NationStates Jolt Archive

According to Time, the man who Bish says is doing one heck of a job responding to Katrina lied about his experience several times. Here's the article.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1103003,00.html

Yeah, one heck of a job you're doing, Brownie.

I'm thinking this will probbably be shrugged off for several reasons:

* Bush supporters will dismiss this as a "witchhunt" by the "liberal media."

* Brown will likely be pegged as "a bad apple" and jettisoned, leaving the Bush administration supposedly blameless once again.

* A continuing campaign to blame the local government (which also dropped the ball,) will out-shrill competing voices.

* Or perhaps Bush will give Brown a medal, causing heads to explode across the country. The unshakable faith of Bush supporters will remain unshaken and unstirred.

* The fact that this article was co-authored by someone named Fonda will cause some people to automatically reject this story, no matter the factual merits.

That sort of thing got a former Georgia Tech head football coach fired at Notre Dame. Surely a less important figurehead should suffer the same fate.

That sort of thing got a former Georgia Tech head football coach fired at Notre Dame. Surely a less important figurehead should suffer the same fate.

LESS IMPORTANT? The man responsible for the Nation's emergency response is less important that a college football coach? I wouldn't call FEMA's chief a figurehead either, since he has very important duties and organizational responsibilities.

LESS IMPORTANT? The man responsible for the Nation's emergency response is less important that a college football coach? I wouldn't call FEMA's chief a figurehead either, since he has very important duties and organizational responsibilities.
I was kidding. You must not be a Notre Dame football fan. Figurehead was the wrong word, but I couldn't think of a better one before coffee.

Michael Brown should be fired. As well as the DHS Secretary.

Then why don't you go get his resume and post it here.

I was kidding. You must not be a Notre Dame football fan. Figurehead was the wrong word, but I couldn't think of a better one before coffee.

Whoops. My sarcasm meter isn't very sensitive before coffee. As for Notre Dame football...meh. I think I'm one of the few people who disliked the movie "Rudy". :D

Back to my original point. Michael Brown really really sucks.

Then why don't you go get his resume and post it here.

Why, did you fail to RTFA? His FEMA bio is linked in the article, as is a White House press release and his Findlaw bio.

Whoops. My sarcasm meter isn't very sensitive before coffee. As for Notre Dame football...meh. I think I'm one of the few people who disliked the movie "Rudy". :D

Back to my original point. Michael Brown really really sucks.
Can't agree any more than I already do. We'll always get the incompentent appointee under the political spoils systems. All we can hope for is that they are harmless. We weren't lucky this time.

Can't agree any more than I already do. We'll always get the incompentent appointee under the political spoils systems. All we can hope for is that they are harmless. We weren't lucky this time.

It'll always be that way unless we as Americans raise the heat politically on those who appoint incompetents.

Even half-crazed right-wing pundit Michelle Malkin agrees that Brown needs to go.

http://michellemalkin.com/archives/003458.htm

If most people get job under false pretences, like making your resume look so good to the extent you are really lying, you could get sacked. That's unless you are friend of God's best friend George W bush.

I had a potential employee who tried to lie on thier resume once. I say tried because of course I called an checked it out, they said they were a manager and I called and they were a stock boy. BIG LIE. People who lie on thier resume shouldn't get the job in the first place, but if by some chance they get hired anyway, for sure they should be fired immediatly. They were hired under false pretenses. On the bottom of the application don't you have to sign that thing that says everything is true and you will get fired if it is found to be a lie?

I had a potential employee who tried to lie on thier resume once. I say tried because of course I called an checked it out, they said they were a manager and I called and they were a stock boy. BIG LIE. People who lie on thier resume shouldn't get the job in the first place, but if by some chance they get hired anyway, for sure they should be fired immediatly. They were hired under false pretenses. On the bottom of the application don't you have to sign that thing that says everything is true and you will get fired if it is found to be a lie?

It's not even about Brown lying on his resume, I'm willing to bet there wasn't a resume handed over. Bush hooked him up with the position, and he was either aware of Brown's lack of experience and brushed it off, or didn't know and appointed someone to a high position without checking his backround! Either way......

Another screw-up by the Bu$h administration......

