Blame Game Played

Mike Brown, the horse's ass of FEMA, has resigned.

Comments

[Jim Henley]

KERY WOULD HAVE - uh . . .

First!

[jf]

I'm surprised he didn't mention that he needs to spend more time with his family.

[RandyAyn]

Pardon me, but he's actually the Arabian horse's ass of FEMA...

[StoneyBaloney]

Why would an arabian horses ass leave out parishes that would be most affected?

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050827-1.html

[Sandy]

I think we categorize this under the heading of "necessary, but not sufficient."

[zeroentitlement]

You realize, of course, that this means we're no longer safe from a terrorist attack.

[JonBuck]

I look at this as half a loaf, which is better than no bread.

[kanabiis]

This is way too little, way too late, the damage has been done, not amount of resignation can even dent the chaos.

The bigger problem now for FEMA is the amount of cronies Brown appointed after he was brought on. Bush certainly wont attempt to restructure FEMA during his last years on, oh no, he would rather keep a broken system running then have a showcase of exactly how much his appointments seriously fucked up the federal government. (more then it already was that is)

[panurge]

Hey, look at it this way, at least this administration finally punished one of its own for SOMETHING. That alone made my jaw touch carpet when I read the headline over on CNN.

[Morat]

The problem with firing Brown is that the incompetent cronies part doesn't stop with Brown -- it continues down for several layers.

I admit it's work, but couldn't Bush have found some loyalists with actual expertise or experience in emergency management or something?

[dead_elvis]

Wha... Where's his Medal of Freedom?

Watch for him to quietly reappear elsewhere. After all, W prizes loyalty, and since Brown fell on the sword, Bush will want to reward him.

[Adam]

Oh, but if FEMA had only one horse's ass on board, this would be done and over. It doesn't, and it's not.

[Isaac Bartram]

Well, there is that other Supreme Court vacancy:)

[Muggs]

Supreme Court Justice Mike Brown?

[Tom Crick]

"You realize, of course, that this means we're no longer safe from a terrorist attack."

He did command an imposing presence.

...Maybe this is all a big ploy to lure the bad guys into a false sense of security?

[Dogzilla]

Too bad. The self-parody of "He's still the head of FEMA, we just don't want him anywhere near an actual disaster" was delicious.
And don't worry dead_elvis, I'm sure he'll still get his Medal of Freedom.

[Tom Parmenter]

Blame Game (apologies to Shirley Ellis)

It's a musical disaster for a musical city:

The blame game!

Duty!
Duty, duty bo Buty Bonanafana fo Futy
Fee fy mo Muty, Duty!

Responsibility!
Responsibility, responsibility bo Besponsibility Bonanafana fo Fesponsibility
Fee fy mo Mesponsibility, Responsibility!

Leader!
Leader, leader bo Beader Bonanafana fo Feader
Fe fy mo Meader, Leader!

Failure!
Failure failure bo Bailure Bonanafana fo Ailure
Fee fy mo Mailure, Failure!

George!
George, George bo Beorge Bonanafana fo Feorge
Fee fy mo Meorge, George!

Guilty!
Guilty guilty bo Builty Bonanafana fo Fuilty
Fee fy mo Muilty, Guilty!

[Tom Parmenter]

Blame Game (apologies to Shirley Ellis)

It's a musical disaster for a musical city:

The blame game!

Duty!
Duty, duty bo Buty Bonanafana fo Futy
Fee fy mo Muty, Duty!

Responsibility!
Responsibility, responsibility bo Besponsibility Bonanafana fo Fesponsibility
Fee fy mo Mesponsibility, Responsibility!

Leader!
Leader, leader bo Beader Bonanafana fo Feader
Fe fy mo Meader, Leader!

Failure!
Failure failure bo Bailure Bonanafana fo Ailure
Fee fy mo Mailure, Failure!

George!
George, George bo Beorge Bonanafana fo Feorge
Fee fy mo Meorge, George!

Guilty!
Guilty guilty bo Builty Bonanafana fo Fuilty
Fee fy mo Muilty, Guilty!

