Posted on 10/20/2005 5:30:30 PM PDT by ovrtaxt
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush delivered a stern message to Congress on Wednesday: State and local officials, not the federal government or the U.S. military, should have the primary responsibility for handling natural disasters.
President Bush and other top officials have suggested that the military could take over disaster response in some cases.
But Gov. Bush, along with Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, told the House Homeland Security Committee that despite many failures at all levels of government during Hurricane Katrina, an increased federal role was not the solution, the Miami Herald reports.
"I can say with certainty that federalizing emergency response to catastrophic events would be a disaster as bad as Hurricane Katrina,” Bush told the committee.
"If you federalize, all the innovation, creativity and knowledge at the local level would subside.”
Although Bush said that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had done a good job coordinating the immediate response when four hurricanes hit Florida last year, he criticized FEMA’s actions during recovery.
He cited the agency’s "bureaucratic slowness” in securing long-term housing and loans, debris removal and reimbursement.
Said Bush: "FEMA’s logistics program is broken and needs to be fixed.”
Brown certainly did a stand up job during last year's hurricanes.
This is a total slap at the Louisiana Democrats. I love it!
ping!
I better not hear any talk about sending relief $$$$$ to Mexico....
(hunkering down in SoFla)
I happen to think that Governor Bush is right. Can't depend on the federal government for everything. In fact, except for the military, I kinda think that we're all better off looking to charities if we need to, or better yet, take care of ourselves. We shouldn't be relying on everyone else to keep ourselves safe.
Clintonh8r and everyone else in the path of Wilma: May God keep you and yours safe. Good luck.
Jeb has taken a couple of jabs at Nagin/Blanko lately. It's great.
I'm sure Jeb hastened to add that this principle only applies to disaster relief. Other efforts such as, say, education spending and prescription drug coverage, are much better handled at the federal level.
Right?
GO JEB! I'm so glad he's our governor.
The other day the governor of SC was asked about his hurricane preparations- what things does he do first and he answered "Call Jeb".
Riiiiiiiiiiight. ;^p
The adults are in charge this time. In Louisiana, the children in charge were clueless.
In that case, I won't ping you when the inevitable happens.
(hunkering down in SoFla)
Stay safe.
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