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Brownie Still On The Payroll
Why is walking FEMA disaster Michael Brown still on the federal payroll?
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Oct. 26) - Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on Wednesday defended FEMA's decision to extend former director Michael Brown's post-resignation employment by another 30 days.
"It's important to allow the new people who have the responsibility ... to have access to the information we need to do better," Chertoff told The Associated Press as he flew to view Hurricane Wilma's damage in Florida.
"We don't want to sacrifice the real ability to get a full picture of Mike's experiences; we don't want to sacrifice that ability simply in order to make an image point," Chertoff said.
[...]
Russ Knocke, the Homeland Security spokesman, has said in the past that Brown was staying on to advise the department on his experience with Katrina. He said Brown has no decision-making or management responsibilities.
I can't imagine what advice Brown could possibly be giving to FEMA. And as far as the valuable information Mike Brown might have to share from his Hurricane Katrina experiences, doesn't two months seem like a sufficient period of time to debrief an employee?
Is continuing to pay Mike Brown his $148,000/year salary the best use of our taxpayer dollars?
Brownie...the new Armstrong Williams...
Conservative activist Michael D. Brown said internal GOP polling being cited by party and administration emissaries purports to show that "70 percent of self-identified conservative voters have a favorable impression of Harriet Miers."
--snip--
The administration is "disappointed that conservatives inside the Beltway are fighting among ourselves over this nomination, and it fuels the fires for our enemies, for Democrats," said Mr. Brown, the former Federal Emergency Management Agency director.
(old news from yesterday's Wash Times, before Miers withdrew...but you can see how he is "doing a heck of a job" as their talking puppet...)
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20051027-012613-4099r.htm
OT (already) but very important nonetheless...
For all those in Massachusetts (or those who know people in MA)...check out this site and pass it on. We must do everything we can to end this war NOW!
http://www.homefromiraqnow.org/
HomeFromIraqNow.org is a national campaign to end the war in Iraq by using binding statewide ballot initiatives around the country to pressure the administration to bring our troops home now.
We are currently placing an initiative on the November 2006 ballot in Massachusetts to prevent the Governor from sending any more National Guard troops to Iraq, and we are actively exploring similar initiatives in other states.
A yes vote on this initiative will not only prevent more National Guard troops from being deployed to Iraq, but will also send a very strong message to our elected leaders that we want them to end the war and bring all of our troops home immediately.
To get this initiative on the ballot in Massachusetts for November 2006, we need your help to collect 100,000 signatures of Massachusetts voters by November 15, 2005.
NOTE: We can start this in our own states. Please send an email to campaign@HomeFromIraqNow.org and find out how.
too much bad haiku
oh the last thread is stressful
no more
DiAnne:
Oh well, I guess I'll just go back to drafting contracts! I do like that Rumsfeld one though.
Chuck in Houston
Good morning from the West Coast--I am here visiting Fe while my son checks out the NoCal college scene.
(Frankly, after the excitement of the last few weeks, it is good to be three hours behind the news cycle!)
We have a bottle of champagne to break out once it truly is Fitzmas--even if it turns out to be the eighteen months of Fitzmas. It's all good.
As I tell my son, bad choices have bad consequences. It isn't about rewards and punishments; when you lie and cheat, you almost always get caught, and even if you get away with it in the moment, the universe has a way of providing just the consequences you need.
The consequences for the Bush administration people appear to be long, hard, painful, and full of fissures. Just as the Enron folks promised to hang together, and didn't, these people are already starting to turn on each other. Scooter is going under the bus, that's clear. Rove is having his you-know-what cut off. Cheney is frowning more than ever (at the dinner the other night for Dingell, no one even laughed at his self-deprecating jokes! That's GOTTA be a message...)
OK, I am returning to my DC-based inside/outside attentiveness to political details--must go eat granola and sprouts now! OHHHMMMMMMM.....
Karen, sitting in Fe's adorable Berkeley bunglow...
