LA Times: "Shades of FEMA's Brown in Bush Pick" Sauerbrey is another HACK

[Nothing Without Hope]

Ellen Sauerbrey, the Bush candidate to replace Michael Brown at FEMA, looks to be basically a female Brown, except she probably knows less about Arabian horses. She is yet another of the seemingly endless supply of GOP political hacks with no relevant experience or credentials. The Senate has not set a date for the confirmation hearing for this latest sterling candidate.

Given the bad PR over the deaths due to Brown's incompetence (and Bush's and Chertoff's delays and lack of action) - I say "bad PR" because he clearly doesn't give a damn about the victims - you'd think Bush would be just a bit more careful to pick someone with actual emergency relief experience this time, not just another sorry political hack or buddy of an old buddy.

Nope.

I'm sure Bush expects her to do a heck of a job. Will the Senate let him get away with it this time? WE CAN'T LET THEM.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-refugee1oct01,0,3602588.story?track=tothtml

October 1, 2005
latimes.com : National News

Shades of FEMA's Brown in Bush Pick

By Ken Silverstein, Times Staff Writer

WASHINGTON — Less than a month after the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency stepped down amid accusations of cronyism and incompetence, the Bush administration is being assailed for nominating another political ally to head a key agency for responding to foreign disasters.

(snip)

Sauerbrey, a former member of the Republican National Committee who was Bush's Maryland state campaign chairwoman in 2000, is the U.S. representative to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

(snip)

Sauerbrey, 68, was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1978. She has been a conservative activist for decades but has no direct experience mobilizing responses to humanitarian emergencies.

"This is a job that deals with one of the great moral issues of our time," said Joel R. Charny of Refugees International in Washington, which opposes Sauerbrey's nomination. "This is not a position where you drop in a political hack."

(snip)

[wakeme2008]

1. I know I know I am crazy

But I do not think Congress will approve this hack.

I think the days of the "President should get the team he wants" is over.

[WatchWhatISay]

2. She is 68?

Wouldn't this position be better filled by someone a bit younger, as in more energy?

[Warren DeMontague]

4. I don't care about her age

The mere fact that Bush picked her indicates to me that she's grossly unqualified.

[Nothing Without Hope]

5. She's about 10 years younger than our wonderful Rep. Conyers - I don't

think her age should be an issue. But there is no evidence that she knows ANYTHING about emergency management, and this is a position that DEMANDS technical expertise and deep experience.

That Bush would choose this person shows just how out of touch with any kind of reality and how much contempt he has for effective management even in vitally important positions. He wouldn't know effective management if it bit him in the ass.

[Warren DeMontague]

3. Bush wouldn't know competence if it broke into his liquor cabinet.

He doesn't have anyone EXCEPT cronies, hacks, and political payback monkeys in his palm pilot.

[Nothing Without Hope]

6. kick n/t

[radfringe]

7. Culture of Corruption... psst pass it on

ran a google search on their news page for Culture of Corruption

results: Results 1 - 10 of about 2,550 for culture of corruption.

[Kingofalldems]

8. She ran for governer two times I think

She is a nasty campaigner and arrogant as hell. Perfect for this crowd.

[nickyt]

9. Hey, back off, people. According to this link, she got an

award and/or was "recongnized" by the Maryland Red Cross, which is probably more than Michael Brown can say.

http://lists.state.gov/SCRIPTS/WA-USIAINFO.EXE?A2=ind0302b&L=dosintlwmn&D=1&O=D&F=&S=&P=270

[acmejack]

10. I have found she is eminently qualified! Here is the proof!

http://www.aptusit.com/MarylandforBush/EllenSauerbrey.htm

[Mr_Spock]

13. Haha

Another crony.

Bush is the stupidest president ever.

[applegrove]

11. Like I said. There are only 12 neocons. Positions have remained

unfilled. Till they can find someone so unqualified - they will not do anything but spew Rove WH policy.

[Buns_of_Fire]

12. FEMA responds to foreign disasters?

...the Bush administration is being assailed for nominating another political ally to head a key agency for responding to foreign disasters.

I thought FEMA was intended to be a domestic agency -- what with being under DHS, and all. Did FEMA have any representation after the tsunami? Are they going to do anything for Taiwan after typhoon Longwang?

If so, I hope the victims in foreign countries have better luck with them than we have had in the U.S.

[Mr_Spock]

14. Yer doin a heck of a job, SOURPUSS

lol - I always thought that Dumbya does things in a vengeful way - an "in-your-face" kinda guy. Now I'm 100% sure.

Can't we make this guy resign somehow? We F'ed.

[Nothing Without Hope]

17. Molly Ivins called him "the Nyah-Nyah president" n/t

[SillyGoose]

15. This is really bad. Sounds to me that this agency is the last place

you'd want to place an unqualified political crony. When will they ever learn? We'll have to keep an eye on this and contact our representatives about this nomination.

...
Sauerbrey would head an agency with a $700-million annual budget that has responsibility for coordinating the U.S. government's response to refugee crises during natural disasters and wars.

The bureau coordinates with private and international organizations, such as the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, to help set up refugee camps and to ensure sufficient food and other aid. It has helped confront refugee crises around the globe, including in war-torn Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as in southern Asia after the December tsunami.

[Buns_of_Fire]

16. Thanks. You answered my above question.

(Which, if I hadn't been too lazy to read the article, I would've found out...)

But, to your point, you're exactly correct -- it's one of the last places you want to put an unqualified crony...

...unless, of course, you're trying to make the agency look so bad that people will start looking to other (i.e., voluntary and faith-based) organizations to help. Hobble the government agency first, then go for the coup de gras.

[Nothing Without Hope]

18. kick n/t

[Nothing Without Hope]

19. One more kick - too bad nobody was interested in Brown's replacement n/t