T H U R S D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 0 8 , 2 0 0 5USA Today: Bush Responsible For FEMA'sDisastrous Failureby Michael in New York on 9/08/2005 06:55:00 PMWe've seen it time and time again: Bush cronies fail miserablyand get rewarded.</p><p> Now we're seeing it right here in America.Bush and his cronies say we can't start the "blame game"because America faces huge challenges in New Orleans.</p><p> Uh, ifthe people in charge are incompetent, unqualified and havefailed spectacularly, surely we should replace them withqualified professionals so those massive challenges can befaced.</p><p> USA Today has had enough and blasts the cronyism atFEMA in an editorial.</p><p> And this outrage happened on Bush'swatch:But a deeper review of the agency's history, the records ofits top managers and internal memoranda reveal fardeeper problems than a momentary burst of poordecisions.</p><p> Over the past four years, the Bushadministration has replaced competent leaders withpeople long on political connections but short ondisaster management expertise.</p><p> At the same time, thewar on terrorism has drained the agency's resources andreduced its effectiveness.Katrina would have been devastating regardless, but thoseactions turned FEMA into something akin to New Orleans'famous levees — a structure sure to fail when a big disasterstruck.It's very simple.</p><p> Bush shoved out the professionals doing their joband put in hacks who aren't even remotely qualified.</p><p> It's costinnocent Americans their lives and Bush doesn't care.</p><p> If he did, he'dfire the people responsible and hire people who would at least have achance of doing the job right.</p><p> MORE POSTS ABOUT: KATRINA Add New CommentYou are commenting as a Guest.</p><p> You may select one to log into: Logged in as Logout from DISQUSLogged in asusing Facebook Connect (Logout) Daily KosOpen Thread and Diary Rescue - *Tonight's crew ofRescue Rangers were vcmvo2, grog, dopper0189,shayera, and joyful.</p><p> In the meantime, dadanationlooked editorial.</p><p> Oh yeah, a big shout ...9 minutes ago HuffPost PoliticsPalin's Next Step Is Still A Mystery - Sarah Palinwill enter uncharted political waters when sheleaves the Alaska stage Sunday.</p><p> Now the questionis whether she will go on to become...9 minutes ago FiredoglakeLate Night: MSNBC – Will Any RepublicanDenounce Rush Limbaugh? - I sure do remember atime when the GOP made Barack Obama denounceJeremiah Wright, insisting that if he didn't it wasan explicit endorsement of anything W...53 minutes ago Crooks and LiarsC&L's Late Nite Music Club - Friday Night Ripoffswith Green Day and Chicago - Title: Brain Stew vs.25 or 6 to 4 Artist: Green Day vs.</p><p> Chicago Chicago- 25 or 6 to 4 Green Day - Brain Stew This is thethird post in a series called ...54 minutes ago AMERICAblog GayE.</p><p> Lynn Harris Dies - NYT: E.</p><p> Lynn Harris, thebest-selling author of novels that addressedquestions of identity and sexuality among blackmen, has died, his publicist told Th...3 hours agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S Show All AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: USA ...http://www.americablog.com/2005/09/usa-today-bush-responsib... 1 of 57/25/09 12:24 AMA M E R I C A B L O G T V Visit our AMERICAblog TV site.see all 329 videos >I collect with vodpod Southern Poverty LawCenter calls on CNN to A two minute explanationof the warped and cynical The economy is better.But....</p><p> Judge order San Diego toget rid of the seals Massive brawl in SouthKorean parliament Mormons may havesecretly baptizedNext 6AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: USA ...http://www.americablog.com/2005/09/usa-today-bush-responsib... 2 of 57/25/09 12:24 AMEzra KleinTab Dump4 hours agoWonk RoomF-22 Killed BySeven-Meme Voltron4 hours agoNYCeveHuge victories: Maloney& Pingree - Health CareHeroes, Clyburnreceives petition - video5 hours agoDaily DoseWill Doctors in theHouse, SenateInfluence Debate?6 hours agoThe TreatmentDoes the GOP ReallyHave an AlternativePlan in the Works?6 hours agoG AY P O L I T I C S Visit our new gay politicssection, AMERICAblog Gay.F E E D S Blog RSS AMERICAblog TV RSS Twitter RSSTwitter Feed Get the blog by email: Subscribe me! 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