Rev. Erudite Redneck, B.S., B.S., M.A., M.Div.

Apparently Big Gov'ment can be too big? I'm pleasantly surprised to see you take up a position in favor of states' rights. Maybe there's hope for you after all.
 

Well, it's just "the government," it's the military, which acts outside normal systems of jurisprudence and politics. So, it's not a question of bigness to me at all; it's a question of function. And the United States military has no business functioning as first responders in a natural disaster.

--ER
 

One other point: I am all for streamlining government at all levels. "Bigness" is a ruse the right uses to scare people, IMHO. It's what should be DONE with government, not its size, that gets me riled. ON the other hand, I'm not talking about "efficiency" in the sense that business people talk about. The government is NOT a business, it should not be RUN like a business -- and it should not be held to a business standard.

--ER
 

Now here is a subject that gets the NRA and the ACLU on the same page but fast. When I heard G.W. saying this this morning I couldn't believe my ears, has the man gone bonkers.
Not everything in the world is a dichotomy. This is not a right or left, or conservative or liberal issue. This is a basic biological territorial imperative issue raise to the level of politics of the absurb. Once upon a time I was Regular Army, and I sure as hell don't trust U.S. Army to be in total control of anything. Now this administration screwd up FEMA (an agency that worked mighty fine for us here in Oklahoma during the bombing and tornadoes aftermath), Then it screwed up the Homeland Security Department that took over FEMA's responsibility, and now they want to compound their mistakes by givinig our "Volunteer" Military which reports directly to Donald Rumsfeld and to the Commander in Chief GW Bush power over local elected officials.
It is the Hessens and King George W. all over again. Over 7% of the U.S. Army, that's over 30,000 troops, today are NOT AMERICAN Citizens. Some of these non-citizens have been paid up to $90,000 in enlistment bonuses. (Say what is the definition of "mercenary"?)
ER is right, I don't want Federal troops on my street unless we are fighting World War III there. I have always contended that this president was not really a Republican. If this doesn't prove it I don't know what will.
 

But Bush ain't a Dem either. He is neither conservative nor liberal -- not hot or cold -- which is why we the body politick should spew him out of our collective electoral mouth.

(Now THERES's a metaphor.)

--ER
 

BTW, up there I meant "it's NOT just the government" in reference to the military.

--ER
 

It doesn't exactly "freak me out" as you say, but it does trouble me that Bush would even entertain such an idea, in the light of the recent response to Hurricane Katrina.

The federal government made mistakes so his answer is MORE federal government control? Makes no sense to me.
 

Well, it SHOULD freak you out. YOUR president is REDRAWING the lines of what "conservative" and "liberal" mean in this country. Or he's erasing them.

--ER
 

In a more rational, but less satifying, tone, I guess what I should be saying is that the Federal Government has all of the agencies and laws it could possibly need to get the job done in any catastrophy. It doesn't need any new stuff, it needs the leadership, intelligence, and basic cajones to use the things it has, correctly. It is a basic reality that everytime we get a new presidental administration in D.C. we are buying a pig in a poke. So it turns out this one is a bummer, and the next one, and the next one, etc. may be also. But we don't throw away our freedoms or screw with the constitution just because every four to eight years we may make a bad deal, and they can't handle the job.
 

well, maybe I am freaked out to a point. It's just that term invokes in me images of irrational reaction. I think i need to retain my rational thought to accurately assess the situation.

Perhaps the line between Conservatism and Liberalism should be blurred somewhat as long as it means we are coming together in agreement and not just redefining the terms.
 

Hell, Ya’ll might as well give up. He’ll not be happy until a (D) is making all the mistakes. The rules are already set as soon as FEMA takes over.
What is the real function of FEMA?
Many people believe, unfortunately, that the major role of FEMA is to provide relief to the victims of catastrophe and natural disasters. This is not true. The primary purpose for the existence of FEMA, and the reason it was granted cabinet-level status is for something called Continuity of Government, or COG. Much of FEMA’s structure is dedicated to the purpose of COG and not to provide relief for disaster victims. In sort, FEMA exists for the benefit of the government and not for anyone else.
In an acute national emergency (Whether genuine or fabricated) FEMA is empowered to confiscate any and all private property, food, medical supplies, personal vehicles and firearms. Staff members have the authority to relocate “civilians” (note you are no longer a citizen) to detention centers and forced labor camps.
FEMA has already divided the United States into 10 autonomous regions to be run by FEMA with total dictatorial power with no regard to the Constitution or Bill of Rights.
All that is required for this nightmare to happen is for martial law to be declared. And that is but a signature away.
While the pictures of destruction in wake of Katrina and Rita are truly tragic, this cannot be used as a pretext to grant more money and power to FEMA. As already shown, FEMA does not exist to dole out warm milk and cookies to the victims of disasters.
 

