Look what Bush's FEMA is up to now

“It's in Maine, of course

By BART JANSEN, Washington D.C. Correspondent

Copyright © 2005 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

WASHINGTON — About 150 truckloads of ice intended for hurricane victims will continue sitting in Maine as part of an emergency strategy that federal officials acknowledged Thursday they can't track or quantify. David Paulison, acting director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee that $100 million worth of ice was readied for victims of Hurricane Katrina, which struck on Aug. 29. Because of the massive evacuation of Louisiana, he said, much of the ice wasn't needed. Trucks were routed to other states to await other storms, including Hurricane Rita.

"If we dumped it out in the street and let it melt, we couldn't replace it fast enough," Paulison said. "There are still more storms out there. Until we get through hurricane season, we're not getting rid of the ice. We're going to keep it."

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, the committee chairman, asked FEMA on Sept. 20 how many trucks had been sent to Maine. She was told 30. But she saw many more parked and idling in Portland, and FEMA officials acknowledged Thursday that 250 trucks had been sent to Maine. One hundred of the drivers eventually were told to take their loads elsewhere.

The number of trucks sent aimlessly nationwide wasn't available, Collins said. "It suggests they don't have a clue what they have where," she said. "It makes no sense at all."

The ice was one facet of the committee's fourth hearing into problems with the federal response to Katrina, which killed hundreds and dislocated perhaps 600,000 people.

Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., questioned why FEMA was paying Carnival Cruise Lines more to house evacuees aboard ships than the company earns from cruise passengers.

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., complained about the lack of a central database for missing children, and paying twice as much as one company's asking price for 200 portable classrooms.

Lawmakers who are frustrated with the agency's efforts didn't focus their complaints on Paulison because he took over only three weeks ago, after the ouster of director Michael Brown.

But the ice sent to Maine and elsewhere became iconic among the complaints. Truck drivers had described being steered from state to state as federal officials waited to see where they might be needed. Each truck carries about 20 tons of ice, costing the government about $10,400. Trucks idling to keep their refrigerators running cost $800 a day.

"The ice, at the risk of a poor pun, is the tip of the iceberg, and I think we'll find numerous other examples of extraordinary waste and unnecessary expense," Collins said. "My hope is that we can set FEMA on a course of becoming a more efficient agency."

Paulison said the agency will debate whether ice is a necessary commodity to provide in an emergency, like water and food.

"Nobody's tracking it. FEMA does not have a good tracking system," he said. "Maybe we should be Wal-Mart or something. We don't have a good tracking system for where did the ice go and where is it needed at any given time."

Paulison said he wasn't familiar with specific contracts that Levin and Coburn mentioned. But he said the agency would seek bids for housing and other contracts that were initially settled without competition.

Collins said a future hearing might explore how Wal-Mart and Sheraton appeared to brace for and respond to the hurricane better than the government.

"This is really hard to understand," she said. "It erodes public confidence in the federal government's management. I also think it erodes public support for additional appropriations to help the victims, when the public sees this kind of waste in its own backyard."”

“Wal-Mart was one of the very first stores open after the hurricane.
People were sure happy to be able to buy food again.

Over a MONTH after the hurricane and FEMA has yet to visit my house or get the Blue Roof on.
ALLSTATE is MIA also.”

“Patience, Stovie, they're working on Trent Lott's house now. They'll get to you.”

“FEMA came while you were out. I told them there was no need.”

“The FEMA Blue Roof guys are on my roof RIGHT NOW!

They all speak Spanish.”

“So that's what took so long.
They had to outsource the work.”

“It's harder to get across the border with all those citizen patrols running amok.”

“Trent Lott doesn't have a house anymore, just a slab.
So all you nice libs can celebrate.”

“Great peace of liberal inactive activism here. Keep up the crappy job Geo! :)”

“On Florida's southwest coast, in Naples, residents were angry when FEMA staff didn't show up to distribute water when they said they would.