More information on this is coming in. Apparently 5 of the 8 highly placed FEMA managers had little or no emergency response experience. They were political contacts of the Bush administration, and they were people who were placed in their jobs in favor of emergency response professionals.

Now, I wonder if someone does a little digging how much of this can be found to have been happening in other vital federal departments? A certain amount of cronyism is expected, but this, if it wasn't so tragic, would be ridiculous. No wonder things have been eroding in the U.S.. Incompetent hanger's on whose main motivation is greed have been placed throughout our government in numbers that likely far surpass anything in recent history.

I'm sorry to point fingers at this time, but in order to set things right and get things done, the mistakes of the Bush administration have got to be corrected. They are wasting American lives and money with this nonsense.

Well, there is this:
Former city manager Bill Dashner. "Mike used to handle a lot of details. Every now and again I'd ask him to write me a speech. He was very loyal. He was always on time. He always had on a suit and a starched white shirt."
Starching your shirts is pretty difficult, especially if he did it himself. That's a fairly impressive talent - one that should not be looked down upon.
So it's not as if he's completely inept.

I wonder if someone does a little digging how much of this can be found to have been happening in other vital federal departments? .
You'll find that probably 100% of top-level people in USA gov't are political appointees, and 95% of them are less qualified than the permanent staff beneath them.

This isn't news. This isn't a Bush administration thing. This isn't a Republican thing. It's been going on for decades as part of the political patronage system, and everyone in every party does it. My friends who work in the Federal Government are always telling about stupid shit that the 'politicals' are doing, and how 'permanent staff' have to suck it up.

Should Brown be fired? Almost certainly. Will he be made the scapegoat for all of the Federal failures in the aftermath of the storm? I'd bet on it.

More information on this is coming in. Apparently 5 of the 8 highly placed FEMA managers had little or no emergency response experience. They were political contacts of the Bush administration, and they were people who were placed in their jobs in favor of emergency response professionals.

Now, I wonder if someone does a little digging how much of this can be found to have been happening in other vital federal departments? A certain amount of cronyism is expected, but this, if it wasn't so tragic, would be ridiculous. No wonder things have been eroding in the U.S.. Incompetent hanger's on whose main motivation is greed have been placed throughout our government in numbers that likely far surpass anything in recent history.

I'm sorry to point fingers at this time, but in order to set things right and get things done, the mistakes of the Bush administration have got to be corrected. They are wasting American lives and money with this nonsense.
This level of cronyism does surpass recent history but not earlier history. 19th century US politics was so horrifyingly corrupt, with all the same nepotism, corporatism, backroom deal-making, selling out to special interests, etc., etc., that it gave rise to those wonderful heroes, the muckraking journalists (hooray!). These guys took it on themselves to dig into the records, track down the connections, get the proof -- in other words, rake through the muck -- and PUBLISH IT!! They hounded crooked politicians, exposed every single crooked thing they did and the damage it did to the country. They created investigative journalism as we know it today. Their work also launched the progressive movement and a golden age (all too short) of political housecleaning. In fact, I'd say 20th century US politics was cleaner than at any time previous. (ADDITION: Yeah, that filthy and still cleaner than before. :eek: )

It's interesting to note that many of the Bush admin's advisors and supporters (such as Karl Rove, Scooter Libby, Paul Wolfowitz) praise those crooked, piratical pols and barons that the muckrakers exposed. They think of those times as "the good old days."

You'll find that probably 100% of top-level people in USA gov't are political appointees, and 95% of them are less qualified than the permanent staff beneath them.

This isn't news. This isn't a Bush administration thing. This isn't a Republican thing. It's been going on for decades as part of the political patronage system, and everyone in every party does it. My friends who work in the Federal Government are always telling about stupid shit that the 'politicals' are doing, and how 'permanent staff' have to suck it up.

Should Brown be fired? Almost certainly. Will he be made the scapegoat for all of the Federal failures in the aftermath of the storm? I'd bet on it.
That's true up to a point, but at least in past administrations (read Clinton), the political buddies had experience in the job. James Lee Witt was a FOB, but he was also an experienced crisis manager when he got the job as head of FEMA. I wouldn't have a problem with the current head of FEMA being buddy buddy with Bush as long as he knew how to do the damn job.

