of his profile at FindLaw.com — which is information on the legal website provided by lawyers or their offices—he lists "Outstanding Political Science Professor, Central State University". However, Brown "wasn't a professor here, he was only a student here," says Charles Johnson, News Bureau Director in the University Relations office at the University of Central Oklahoma (formerly named Central State University). "He may have been an adjunct instructor," says Johnson, but that title is very different from that of "professor." Carl Reherman, a former political science professor at the University through the '70s and '80s, says that Brown "was not on the faculty." As for the honor of "Outstanding Political Science Professor," Johnson says, "I spoke with the department chair yesterday and he's not aware of it." Johnson could not confirm that Brown made the Dean's list or was an "Outstanding Political Science Senior," as is stated on his online profile.

Speaking for Brown, Andrews says that Brown has never claimed to be a political science professor, in spite of what his profile in FindLaw indicates. "He was named the outstanding political science senior at Central State, and was an adjunct professor at Oklahoma City School of Law."

Under the heading of "Professional Associations and Memberships" on FindLaw, Brown states that from 1983 to the present he has been director of the Oklahoma Christian Home, a nursing home in Edmond. But an administrator with the Home, told TIME that Brown is "not a person that anyone here is familiar with." She says there was a board of directors until a couple of years ago, but she couldn't find anyone who recalled him being on it. According to FEMA's Andrews, Brown said "he's never claimed to be the director of the home. He was on the board of directors, or governors of the nursing home." However, a veteran employee at the center since 1981 says Brown "was never director here, was never on the board of directors, was never executive director. He was never here in any capacity. I never heard his name mentioned here."

The FindLaw profile for Brown was amended on Thursday to remove a reference to his tenure at the International Arabian Horse Association, which has become a contested point.

Brown's FindLaw profile lists a wide range of areas of legal practice, from estate planning to family law to sports. However, one former colleague does not remember Brown's work as sterling. Stephen Jones, a prominent Oklahoma lawyer who was lead defense attorney on the Timothy McVeigh case, was Brown's boss for two-and-a-half years in the early '80s. "He did mainly transactional work, not litigation," says Jones. "There was a feeling that he was not serious and somewhat shallow." Jones says when his law firm split, Brown was one of two staffers who was let go.

— With reporting by Jeremy Caplan, Carolina A. Miranda/New York; Nathan Thornburgh/Baton Rouge; Levi Clark/Edmond; Massimo Calabresi and Mark Thompson/Washington

[Nitro Express]

We all know the govt. is incompetant as shit and with the ever increasing dishonesty in our society, it's worse than ever. All these govt. agencies do is provide jobs for beurocrats. The higher tiered jobs pay wonderful I may add. Actually accomplishing something is not the goal. The goal is to live well off the taxpayer's money.

So depending on FEMA (Fucked Emergency Management Agency) to save your life might not be the best alternative. You might as well shoot yourself before you die of dehydration, starvation, or are murdered for the bottle of drinking water or MRE you were carrying.

Is maddening as it is, the govt. is a fucking beurocracy. Oh they will have big investigations and argue until the next huge disaster. But nothing will really be done. Sept. 11 hasn't changed anything, why will Katrina? Oh, weren't we told that FEMA was better than ever because it was now part of the Dept. of Homeland Security?

So people, I highly suggest you look at where you live and stock the neccessary emergency supplies because your govt. will fail and fuck up again and next time, it may be your nieghborhood that is screwed.

[Cathedral]

Ok, from a visionairies point of view, it is really simple.

A Hurricane is coming at you, you're the Mayor or the Governnor of where it's basically heading.
Here's what you do for those who elected you:

1) Tell them to get the fuck out, NOW!

2) If they cannot get the fuck out, NOW, YOU are to assist them getting the fuck out, NOW! "I could use those few hundred buses we have, but Naaaaaa, They'll send nicer Greyhounds"
Why those buses didn't move....man, that is grade-A Bullshit right there.

3) Those that choose and are willing to fight to the death to stay are on their own, "Good Luck, May God Be With You!"...on to the next house.

But the reality......
"Hi, we're Red Cross and ready to get staged to help the people!"

Nagin and Blanco say, "You can't go in there, we don't want people flocking to the superdome"
Which by the way left 300 National Guard that were there overwhelmed by the people looking for their help, they had none.

They both claimed all day long, "We want those people out of there, not congregating at the superdome".

Yet, i think back to all these buses that simply never moved to higher ground.