New Conference at two pm today. I will be at work. Bummer!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1884083
Chuck
Yeah Rumsfeld is the best at it
He's a natural
Karen, Fe
I know you're eating something besides
granola and sprouts!!!
xoD
Fe is making PANCAKES.....!!!
Wish you were all here!
Fe is making PANCAKES.....!!!
Wish you were all here!
Posted by: Fe/Karen at October 28, 2005 09:59 AM
I think this borders on cyber-torture...
Sparrow,
Bummer. I will be at work in a tiny town 55 miles S.E. from here at 2:00 today. They hardly get cell signals there.
Sparrow, if you get this: if you can, still call me so we can give at least one victory scream. I can excuse myself from my meeting long enough to do that!!!
Karen, if you are there, can you check your mail?
At the end of the third paragraph in this article is a link to a popup window that shows CNN's list of possible nominees for SCOTUS.
http://us.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/10/28/scotus.next/index.html
Click on next in the upper left corner to cycle through them. They have a fairly lengthy list with picture and bio on all of them.
Maybe FEMA is now employing a contrarian approach? You know, whatever Brown advises, do the opposite.
I know that if the Congress had adopted that approach with regard to the President's leadership, and chose zig when Bush urged it to zag, things would be a lot better today.
Sources: Rove Won't Be Indicted Today
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051028/ap_on_go_pr_wh/cia_leak_investigation
Karl Rove escaped indictment in the
CIA leak case Friday but remained under investigation as the embattled White House braced for charges against Vice President
Dick Cheney's top adviser.
Trying to put a brave face on one of the darkest days of his presidency, Bush traveled to Norfolk, Va., to deliver a speech on terrorism. "Thanks for the chance to get out of Washington," he said.
Rove's lawyer was told by Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald's office that investigators had not completed their probe into his conduct, said two people close to Rove, speaking only on condition of anonymity because of grand jury secrecy. Rove is deputy White House chief of staff and Bush's closest adviser.
Fitzgerald scheduled a 2 p.m. EDT news conference in Washington, along with an
FBI investigator in the case...
You will all need this link tommorrow.
Please someone repost it every once in a while to keep it handy dandy for everyone
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln/osc/
Correction...
You will all need this link TODAY
Please someone repost it every once in a while to keep it handy dandy for everyone
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln/osc/
Posted by: madame defarge at October 28, 2005 10:09 AM
No...it's a warm up for the torture later.
That's when they make double-chocolate brownies!
YUM!
Banana Pancakes
by Jack Johnson
Can't you see that it's just rainin'
There ain't no need to go outside
But baby, you hardly even notice
When I try to show you
this song, It's meant to keep you
From doin' what you're supposed to
Like wakin' up too early
Maybe we could sleep in
I'll make you banana pancakes
Pretend like it's the weekend now
And we could pretend it all the time
Can't you see that it's just rainin'
There ain't no need to go outside
But just maybe, laka ukulele
Mama made a baby
I really don't mind the practice
Because you're my little lady
Lady, lady love me
Because I love to lay here lazy
We could close the curtains
Pretend like there's no world outside
And we could pretend that all the time
Can't you see that it's just raining
There ain't no need to go outside
Ain't no need, ain't no need
Can't you see, can't you see
Rain all day and I don't mind
The telephone singing, ringing, it's too early
Don't pick it up
We don't need to
We got everything we need right here
And everything we need is enough
It's just so easy
When the whole world fits inside of your arms
Do we really need to pay attention to the alarm
Wake up slow, wake up slow
But baby, you hardly even notice
When I try to show you this song
It's meant to keep you
From doin' what your supposed to
Like wakin' up too early
Maybe we could sleep in
I'll make you banana pancakes
Pretend like it's the weekend now
And we could pretend it all the time
Can't you see that it's just rainin'
There ain't no need to go outside
Ain't no need, ain't no need
Rain all day and I really, really, really don't mind
Can't you see, can't you see
We've got to wake up slow