more on NYT op-ed: Waiting for a Leader

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Chris Beck <cbeck () pacanukeha net>
Date: September 7, 2005 5:24:19 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net, jean_camp <jean_camp () harvard edu>, Russell  
Nelson <nelson () crynwr com>
Subject: Re: [IP] more on NYT op-ed: Waiting for a Leader


Rumour has it David Farber, on or about 07/09/2005 4:40 PM, forwarded:

> In part it's a low probability event, and you can't prepare for  
> everything.

True, but you can prepare for one of the worst 3 disasasters the US  
could
suffer.  And again, whatever previous analyses have shown, any  
forecast within
the last 5 years would have shown that the delta would be the subject  
of a Cat 4
or Cat 5 hurricane at least once a decade.



> In part it's just New Orleans -- other localities are hurt but  
> recovering.
They are not as big, nor still covered in toxic water.


> And in part it's state and local
> officials who thought that they didn't have to plan because FEMA would
> take over,

True dat.  And I guess no one thinks too highly of governmental  
competance and
ethics (can we make a case for the 2 being related) in La.


> and FEMA didn't realize that they were going to have to be
> a first responder (that's not their mission).

I have to disagree here - FEMA has seen the reality and run enough  
excercises to
know that when the hurricane hits the coastline, the locals are  
swamped.  That
is what FEMA is for.  They still haven't explain to any satisfactory  
degree why
they rejected so much offered help.  The job they do year-round includes
planning for eventualities just like this - they may not have the  
specific
details down, and they may not have a hardened bunker on every block  
in the US
but the level of competance they have shown (especially when compared  
to last
years triple header in Florida) is lacking to say the least.

This summer I have seen courts and governments all over the world  
staggering
about like they were all suffering from sun stroke, I think they  
should all be
required to stop passing laws and rendering judgements between May 1  
and Sept 1.
They all seem incompetant in their own special way, but as Olberman  
said in his
rant: "government has no purpose other than to make the lives of it's  
citizens
better".  If I _have_ to pay taxes to all 3 levels of government,  
then by
<insert important figure of your choice here> I want my money's worth  
which is
exactly what the citizens of New Orleans did not.

Cheers,
Chris

PS - If we can't complain about Michael Brown because FEMA has done  
well in the
past under his watch, what reasons can we give?
--
Chris Beck  -  http://pacanukeha.blogspot.com
La loi dans sa majestueuse égalité, interdit à tous, aux riches comme
aux pauvres de dormir sous les ponts, de coucher dans la rue et de voler
du pain. -- Anatole France (Les Lys Rouge - 1894)



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