When you blame someone for something it usually pays to blame the people who pull the trigger...Nagin and Blanco pulled the trigger on this mess, and it took them 24 hours to get it together...then, everything was two days or more in coming.

I don't need an investigation to tell me a damn thing. If their job requires us to cast a vote for them...they suck, and it was just proven by Nagin and Blanco!

Can i say here that i listened to Nagin's radio speech and that asshole is nothing near a professional.
He made several mistakes a politician should never make when he lost his composure and flew off at the mouth being vulgar and throwing blame all over the place.
He showed "weakness", and his political ship should be pretty much sunk after all of this settles down a little.

Blanco - Louisiana deserved better than her as Gov.

Bush - going on year 6, political attack #755, nothing charged, proven or prosecuted...WTF?

But i will say this, had I been Mayor of Louisiana those buses would have been moving non-stop for 3 days before the storm hit.

But that is apparently just a me thing, eh?
I get the deep seeded impression that all Nagin and Blanco were interested in was having the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT do it all so they could stand in front of TV camera's and look in-charge and come off as hero's.
Well guess what, Mother Nature doesn't follow a script.
They did nothing, not a damn thing, but when the ball did get picked up then it shifts to, "Well, it was too late".....and it was, and i don't hear anyone saying the response wasn't fucked and because of it, lives were lost.

Both of those dumbfucks are arrogant to their own detriment.

But pride doesn't get a pass on it either...Some people chose to stay, and that was stupid.
Now if the levee's boasted being able to withstand a Cat-5 storm, i'd understand the pride there.
But dude, it was a losers bet from the get go given all the info that was known of those levee's.

So the people also have to bear responsibility for their own choices and they have no right to hold the Government accountable for their mistakes, even if they cost lives.

I guess it just isn't my nature to sit around and wait for an official to tell me to leave, or even provide my means to leave.
My life is more valuable than that shit, and i don't own anything that can't be replaced except the lives of my family.

Gee, that's all the motivation a man needs to start trekking his familie's ass North, don't ya think?

Look man, when you go to the movies to see the new hit film, do you go a bit early to beat the rush, or do you walk in at the last minute and bitch because the movie is starting and you haven't even gotten popcorn yet?

Same principle, and people who wait for the Government always end up screwed over.
That's not a left or right thing either...It's the way it is, period.

[DrMaddVibe]

http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050908/REPOSITORY/509080380/1013/NEWS03

Corps efforts focused on shipping
Louisiana projects criticized as unnecessary

By MICHAEL GRUNWALD
The Washington Post
September 08. 2005 8:00AM

W
ASHINGTON - Before Hurricane Katrina breached a levee on the New Orleans Industrial Canal, the Army Corps of Engineers had already launched a $748 million construction project at that very location. But the project had nothing to do with flood control. The Corps was building a massive new lock for the canal, an effort to accommodate steadily increasing barge traffic.

Except that barge traffic on the canal has been steadily decreasing.

In Katrina's wake, Louisiana politicians and other critics have complained about paltry funding for the Army Corps in general and Louisiana projects in particular. But over the five years of President Bush's administration, Louisiana has received far more money for Corps civil works projects than any other state, about $1.9 billion; California was a distant second with less than $1.4 billion, even though its population is more than seven times larger.

Much of that Louisiana money was spent to try to keep low-lying New Orleans dry. But hundreds of millions of dollars have gone to unrelated water projects demanded by the state's congressional delegation and approved by the Corps, often after economic analyses that turned out to be inaccurate. Despite a series of independent investigations criticizing Army Corps construction projects as wasteful pork-barrel spending, Louisiana's representatives kept bringing home the bacon.

For example, after a $194 million deepening project for the Port of Iberia flunked a Corps cost-benefit analysis, Sen. Mary Landrieu, a Democrat from Louisiana, tucked language into an emergency Iraq spending bill ordering the agency to redo its calculations.

The Industrial Canal lock is one of the agency's most controversial projects, sued by residents of a New Orleans low-income black neighborhood and cited by an alliance of environmentalists and taxpayer advocates as the fifth-worst current Corps boondoggle. In 1998, the Corps justified its plan to build a new lock - rather than fix the old lock for a tiny fraction of the cost - by predicting huge increases in use by barges traveling between the Port of New Orleans and the Mississippi River.

In fact, barge traffic on the canal had been plummeting since 1994, but the Corps left that data out of its study. And barges have continued to avoid the canal since the study was finished, even though they are visiting the port in increased numbers.

