When something being said gets my dander up, I retort, “You’re pushing my FEMA button.” Most folks who know the backstory get the message.
When Hurricane Hugo did devastating damage in South Carolina, then Sen. Ernest “Fritz” Hollings was very angry over the government’s slow response to the needs of his state. A red-faced Hollings told a group of reporters asking about the problem, “You’re pushing my FEMA button!”
This item from the Progress Report, Center for American Progress (1/29/08), is just one more example among thousands of the dismal failure and deceit of this administration:
KATRINA - FEMA SILENCED CONCERNS OVER SAFETY RISKS OF TOXIC TRAILERS: Democratic leaders of the House Subcommittee on Science and Technology released a study Monday that found FEMA "ignored, hid and manipulated government research on the potential impact of long-term exposure to formaldehyde" on Katrina and Rita victims now living in FEMA trailers. "The lawmakers said the Center for Disease Control’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry ignored one of its experts ... after he informed FEMA there was no 'safe level' of long-term exposure. They said FEMA bypassed that opinion and 'shopped' the agency for its desired recommendation to study only short-term exposure."
Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC), co-chairman of the subcommittee, said, "Honest scientific studies don't start with the conclusion, and then work backwards from there." Last year, a report found that 94 percent of the emergency housing trailers contained "hazardous levels of formaldehyde."
In November, it was reported that FEMA was prohibiting its staff from entering the trailers, even as 500,000 families were still living in them. –END-
And, from the same report:
“Some 9/11 responders (who were exposed to toxins after the EPA rulled the area ‘safe’) were on-hand … to listen to Bush's State of the Union. ‘I'm fed up with how we're treated,’ said Queens paramedic Marvin Bethea. Ground Zero volunteer John Feal added, ‘You got $3 billion a month to kill people; you got $3 billion a year for health care.’ "
This from agencies whose job it is to protect Americans. Where is the accountability? Where the heck is my FEMA button?
POSTSCRIPT:
How green is your candidate? Al Gore’s “Live Earth” recommends this excellent chart on where the top presidential candidates stand on renewable energy sources, environmental issues and global warming: LINK
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
posts library
-
▼
2008
(69)
-
▼
Jan
(24)
- 'Pushing my FEMA button'
- A billion here, a billion there
- Up close & personal
- 'The medium is the message'
- 'Paper of record' picks Hillary
- 'Suffer the little children ...'
- No title
- A hobbit speaks
- Dum, de dum dum, driftwood!
- Eye on Wall Street
- 365 days to go!
- McCain no shoo-in
- South Carolina GOP primary
- 'A prince and a great man'
- The Dickens eagle
- 'Stop all the clocks'
- AT&T ripoff
- Matthews blames 'racists'
- BACKLASH!
- 'Brave New World'
- Dueling debates
- The audacity of hoke
- The privilege is ours
- Touch and go
-
▼
Jan
(24)
dreams
A warm welcome to the naturally curious, the politically engaged and constant learners. I am a retired newspaper editor with a fickle foe, retinitis pigmentosa, or RP. While my sense of sight is waning, my "vision" is not, and, by God, I can still see my dreams!
simply ...
- B.J.
- South Carolina, United States
- constant learner
traffic reports
fair use notice
This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material available in an effort to advance understanding of current issues. I believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
2 comments:
Thank you for this information, as I too may need a kit!
I noticed an article on www.time.com today--it was on my homepage, entitled Bill Clinton Get Out of the Way, that you may like to read. It is written by someone who really thinks Clinton's chances are being seriously hampered by her husband, and including her husband as part of the "team." The writer seems to notice a clear line of demarcation in Clinton's campaigning that may or not be fair to her success. Interesting to read. E
Eowyn, I couldn’t help but think of you last night, and the fact you don’t own a TV. I hope there was some outlet, via the Web maybe, which allowed you to participate in the debate last night. If not, I can tell you the winner: the Democratic Party!
All of the spouses have been involved in their mates’ campaigns. Seantor Clinton’s just happens to be a former president. Hillary and Barack both agreed last night that their spouses are “passionate.” Hillary stated she was “running on my own merits.”
The debate was substantive and civil, putting the debaters of the previous night to shame.
The last question to each of the candidates was whether either would consider being part of “a dream ticket.” The picture they presented last night was exactly that. Many moons ago, I stated on this blos that a Clinton/Obama ticket would be “my dream team.” What America saw last night was that either ticket would be perfect to meet the needs of this country!
Thanks for alerting me to the article. I have had the good fortune – and the time - to fact-check all of the out-of-context snippets attributed to Bill. He is definitely passionate, but I believe he has now been advised to mellow out. We’ll see, LOL.
One thing more, I have a friend who says her Arkansas father-in-law is “voting for Hillary so Bill can be president again.” Frankly, I find that offensive. Hillary Clinton is qualified to handle the presidency as she put it, “on her own merits.”
BJ
Post a Comment