FEMA stacked with Bush cronies

[dajoki]

WPhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/08/AR2005090802165.html?referrer=email

Inside FEMA
Leaders Lacking Disaster Experience
'Brain Drain' At Agency Cited

By Spencer S. Hsu
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, September 9, 2005

Five of eight top Federal Emergency Management Agency officials came to their posts with virtually no experience in handling disasters and now lead an agency whose ranks of seasoned crisis managers have thinned dramatically since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

FEMA's top three leaders -- Director Michael D. Brown, Chief of Staff Patrick J. Rhode and Deputy Chief of Staff Brooks D. Altshuler -- arrived with ties to President Bush's 2000 campaign or to the White House advance operation, according to the agency. Two other senior operational jobs are filled by a former Republican lieutenant governor of Nebraska and a U.S. Chamber of Commerce official who was once a political operative.

Meanwhile, veterans such as U.S. hurricane specialist Eric Tolbert and World Trade Center disaster managers Laurence W. Zensinger and Bruce P. Baughman -- who led FEMA's offices of response, recovery and preparedness, respectively -- have left since 2003, taking jobs as consultants or state emergency managers, according to current and former officials.

Because of the turnover, three of the five FEMA chiefs for natural-disaster-related operations and nine of 10 regional directors are working in an acting capacity, agency officials said.

Patronage appointments to the crisis-response agency are nothing new to Washington administrations. But inexperience in FEMA's top ranks is emerging as a key concern of local, state and federal leaders as investigators begin to sift through what the government has admitted was a bungled response to Hurricane Katrina.

[etherealtruth]

1. No surprises there ...

It has become abundantly clear that no one in a leadership role at FEMA has a clue how to respond to a disaster appropriately or efficiently.

The article certainly spells it out. Thanks.

[Randypiper]

6. They do have a clue how to respond

Michael Brown, the embattled head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, approved payments in excess of $31 million in taxpayer money to thousands of Florida residents who were unaffected by Hurricane Frances and three other hurricanes last year in an effort to help President Bush win a majority of votes in that state during his reelection campaign, according to published reports.

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/Sept05/Leopold0910.htm

[etherealtruth]

7. "appropriately or efficiently"

I had no doubt that Brown et al could/would respond inappropriately ... "appropriately or efficiently" are important qualifiers.

The response to the horrendous aftermath of Katrina is criminal, immoral ...

[dajoki]

10. "you're doin' a heck of a job brownie"

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[Vickers]

2. Well, George was largely a ceremonial Governor pre-2000

He had zero administrative and leadership experience.

But, um, Jesus loves him this I know. :eyes:

[dajoki]

5. he still is ceremonial n/t

[louis-t]

3. Experienced personnel at FEMA left because of

frustration with the way * was dismantling the agency. What we keep hearing now during the "March of the Excusers" is how "experience isn't needed because * cronies know how to lead." Which they don't. They only know how to kiss ass.

[napi21]

4. This is the same circumstance in almost every Fed agency

since Shrub's policy of rewarding your $$ funders with jobs they have absolutely no qualifications to do!

I've watched some of the "directors" testify before congress on cspan. The most obvious to me is Elaine Chou (sp). EVERY question asked of her, she referred to her assistant! It was a disgrace!!!!

[dajoki]

9. yeah, but...

stick them where they can't hurt anyone.

[libodem]

8. duh