Speaking of FOB (Friend of Bill), should we come up with a terminolgy for Bush's pals? Maybe POD (Pal o' Dubya)?

Speaking of FOB (Friend of Bill), should we come up with a terminolgy for Bush's pals? Maybe POD (Pal o' Dubya)?
Seconded. :)

Michael Brown should be fired. As well as the DHS Secretary.

OMFG, we agree! :D

I had a potential employee who tried to lie on thier resume once. I say tried because of course I called an checked it out, they said they were a manager and I called and they were a stock boy. BIG LIE. People who lie on thier resume shouldn't get the job in the first place, but if by some chance they get hired anyway, for sure they should be fired immediatly. They were hired under false pretenses. On the bottom of the application don't you have to sign that thing that says everything is true and you will get fired if it is found to be a lie?

Does anyone here really believe that Brown was hired based on his resume? I may be a bit cynical but I have also partaken in Chicago politics. The highest appointee positions are generally given to the person, or recomendation by that person, that has done the most back patting. In Brown's case, his college roommate just happened to be Bush's 2000 campaign manager, Joe Allbaugh. I'm not defending Bush, but I would be aghast to learn he actually viewed Brown's resume before appointing him the direct FEMA. More likely, he just took Allbaugh's recomendation without question.

How have y'all missed this one?


Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown is being relieved of his command of the Bush administration's Hurricane Katrina onsite relief efforts,
Homeland Security Secretary
Michael Chertoff announced Friday.
ADVERTISEMENT

He will be replaced by Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad W. Allen, who was overseeing New Orleans relief and rescue efforts, Chertoff said.

FEMA director Brown recalled to Washington
Official: Coast Guard admiral to coordinate Katrina relief efforts

Friday, September 9, 2005; Posted: 2:22 p.m. EDT (18:22 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad Allen will replace Michael Brown, the embattled FEMA director, as the on-site head of hurricane relief operations in the Gulf Coast, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced at a news conference in Baton Rouge Friday afternoon.

Brown will head back to Washington from Louisiana to oversee the big picture, the official said. (Full Story)

Allen has been acting as an assistant to Brown in the Gulf region.

.Although the search for bodies amid the Hurricane Katrina wreckage is only at an initial stage, a top official overseeing the efforts said Friday the results offer hope for a death toll lower than some of the most dire suggestions.

"I think there's some encouragement in what we found in the initial sweeps that some of the catastrophic death that some people predicted may not in fact have occurred," said Terry Ebbert, New Orleans' homeland security chief, at a news conference.

"The numbers so far are relatively minor as compared to the dire predictions of 10,000," he said.



http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/09/katrina.washington/index.html

*Dances in the streets*

About time that moron got relieved of duty. Hopefully, he'll be fully taken out!

Hey Corneliu!

Last night's telethon raised $633,736 for the Red Cross, and WTAE raised another $500,000 on their own. And this is in addition to most of the banks, Highmark, and the hospitals doing their own high-level fundraising and matching.

I'm pretty proud of Southwestern PA. :)

Hey Corneliu!

Last night's telethon raised $633,736 for the Red Cross, and WTAE raised another $500,000 on their own. And this is in addition to most of the banks, Highmark, and the hospitals doing their own high-level fundraising and matching.

I'm pretty proud of Southwestern PA. :)

Thanks for the news update Geecka :)

I'm proud that they did so well as well.

Thanks again :)

You'll find that probably 100% of top-level people in USA gov't are political appointees, and 95% of them are less qualified than the permanent staff beneath them.

This isn't news. This isn't a Bush administration thing. This isn't a Republican thing. It's been going on for decades as part of the political patronage system, and everyone in every party does it. My friends who work in the Federal Government are always telling about stupid shit that the 'politicals' are doing, and how 'permanent staff' have to suck it up.

Should Brown be fired? Almost certainly. Will he be made the scapegoat for all of the Federal failures in the aftermath of the storm? I'd bet on it.

In the recent past (acknowledging the incredible corruption in the late 1800's,) at least the majority of political appointies were half-way qualified and half-way competent...or at least were put in positions where they could do little harm. To think the current political climate is "politics as usual," is ostrich-like in it's denial.

THIS IS LIBERAL BIAS AND A WITCH HUNT!!!!!