[Tom Parmenter]

Blame Game (apologies to Shirley Ellis)

It's a musical disaster for a musical city:

The blame game!

Duty!
Duty, duty bo Buty Bonanafana fo Futy
Fee fy mo Muty, Duty!

Responsibility!
Responsibility, responsibility bo Besponsibility Bonanafana fo Fesponsibility
Fee fy mo Mesponsibility, Responsibility!

Leader!
Leader, leader bo Beader Bonanafana fo Feader
Fe fy mo Meader, Leader!

Failure!
Failure failure bo Bailure Bonanafana fo Ailure
Fee fy mo Mailure, Failure!

George!
George, George bo Beorge Bonanafana fo Feorge
Fee fy mo Meorge, George!

Guilty!
Guilty guilty bo Builty Bonanafana fo Fuilty
Fee fy mo Muilty, Guilty!

[Isaac Bartram]

Supreme Court Justice Mike Brown?

Scary, huh?

[Kevin]

What's with all the negativity? From what I hear, he resigned so he could spend more time with his family.

[Kwix]

Did anybody already mention this? I just found a report at CNN (yes, I know) that two reconstruction contracts have already been awarded. Both going to companies with strong ties to the Bush Admin and the former former FEMA head Joe Allbaugh.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/10/katrina.contracts.reut/index.html

To quote:
One is Shaw Group Inc. and the other is Halliburton Co. subsidiary Kellogg Brown and Root. Vice President Dick Cheney is a former head of Halliburton.

Bechtel National Inc., a unit of San Francisco-based Bechtel Corp., has also been selected by FEMA to provide short-term housing for people displaced by the hurricane. Bush named Bechtel's CEO to his Export Council and put the former CEO of Bechtel Energy in charge of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.

Anyone want to bet on the "no-bid" status of these contracts???

[Mark Bahner]

"Supreme Court Justice Mike Brown?"

Speaking of which...on NPR this morning (yes, I listen...and wonder why The Right can't come up with something similar) Cokie Roberts said words to the effect that after hurricane Katrina, G.W. Bush really needed to appoint a minority to Sandra Day O'Connor's position. And she emphasized that she didn't mean a white woman.

If Janice Rogers Brown is nominated to the Supreme Court as a result of hurricane Katrina, I don't think anyone could say hurricane Katrina was ALL bad. 😉

[Brauny]

Word has it he resigned to consult Washington State Senator Pam Roach (R) on the finer sides of bare back riding.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/jamieson/235805_robert09.html

[jdog]

Here's some useful information: the water in your toilet's reservoir is potable. MRE's are available on several Internet sites and canned food is available at the grocery store. Any outdoor adventure store stocks small, portable water purification and filtering gadgets. Home Depot and Lowes stock portable generators.

Now here's a problem the government might be able to help solve, that I couldn't. As it looks right now, the the sourpusses in CA might not re-elect Arnold. But as FEMA director, or just as an employee, he might be able to lift that darned ceiling beam off of my broken leg.

Will Brown's replacement be able to do that ?

[Joe Allbaugh]

Brownie, come work for me. There's plenty of federal loot down here and I sure can't spend all of it myself.

[Brauny]

Will Brown's replacement be able to do that?

Probably not, but he is a bonofide hero!

http://news.yahoo.com/fc/us/bush_administration

[Evan Williams]

Speaking of the blame game, I wonder who's gonna get fired (er...um, "resign and then get a Medal of Freedom") for the horrific tragedy that is Hit & Run's comments section.

[Stephen]

Hey, look at it this way, at least this administration finally punished one of its own for SOMETHING.

The administration punished him? Please. He wasn't fired, he resigned. His reason for resigning wasn't because he's incompetent, or because he failed in responding to the worst natural disaster in history. It was because he wanted to "get the media focused on the good things going on, instead of me."

He said the resignation was his idea, and had not been requested by the President, or Chief of Staff Andy Card, who he spoke to on Sunday, or anyone else in the administration.

The last public comment from the President on his performance was that he was "doing a heckuva job."

How exactly did "this administration finally punish one of its own"???

[Stephen]

worst natural disaster in "U.S." history....

