On 2/13/08 2:02 AM, in article Xns9A43AB6C4E65bat222@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
"tango"
<tango@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> Only one standard should be used for hiring and that is the most
> qualified and the person with the right temperament for that job. Many
> politicians have lower standards for blacks than whites while lecturing
> people on equality and race.
Well stated but you would have more luck catching white rabbits running
around with a clock around their necks. By the nature of Politics and
politicians just about any motive or intention is suspect. Talent and
ability seldom, I fear, has much to do with it, all be it I'm sure there
are
exceptions, but decisions and hiring's are done to reward others for
actions
they took on behalf of the campaign or to get the person elected. Other
times I can envision that the hiring is a preemptive action on behalf of a
candidate to solidify a base or group that they feel they will need in the
future.
Thankfully even with, less than admirable, motivations or intentions there
are some decent and qualified people that find their way into the system
and
do a good job. Then there are individuals, like Bush's selection for
FEMA,
that by virtue of fate or happenstance find themselves in critical
situations that calls for talent and abilities and that's when the favors
and paybacks have disastrous consequences. Katrina was massive and there
is
no shortage of failures on every level of Government, yes, including
President Bush. Bush's failures though were exacerbated in those
individuals he chose to lead but were so inept and lost that they never
could have done well, even by accident. Worse yet was Bush's
proclamation,
on network TV, that they were doing such a good job. That alone showed
how
removed from reality he was but to totally blame Bush I feel is also wrong
as many had expectations, of him and his position, that was un-realistic.
Yes he failed but I feel more in who he appointed to positions of
responsibility long before the winds ever consolidated into a hurricane.
Individual failures like with the Mayor and the Governor as well as the
Louisiana legislature and organizations set up to respond to such an event
made for a total calamity.
The fact that Government shouldn't be relied on to fix it is even
highlighted today by the millions of dollars that still haven't gotten to
the affected people and the other millions that were stolen, looted, lost,
and otherwise not used. People have to have some self reliance and the
desire to pick their bootstraps up and take the initiative themselves like
those in other parts of the country and the way they respond to natural
disasters. Katrina, if nothing else, should serve as a handbook of what
not
to do. Given the corruption that followed and is still there now hope is
one remaining casualty of that disaster that will live on for years to
come.
On a side note people are still dying, today, from Katrina but no one
wants
to talk about it. Thugs and downright nasty people that left New Orleans
due to the damage and flooding and relocated to various parts of the
country, Atlanta included, are continuing their lives of crime and
debauchery and many innocent lives are still being lost only they are
never
attributed to Katrina. At the end of last year a young girl, 4 years old,
died of a gunshot wound from a home invasion involving a gang member that
came from New Orleans after Katrina. Another 25 year old man was gunned
down while driving in Downtown Atlanta just for "target practice" using a
high powered sniper rifle by another former New Orleans gang member
(thug).
Last mentioned here but not last by any means another 33 year old man
murdered in front of a night club, the hit set up from Atlanta Fulton
County
Jail, due to this man testifying against a former New Orleans gang member
that came to Atlanta after Katrina. Yes lives are still being lost to
Katrina or on account of Katrina only you will never see those figures
re****ted against the storm.
Sorry, I'm off the topic again and on another rabbit trail but it goes
back
to people that were appointed or hired into jobs that they were never
qualified for, such as "Brownie" with FEMA.
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