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New Orleans as "Potemkin's Village"
Sep. 7th, 2005 09:23 amI've been seeing this everywhere for days, but mainstream papers have finally gotten around to verifying some of it: that FEMA has had firefighters idle outside Louisiana instead of letting them into the aid effort, and that these firefighters have also been misused as props for the president's visit. Salon collects the data best:
( FEMA puts firefighters to work -- as props for Bush )
This should really surprise no one, considering that "maintaining the department's image" was among the priorities at the outset of Katrina, according to a memo from FEMA director Michael Brown"
Writes the AP, "Michael Brown, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, sought the approval from Homeland Security Secretary Mike Chertoff roughly five hours after Katrina made landfall on Aug. 29. Brown said that among duties of these employees was to 'convey a positive image' about the government's response for victims.
Before then, FEMA had positioned smaller rescue and communications teams across the Gulf Coast. But officials acknowledged Tuesday the first department-wide appeal for help came only as the storm raged.
Brown's memo to Chertoff described Katrina as 'this near catastrophic event' but otherwise lacked any urgent language. The memo politely ended, 'Thank you for your consideration in helping us to meet our responsibilities.'"
Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job.
Pounding on Brown is almost de rigeur at this point, except to say that that not only should the man be fired, he should never have been there in the first place. He is but the latest of Bush political allies who've been installed in important political positions despite a lack of credentials or appropriate experience -- not that I don't think the Arabian Horse Association is a fine organization, but going from being fired from them to running FEMA? Once again, I'm forced to wonder if Bush wants the terrorists to win.
This is nothing new: politicians appoint their no-talent buddies all the time ... as ambassador to Aruba, or someplace else where they don't need to do much and make taxpayer dollars, but Bush has been beyond the pale -- such as billionaire developer and former baseball mogul George Argyros, who -- despite a complete lack of diplomatic credentials -- was appointed ambassador to Spain, and who managed to completely bungle relations with one of our allies.
I'll give Bush the benefit of a doubt: it's possible he just doesn't realize that the immense short-term thinking in his appointments has been disatrous, but honestly, I don't find that any more comforting than if he's completely callous to the results.
( FEMA puts firefighters to work -- as props for Bush )
This should really surprise no one, considering that "maintaining the department's image" was among the priorities at the outset of Katrina, according to a memo from FEMA director Michael Brown"
Writes the AP, "Michael Brown, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, sought the approval from Homeland Security Secretary Mike Chertoff roughly five hours after Katrina made landfall on Aug. 29. Brown said that among duties of these employees was to 'convey a positive image' about the government's response for victims.
Before then, FEMA had positioned smaller rescue and communications teams across the Gulf Coast. But officials acknowledged Tuesday the first department-wide appeal for help came only as the storm raged.
Brown's memo to Chertoff described Katrina as 'this near catastrophic event' but otherwise lacked any urgent language. The memo politely ended, 'Thank you for your consideration in helping us to meet our responsibilities.'"
Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job.
Pounding on Brown is almost de rigeur at this point, except to say that that not only should the man be fired, he should never have been there in the first place. He is but the latest of Bush political allies who've been installed in important political positions despite a lack of credentials or appropriate experience -- not that I don't think the Arabian Horse Association is a fine organization, but going from being fired from them to running FEMA? Once again, I'm forced to wonder if Bush wants the terrorists to win.
This is nothing new: politicians appoint their no-talent buddies all the time ... as ambassador to Aruba, or someplace else where they don't need to do much and make taxpayer dollars, but Bush has been beyond the pale -- such as billionaire developer and former baseball mogul George Argyros, who -- despite a complete lack of diplomatic credentials -- was appointed ambassador to Spain, and who managed to completely bungle relations with one of our allies.
I'll give Bush the benefit of a doubt: it's possible he just doesn't realize that the immense short-term thinking in his appointments has been disatrous, but honestly, I don't find that any more comforting than if he's completely callous to the results.