[Tom]

[off topic] Kwix, the Shaw Group's CEO and founder is also chairman of the Louisiana Democratic Party.

[Tom]

[off topic] Kwix--the Shaw Group's CEO and founder is chairman of the Louisiana Democratic Party.

[panurge]

Stephen-

Please. When was the last time someone in a cushy, high-paying government job willfully resigned on their own? You know that Cheney or someone in the White House finally got fed up with all the negative media attention and they allowed Brown to step down in a seemingly peaceful way. People are rarely "fired" in government these days; it looks like there are differences within the walls of power, and no administration likes to acknowledge inner conflict. People are forced to resign so that the disagreements don't look so bad.

[Eddy]

He said the resignation was his idea, and had not been requested by the President, or Chief of Staff Andy Card, who he spoke to on Sunday, or anyone else in the administration.

It was a face saving arrangement, he was given the choice. Although he did need a whack up side the head with a 2X4 to get the hint.

[Mike Brown]

Hey, Supreme Court, horse shows, what's the difference, anyway?

[wayne]

You guys are all so cynical, what with the bestiality, and medal of freedom talk. God, I love that.

[Douglas Fletcher]

So I'm wondering if the City of Boston or whoever it is that employs our "frequent commenter" joe is going to lend him and his skills to the rebuilding effort in New Orleans. I say we should start a groundswell movement to let this happen so he (and we) can see his theories tested in action. Anybody second the motion?

[Brownie]

I log into H&R hoping for some intelligent and positive distraction from my worries and come across this.

As a matter of fact, I AM spending more time with my family, thank you. The wife certainly isn't a spring bride anymore. And the "kids" are driving me up the fucking wall. And I'm not even going to touch the in-laws who have been squatting in the spare bedroom for the last six months. Everybody in the house is lining up to stomp my balls flat.

I have a few resumes posted on Monster.com, but I'm not holding my breath. No one is returning my fucking calls.

I've been drinking.

But besides that, everything is great.

[madpad]

Last week, Sean Hannity had former NYPD Commissioner and DHS hopeful, Bernard "Bernie" Kerrick on to (unfairly) compare the NOLA/Katrina debacle with 9/11.

A sad bit of thinly-veiled shadenfreud ensued with Hannity making an occassial jab at the press about Kerrick's "nanny" problems (no mention, however, about his lack of suitablity for the position OR the mistress he was supposedly banging at the time).

Look for Brown to make the rounds in the coming months on Hannity and FOX programs as he is held up as "yet another good and honest patriot brought down by the capricious, evil lefties who just hate America."

[saw-whet]

"Everybody in the house is lining up to stomp my balls flat." - sounds like dhex.

"I've been drinking." - Could be Warren.

"But besides that, everything is great." - ruthless?

But it's from killgrave99. Can't quite figure this one out. Maybe Jeff?

[Isaac Bartram]

Speaking of which...on NPR this morning...

I listen to NPR too. Almost exclusively, in fact. And, frankly, I don't see any need for a "rightwing alternative". I know for the most part that its announcers and commentators are liberal, but NPR is the only place I can routinely hear opinions from Cato, IJ, Heritage etc. And given a respectful hearing. I even heard some guy from the NRA get an interview without the "you puppy-blending neanderthal" treatment that such folks get when and if they get on Auntie Beeb.

That said, I can imagine the conniptions that Cokie and Nina would have if JRB got the nod. If you keep the right attitude it gets entertaining.

Of course listening to NPR means you get Dan Schorr, the last survivor of the "greatest generation" (ie state-worshipping authoritarian tools).

[Brownie]

I can't get a break.

The Washington Post today has an editorial headlined "Goodbye, Brownie".

Fuck you, Washington Post. Fuck you.

[Stevo Darkly]

But it's from killgrave99. Can't quite figure this one out. Maybe Jeff?

Ah, the power of Google. It turns out that "killgrave99" is actually Mr...

Oh, but maybe I don't want to be the one you gives it away. 🙂

[Darkly]

... WHO gives it away.

[Nike Dunk Shoes]

thanks