"What are we supposed to do? We're supposed to count on FEMA. It's disgusting," resident Nilsa Colon said.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/10/26/wilma/index.html”

“"All that time. This is all we get?" asked 23-year-old Fanie Aristil, speaking to The Associated Press after waiting nine hours for the supplies.

Sounds pretty ungrateful to me.

One day after a storm is too soon to expect handouts. It takes a day or two to get the roads clear for supplies to get in. Any person that chooses not to leave should have enough common sense to have at least a couple of days of basic supplies on hand.”

“I made a point of thanking the people trying to help me after my hurricane, and thanking them for whatever they gave. Long lines are the norm after something like this.”

“I can’t believe the people of Florida are trying to play the FEMA card and complaining about the speed they are getting their FREE shlt. So let’s see, we have a bunch of people without water, power, building materials and food. How damn long did it take the storm to cross the Gulf? A week? Why weren’t they PREPARING by buying these things BEFORE the storm hit? Why don’t they have these basic needs on hand all the time?

As horrible as Katrina was and as much as those poor people needed the help it looks like we are enabling ourselves even more than before the storm. “Hum, I’m going to need a bunch of shlt when this storm gets here. Should I go buy it now, before the storm hits? Or should I just hang out, ride out the storm and get it for free afterwards?”.”

“I don't believe the people of Florida are doing as you say, Nigal. Just a few idiots the 'newspeople' just LOVE to showcase.
Most will have been ready.”

““I don't believe the people of Florida are doing as you say, Nigal. Just a few idiots the 'newspeople' just LOVE to showcase.
Most will have been ready.”

Well of course not. When I say "the people of Florida" I mean the ones who are bltching and blaming. I figured the context of the post would have made that clear. :)”

“A problem I had in my case was that most of my supplies had been under sewage tainted water from my home flooding. What I had left was what I had taken with me when I ran from the storm. Those supplies held me over till aid started pouring in.

Want to know who first cleared the roads? Wasn't the 'government', it was local good ol' boys with chainsaws.”

“So? What else is new?”

“in south florida during frances and jean in 2004 FEMA was dumping money all over so florida. metro dade got 5-6 mil in fema aid yet they didnt eve have a storm.

everybody in know got a new generator and lots of $.

this year fema is balking on generators and just not spread the wealth around even close to 2004.

DIFERENCE: 2004”

“SORRY

2004 WAS AN ELECTION YEAR AND FLORIDA WAS A VERY CLOSE STATE”

“Two months and I've yet to see Dollar One from ALLSTATE or FEMA.”

“SS, I think Treebeard knows some guys in Brooklyn that are very persuasive in getting money from people. Maybe they could talk to FEMA and ALLSTATE for you.”

“Two months and I've yet to see Dollar One from ALLSTATE or FEMA.”
StoveStomper
10:35:42 AM
11/03/05

Less government is good, right stovie? I'll bet a private company run by one of Bush's buddies would have gotten my tax dollars to you much quicker. Then again, Allstate isn't contacting you either.

A true conservative would fix his/her home themselves, instead of relying on Uncle Sam.
last edited: 11/03/05 12:01:11 PM”

“"I'll bet a private company run by one of Bush's buddies would have gotten my tax dollars to you much quicker."

No, he'd be camping in a ditch in Crawford Texas (Camp Stompy) demanding a meeting with Bush.”

“LOL @ Nigal.
I'm sure I do not wish help from BB or the other guy.”

“If you are recieving FEMA money, you ARE getting my help.

You're welcome by the way.”

“I just could resist a thread with such a stupid title.




And all will be right with the world once the Democrats take over government and FEMA...

...did IQ's drop sharply in this country or is there a resurgence of drug use?”

“It's both, arc.”

“Well arclite, they couldn't have done a much worse job than "Brownie".”

“Jeeze arc, you really set yourself up there.

Back in the days under Daddy Bush, FEMA had become a patronage dump/nightmare. It wasted resources preparing for a nuclear attack and fell apart during natural disasters. Low and behold, the Clinton White House appointed competent people to FEMA who reformed it into a model of good government. It didn't take long for the Republicans to screw that up too.