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
 

Say what you mean without attacking me personally.

--ER
 

I'll save you the trouble.

Anon claimed that I would support the president in this if he were a Dem.

Bull.

What Anon doesn't know about politics and government is a lot.

This, as DrLoboJo pointed out, goes way beyond politics. There are fundamental reasons the military is kept on a choke-chain when it comes to domestic problems.

Anon should read some history -- and, actually, should become a little more familiar with the multilayered and complex -- nay, genius -- mind behind the Erudite Redneck (just kidding) before h/she casts such aspersions.

Oh, I hate to resort to this Anon, but what are your degrees in? I am pulling the academic card. What is your expertise?

Mine is political science, economics, journalism and history (Southern, Western and American Indian). What are you good at?

Not that you have to have special learning to discuss politics and government; some of the best regular commenters here have learned as they've gone along, as is the duty, in some ways, of every thinking American. This anon has showed weakness on some basics often enough for me to demand credentials. Your card, Sir! (Or Ma'am!)

If this comment actually posts, it will be the first in three. Blogger has eaten two extremely well-thought-out and articulate comments of mine today.

--ER
 

That's why my comment was posted twice. And I replied that the Big Government server that watches us all was locking me out. And it did it again, You too, I see. I don't know about you but I'm burning my computer and buying a new one before the "G" men get here.
My credentials:
Quit school 9th grade, couldn’t make above a D.
Just drift around make money anyway I can.
Must be doing something right, only work when I want to.
I’m kind of like George Bush, Jack of all trades.
Boy, I’ll bet your head is big now. You’ve really put me in my place.
 

The size of my head has nothing to do with you.

Your response, though, does shed some light. You apparently never learned how to express yourself without being a jerk. I, at least, have to be provoked to it.

Far be it from me to pick on someone who actually works for a living. I most certainly do not, although I have.

It's automatic assholes I have lost all patience for.

--ER
 

And your damn place is here, contributing -- if you'll just quit being a jerk!

--ER
 

It seems that if I disagree with you then I’m attacking you personally. You attack George Bush personally nearly every day. Sorry if I hit to close to home.
I see the world as it is, not as I want it to be.
 

ER, sounds like the dander is up.
(what the hell does "he got his dander up" literally mean anyway?)
Anon got it some right and some not so right.
FEMA is indeed the government of last resort, with its own deep bunkers and miltary arms caches, hospitals etc.( I spent a lot of years looking out my window at the grass covering the Oklahoma FEMA bunker just North of the Oklahoma State Capitol) If the Yellowstone Caldera explodes tonight and the President and the total Cabinet happen to be having a meeting at the Old Faithful Inn, then FEMA becomes the Big Ten Governments of the U.S.A.. FEMA and the proto-FEMAs (The Civil Defense Agency for example) were products of the effects of the cold war and the mentality that we could ALL die in a flicker of nuclear stupidity. But FEMA is still needed as a 'Government of Last Resort' even today (especially today).
BUT, that is not all that it is or was intended to be. It does serve the function of disaster relief on the smaller scale as well, just like its predecessor, the Civil Denfense Agency did. At least is was suppose to serve that function.
Will FEMA simply take over the Nation some day on a whim of the President? Not if they keep putting the Mike Browns of world in charge of it.
Will FEMA save us from a Nation wide Ebola attack by segregating the infected from the non-infected by force of arms and then isolating the infected "civilians" until they die? Not if they keep putting the Mike Browns in charge.
My fear is not that FEMA will work, my fear is that FEMA didn't worked this time. Next time, what if it is Small Pox rather than a hurricane? What difference will four days make?
Why would an functioning civilian based FEMA be better than the military? Cause that's the way we decided over and over again, for the last two hundred plus years that we wanted it to work.
 

The 5:42 post is mine. Don't why the name doesn't always come through.
 

Please note, this is kiki's paranoia speaking:

Wouldn't putting the DoD in charge after domestic disasters pretty much be the same thing as declaring martial law, only without the declaration? Seems to me that there's so little order after catastrophic events that whoever is in charge is the law.
 

Kiki: Yes. That's the point, aside from the law and history.

Sigh. Final message to the assanon:

1. There apparently, as usual, are two if not more anonymi on this thread. The one that talked haflway intelligentlly about FEMA is not the one that has my dander up.

It's the one that started out -- and this is all I deleted -- "are you pickled on Dickle (sic) or ..."

Bite my redneck butt. I have zero tolerance because I know it's the same asshole who always starts out with a personal insult. Dude (or dudette): Your days here are over. I simply cannot respond to crap like that without immediately sinking to your level.

And it's by God not because I disagree with you. Ask damn near anybody who comes around here.

