Monday, September 05, 2005
Brown, Chertoff Must Go
Republicans are supposed to stand for a competent, accountable government
Welcome AndrewSullivan.com Readers! And a BIG THANKS to Andrew for the link!
Perhaps I am to hard on our public servants, but then I'm a DC insider and have a pretty good understanding of how things are supposed to work. As I mentioned yesterday, they pay people in Washington to think about disasters like Katrina and how to mobilize the resources of the federal government to mitigate the effects of such a catastrophe. Both Certoff and Brown have failed by any measure to meet the standards of office during a time of calamity and war.
In an earlier post, I graded various agency heads on their response to Katrina. Here's what I had to say about Brown and Certoff.
Michael Brown, FEMA: F- Mr. Brown gets the award for outstanding audacity in the face of reality. Confronted with pictures of folks dying at the convention center, Brown claimed to have just learned of the 10,000 or so souls that days after their plight had been reported. Disaster unforeseeable claim abounds, blames the locals. Had no experience in disaster relief prior to his FEMA appointment. Biggest claim to fame is being fired from his last job. Even the state of New Orleans has gone around this guy by hiring his predecessor. If anyone should be fired, it's Brown.
Michael Certoff, HSD Director: F The man in charge of the federal super agency charged with responding to a disaster of this scope is still in denial about the federal shortcomings. He's repeated said that there was no plan for such a disaster, when time and time again facts indicate that there was. Even a week out he's trying to shift the blame to the locals. We've spent nearly $400 billion to create and fund the Homeland Security Department to plan for events of this scale and the results are beyond disappointing. Worse yet, he claims that he read the papers on Tuesday morning and they all reported that New Orleans dodged a bullet. Wonkette's response is golden and can be found here.
Welcome AndrewSullivan.com Readers! And a BIG THANKS to Andrew for the link!
Perhaps I am to hard on our public servants, but then I'm a DC insider and have a pretty good understanding of how things are supposed to work. As I mentioned yesterday, they pay people in Washington to think about disasters like Katrina and how to mobilize the resources of the federal government to mitigate the effects of such a catastrophe. Both Certoff and Brown have failed by any measure to meet the standards of office during a time of calamity and war.
In an earlier post, I graded various agency heads on their response to Katrina. Here's what I had to say about Brown and Certoff.
Michael Brown, FEMA: F- Mr. Brown gets the award for outstanding audacity in the face of reality. Confronted with pictures of folks dying at the convention center, Brown claimed to have just learned of the 10,000 or so souls that days after their plight had been reported. Disaster unforeseeable claim abounds, blames the locals. Had no experience in disaster relief prior to his FEMA appointment. Biggest claim to fame is being fired from his last job. Even the state of New Orleans has gone around this guy by hiring his predecessor. If anyone should be fired, it's Brown.
Michael Certoff, HSD Director: F The man in charge of the federal super agency charged with responding to a disaster of this scope is still in denial about the federal shortcomings. He's repeated said that there was no plan for such a disaster, when time and time again facts indicate that there was. Even a week out he's trying to shift the blame to the locals. We've spent nearly $400 billion to create and fund the Homeland Security Department to plan for events of this scale and the results are beyond disappointing. Worse yet, he claims that he read the papers on Tuesday morning and they all reported that New Orleans dodged a bullet. Wonkette's response is golden and can be found here.
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Here's an email I sent to Andrew Sullivan, which was the sort of material it's OK to print elsewhere:
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First of all, I think that overall you are doing a good job of rather objectively critiquing the Iraq/Budget/Social Policy/Katrina fiascoes. However, in giving a paraphrased Reagan quote you missed a lot of the point about why things went so wrong this time: ' I'm reminded of Ronald Reagan's famous quip - and I paraphrase. Didn't he say that the most frightening words in the English language were: "We're the federal government and we've come to help." ' Well, the government doesn't always do the best job, but the main reason the Feds, at least, hosed up so bad in both Gulfs is a matter of *who* is in charge, not from their *being* the government. I hope you will acknowledge that distinction.
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Not in the email: True, the BushCo Feds messed up, but we still want answers to question like: why didn't the city of NO use more of those now-flooded school buses?
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First of all, I think that overall you are doing a good job of rather objectively critiquing the Iraq/Budget/Social Policy/Katrina fiascoes. However, in giving a paraphrased Reagan quote you missed a lot of the point about why things went so wrong this time: ' I'm reminded of Ronald Reagan's famous quip - and I paraphrase. Didn't he say that the most frightening words in the English language were: "We're the federal government and we've come to help." ' Well, the government doesn't always do the best job, but the main reason the Feds, at least, hosed up so bad in both Gulfs is a matter of *who* is in charge, not from their *being* the government. I hope you will acknowledge that distinction.
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Not in the email: True, the BushCo Feds messed up, but we still want answers to question like: why didn't the city of NO use more of those now-flooded school buses?
# posted by 
: 9:09 PM
: 9:09 PM
The feds aren't the only negligent party here. But for Pete's sake, we've just spent tens of billions of dollars over the last few years to prepare for a city wide catastropy, either man-made or terrorist related.
I think the voters of NOLA, MS, AL and LA will hold thier leaders accountable, I have no jurisdiction or standing there.
You distinction is a good one. I'd still be B@tching regardless of who is in charge. But we can't let our leaders, who ever they are, cop out with the "Blame Game" excuse. 1,000's are dead, a major American City is in ruin and Tom Delay has threated to block hearings on accountability in the house.
Thanks for your comments, I hope you keep me honest in the future!
I think the voters of NOLA, MS, AL and LA will hold thier leaders accountable, I have no jurisdiction or standing there.
You distinction is a good one. I'd still be B@tching regardless of who is in charge. But we can't let our leaders, who ever they are, cop out with the "Blame Game" excuse. 1,000's are dead, a major American City is in ruin and Tom Delay has threated to block hearings on accountability in the house.
Thanks for your comments, I hope you keep me honest in the future!
"Republicans are supposed to stand for a competent, accountable government"
Supposed to, yes, but the Republicans who are currently in control of the Executive branch stand for cronyism, policies favoring special interests, fiscal irresponsibility, and no accountability whatsover. If somenone fouls up badly enough, he gets a Medal of Freedom.
And the situation in the House, with Tom Delay in charge is even worse. If there are actually any moderate Republicans left, Delay has completely intimitaded and/or bribed them.
There may be some hope in the Senate if the few remaining moderate Republicans will finally develop the backbone to put country above narrow partisan interests.
Supposed to, yes, but the Republicans who are currently in control of the Executive branch stand for cronyism, policies favoring special interests, fiscal irresponsibility, and no accountability whatsover. If somenone fouls up badly enough, he gets a Medal of Freedom.
And the situation in the House, with Tom Delay in charge is even worse. If there are actually any moderate Republicans left, Delay has completely intimitaded and/or bribed them.
There may be some hope in the Senate if the few remaining moderate Republicans will finally develop the backbone to put country above narrow partisan interests.
# posted by : 3:25 AM
: 3:25 AM
Oh Capitan, My Capitan...
Thanks for the comments, sometimes it feels like I'm the only one who sees this..
Thanks for the comments, sometimes it feels like I'm the only one who sees this..
Brown's precise words were "there are still thousands of people crawling out of the woodwork that we didnt know about"
and that was Thursday!!
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and that was Thursday!!
# posted by : 1:29 PM
: 1:29 PM << Home