The FEMA Phoenix: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2005/0509.franklin.html”

“In violin's NJ it must be the toxic waste. Just like politics in NJ, you're full of B.S. to put it politely.

Read Friedman, violin.”

“Actually, it is an interesting article.

Read Friedman though, and you'll understand that even though staffign FEMA with competent people may have worked out very well in practice, in theory it doesn't have a leg to stand on.
last edited: 11/07/05 12:20:41 PM”

“Bush broke his FEMA and will be out for the season ...”

“You expect arclite to read something that long? Sheesh!

He writes crap longer than that about the Gators.

Bush is an imcompetent president, but some folks would never admit it.”

“Imcompetent president????

Incompetent troll.”

“I agree, ped, it is an interesting article. And I also agree that Friedman does a nice job of explaining the BIG PICTURE. Something some folks can’t quite grasp.



“The model for FEMA fit nicely with the new president's notion of an activist federal government. To implement this change in mission, the President appointed James Lee Witt as the agency's director. An unassuming and direct man, Witt was a former construction company owner and county judge who had worked with Clinton in Arkansas as the director of the state Office of Emergency Services. As state director, he had earned high marks for the successful management of three presidential disaster declarations, including two major floods in 1990 and 1991.”


And this is one of my points. Acting as an insurance agent, government bails out those who chose to live in flood plains and other areas subject to high environmental risk. FEMA and Federal Flood insurance make it possible for people to continue building in environmentally sensitive areas. Environmental destruction occurs when levees are built, delta areas and saltwater marshes irreversibly transformed, and flood plains aren’t allowed to perform their function of filtering water back into the aquifer.

Natural flood plains exist for a reason. Natural deltas exist for a reason. Barrier islands exist for a reason. FEMA and Federal Flood insurance assure that private liability is reduced when building in environmentally sensitive areas. Meanwhile, the taxpayers pick up the tab for this environmental destruction.

Building in the dune areas of environmentally sensitive barrier islands transforms them forever. Then, at taxpayer expense, The Army Corp of Engineers dredges and rebuilds beaches, as they naturally erode and shift their sand, in order to protect the investments of millionaires who have built on the beachfront. What exactly are the environmental impacts of these arrogant acts of man to control nature? One effect is the man-made destruction of turtle nesting habitat.

What are some economic impacts of a hurricane? Oh yeah, wealthy beachfront owners get their million dollar mansions replaced by the taxpayers at a fraction of the cost of private insurance. After a hurricane destroys a beachfront area, large developers buy up land and build high-rises. The people of Florida can attest to the fact that high-rises not only block ocean views but restrict public access to the beaches. And the developers know that the taxpayers will cover their building losses should another hurricane strike. This has happened all over Florida and the Gulf Coast.




FEMA is just another glaring example of government overreaching its mandate by protecting people from their own mistakes while creating a negative economic impact for society.

Meanwhile violin’s economic model, France, burns because government economic control, socialist programs, high taxes, and regulations have created a tight job market, endemic unemployment, and deplorable conditions for the poor.


You set yourself up for that violin.




Gee let’s go even further in examining this article:

“But Clinton and Witt demonstrated an understanding of the virtues of the patronage system. The high number of political appointees allowed the new administration to free itself of the incompetents and replace them with talented new people.”


At the time, were the Democrats screaming nepotism for this political favoritism? I don’t seem to remember that. My guess is no, because many Democrats believe that they always appoint competent patrons while Republicans always appoint incompetent cronies.

And this is different from a fundamentalist world-view in what way?
last edited: 11/07/05 4:12:34 PM”

“Gee arc. You seem to be falling down.

Usually your MO is personal insult, personal insult, blame the liberal media, personal insult.
last edited: 11/08/05 5:40:17 AM”

“You seem to have missed the author’s point.

Clinton and Witt used the patronage system not to appoint unqualified cronies, but to clear out the dead wood left by previous administrations and seek out talent.

