Anybody know what the vote was on Mike Brown's confirmation via the Senate? (Vanity)

None | September 7, 2005 | Me

[WHBates]

The guy running the ER right now is James L. Witt who is the same guy who developed the NO disaster plan (he got 500K for that piece of work BTW). This guy was the FEMA director under Clinton. Do you happen know what his qualifications where at the time of his appointment?

[RTINSC]

What has Mike Brown done or not done that would warrant his being fired?

[infocats]

see FR Post. Apparently, FEMA has extraordinary power and latitude in dealing with emergencies of Katrina's magnitude.

The Buck Stops Here

Mike Brown, as an appointee of Pres. Bush (possibly through Chertoff of Homeland Security) deserves the hit (and by extension, Bush) at the federal level, for a woefully inadequate initial response. Of course, the primary blame must be put on the elected representatives of Louisiana for their dysfunctionality.

That is the reason I suggested that this might be the only area of vulnerability faced by President Bush re. Katrina.

[Cboldt]

Also, without knowing all of the 'facts', only the 'facts' we have been spoon fed from the DNC controlled media, how do we know that he didn't perform superbly?

See my 39, above. BUt, IMO, FEMA is a bureacracy with all the bureacratic red tape that accrues thereto.

I wish the government would admit that it can't do a good job - that would encourage the people to take more care for themselves. A little honesty would go a long way. I'm tired of these ego-maniacs gladhand each other and tell us how good they are doing, when they know darn well the system is a beauracratic quagmire.

[G.Mason]

Obviously I was wrong. My appologies?

[WHBates]

The LA Governor is still in charge of the efforts in LA and Witt is her man.

[McGavin999]

Unfortunately they are right. The top 3 people at FEMA had little or no experience when they were appointed or hired

If that's the case, they did a supurb job with all the other disasters that have hit this country.

Personally, I think it's the way FEMA is set up. It may have to be completely dismantled and either given to another agency or replaced as a far leaner agency that is more quickly dispatched. It would probably cut out about half the FEMA employees, but it needs to be done.

[RTINSC]

I'm trying to understand this. When you state the initial response was "woefully inadequate", to what are you referring?

[WHBates]

"for a woefully inadequate initial response"

I think your wrong and I believe time and documented request and actions will tell the story in the end.

[TheOtherOne]

I think he has been approved twice by the Senate.

Once as Depty Director and was confirmed in that position by the United States Senate on August 1, 2002.

Then after that . . .

Secondly, in 2003 President George W. Bush announced his intention to nominate Michael D. Brown, deputy director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to serve as the Under Secretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response in the newly created Department of Homeland Security. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response (EP&R), Brown will coordinate federal disaster relief activities on behalf of the President of the United States, including implementation of the Federal Response Plan, which authorizes the response and recovery operations of 26 federal agencies and departments as well as the American Red Cross. The Under Secretary for EP&R will also oversee the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration and initiate proactive mitigation activities designed to reduce loss of life and property from all types of hazards.

Not sure what happened with that or how exactly he was elevated to Director.

[PhilipFreneau]

>>> A lot of my liberal "colleagues" are screaming about cronyism <<<

Check out the following FR post for a bio and arguments (pro and con) about Brown. I believe he is well qualified. I am also of the mindset that the left-wing and their media have been trying to get Bush to fire someone -- anyone -- since he took office. See:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1478939/posts

My sister is a flaming, hopeless, left-wing nut-job. She thinks Brown's only job prior to FEMA was with the Arabian Horsebreeders Association, and that he was asked to resign for ineptitude. She would never hear of the fact that the Association is an international subsidiary of the national governing organization of the U.S. Olympic Committee, that Brown served 11 (ELEVEN) years as its Commissioner, and that he was very tough on rule-violators. As the chief rule enforcer, I am certain he ruffled a few feathers.

