I caught just a bit of former FEMA head Mike Brown in front of a House committee that is investigating what went wrong with Katrina relief. I must say watching Brownie in front of these jerks is like watching Florida vs. Florida State in football: I am rooting for injuries (that's a joke).
It must be said that these hearings have fulfilled their purpose, namely giving congressmen an opportunity to preen in front of the cameras. I found nothing informative going on here. This was purely political theater, and that's it. Congressmen doing what they do best: being indignant so they can prove to the rubes back home that they care. One almost expects Chris Shays to shout, "I am shocked, shocked! to find gambling going on in this establishment." But one must ask Congress some questions. Where were you in all of this? Why weren't you performing your oversight responsibilities? If Mike Brown was so obviously incompetent and if FEMA was so obviously under-funded, why didn't Congress do anything about it? Why didn't they appropriate more money for flood control or levee construction? I heard no one, Republican or Democrat, complain about this stuff until after Katrina.
Let's go to the record. If FEMA and Mike Brown were so incompetent, why were they so praised just last year when hurricane Charley hit Florida. Here's a news story from the St. Petersburgh Times, August 17, 2004:
"I'm not ready to start ripping FEMA," Wayne Sallade said Monday, referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "They've been here. They've been good partners. If the need arises to tell it like it is, I will."
While there are similarities between Andrew and Charley in their devastating impact, early signs indicate a major difference: The response by the federal and state governments is quicker and better this time.
Gov. Jeb Bush sought federal help Friday while Charley was still in the Gulf of Mexico. President Bush approved the aid about an hour after the hurricane made landfall.
Read the whole thing, as they say, and you'll see lots of similarities to our present FEMA predicament. Here's another story, this time from the Boston Globe on August 15, 2004:
After Hurricane Andrew left thousands homeless in August 1992, the first President Bush's administration was bitterly criticized for moving too slowly to deliver food, water, and troops. Although his campaign vastly outspent that of Bill Clinton, his support ebbed and Bush was forced to defend what once had been considered home turf, winning by only a small margin.
The federal response was noticeably different this week. Even before Hurricane Charley struck, the second Bush White House was poised to act, this time backed by another Bush in the Florida governor's mansion. Hours after Hurricane Charley made landfall, federal aid was flowing, and the president arrives this morning.
A year ago these guys were praised. Now they are morons. Let's do some methodology here. Last year there was George Bush, Mike Brown at FEMA and Florida Governor Jeb Bush. This year there is George Bush, Mike Brown at FEMA and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco. What's the independent variable?
Update: John Hinderaker is nicer to Michael Brown than I would like, but still, we are largely in agreement.
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