Enter the horsey guy.

My guess is that someone who believes in the power of an activist government to improve the lives of the people tends to run the government better than someone who believes that government is always the problem and needs to be destroyed to make room for profit seeking private enterprise. Just a hunch, but it seems to fit with the historic facts.

Witt transformed FEMA into a model agency that responded efficiently to catastrophe. Just ask StoveStomper about that bang-up job All State is doing in his neighborhood. Does this fit with your ideology?”

“Ya gotta love the leftists in the Democratic Party. They voted for a flip-flopping John Kerry because flip-flopping is a way of life for them.

They were clueless as to how they could have lost the last couple of presidential elections. After all, Bush has done a terrible job. How many of them will now insist that they never looked to Europe to provide them with their social and economic models?

Many Americans see through the Democrats like glass. Democrats seem to stand for nothing because they seldom address issues. Most of their rhetoric is to complain about the other guys while they offer no solutions of their own. They seem to lack ideas.

The Democrats have some great ideas, why don’t they express them clearly? As the Republicans have spent much time trying to draw the religious right into their fold, the Democrats have been trying to please the socialist leftists in their party.

Raising taxes is an unpopular option with the middle. So the Democrats try to create class warfare by blasting business and the wealthy as if they were evil entities not people. They frame socialist government programs in terms of “programs for the poor.”

The Democrats have long pointed to Europe as a model of social responsibility. Government mandated healthcare, government mandated retirement pensions, government mandated business regulation, government mandated social programs and high taxation have been their model. The current problems in France are just the beginning of this economic house of cards. Socialism doesn’t work, won’t work, and has never worked in the long run.

Meanwhile I have discussions here with many leftists, who don’t bother to educate themselves with different opinions. They don’t read books that may disagree with their preconceived world-view. They only put down the things they don’t comprehend. They quote newspaper stories and opinion pieces as the basis for understanding complex issues. They seem to believe that they already have all the answers. And yet, they offer neither speculative nor specific solutions.


I am a liberal and proud of it. That means I read books that disagree with my own world-view. Liberal means open-minded. I believe in the free market and limited government intervention in our lives. This is the definition of liberalism.

How many who call themselves liberal are too ignorant to realize that they are defining themselves as something they are not? Uneducated voters are a danger to a healthy democracy.

Read Friedman and Hayek, violin.”

““Bush broke his FEMA and will be out for the season ...”

Now THAT'S funny!”

“I believe in the free market and limited government intervention in our lives.

you're a liberal? i think maybe you're a libertarian. i can tell because it sounds like you never got over the fact you aren't the illegitimate child of Robert Heinlein and Ayn Rand, and you're currently punishing the rest of us for it. folks like you seem unusually smug for a political philosophy that's never gotten anyone elected for anything above the local water board...you know, all for legalized drugs and prostitution but probably wouldn't want your kids blowing strangers for crack; all for slashing taxes for nearly every social service but don't seem to understand why most people aren't at all keen to trade in even the minimal safety net the U.S. provides, for 55-gallon barrels of beans and rice, a crossbow and a first-aid kit in the basement. yep, just another Libertarian, blissfully clueless that your philosophy is just great as long as it doesn't actually involve real live humans.

Now THAT'S funny!”

“"...[T]he Democrats try to create class warfare by blasting business and the wealthy as if they were evil entities not people."
- arclite
6:29:48 AM
11/08/05

Oh really?

"...[W]ealthy beachfront owners get their million dollar mansions replaced by the taxpayers at a fraction of the cost of private insurance."
- arclite
4:09:19 PM
11/07/05

Flip-flopping is a way of life for arclite.”

“Better stick to the central argument arc. This thrashing around only embarrasses you.”

“Oooo…Ooooo violin, you must have crisped some more brain cells posting that drivel. You seem to have a total disregard for anything that contradicts your ideas, even dictionary definitions.



Flip-flopping is a way of life for arclite.”

