But does anyone really need more evidence that Michael Brown needs to go? You can argue theoretically taht changing agency heads in the middle of a crisis creates problems of continuity, but at this point, ending the continuity of Brown’s reign at FEMA seems one of the first priorities other than continuing to get people out of New Orleans.
He’s toast. Back to DC where he can’t screw up–we hope.
I wish we had someone that could take the Unholy Trinity & relieve them of duty. Unfortunately, that would leave the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Ted Stevens (R-AK), in the Oval Office. We could expect enough leadership to see 90% of the budget go to Alaska projects & every development with his name on it.
MyDD has an interesting post. It’s amazing what a little color can do to bring out reality.
A couple of interesting things.
First, FEMA has traditionally been a place where poltical hacks were placed, so there isn’t really nothing that new about Brown. And in many ways, who better to deal with logistics and emergencies than members of the President’s campaign advance team goes the thinking. That’s what one DC operative told me today.
Second, that under the post-Napolean. code that still serve as the basis of LA law, it is the Parish Presidents that have the initial authority, not the Governor. The Governor must wait on the Parishs to call for help and then must ask the Feds. This apparently led to some confusion in LA. In sum, Napleonic code and the federal system are incompatible.
I’m not bringing this up to exonerate anyone or thing. I just thought these might be interesting and they might be worth looking up.
If our “Speaker” had any balls at all, he’d have called for his resignation last week.
Shows you what we’ve got, eh?
http://50milesout.blogspot.com
===Second, that under the post-Napolean. code that still serve as the basis of LA law, it is the Parish Presidents that have the initial authority, not the Governor. The Governor must wait on the Parishs to call for help and then must ask the Feds. This apparently led to some confusion in LA. In sum, Napleonic code and the federal system are incompatible.
Actually, that’s not true-the Governor can initiate an evacuation. When you look at LSU’s report on Hurricane plans they have a grid for the major states at risk.
http://www.hurricane.lsu.edu/&EvacuationReview.pdf
And that’s the thing–FEMA was a dumping ground, but after Witt and 9-11 it makes no senst that it was still a dumping ground.
FEMA may have been a Clintonian pasturage too, but at least Witt had the kind of experience Brown didn’t, and work proceeded instead of lagging. Funding went up instead of down.
“Actually, that’s not true-the Governor can initiate an evacuation. When you look at LSU’s report on Hurricane plans they have a grid for the major states at risk.”
The Gov. ordering an evacuation may or may not be on point. My interesting point was from a competent and well respected attorney, so I thought I’d pass it on. I’ll try to find out exactly what he was working on.
With regard to Brown it has been pointed out that he has managed hurricane relief for two years now including 3 or 4 from last year. The only complaint was that he passed around money to Miami-Dade Cty when he shouldn’t have. It makes me wonder if everyone in DC is pointing to him in hopes no body points at them.
The confusion is understandable. Bush gave Brownie the FEMA job because he thought he had run the Saudi Arabian Horse Association….
Wait… Just last week, wasn’t he doing a “heck of a job”? Why would someone described by his boss like that need to be pushed aside in favor of another, let alone be permanently replaced?