Leslie,

I feel the same way. This actually doesn't shock me too much. The people running this country believe they can do whatever they want and get away with it. I

s there anyway to check their power? The answer sadly is no.

We are stuck with an administration who in the face power manipulation by companies in California sat and watched prices go through the roof. The same thing can be said about gas prices both before and after the hurricanes.

If you really want to get angry, read The Great Unraveling by Paul Krugman. I'm almost done reading it and it's quite interesting to hear some of the crap that has been going on right under our noses.

Could someone explain to me what Michael Brown did that is so abhorant? Please explain how he is to blame for the issues arising from Katrina.

The GOP "Blame Game" is alive and well on Capitol Hill this morning.

The poor sap with the fake law degree, Brownie, blamed the Lousiana Governor, the New Orleans mayor, the police, the fire department, about 299,999,999 people, everyone in the USA except himself, the fake lawyer who got fired while the dozens of the dead floated past Pat O'Brian's on Bourbon Street.

What a sad, sad sack of sh!t.

Read all about it, if you can keep your lunch down:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-092705brown_lat,0,5530667.story?coll=la-home-headlines

Sid Leader,

Perhaps before throwing around such creative and witty insults as “sad, sad sack of shit” you could familiarize yourself with the roles of the state and FEMA. The reason Michael Brown blamed the state and local officials: that is where the blame lies. Only they could have evacuated the effected areas in time. FEMA was ready and willing to help days before disaster struck, but they can only help at the request of a state. Even then it is only to serve as a supporting roll, they are not the director of operations.

FEMA’s role is not that of a first responder, not that of an evacuation coordinator, not even of a search and rescuer. They are a coordinating agency and a massive ATM machine. They serve at the request and under the direction of the state they are aiding. Their tasks are to coordinate help and to provide the state with resources when the state’s resources fun out: nothing more, nothing less. While Brown and countless other officials begged and pleaded with the Governor of Louisiana and the Mayor of New Orleans to mandate an evacuation, they were consistently and routinely ignored, every step of the way. And now they face the blame.

Sad, sad, sack of shit might be eloquent, but hardly fitting.

P-A-Y-O-F-F

Actually, funny you should mention it, but I have been on the ground in the disaster struck area for some time now. While you may have worked for FEMA in the past, their role and mission has changed dramatically since being rolled in to the Department for Homeland Security. They are a coordinating agency and never take the reins over from state control. All requests for assistance and help come through the state. Trust me on this, I have been answering these calls for weeks now.

Again, I would ask you, why did FEMA's preparations and responses work so well in other affected states, and why was FEMA's response adequate in the instances of Ivan and Rita? If it is a problem with leadership, wouldn't the inadequacies be system wide?

who is protecting M Brown against reversed predious? This guy can think on his feet he is standing there answering the question of these "politially correct" repersentive Is nobody standing up fr him?

who is protecting M Brown against reversed predious? This guy can think on his feet he is standing there answering the question of these "politially correct" repersentive Is nobody standing up fr him?

Yes, the Republican smear machine is alive in well. I also caught the article online about Brown's testimony on Capital Hill.

It's clear this guy WAS NOT qualified to run FEMA, also he lied about his qualifications. I'm sorry but that discredits anything he says. He is nothing more then a mouth piece for the Bush administration.

If you are fired or relieved of your duty, it means just that. Not that you are quietly rehired as a "consultant" a few days later.

Hi Mr. Tax Increase, aka GOP in 2006.

Uh, FEMA is "God". My father's small b and b, Island View in St. Thomas (you can Google it) was sawed in half by Hurricane Andrew. FEMA landed a couple of days later with laborers and managers, materials, food, blankets, cots, water, etc,.. planeloads of stuff. Fast. Money was no object, if the help was needed then, but the paperwork was fierce, with accounting all along the way. My father actually ended up putting up some FEMA workers at the cheaper monthly rate, not jacking the price, and I have to say most small hoptels down there were so happy for the FEMA help they also charged a fair rate, not double or triple like these GOP fat cat FOW.

I saw it. My dad lived it. But back then, real experts ran the emergencies in DC, not someone's college roomate with the fake law degree who couldn't keep a job juding the judges at Arabian horse shows.

And that, is a fact.

Sid Leader,

People expect FEMA to fill the role of God, omniscient and omnipotent. However, as wonderful as the federal government is, they are not that. They do have tremendous amounts of resources and cash and are very adept at getting those in to the right hands. Again, look at the myriad of other disasters over the past 3 years that have been "successes". However, such supporting roles are always done at the direction of the state. Any request for supplies or evacuations or help of any kind goes through THE STATE first. It is a fundamental aspect of emergency management and you are kidding yourself if you say otherwise. FEMA is only as good as the state management system is, and in Louisiana it obviously was not that great.

In regards to Michael Brown's qualifications, he does have some signficant emergency management experience on the city level and as legal representation for FEMA. But I have a feeling that truth and intellectually honesty has very little to do with this debate anymore. I love the cynicism that always assumes the worst and reads lies in to every fact.

It's called "radio" and "Satellite telephone". Welcome to the 21st century.

While many may see it as a huge inconvenience to go through proper channels for federal help and wish FEMA would just roll in at their own whim, it is the price paid for soveriegnty and federalism. It is a cornerstone of the constitution. An article or two above this one brought this up in regards to assisted suicide. The federal government is not God, and is actually under the direction and control of the individual states. That's why we used to be called a democratic republic, I think.

I have to commend Mr. Tax Increase for jumping into the lions den with both feet. I have only a little experience with chain of command within Emergency Management and it is my understanding that Oregon Emergency Management is responsible for coordinating first response and evacuations. FEMA is only activated after the state declares a disaster area and requests assistance. Once activated, FEMA pours dollars into state and local relief efforts.

"FEMA is only as good as the state management system is, and in Louisiana it obviously was not that great."

Right now I believe this is the case, which then brings us to the question: Is this the proper role FEMA should play?

I think so, but there should be exceptions under extraordinary circumstances where FEMA should have the authority and responsibility to step in without a state request. A perfect example of an extraordinary circumstance is when FEMA recognizes the potential for huge loss of life, like with Katrina. Or maybe we should just trust the Mayor...

With all this argument and blaming about who should have been prepared and when, I am surprised no one has stopped to wonder if our state and local officials in Oregon are prepared. From my research I can tell you it is scary how woefully unprepared our state is for a natural or man-made disaster. Thank god we have Senators like Rick Metsger and Peter Courtney and Representatives like Brian Boquist who have been real champions in moving our state forward in this regard.

Mr. Yay, Lets all Pick on the Republican,

<h2>Thank you for your kind support. I agree, there might need to be some exceptions for FEMA to step in and take over. Unfortunately, under the Stafford Act, the body of law governing FEMA, such action is not allowed and would be an unconstitutional abuse of powers. There is talk of ammending the Stafford Act for such a scenario as was encountered in Louisiana.</h2>