VioLiN
9:44:24 AM
11/08/05




So your logic syllogism goes like this?:


Arclite says Democrats treat the wealthy as if they were evil entities not people.

Arclite states the fact that "...[W]ealthy beachfront owners get their million dollar mansions replaced by the taxpayers at a fraction of the cost of private insurance."

Therefore arclite REALLY is saying that the wealthy are evil entities, and he is flip-flopping.


Is that your syllogism, violin? If so, you’ve degenerated in your old age. You’ve become a crispy critter.

If not, what the heck are you rambling on about?

And obviously you refuse to answer any questions... once again.


I continue to hope that the “I know you are but what am I” intellectual defense would be abandoned during childhood, but I keep seeing its use.

I continually see people (most notably those on the left) telling me that I need to inform myself of their viewpoint, while maintaining that they have nothing to learn from other viewpoints. This brings to mind a study that was published a couple of years back. Apparently researchers discovered that the most incompetent people where most likely to have complete confidence in their own abilities and accumulated knowledge.

I have been in discussions about media bias. A couple of people suggested that I read a book that presented their viewpoint, which differed from mine. I read the book and tried to discuss it to no avail. These people also refused to read books that I recommended. These are people who I assume have spent time in high school and learned the scientific principle of testing hypotheses.

I have been in discussions about economics. I have read (and will continue to read) books that were recommended by people with viewpoints differing from my own. They have continually refused to read books that I have recommended. These are people who I assume consider themselves educated.

I have been in a discussion about the California energy crisis. One person, while presenting a different viewpoint from my own, was confident that he knew the causes of this complex series of events because of some articles he had read in a newspaper. He ignored evidence that I presented from a television documentary and from the DOE’s own analysis. This is a person who I assume to be reasonably intelligent.

During my research on media bias, I was carrying a copy of Journalistic Fraud in my hand. A woman who thinks of herself as a liberal, and who has a PHD in psychology, scoffed at the premise of the book. I asked her if she had read it. She said that she had not. She said that she had read an article in Vanity Fair that explained the fallacy of media bias. I told her that I had read six books on the subject. She was unconvinced that there was anything more she needed to know. This is a person who I assume should know something about self-examination.

Again and again and again I have encountered so called “liberals” who feel no need to test their preconceived ideas, educate themselves about different viewpoints, research conflicting studies, and to self-examine their own refusal to take any of these actions.

I was taught that testing my own views is the way to a good education. Reading differing viewpoints has been good for my education. But what of those who refuse to educate themselves to different viewpoints? Do they believe they are fooling anyone but themselves? Do they think themselves to be clever? For them, is ignorance bliss?




Do yourself a disservice, violin, don’t read any viewpoints that conflict with your preconceived ideas.
last edited: 11/08/05 4:20:29 PM”

“It took you a few posts, but you fell back to your media bias meme. All is right with the world.

But... back to the point - do you not agree that FEMA worked a whole lot better under Clinton & Witt? If not, why not?”

“Any intelligent discussion starts with an accurate understanding of the questions.

Only by trying to answer questions (if only you believed this point, you may actually be able to call yourself an educated man) can we have an intelligent discussion.


In answer to your question:

No.

Because of the above mentioned reasons. I’d post more, but you are already familiar with many of my positions on government being the fastest growing segment of our economy for the past 40 years. How many times should I repeat myself for you before you’d even bother to read some of the books I’ve suggest, ad infinitum?

You’ve never seemed to listen before. Why should I believe that has changed when you continue to hide by not answering questions and putting your ideas to the test?


Violin, does ignoring other viewpoints come naturally to folks on the left?

How about Krugman's recent opinion on socialized medicine? It goes right to the heart of what I’ve been saying about Democrats trying to increase socialist programs as the “moral” and socially responsible thing to do.

Don’t you think so?




What a slogan for the next election:

“Raising taxes, it’s the morally responsible thing to do.”

Do you think they’ll reach those red-state “values voters” with that pitch?”

“It's really pretty simple arc.

