Where Bush's culpability lies
This is what Robert Novak, an independent-minded but dyed-in-the-wool conservative commentator, had to say about the federal responsibilities on the Katrina disaster. It strikes me as a very fair and credible summary: http://www.townhall.com/columnists/robertnovak/printrn20050908.shtml
However, Novak does not notice one thing. This was not just any other governmental appointment. The Department of Homeland Security was Bush's own Big Idea, his gift to the nation. It was necessary, given that the US did not until then really have anything comparable to the Ministries of the Interior or Home Offices of other countries. And it was intended to deal with such present and major concernes as terrorism, international crime and natural disasters. So why did Bush nominate a couple of totally unqualified individuals such as Chertoff and Brown to run his own baby? Dammit, just as you are beginning to convince yourself that this President really has been as "misunderestimated" as he claims, he goes and does something so careless, amateurish, pointlessly stupid, as to nominate a totally unqualified person to run his own pet project.
EDIT:![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
patchworkmind pointed out to me that the Department of Homeland Security was not, in fact, Bush's idea, and that he resisted pressure from Congress for a while before giving in and setting up the post. This explains, at least, his apparently thinking so little of the post as to nominate an unqualified lawyer.
However, Novak does not notice one thing. This was not just any other governmental appointment. The Department of Homeland Security was Bush's own Big Idea, his gift to the nation. It was necessary, given that the US did not until then really have anything comparable to the Ministries of the Interior or Home Offices of other countries. And it was intended to deal with such present and major concernes as terrorism, international crime and natural disasters. So why did Bush nominate a couple of totally unqualified individuals such as Chertoff and Brown to run his own baby? Dammit, just as you are beginning to convince yourself that this President really has been as "misunderestimated" as he claims, he goes and does something so careless, amateurish, pointlessly stupid, as to nominate a totally unqualified person to run his own pet project.
EDIT:
patchworkmind pointed out to me that the Department of Homeland Security was not, in fact, Bush's idea, and that he resisted pressure from Congress for a while before giving in and setting up the post. This explains, at least, his apparently thinking so little of the post as to nominate an unqualified lawyer.