She would most certainly never believe the following from Brown's bio:

"Prior to joining FEMA, Mr. Brown practiced law in Colorado and Oklahoma, where he served as a bar examiner on ethics and professional responsibility for the Oklahoma Supreme Court and as a hearing examiner for the Colorado Supreme Court. He had been appointed as a special prosecutor in police disciplinary matters. While attending law school he was appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee of the Oklahoma Legislature as the Finance Committee Staff Director, where he oversaw state fiscal issues. His background in state and local government also includes serving as an assistant city manager with emergency services oversight and as a city councilman."

Did you see that last sentence? He has emergency services experience.

Brown worked for FEMA in several positions prior to be promoted to the top job. The following relates FEMA under his leadership:

"Under Secretary Brown has led Homeland Security response to more than 164 presidentially declared disasters and emergencies, including the 2003 Columbia Shuttle disaster and the California wildfires in 2003. In 2004, Mr. Brown led FEMA thousands of dedicated disaster workers during the most active hurricane season in over 100 years, as FEMA delivered aid more quickly and more efficiently than ever before."

Another argument used by the left (and those who are under its spell) against Brown is cronyism -- that he and the former FEMA director were college roommates. While that may or may not be a conflict, it does seem remarkable that former college roommates never attended the same college.

[AmishDude]

oops. I misunderstood your post. Ignore mine.

[RTINSC]

The left is still upset that Ronald Reagan became President.

[RTINSC]

Are you there, infocats? Your response to my post is woefully slow.

[PeskyOne]

but Brown should be gone.

I respectfully disagree. If anyone needs to be replaced, it should be the Governor and Mayor Nagin of Louisiana. I'm originally from Louisiana and have talked to friends there who have asked that I help them get the message out about the failure of Blanco and Nagin! Brown has been unfairly maligned by the media! Until Republicans (and I include the President) stand up for what's right and stop trying to curry favor with Democrats, we will forever be on the defense. It's time to tell Democrats to put a sock in it and do something constructive rather than running their mouths trying to ruin the Bush Administration. Their lies and playing the 'blame game' is doing nothing to help the Gulf Coast, but it sure as heck is damaging the rescue effort. They are fanning the flame of racial hatred and creating ill-will where there was none. I, for one, am not going to yield to their 'blame game' and hurt innocent people.

[conserv13]

FEMA has turned away help from people and groups, Firefighters who have gone down to help rescue people have instead been asked to hand out flyers. 50 firefighters were asked to follow President Bush around for photo-ops as he toured the area.

[RTINSC]

What is your doubt based on? Do you think Brown was "woefully inadequate" with his initial response?

[WHBates]

You wouldn't want to produce some facts, articles, or other circumstantial evidence to back that up would you?

[RTINSC]

That may or may not be true, and even if it were, it is not a reason to fire. Sounds like a little rumor mongering. For what ommission or commission of duty is he at fault?

[BJClinton]

little or no experience when they were appointed or hired.

From Mr. Brown FEMA bio

Mr. Brown served as FEMA's Deputy Director and the agency's General Counsel. Shortly after the September 11th terrorist attacks, Mr. Brown served on the President's Consequence Management Principal's Committee, which acted as the White House's policy coordination group for the federal domestic response to the attacks. Later, the President asked him to head the Consequence Management Working Group to identify and resolve key issues regarding the federal response plan. In August 2002, President Bush appointed him to the Transition Planning Office for the new Department of Homeland Security, serving as the transition leader for the EP&R Division.

Prior to joining FEMA, Mr. Brown practiced law in Colorado and Oklahoma, where he served as a bar examiner on ethics and professional responsibility for the Oklahoma Supreme Court and as a hearing examiner for the Colorado Supreme Court. He had been appointed as a special prosecutor in police disciplinary matters. While attending law school he was appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee of the Oklahoma Legislature as the Finance Committee Staff Director, where he oversaw state fiscal issues. His background in state and local government also includes serving as an assistant city manager with emergency services oversight and as a city councilman.

Mr. Brown was also an adjunct professor of law for the Oklahoma City University.

A native of Oklahoma, Mr. Brown holds a bachelor's degree in Public Administration/Political Science from Central State University, Oklahoma. He received his J.D. from Oklahoma City University’s School of Law.

---

Not a bad resume, certainly better than most of his accusers.