Polimom’s shocked – just shocked to discover the White House thinks the Katrina response was inadequate:
Townsend’s review cites failures at a half-dozen federal agencies, and singles out Homeland Security in particular for lacking fast communication with emergency responders and the public, and an inadequate system for stockpiling supplies before a disaster hits.
Nope. Nothing new there. However, this is somewhat puzzling:
The White House report also found “significant flaws” in the national response plan the Department of Homeland Security issued last year that serves as a blueprint for action the government is supposed to follow during emergencies.
And it called for establishing a National Operations Center to coordinate disaster response at all levels of government for future crises.
I’m getting all tangled up, now, in this bureaucratic snarl. If we need a “National Operations Center” (NOC) to “coordinate disaster response”, then what is it that DHS is supposed to be doing? Or would it be better to ask that question about FEMA?
Would this NOC sit at the top of the current food chain? In the middle? On the side? Would it replace something?
Just how big do you suppose this government can get, anyway? Looks like we’re gonna find out! (And this is a Republican administration????)
Of course the bureaucracy’s solution will always be more bureaucracy. Congress is talking about fixing the Corps of Engineers by adding another layer of review to their projects–this one by the National Academies of Engineering. At what point are we just going to let the engineers do their jobs and get Congress, the President and all the bureaucrats out of the way??? Sorry, but I’m an engineer and this topic hits close to home for me.
On a happier note, congrats on the new blog! I like what you’ve done with the place. It’s really nice.
Peace,
Tim