"The Badge & Gun Crew"

Now most of the HPI folks know that I used to live in DC and, for a time, was actually a government contractor, so I happen to know (or have known) a lot of folks at on The Hill and throughout the various acronym agencies. NRC GSA CIA FBI DOJ GSA DOD FEMA BLAH BLAH BLAH... I've known folks. Point is a good buddy who works at FEMA called me the other day to discuss the whole Katrina thing, and here is what he said:

Most suprisingly: he LIKED Michael Brown. Said he was a good dude who, unlike others, listened and was interested and it was tough to watch him be villified

Joe Allbaugh: my buddy's exact words? "A-hole"

The biggest problem was putting FEMA in the Department of 'Homeland' Security (DHS): FEMA folks refer to DHS as the 'Badge & Gun Crew"

The 'Badge & Gun Crew' Couldn't have cared less about 'Natural Disasters' ONLY Terrorism: took FEMA's resources and then actively ignored natural disasters

6 Weeks ago when FEMA wanted to plan a Government-wide preparedness drill around a Hurricane other agencies said they would NOT participate

Knew things were bad when the Daily Show did their 'Meet the F**kers' segment

There are goverment folks still MIA in the Gulf Region... goverment just not functioning

This was NOT 100% FEMA's fault: yes, 'lukewarm' response from Feds, but they were bound by what local and state governments were doing - they can't just step in and take over

Whole disaster proves you CAN NOT 'Privitize' Disaster Response

Lots of other goodies to share when next we meet!