The village idiot rehired

Only in government can you screw up and then get hired back or be kept on as a "consultant." Only in government do we actually pay you to list your mistakes.

I gather that it is true that Michael Brown, formerly of FEMA, has been hired back or kept on to transition FEMA and to report on what went wrong. Michelle Malkin has the details while AnkleBitiingPundits is skeptical.

I think this is outrageous! Where is Matt of Weapons of Mass Discussion who told me Brown was really fired and didn't resign, because if that is true, I'd like an explanation for this.

We didn't need to hire Michael Brown back or let him stay longer to get him to answer questions about how he screwed up. We merely needed to have Congress or the committee investigating Katrina to subpoena him. That way it would have cost us way less and the answers might have been slightly more truthful since the threat of perjury would have applied.

I honestly don't have a clue as to what these guys were thinking...

I'm waiting for someone to tell me that this isn't President Bush's fault...

Comments

[Lisa]

Geeze Chris...you act like he's staying on permanently. He's staying for about a month to help the new director transition in. That is not unusual. It happens in the private sector all the time.

[Rita]

He should be fired,plain and simple. Look, if I made these types of mistakes at work, my ass would be out the door. And that is the way it should be with government positions. If you are a cluster F, then you are out, fired, hung out to dry. Why do they get away with stuff? Idiots...my word of the week: IDIOTS...

[Chris]

Seems to me that upon accepting his resigntion someone should have gone with this buffon to his office, let him clear out his personal items and escorted him from the building. You really want this guy telling the new head of FEMA anything? I'd be willing to personally buy FEMA more copy paper and paperclips if they can't find where this guy kept them. Any one know what he will make in the "about a month" time period he will be around? And when was the last time the government accomplished anything in a month?

Come on, Lisa. This guy should have been shown the door.

[Matt Hurley]

Government doesn't work that way, Chris...it never has... Not for Bush Sr. Not for Saint Bill...

Let's get back to the heart of the matter...I STILL haven't heard an adequate explanation of what exactly Brown did or did not do for Katrina that he managed to do or not do for the four hurricanes in Florida that happened on his watch.

I don't see Chris getting all worked up over Ray Nagin keeping his job. I'd like to know what Crhis' answer is for why Gov. Blanco still has her job? (And that's for calling me out! :)

Government doesn't work with a snap of the fingers. It just doesn't.

As I understand it, his resignation wasn't effective until sometime next month anyway... I think we should all be thrilled that he was relieved of his responsibilities in the mean time. Of course, that would mean admitting that the Bush administration did something right while trying to get rid of somebody that the Left and the Media (redundant, I know) was wanting the blood of as a scapegoat.

Let's play Hard Ball...

[Chris]

Unfortunately, per their contracts--the governor and mayor can't be fired, unless you want to recall them and have a special election, but that might be a touch difficult--since the state is partially UNDER WATER--I said charge them criminally--

Did you just see him testify? OH MY GOD--it's the medias fault--typial answer from the Republicans--

[Lisa]

He has a point Chris...according to the media, he was nothing but a horse trainer...when, in fact, he has the experience needed to do the job.

I'm watching Brown testify and answering questions from Jefferson. Jefferson is doing nothing but trying to make Nagen look good. What an idiot.

[Lisa]

Wait.... wasn't it Jefferson who used the National Guard to collect his personal belongings from his house while people were sitting on their rooves waiting to be rescued?

Brown need's to ask Jefferson about that.

[Matt Hurley]

If you say "charge them criminally" why aren't you all ticked off that that hasn't happened yet?

Just asking...

[Pappy]

Matt and Lisa have hit the nail on the head. The only fault I can find is that Matt keeps saying 4 hurricanes and FEMA responded 6 times in the year prior to Katrina in the Gulf Coast and now once since. Why didn't Brown screw up that badly in the six chances he had prior or on the other hand, if he screwed FEMA up so badly, how come they are gettibg the job done now only a matter of a couple weeks removed from the "failure" in NO.

It just doesn't add up. I would point to the one major over riding factor. Florida and Texas have people in charge who are equal to the task,from Emergency Manager to the Governor down to the level of the Mayors.

Did anyone see the Mayor of Galveston. Contrast her performance to that of Nagin. There is the difference.

[Matt Hurley]

I sit corrected, Pappy...

:)

[USMC Steve]

If you all understand how things are set up and function, you would see that Federal FEMA did nothing unusual, nor did they screw anything up. The state FEMA folks and the state government were required to do certain things and FAILED. So did the mayor of New Orleans. And all the environmental freaks who went to court to prevent the modernization of the levees in that area due to "environmental concerns". Do those assholes have any "environmental concerns" now?

I digressed a bit there. Federal FEMA when working with ADULTS in Florida and other states did just fine, but when working with the most corrupt (AND DEMOCRAT RULED) state in the country, they were faced with what can only be termed a clusterfuck. The people most responsible for acting to protect their citizens were the least qualified to do it.

Brown became the scapegoat through no fault of his own. What he did before becoming the Director of FEMA has nothing to do with it. THINK SOME FIRST, PEOPLE!

[Angela]

Oh but didn’t you know? *everything* is President Bush’s fault.

Sounds good to me... lol

[dr wnc]

I had no feelings one way or another on Mr. Brown. I did believe he was a "scape goat" but sometimes that's the way it goes.
Well, this quote from him has changed my mind.
"My biggest mistake was not recognizing by Saturday that Louisiana was dysfunctional,” Brown told a special congressional panel set up by House Republican leaders to investigate the catastrophe."
I agree totally!

[catastrophile]

It's not too implausible to think that Brown might have been asked to resign -- that is, fired -- and then quietly rehired.

It could be an ease-the-transition thing or it could be "take the fall on this one, we'll take care of you."

Personally, I think there are bigger fish that need frying . . .
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/27/AR2005092700980.html

[Lisa]

I watched Mike Brown today and he held his own very well... in fact, I think he gave is just as good or better than he got it.

Some idiot asked him would he have evacuated people sooner...and he responded that evacuation wasn't FEMA's job...and he is right. So even the committee members don't know what FEMA's role is in disasters.

Mike Brown is the federal sacrificial lamb.... the Chief of Police is the New Orleans sacrificial lamb... I wonder who the state of Louisiana lamb will be.

[Judith Miley]

Brown went because the President could make that happen. The people of Louisiana elected their officials (and seem to deserve them)and at this particular time, the President is trying to prop the officials up so the people of LA are not completely disheartened. It is up to the state to choose their officials (and God help us, it seems they are bent on re-electing these goofs). Unfortunately, when the state fails, the feds must step in. Bush has maintained their leadership and attempted to do damage control to mitigate the suffering. Watching the testimony today further underlines (as did Robert's confirmation process) that we do not HAVE A CLUE HOW OUR GOVERNMENT OR CONSTITUION WORKS!

[ltcoldevildogret]

that is not true judith. the Demodawgs are the ones who don't really understand the constitution and a federal gub'ment. being socialist and all. to paraphrase (that means kinda quote..but not exactly for all the libs out here) "the Demodawgs cain't he'p it. they wuz born wif only ha'f they brain workin' in they moufs." Fortunately some realize that they are deficient and do something about it later in life. they leave the darkside and go to the light thereby causing the right side of their brain to come to life.

[catastrophile]

Hey cold -- are you suggesting that the Reep party isn't socialist? After all the spending and intervention they've pushed, even in these last few years while they've been in total control?

If you can't see that the Reeps are every bit as socialist as the Dems, you're crazy.

[ltcoldevildogret]

think you best look in the mirror there catboy. might see hcboy looking back at ya.

[HC Steve]

Thanks for the compliment.