Hurricane Katrina has leveled a serious blow to our nation. There was and is a catastrophic loss of life. Hundreds of thousands of people are displaced from their homes, family members, and jobs. I've spent time talking with my wife about the tragedy, watching news reports from New Orleans and the area, and thinking about it in general. There has been blame flying back and forth over what was obviously a failed prevention and relief effort. I'm happy to see that it is beginning to come around, as thousands of volunteers and millions of good people from this country put sweat and muscle to attack the situation head on. Apparently, the US public pledges around $587m in aid - more than initial donations for 9/11 and the Asian tsunami. It's clear that blame cannot lie solely in one place. While quite true that no one created Katrina. There are two inarguable facts that are going to damage the psyche of hundreds of Americans.
ONE -The President did not end his vacation to lead in a time of crisis. You can see him pictured above at the Mirage RV Resort and Country Club for "Medicare Monday" on Aug 29th. He didn't arrive on foot in the area till Sept 2nd.
TWO -The former (until last Friday) head of FEMA, Michael Brown, was unqualified and clueless.
The first fact really reminds me of this:
"I am very aware of the cameras. I'm trying to absorb that knowledge. I have nobody to talk to. I'm sitting in the midst of a classroom with little kids, listening to a children's story and I realize I'm the Commander in Chief and the country has just come under attack."
One of Bush's major draws in the election was that he was perceived as a man who will lead in a time of crisis...a "do"er...not a talker. The two times that he has been required to take decisive quick action, he has failed. Sadly, these two times are two of the most lasting tragedies in United States history. Paralyzed, aloof, or clueless: it is unclear. That he is still perceived of as a "problem-solver" and a strong leader shocks and amazes me.
What shocks me equally is that during the course of writing this post, I see the following report on CNN.com: "To the extent the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility," Bush says. Halle-freakin-lujah. It's about time.
Regardless of his late-blame-taking, Bush's inaction has really dealt a blow to America. One of government's primary responsibilities is the protection of the people in time of crisis. We are going to be hard pressed to ignore the lack of a response from the top down to the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. The cajones of Kanye West vocalized a growing concern over an issue that will damage America. "George Bush doesn't care about black people" and other equally potent comments on the NBC telethon are telling in their outrage. People are seeing the treatment of Katrina Victims at the Civic Center and Superdome in terms of socio-economics and race. Perhaps they should. Idiotic quotes abound...but how far does the apple fall from the tree?
"What I'm hearing, which is sort of scary, is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them." - Barbara Bush
On to my second topic. How does someone without qualification come to the head of one of the most important organizations for our national security? By teaching people how to check out horses.
Its funny-in-a-weird way that the head of FEMA was forced to resign from a position as judge instructor for the Arabian Horse Association. Aristocrat? Probably. Renaissance man? I'll give him the benefit of the doubt as per my blog title. His little experience in crisis-management of any scale became abruptly clear following the hurricane.
"We just learned of the convention center – we being the federal government – today." –FEMA Director Michael Brown, to ABC's Ted Koppel, Sept. 1, 2005, to which Koppel responded " Don't you guys watch television? Don't you guys listen to the radio? Our reporters have been reporting on it for more than just today."
I bet you didn't know that the former director of FEMA was Joe M. Allbaugh. He was formerly Bush's Chief of Staff when he was Governor of Texas. Qualified! Campaign Manager for Bush's 2000 campaign. Qualified! Despite all those qualifications, he turned over the reigns to his childhood friend and OK State college roomate, Brown. Qualified!
There's a letter that comes after G...as in Gee Whiz. It's H, as in Halliburton. In March 2005, Allbaugh registered as lobbyist on behalf of Kellogg, Brown, and Root along with his wife Diane. He lobbies FEMA and other agencies on behalf of KBR and its parent company---you guessed it...the H word. Take a quick look here to read about how Halliburton and Allbaugh have been on the frontline of contracts for the rebuilding of New Orleans. Let the circle be unbroken! Novus Ordo Seclorum.
I hope that this spurs you on to think about how leaders get their positions. Why aren't presidential candidates straight-A students? Why can't we get a FEMA director who has had some semblence of crisis management?
Yeah I'm mad. It's ridiculous. F'ing ridiculous. Just watch a couple videos on iFilm to get whatever "liberal" taste you think I might have left in your mouth out and get to where I'm speaking from.
- Geraldo Rivera and Shepard Smith reporting
- Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard appears in an inverview on Meet the Press
- iFilm compilation
- Dodging the blame game - Scott McClellan
That's enough for now.
Its funny-in-a-weird way that the head of FEMA was forced to resign from a position as judge instructor for the Arabian Horse Association. Aristocrat? Probably. Renaissance man? I'll give him the benefit of the doubt as per my blog title. His little experience in crisis-management of any scale became abruptly clear following the hurricane. 
