[StBernard] Senate panel recommends abolishing FEMA

[Westley Annis]

 I disagree, Westley. FEMA has lost the trust in people and their lives were
duly impacted by the failure. An organization either has to be build from
the ground up or an already existing, proven organization which has a good,
working track record to assure that things will be productive, reliable and
effective.

Yes, changing a name won't help. Yet, we can't fire bureaucrats of the
powers that be either. However, I'm sure that the USA can produce a working
and effective security/emergency preparedness system and must in order to
secure our American people during catastrophes (with many more yet to come).
After a full investigation by our government/senators/House, and/or
committees, the result will provide more safeguards, etc. 

What we found out during this failure was that we are not invinciple (much
like 9/11 unwrapped our weaknesses in our airline and homeland security
system). It seems that each time that we have a different kind of tragedy,
we're having to go back to the drawing board to ensure that revamping a
weakened system will soon be a reliable one. 

When things are so complex as what we faced, we're bound to have kinks in
the system. FEMA had SEAMS, CRACKS, AND CRUMBLES. Unacceptable. A new
national preparedness will be created and will be directly
responsible/answerable in communicating with the President. It will be
within the Homeland Security realm <creating from the ground up). 

We need the protection whereas regional strike teams with representatives of
all Federal agencies to be there for us. can be made available immmediately
and not wait a week to get to our people. It will be a far more adhesive and
affective response team to replace FEMA. Protection is adamant and is vital
to our safety during (and yes there will be more) emergencies/disasters
whether it be hurricanes or from terrorists. We shall see..

-Jer-

-----Original Message-----
Actually, I disagree with this because I don't think it is going to
accomplish anything.

I could be wrong, but I think the problem with FEMA is not the people out in
the field, they see what is going on and truly want to help.  The
rank-and-file bureaucrats sitting back in their desks in D.C., Virginia,
Maryland, or wherever the hell they are, they don't understand what is going
on, regardless of whether or not they care.

They have their cushy government job and will work to preserve that status
more than work to help people in need.  This means that they are not going
to do anything to buck the system.  If the FEMA manual does not tell them
explicitly that they can do or approve something then they will not do it.
Doesn't matter if the manual doesn't say they can't do it, the problem is
that it doesn't say they can do it.

Any morphing of FEMA into another organization is going to be nothing more
than a name change.  The same bureaucrats will still be there, just with a
different logo on their shirts and badges.

The only way to change this, or any other federal government agency, is to
either drop the Civil Service rules or outlaw unions for federal jobs.
There is no need for the two layers of "job protection" in a federal job.

As a an old co-worker of mine used to say of federal employees, they have
all the same benefits of someone who is in the military plus one more, they
can quit.

Want to shake up FEMA, send out a survey card to every recipient of any FEMA
assistance and ask them what they thought of the people that worked on their
case.  Get too many negative marks that are not justified and let Uncle Sam
show you the door.  Put some real consequence into the job, then maybe they
will start actually helping people.

Westley