Saturday, June 17, 2006
FEMA Follies
This was my network commentary a few days ago....Pat
Since hurricane season is here, and since it is supposed to be bad, and since many folks from Louisiana and Texas ended up in Arkansas after Katrina and Rita, I thought it would be a good idea to consider the latest report from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
This bunch of bureaucrats have not exactly been wrapped in glory since last year’s mix-ups and the latest news about NFL tickets, Hawaiian vacations and even sex change operations being paid for at taxpayer expense are not exactly comforting. The total supposedly comes to somewhere around $1.4 billion. It is a bit uncomfortable for me to rise in defense of FEMA, but here goes anyway.
First of all, it is way too easy to make these hapless bozos the fall guys for everything that ever goes wrong. When a terrible disaster strikes, we all want fast response. I know I do. That means errors will be made. Look at the thousands of trailers sitting around Hope with nowhere to go.
When a bad storm rolls in, or bird flu spreads, I want quick and sure-footed response and not a debating society. Prosecute the crooks to the fullest extent of the law, but keep the relief checks coming.
(Broadcast on APRN June 15, 2006)
Since hurricane season is here, and since it is supposed to be bad, and since many folks from Louisiana and Texas ended up in Arkansas after Katrina and Rita, I thought it would be a good idea to consider the latest report from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
This bunch of bureaucrats have not exactly been wrapped in glory since last year’s mix-ups and the latest news about NFL tickets, Hawaiian vacations and even sex change operations being paid for at taxpayer expense are not exactly comforting. The total supposedly comes to somewhere around $1.4 billion. It is a bit uncomfortable for me to rise in defense of FEMA, but here goes anyway.
First of all, it is way too easy to make these hapless bozos the fall guys for everything that ever goes wrong. When a terrible disaster strikes, we all want fast response. I know I do. That means errors will be made. Look at the thousands of trailers sitting around Hope with nowhere to go.
When a bad storm rolls in, or bird flu spreads, I want quick and sure-footed response and not a debating society. Prosecute the crooks to the fullest extent of the law, but keep the relief checks coming.
(Broadcast on APRN June 15, 2006)