Pam Dashiell, president of the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association, remembers holding a protest against the lock four years ago - right where the levee broke Aug. 30. Now she's holed up with her family in a St. Louis hotel, and her neighborhood is underwater "Our politicians never cared half as much about protecting us as they cared about pork," Dashiell said.

Yesterday, congressional defenders of the Corps said they hoped the fallout from Hurricane Katrina would pave the way for billions of dollars of additional spending on water projects. Steve Ellis, a Corps critic with Taxpayers for Common Sense, called their push "the legislative equivalent of looting."

Louisiana's politicians have requested much more money for New Orleans hurricane protection than the Bush administration has proposed or Congress has provided. In the last budget bill, Louisiana's delegation requested $27.1 million for shoring up levees around Lake Pontchartrain, the full amount the Corps had declared as its "project capability." Bush suggested $3.9 million, and Congress agreed to spend $5.7 million.

Administration officials also dramatically scaled back a long-term project to restore Louisiana's disappearing coastal marshes, which once provided a measure of natural hurricane protection for New Orleans. They ordered the Corps to stop work on a $14 billion plan, and devise a $2 billion plan instead.

But overall, the Bush administration's funding requests for the key New Orleans flood-control projects for the past five years were slightly higher than the Clinton administration's for its past five years. Lt. Gen. Carl Strock, the chief of the Corps, has said that in any event, more money would not have prevented the drowning of the city, since its levees were only designed to protect against a Category 3 storm, and the levees that failed were already completed projects. Strock has also said that the marsh restoration project would not have done much to diminish Katrina's storm surge, which passed east of the coastal wetlands.

"The project manager for the Great Pyramids probably put in a request for 100 million shekels and only got 50 million," said John Paul Woodley Jr., the Bush administration official overseeing the Corps. "Flood protection is always a work in progress; on any given day, if you ask whether any community has all the protection it needs, the answer is almost always: Maybe, but maybe not."

The Corps had been studying the possibility of upgrading the New Orleans levees for a higher level of protection before Katrina hit, but Woodley said that study would not have been finished for years. Still, liberal bloggers, Democratic politicians and some Republican defenders of the Corps have linked the catastrophe to the underfunding of the agency.

"We've been hollering about funding for years, but everyone would say: There goes Louisiana again, asking for more money," said former Democratic senator John Breaux. "We've had some powerful people in powerful places, but we never got what we needed."

That may be true. But those powerful people - including former senators Breaux, Johnston and Russell Long, as well as former House committee chairmen Robert Livingston and Billy Tauzin - did get quite a bit of what they wanted. And the current delegation - led by Landrieu and GOP Sen. David Vitter - has continued that tradition.

The Senate's latest budget bill for the Corps included 107 Louisiana projects worth $596 million, including $15 million for the Industrial Canal lock, for which the Bush administration had proposed no funding. Landrieu said the bill would "accelerate our flood control, navigation and coastal protection programs." Vitter said he was "grateful that my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee were persuaded of the importance of these projects."

Louisiana not only leads the nation in overall Corps funding, it places second in new construction - just behind Florida, home of an $8 billion project to restore the Everglades. Several controversial projects were improvements for the Port of New Orleans, an economic linchpin at the mouth of the Mississippi. There were also several efforts to deepen channel for oil and gas tankers, a priority for petroleum companies that drill in the Gulf of Mexico.

"We thought all the projects were important - not just levees," Breaux said. "Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but navigation projects were critical to our economic survival."

Overall, Army Corps funding has remained relatively constant for decades, despite the "Program Growth Initiative" launched by agency generals in 1999 without telling their civilian bosses in the Clinton administration. The Bush administration has proposed cuts in the Corps budget, and has tried to shift the agency's emphasis from new construction to overdue maintenance. But most of those proposals have died quietly on Capitol Hill, and the administration has not fought too hard to revive them.

In fact, more than any other federal agency, the Corps is controlled by Congress; its $4.7 billion civil works budget consists almost entirely of "earmarks" inserted by individual legislators. The Corps must determine that the economic benefits of its projects exceed the costs, but marginal projects such as the Port of Iberia deepening - which squeaked by with a 1.03 benefit-cost ratio - are as eligible for funding as the New Orleans levees.

"It has been explicit national policy not to set priorities, but instead to build any flood control or barge project if the Corps decides the benefits exceed the costs by one cent," said Tim Searchinger, a senior attorney at Environmental Defense. "Saving New Orleans gets no more emphasis than draining wetlands to grow corn and soybeans."


By MICHAEL GRUNWALD

The Washington Post