Return to Article: FEMA's decline: an agency's slow slide from grace
-
12810
FEMA is rather like the child of bad parents. It can't help but be messed up because of it has been subjected to years of poor oversight. There are many bad parents in the country creating messed up children. But FEMA is clearly the child of the Congress and the Bush administration. Our government is not prepared for a national disaster whether natural or man-made. Our leaders have misled us.
Who can we trust?
-
12732
I do not know about the level of "cronies" in other admistrations, but I do remeber, and have records of a position that I applied for in FEMA, was considered the most qualified applicant, but not hired. The reason that was given to me was that "Hillary" wanted only females hired and promoted. The actual woman who recieved the job may not have been a crony of Bill's but was a political appointment in the competitive civil service. I have seen Federal Agencies work with incompetent appointees when there is a very solid base of workers. However, even the best of leaders is helpless when the folks who formulate the plans, propose the policy, and are tasked to carry out the mission are incompetent.
-
12673
What's really scary is the queston Time asks in it's current issue: "Just how many other Brownies are out there?" It points out that, far more than any other president, that Bush has staffed critical postions with unqualified cronies. As has been widely reported, this has led to the exodous of many qualified upper level civil servants who couldn't stand to have politics as the only criteria for what should have been well reasoned decisions.
-
12650
Unfortunately, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and state/local emergency management agencies were all impacted by September 11th exactly in the way described. The very instant that the Homeland Security Department was created and superceded/absorbed FEMA, this was destined to happen. To make matters worse, the fallout from Katrina may be the decisions that our Congress is now considering regarding the future of disaster response. The military? Specific hazard response? Why can't a state's All-Hazard Plan in place for years and developed by professionals, suffice? Commit the resources to the professionals, please. Mr. Witt, please come back.
-
12622
My God, and think of the way lawmakers acted when they complained that the Veterans Affairs Department miscalculated its budget ($1 billion short) because it didn't know how many troops were coming out of Iraq. What a joke. This congress has finally got caught by the butt and it can't lie its way out of this mess. London Bridge is coming down folks, and the American people are now seeing how it was really put together.
PROMO RIGHT: EVENTS
UPCOMING WEBINARS
NOVEMBER 18
Speed bumps for Teleworking: What are they and how to avoid them?
DECEMBER 3
Achieve Program Success: Unlock the Management Information in Your Data
DECEMBER 10
Practical Transparency: Applying Exchange Networks for Mission Results
PROMO RIGHT: DIRECTORIES
Post a Comment
To post a comment, you must provide a name and a valid e-mail address. Messages must be limited to 400 words. By using this Service you agree not to post material that is obscene, harassing, defamatory, or otherwise objectionable. Although Government Executive does not monitor comments posted to this site (and has no obligation to), it reserves the right to delete, edit, or move any material that it deems to be in violation of this rule.