Do we blame FEMA or GWB ?

[YvonneCa]

CNN has been running a story about supplies for Katrina victims not reaching the victims. After reading Richard Clarke's book, Your Government Failed You, I was concerned that CNN was not telling the whole story. They saw this as a chance to bash FEMA, rather than as a chance to discuss real accountability. Here's a link to more on the story, and my letter to CNN.



http://landrieu.senate.gov/~landrieu/releases/08/2008620B33.html



My letter to CNN:



I generally enjoy your show in the mornings. It is 'light' and usually a positive news broadcast.

But I am disturbed by your story about the missing supplies for Hurricane Katrina victims. Every time I have seen this discussed on CNN, the blame is loudly directed at FEMA. I think CNN is wrong to do that.

Richard Clarke wrote an EXCELLENT book, called Your Country Failed You, about US security in which he discusses the creation of the Homeland Security Department and how FEMA was reorganized UNDER that department (HLS). I agree with his assessment that it was done badly...and as a result...Katrina was botched by our government. If you read the entire book, he makes the case that the Bush Administration's incompetence is the problem and cause of so many failures we have experienced in the last 7+ years.

While I abhor the news that Katrina victims were ill served by government...at all levels...and hope the situation can be rectified, I would like to see CNN place the blame squarely where it belongs: George W. Bush. Using FEMA...an agency that flourished under Clinton, and which Clarke recommends be removed from HLS immediately...as a scapegoat serves no one.

During the leadup to Iraq, many 'news' organizations failed the public. During the election year of 2004, CNN (and others) failed again by allowing spin to rule the day. It is my greatest hope, that in 2008...the leadup to another VERY important presidential race, that you will do better.

Tell the truth about the incompetence of the Bush Administration. If you seriously don't know the truth, then I suggest you start with Richard Clarke's book.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Thoughts?

More about incompetence: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/opinion/06kristof.html?_r=2&hp=&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin

[ingac70]

1. FEMA/Bush Admin...

One in the same. It's his appointed lackeys that fucked it up. I'm sure most folks realize this by now.

[havocmom]

2. What bush/cheney did to FEMA they did/are doing to all other agencies

Appointing political hacks to head departments and make it hard/impossible for good federal employees to do their jobs. Aim: To make people so angry that the 'drown government in the bath tub' crowd can realize their dreams? That and funnel tax dollars to corporations that would otherwise be floundering due to the policies they promoted which have destroyed the economy.

IMHO

[MountainLaurel]

7. An additional factor

Was the inclusion of FEMA into Homeland Security, which changed its primary role from response to natural (and man-made) emergencies to response to terrorist attacks.

[YvonneCa]

12. Richard Clarke's book, Your Government Failed You, tells...

...that story well. If you haven't yet read it, you might find it interesting. And he has an 'interesting' sense of humor. :7

[MountainLaurel]

20. I may have to look that up

Thanks for the recommendation!

[YvonneCa]

21. You are very welcome. n/t

[havocmom]

16. Yep. Seems to have become a money funnel into a black hole since then

rather than an agency to help in emergencies.

[YvonneCa]

11. I think they have undermined...

...many government agencies.

[YvonneCa]

23. You share that opinion with Scott McClellan...

...and me. :7

[YvonneCa]

10. I wish I could agree that most folks realize this...

...but I don't think so. Here on DU, maybe.

[LakeSamish706]

3. Totally Bush/Cheney's doings, and on purpose... There total goal has...

and is to destroy middle class America...

[spanone]

4. one and the same

[YvonneCa]

13. Really? n/t

[spanone]

29. really.

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/07/18/mass-politicization/

[YvonneCa]

35. I am aware of the politicization of all facets of government...

...by the Bush Administration (led by Karl Rove). Even Scott McClellan has now documented that.
And I know that FEMA was politicized (remember Brownie?) and reorganized under the Dept. of Homeland Security. But where does the buck stop?

Is it better to demonize FEMA for its failures, or realize it was GWB who did the reorganization that caused it to malfunction? Who should we hold accountable?

I worry that this is a continued effort to discredit agencies the right wants gone, such as the UN, the ACLU, Soc. Security...and FEMA.

[KharmaTrain]

5. Blame Gramps...

boooshie won't be on the ballot in November, but Gramps will. He now symbolizes every failure and all the corruption of the past 7 1/2 years



and while people were drowning...



The question is who will Gramps put in charge of FEMA or "Homeland" Security. Charlie Black? And how does he propose to address the big manpower shortages many states face in times of catastrophe since their National Guard and equipment is half a world away in a stinkin' desert.

Before we can get a proper accounting and thus going after those responsible for all the mismanagement, Democrats must show how things will be different...bring out a James Lee Witt...and to get rid of the "homeland" security crap and give FEMA back its autonomy and ability to act quickly in a disaster.

[indepat]

6. The fish rots from the head

:D

[shanti]

24. exactly!

thought the same thing myself!

[gateley]

26. I'd never heard that saying before -

but I'll be using it a lot in the future, that's for sure!

[uppityperson]

8. Both, blame bush for gutting FEMA, blame FEMA for not working right.

[YvonneCa]

14. Have you read Richard Clarke's book...

...about the gutting of FEMA?

