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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>On ABC's web site there is a chat room I read today
that had some info on it. I didn't remember it either but Brown has been in
charge of FEMA for awhile. He helped handle other hurricanes and fires in the
west with few problems. However the locals also had things at their level in
hand before FEMA got there. The problem with Louisiana seems to be that they had
already had trouble with the evacuations during Ivan and other
hurracanes and the city wasn't cooperative about doing it again. And
according to one post from NO the mayor knew the problems had not been fixed.
Also, the drivers for the school buses and the city have been at odds for some
time so they were gone even if the city had tried to send them out. Could have
gotten others to drive them it occurs to me but the tort claims would be
astronomical. Forgotten in all this is that Katrina hit Florida also, much
milder yes but it was there and we have heard not much from
them...because the local governments handled so much of it. They have lots of
them so they do know what to do and so should Louisiana. Contrary to what
Phil has said I agree that the FEMA response not handled right. But, it was a
domino effect situation. But by the time FEMA got there it was
such already a mess. It was not however Bush's fault nor was it
really Brown. It was a mess from beginning to end. The Gov and Mayor
should just admit they blew it and resign. It is honorable of Brown
to resign when he has been crucified by the media and he wasn't really totally
at fault. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Kai I couldn't agree with you more! As winter comes
I stock up on foods, candles and other survival materials. I have been here when
we had three feet of snow on the ground and it snowed 11 inches in one day. I
lived out on the end of Orchard Av at the time, we couldn't go anywhere for days
but the power stayed on. When Mt St Helens blew I had water and other stuff
because they had been announcing for weeks that 'something' was going to happen.
My brother lives just below Dallas and he has preparations for tornadoes and a
family plan. I don't care how poor you are they should have been more ready
themselves. BUT Kai, surely you know that you will be called many rude things
for this post!!</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=Tbertruss@aol.com
href="mailto:Tbertruss@aol.com">Tbertruss@aol.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=vision2020@moscow.com
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, September 12, 2005 12:21
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Vision2020] FEMA Director Mike
Brown Resigns </DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT lang=0 face=Arial size=2
FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"><BR><A
href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050912/ap_on_go_ot/katrina_brown">http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050912/ap_on_go_ot/katrina_brown</A><BR></FONT><FONT
lang=0 style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=Arial color=#000000 size=6
FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="20" BACK="#ffffff"><BR>
<P align=center><B>Embattled FEMA Director Mike Brown Resigns <BR><BR>
<P align=left></FONT><FONT lang=0 style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=Arial
color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10" BACK="#ffffff"></B>By RON
FOURNIER, AP Political Writer 8 minutes ago <BR><BR><BR>Federal Emergency
Management Agency director Mike Brown said Monday he has resigned "in the best
interest of the agency and best interest of the president," three days after
losing his onsite command of the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.<BR><BR>"The
focus has got to be on FEMA, what the people are trying to do down there,"
Brown told The Associated Press.<BR><BR>His decision was not a surprise. Brown
was abruptly recalled to Washington on Friday, a clear vote of no confidence
from his superiors at the White House and the Department of Homeland Security.
Brown had been roundly criticized for FEMA's bearish response to the
hurricane, which has caused political problem for Bush and fellow
Republicans.<BR><BR>"I'm turning in my resignation today," Brown said. "I
think it's in the best interest of the agency and the best interest of the
president to do that and get the media focused on the good things that are
going on, instead of me."<BR><BR>Brown, who said he last talked to Bush five
or six days ago, said the resignation was his idea. He spoke on Saturday to
White House chief of staff Andy Card, who did not request his departure,
according to Brown.<BR><BR>He said he feared he was becoming a distraction to
FEMA's relief effort.<BR><BR>"I came to the conclusion that this was in the
best interest of not just the administration and not just me, but FEMA," he
said. "They need to be focused on the continuing efforts in the
Gulf."<BR><BR>Shortly after Brown was recalled to Washington last week,
officials close to the FEMA director said he would likely resign. They said
that even before Katrina, Brown had been planning on leaving the
administration late this fall to go into the private
sector.<BR>---------------------------------<BR><BR>Vision2020 Post by Ted
Moffett<BR></P>
<P></P></FONT>
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