Oh wait ... it's Time ... a conservative publication ....

ok ok ok ... ummm ... lemme try again ....

IT WAS BAD INTELLIGENCE!!!

Hey ... it worked to start a war ...

He won't get fired. If this administration has proven one thing, it's that they will give him a medal and a promotion. (I know, I know ... he's being dismissed ... but just you wait! ;) )

EDIT: Well, if nothing else, at least they have their whipping boy. The Pressure's off the White House.

I'm glad everyone thinks Michael Brown was the one behind FEMA. In fact, he is merely a figurehead for others in the agency.

I'm glad everyone thinks Michael Brown was the one behind FEMA. In fact, he is merely a figurehead for others in the agency.

Darnit, I forgot to put this in my excuses list.

Darnit, I forgot to put this in my excuses list.
It's not an excuse. It's a reason to say that if you fire Michael Brown, FEMA will remain the same. You see, it's the Chief of Staff of FEMA that has got the power, the one that no one ever hears about. He's the one that draws up the budget and allocates staff and funds. Even if the mayor of Banda Aceh is named as the FEMA director, nothing will change.

It's not an excuse. It's a reason to say that if you fire Michael Brown, FEMA will remain the same. You see, it's the Chief of Staff of FEMA that has got the power, the one that no one ever hears about. He's the one that draws up the budget and allocates staff and funds. Even if the mayor of Banda Aceh is named as the FEMA director, nothing will change.

Do away with FEMA, tear it down and start over. Get rid of Brown. The guy couldn't even run a horse show.

It's not an excuse. It's a reason to say that if you fire Michael Brown, FEMA will remain the same. You see, it's the Chief of Staff of FEMA that has got the power, the one that no one ever hears about. He's the one that draws up the budget and allocates staff and funds. Even if the mayor of Banda Aceh is named as the FEMA director, nothing will change.

Well, you're right. FEMA has been dismantled over the last 4 years.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/special_packages/hurricane_katrina/12605339.htm

Former Reagan administration FEMA Director Gen. Julius Becton Jr. said the agency has become too political and should be run by a nonpolitical appointee.

Of the top 15 FEMA spots in Washington, the only people who had experience or have a single permanent job - some employees of FEMA are holding down two positions - are the agency's top lawyer, its equal rights director, its technology chief and its inner-agency planning chief. None of them is responsible for disaster response or preparations.

So, is Brown being sent back to Wahington as a prelude to firing or merely to keep him out of the limelight for a while?

So, is Brown being sent back to Wahington as a prelude to firing or merely to keep him out of the limelight for a while?
When the head of an agency is relieved of his duties and replaced by his deputy, things are going well for him. My bet is that he will resign by the end of next week. I had predicted that he would be out by the end of this week, but I forgot that is was already Friday when I made the prediction.

If he lied and it passed, stop blaming President Bush, how many people have lied on thier applications for a job and it has passed, many have.

If he lied and it passed, stop blaming President Bush, how many people have lied on thier applications for a job and it has passed, many have.

lalalalala--excuse--lalalalalala.

Don't take this the wrong way..but name me 1 person who does not pad out their CV?

Brown has been 'removed' from FEMA..he should have been fired not moved elsewhere.

While job applicants usually have to sign something declaring the contents of their CV to be true-the employer ie Mr Bush or his croonies ha ve to check out his CV. If he embelished on certain areas of his expertise why did the press-who usually pick up on stuff like this or his fomer employers not mention that a man in such an important position wasn't fully qualified?

Brown isn't the only one who is responsible. How come the issue of the levees only being able to withstand a type 3 hurricane was never publicised before? Why did the Senator(not sure of her name) not complain when Bush cut funding in her state for this type of thing?

And why has Bush formed an investigation committee, of which he is head of, to find out what went wrong in NO? They know what went wrong....WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY

The Senators did complain, and the issue of the levees being inadequate had been brought up numerous times before. The whole "we had no idea this could happen," idea is a myth made up by the Bush administration.

As far as Brown's qualifications, he was a college roommate of the former FEMA director, who happened to work on Bush's 2000 election. It's likely (though admittedly not certain,) that they knew exactly what Brown's qualifications were. It's not like he was a stranger who interviewed for the job.