Abolish FEMA Says US Senate

[MWatkins]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060427/ap_ ... a_congress

You just can't make this stuff up.

MW

[mobilebay]

sure there are people that rip off Fema. I will say this though, Fema helped me get my life back together after Katrina. i think they need to focus there efforts on getting healthy able bodied people off welfare every month, instead of worrying about a few people that got a $2,000 check they didn't deserve. I know mike brown was a joke,and FEMA's response in NOLA was a joke. However, Fema does help people that need it. I'm living proof.

[Jim Cantore]

One month until Hurricane Season, Going through with it now wouldn't be a smart idea.

[Matt-hurricanewatcher]

Heck the way the senate has been acting I would not be suprized if they Abolish the nhc.

[Ixolib]

...Katrina, which hit last Aug. 29, was one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. The storm and its aftershocks killed more than 1,300 people in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, left hundreds of thousands of people homeless and caused tens of billions of dollars in damage.

How 'bout dat!! A hurricane with earthquake tendencies...

[Aquawind]

They do need some serious overhaul. I don't understand why they would refuse to take money back from people who said they don't need it. The system is stupid top to bottom. Good intentions gone to bureaucracy along with some corruption and a overhaul of the system sounds like a good idea.

http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=83660

[Cat5survivor]

Fema helped me after Andrew...how can you blame the levys in New Orleans on Fema? Katrina caused alot of damage but the levys were the worst! (my opinion)

[Dionne]

...Katrina, which hit last Aug. 29, was one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. The storm and its aftershocks killed more than 1,300 people in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, left hundreds of thousands of people homeless and caused tens of billions of dollars in damage.

How 'bout dat!! A hurricane with earthquake tendencies...

I had not thought about it, but ya know there were alot of similarities. As a kid I experienced the March 27, 1964 earthquake in Alaska. In that earthquake there was tremendous damage that resulted from tsunamis generated by the temblor. The debris fields from Katrina looks alot like the tsunamis from the earthquake. The only difference for me was that in 1964 we lost everything......during Katrina we just had alot of damage. But, both events were those life ordeals that you never forget.

[skysummit]

WWL Radio in NOLA is conducting a survey this morning on this subject. So far it's like 86% to get rid of FEMA.

[x-y-no]

Sounds like more shuffling of names and titles to me. What's the point? Is dismantling FEMA and creating something new in its place really the answer?

Obviously, FEMA has big problems. But I don't see how doing this is any better than just fixing what you've got. Just make it work.

[skysummit]

It's just more pointing fingers, that's all. Instead of taking time to do all this, and try to re-organize something 1 month prior to hurricane season, just make it work. Someone up there should know what they're doing, right?

[joseph01]

Sounds like more shuffling of names and titles to me. What's the point? Is dismantling FEMA and creating something new in its place really the answer?

Obviously, FEMA has big problems. But I don't see how doing this is any better than just fixing what you've got. Just make it work.

Agreed. This is NOTHING more than scrambling for political advantage in the upcoming elections. This is clear by the abundance of criticism, and lack of substantive reccommendations. Yeah...let's call it something else...that'll fix it.

[bvigal]

WWL Radio in NOLA is conducting a survey this morning on this subject. So far it's like 86% to get rid of FEMA.

Hate to say it, but it doesn't surprise me. Sounds like the US is in the process of changing its form of government to media-hosted 'mob rule' and popularity contests.

FEMA no doubt has problems, as many non-profit response orgs have also had (remember the Red Cross and United Way scandals?). The U.S. has also had a lot of disasters, beginning with 9/11, with no increase in response capability (translated - BIGGER BUDGET). Elections are coming and the finger pointing and new bill bandwagon begins...

Let's just pray that USA gets a break this year from bad storms!!!

[bvigal]

I just read that article again. And you know what? I'm really sick of politicians. SHAME on members of both parties for selfishly trying to make their own life better by messing with something that truly has lives at stake! What has happened to INTEGRITY? Does anyone in Washington DC remember that word? I'm sorry, but the finger pointing just doesn't cut it

p.s. oops, sorry! if near being political, my humble apologies - i'll shut up now! it just gets me steamed when people have, are, and will be suffering, and some bigshot is figuring how many more votes he can get by saying this vs that.

[Steve]

I didn't vote for him either time (Perot '92, Nader '96), but under President Clinton & James Lee Witt, FEMA was pretty responsive compared to its current status as a subdivision of DHS. Maybe it should return to primary status instead of being abolished? Seriously, what would anyone expect from a disaster response organization run by a financial backer who used to be a horse show judge? It's just a symptom of a much larger problem. Chertoff, however, should probably be fired too.

Steve

[bvigal]

Hey Steve, how are ya doin, anyway? Hope things are looking up for you!!

[Steve]

They've been better and worse. I flew my 3 kids home two weeks ago today from Buffalo for an 11 day stay - their first since the storm. They stayed with me at the trailer. We had to tell them about the pending divorce and that I would be moving down to Lockport after next weekend. We got all that out of the way early enough so that we could actually spend time doing whatever they wanted to do (went to the movies, out to eat, Pensacola Beach, etc.). It was a good time, and we got to get a bunch of their displaced friends over for sleepovers (trailer was packed) since my house used to be Grand Central in the neighborhood. Funny thing was, despite all the damage and issues surrounding the city, they didn't want to go back to New York. 9 more weeks and they'll be home. Then we can resume being the parents we have been interrupted being since September.

Steve

[skysummit]

Hey Steve....where abouts in Lockport are you moving? I was born and raised there. I used to live on Lafourche Street all the way in the back where it flooded for Hurricane Juan. We had 4 feet of water in our home.

[Ivanhater]

They've been better and worse. I flew my 3 kids home two weeks ago today from Buffalo for an 11 day stay - their first since the storm. They stayed with me at the trailer. We had to tell them about the pending divorce and that I would be moving down to Lockport after next weekend. We got all that out of the way early enough so that we could actually spend time doing whatever they wanted to do (went to the movies, out to eat, Pensacola Beach, etc.). It was a good time, and we got to get a bunch of their displaced friends over for sleepovers (trailer was packed) since my house used to be Grand Central in the neighborhood. Funny thing was, despite all the damage and issues surrounding the city, they didn't want to go back to New York. 9 more weeks and they'll be home. Then we can resume being the parents we have been interrupted being since September.

Steve

Hey steve, glad to see you back, I pray everything is coming along over there and yall can catch a break this year, anyway good to see you back

[Steve]

>>Hey Steve....where abouts in Lockport are you moving? I was born and raised there. I used to live on Lafourche Street all the way in the back where it flooded for Hurricane Juan. We had 4 feet of water in our home.

Karen St., Bayouside (Hwy. 308 side of course for you locals). My brother-in-law owns a house there which is currently only occupied by my nephew (a Sr. at CLHS). I figured I could live their rent free and send the boys to Central Lafourche rather than trying to stay in the metro paying absurd rents (which they will be as long as FEMA is paying) and having to pay for Catholic High School. This way, all I'll have to do is buy a fuel efficient car (looking at the Civic Hybrids) and a commute from hell, but you gotta sacrifice some things for others.

>>Hey steve, glad to see you back, I pray everything is coming along over there and yall can catch a break this year, anyway good to see you back

Thanks IH. I hope all of us from Lake Charles to Panama City catch a break this year, but the way things have been going, there's probably going to be something knocking at our doors before too long. Good to see you too.

Steve