[uppityperson]

28. First glance I thought you wrote Arther C Clarke's book

about the gutting of FEMA, as a satiric post. No, I haven't and am not sure I want to as my outrage and stress are pretty high already. I've read about how they did, but not that book. Someday maybe.

[YvonneCa]

33. Richard Clarke's book...

...is truthful, from an insider's point of view, but he focuses on solutions. Regarding FEMA, he says to take it back out of HLS, since it did an EXCELLENT job at what it does before Bush got to it. He also recommends many intelligence changes...that would essentially evaporate the Department of Homeland Security...which he describes as a failure (with a lousy name).

[Quantess]

9. Bush gutted FEMA, and, he put his incompetent crony in charge.

He was a failed horse breeder, or something. He couldn't run a purebred horse club, so his good old pal W gave him a cushy, well paid job directing FEMA.

[YvonneCa]

15. So is FEMA the villian in this story...

...or is GWB?

[Quantess]

41. Here's an analogy

Say, a dog's owner gets the dog's vocal cords severed so that he can't bark anymore. Then one night, a burglar breaks in, and people wonder why the dog didn't bark like he was supposed to.

Anyway, Bush was in charge of FEMA. His administration can't say they aren't ultimately responsible.

[lonestarnot]

39. Horseshoe runner who got FIRED FROM THAT JOB THE FUCKWAD!

[baldguy]

17. The fools who voted for Bush, then Bush, then FEMA

In that order.

[YvonneCa]

18. ...

... :7

[TahitiNut]

19. The buck stops ....

... in the wallets of the wealthiest. The "have's and the have-more's" ... the Cheney/Bush base.

[YvonneCa]

22. ...

...:)

[nosmokes]

25. There is plenty of blame to go around; it doesn't hafta be either/or n/t

[YvonneCa]

34. I agree, but I'm...

...counting. :7

[crimsonblue]

27. DHS has NO purpose to exist

If you need domestic investigations and anti-terror intel, then use the FBI (and the numerous intelligence directorates). If you need international investigations and counter intel, use the CIA. If you want to be able to share information, change 3 or 4 lines of US Code granting the FBI Director and CIA the right, nay the responsibility, to have joint meetings and coordinate information. Fuck, how about a bi monthly meeting of all the Intelligence Chiefs? What you do not need is yet another bloated BS department that has no jurisdiction to do any job (they only rush somewhere after sniffing out that the FBI has found something). The Secret Service should remain with the Treasury Department, because the biggest responsibility they have (apart from keeping the Chimp and Vader safe) is monetary security, namely counterfeiting and document verification and identification (locating the source of a handwritten ransom note, for example). FEMA should be its own agency, so that its director is not some douchebag law enforcement asshole's bitch. FEMA should NEVER be involved in contingency and continuity of government planning (the planned use of FEMA sites to detain persons, use of FEMA during emergencies to spy on displaced citizens). We did NOT need an intelligence Czar, just better communication. Fuck, there's a reason the FBI and CIA fought this tooth and nail (while the rest of the country thought it the best thing since the Dean Scream). Fuck you Bush. The FBI and CIA were finally returning to the point of effectiveness when you decided to mess it all up again (by ignoring actionable intel that "Bin Laden (is) determined to strike U.S.", failing to follow pre-911 recommendations to increase airport security-- especially cockpit door security).

ok, end of rant.

[YvonneCa]

31. If you haven't read Richard Clarke's book...

...I think you would like it. :7

[Overseas]

30. Followers of Grover Norquist like Bush-Cheney -- work to destroy government agencies

To reduce public support of government still further. If they make more agencies ineffective, then we'll never want to have more government help-- we can't have our healthcare run by the government !! Oh no!! That's why they had to cut medicare fees to doctors-- it was looking too good to people. Too efficient. Need to make it more painful. Gotta get people to give up the Good Government dream.

How much more will the American people let GWB and friends destroy?

[YvonneCa]

32. So you are in the 'blame GWB'...

...column? (I'm keeping a tally. :) )

[Pastiche423]

36. Great letter and I agree

Thank you for the info on the book. I just ordered it.

[YvonneCa]

38. Thank you and...

...you are most welcome on the book info. It is very informative. And I was surprised by Clarke's sense of humor. :) Hope you enjoy it!

[YvonneCa]

37. Here's a link to CNN...

...for more information.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/07/mississippi.katrina/index.html

[WhiteTara]

40. gwb - he staffed fema n/t

[YvonneCa]

42. That would be my vote...

...and, yes, I'm biased. :)

[WhiteTara]

45. not biased; thoughtful

[YvonneCa]

46. Thank you...

...very much. :)

[YvonneCa]

43. Okay, the tally so far ...

...is:


The people who voted for GWB 1


The Neocons 2


GWB alone 13


GWB and FEMA 3


FEMA alone 0




Note: This is not a scientific poll. :7 But it was fun and interesting, and I thank you for your responses! :)

[NewJeffCT]

44. Under the Bush Unitary Executive Theory, FEMA=Bush

Isn't one of the key parts of the UE theory that everything in the executive branch is essentially The President? The idea behind that tidbit was so the EPA couldn't sue the Attorney General over lack of enforcement of environmental laws, since the EPA and the AG are one and the same and they'd essentially be suing themselves.

However, it would also mean that every problem or error made by somebody somewhere in the executive branch is essentially The President as well, since it is all one and the same.

[YvonneCa]

47. So should we get rid of...

...FEMA?