You posted "And all will be right with the world once the Democrats take over government and FEMA."

I posted an article that discussed some of the reforms at FEMA under Clinton and how well the agency worked.

You posted personal insults, explained why you were against FEMA's mission, posted a few more insults, tried to change the subject by telling me to read some books on media bias, Milton Friedman (who I’m quite familiar with), and Paul Krugman’s opinion on medical insurance, followed by more insults.

None of this refutes my contention that FEMA did in fact function much more effectively under a Democratic administration. Can you address this point?
last edited: 11/09/05 10:51:15 AM”

“Arguing whether Clinton ran a more “efficient” FEMA than Bush is ridiculous on this point alone: FEMA didn’t encounter the frequency and magnitude of destruction under Clinton that it has under Bush. Isn’t that fact obvious to you? Doesn’t that factor into your analysis? Are you slow or were you just no paying attention?

Are you asking me whether funds were more efficiently spent under Clinton? Are you asking me whether employee productivity was more efficient under Clinton? What are you using to define “efficient?”

You might as well ask someone if they think that Stalin ran a more efficient government than Roosevelt during the depression years. FEMA is not an efficient organization unless you consider economic damage to society and environmental damage to the planet efficient.

FEMA benefits the rich at the expense of the poor and especially the middle-class. How can Democrats possibly be in favor of such a program? Snif…sniff…sniffff… do you smell something?

FEMA encourages environmental destruction. How can Democrats possibly be in favor of such a program? Snif…sniff…sniffff… I smell something.


I could post many more points but it would mean transcribing long passages from articles in various books and publicans. I have tried that before and have got complaints from those with the attention span of MTV viewing gnats, meaning mostly those on the left.

Friedman, Hayek, The Independent Review, and World Affairs have all had interesting articles about FEMA. I can’t help you if you’re too lazy to seek out opposing viewpoints.

There’s a reason that the vast majority of people who understand economics are liberals, not so-called “liberals.”



“Liberalization- the removal of government interference in financial markets, capital markets, and of barriers to trade…”

Globalization and its Discontents (pg 59)
Joseph E. Stiglitz

Tell me again, violin, how I’m not a liberal? We can deal with dictionary word definitions, or terms acknowledged by Nobel Prize winning economists, it makes no difference to me. You’re not going to insist on using meaningless made-up word definitions created by the leftist media are you? Just because they say it’s so doesn’t make it true. Stick to the facts.

Both Friedman and Hayek have interesting discussions about how the left began appropriating the term “liberal” early in the Twentieth Century. But you wouldn’t know about that would you?
last edited: 11/09/05 11:30:49 AM”

“FEMA stumbles as it tries to help those affected by the disasterous Bush Administration

WASHINGTON D.C. -

Over 300 truckloads of ice blocked traffic in Washington today, as they responded to an urgent request from the nation to help American citizens survive the disasterous Bush Administration. When asked why ice was sent to help failed foriegn policy, domestic policy and economic policy of the Bush Administration, FEMA's newly appointed Director, D. Walter "Skippy" Barrington III stated, "I believe that I was requesting ice for my double martini while on the initial phone call for assistance in the matter. Somehow, the information was misinterperated." Director Barrington said he was doing everything possible to help with the di stater, including on site visits to polo grounds throughout the nation. His overall plan calls for a massive amount of democrats to take republican house and senate seats to relieve the stress of the failed policies. An official within FEMA said they contacted Milton Bradley, who will make a game called "Stay the Course" that could keep the president occupied for the next three years, while the rest of the country's leadership tries to right the ship.

The truckloads of ice, which ended up in front of the White House, did not go to waste. President Bush acted quickly, and gave Halliburton a 3 trillion dollar no bid contract to make ice sculptures for the White House front lawn. Republicans hailed the decision as a great victory for the nations recycling effort. Bush also hailed "Skippy", stating he was doing a great job, and awarded him a Medal of Freedom.

---Sloopy McBush”

“It must suck to loose an election to a stumble bum like President Bush.”