One thing FEMA deserves credit for now is that at least they are trying to do something about the wildfires. This is completely different from two years ago when they failed miserably at helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Now they want to look like they care, though not actually to go all the way. Perhaps during the next disaster they will start telling the truth, instead of holding fake news conferences.
From The Huffington Post:
WASHINGTON — The White House scolded the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Friday for staging a phony news conference about assistance to victims of wildfires in southern California.
The agency _ much maligned for its sluggish response to Hurricane Katrina over two years ago _ arranged to have FEMA employees play the part of independent reporters Tuesday and ask questions of Vice Adm. Harvey E. Johnson, the agency's deputy director.
The questions were predictably soft and gratuitous.
"I'm very happy with FEMA's response," Johnson said in reply to one query from an agency employee.
The situation is so sad and pathetic, but I just have to laugh. Due to the incompetence of the Bush Administration, the once effective and dependable agency is a shell of its former self. Although the news conference was an outrageous maneuver on their part, does it really even matter? What is FEMA going to do anyway? They are following the lead of the delusional President, so why not let the mentally unstable federal agency pat itself on the back for a job-not-done?
Honestly, I can't wait for January 2009. Not only will the nation breathe a collective sigh of relief, I'll have to see comedy writers actually work for a living, because the shit we see now just types itself.
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