2. George W. Bush is mine to dismiss, disregard, insult, and otherwise abuse. He is the ultimate public figure. I can bash him, be so angry at him that all I do is rant, insult his haughty, elite mama or anything else. He is the president. I am a citizen.

You are a non-entity who insists on posting insulting drivel, directed at me -- and I am NOT the president, or public official or figure -- and insisting that you be taken seriously and given free rein. No. No mas.

You remember the Ronald Reagan Doormat that so pissed you off awhile back? I have every right to wave it, post it, flaunt it or otherwise show it off. He is not JUST "a dead man," as you put it. He is the embodiment of so much of what is wrong with this country to this day that I can't even articulate it without bordering on a stroke.

Like or lump it as Mama ER says. ... No, lump it. You've pissed away your welcome. So stay TF away.

--ER
 

I've kept silent and not critized the mistakes made or critized the critizers. I'm gonna say my peace now:

Heres how I see it. People were in trouble and we needed to get them help at the time but, as usual we had to start pointing fingers before we had the problem solved of getting them out of there. Were just like a bunch a kids and need to grow up a little. Those cable reporters need a belt took to em sometimes for gettin this finger pointin started everytime something don't go like they say it should. We ought to be big enough to tell em to shut up till they get their facts straight. They did show what was going on and I praise em for that though. They just need to report though not point.

There is plenty of "blame" to go around.
The most blame goes to the government agencies in Lousiana. FEMA has their share to, but the corrupt government officials in that state have the most to account for.

Everyone hollared cause the feds weren't in there sooner(i like that word) well legally the military couldn't go in without Gov. approval. That came way too late and 24 hrs after they wanted to come because she "had to get back with them".

Come on now the very people hollarin about the DOD taking care of this are ones that tried and convicted the President because he didn't have them there right off the bat. Don't get me wrong we don't need the military as the first responders, but remember everyone was a bitchen cause they didn't respond first to start with.

I think the mayor of New Orleans is way in over his head he didn't have clue before and he don't have clue now.

Mr. Brown with FEMA had to go and rightly so. But I got a sneakin suspicion he thought Louisiana knew what they were doin to and didn't realize they were clueless. Something happened cause they handled Florida alright before. But he was responsible for making sure and he didn't do it.

No we don;t need or want the military as our first response other than being attacked. I hope maybe the president is throwing this thought around to make people think "watch out what you ask for, you might just get it"

God needs to help us quit griping and realize that we make mistakes and to have little mercy toward each other. He especially needs to help us have mercy on us for letting people live in danged hole near the ocean and not providing a way out for them before a hurricane hits.

Thats my point of view, take or leave it, but its still mine.
 

Wait just a long-eared minute here...

I thought that the main criticism from the Left of the President in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was that he didn't do enough, soon enough.

Well, he could not legally do any more than he did.

So now, when he proposes a way to do more, earlier, he is criticized for over stepping his bounds, and putting the Military in charge of disasters.

What would the President have to do to satisfy you guys on the Left? (Short of dropping dead?)
(Even then, he would be criticized for leaving Dick "Haliburton" Cheyney as President...)
 

Kris, good food for thought.

Tug, I don't know or care what "the Left" criticized the president for. In this post, I'm talking about a specific danger and a precedent that neither left nor right would want to see, if either side thought about it.

Anybody who just automatically rushes to defend Bush without thought is doing much, much more than I ever did with Clinton. And anybody who rushes, without thought, to attack Bush automaticaslly is doing more than I ever have.

I would expect a Southern boy to have more respect for the spirit behind the Posse Comitatus Act. Could it be that even conservative Southerners really don't fear an overpowerful federal government as much as they fear a powerful government in the hands of the party they don't support? But if it's THEIR man, all is well and good?

Pshaw. I am on the president's butt over this in his role as president, not leader of the Republican Party. I have set off my partisan glasses in the same way you did over your Able Danger concerns. I challenge you to do the same here.

--ER
 

Hey Tug, I liked that "long eared minute" bit. Keep them coming. You are absolutely right, there is nothing this president can do that would please us "liberals". But durn it, does he have to go out of his way to irritate us? I sure as hell don't want him to die and leave Cheyney in charge. Cheyney might die and then Hastard would be president, then the Senate would pick the vice president and they would probably choose Frisk.
Say, maybe Bush ain't that sorry after all.
By the way there was a time about a decade ago when Haliburton was a respected and cherished name in these parts. Headquartered in Duncan, Oklahoma it was a different animal than what it grew into after Uncle Dick moved it down to Houston. But I digress...
 

As have I.

I don't like Government grabbing the power to insert troops on American soil whenever they want any more than you do.

But my point was, It seems to me that this is what the Left clammored for, whether they realized they were doing it or not.

They were so eager to point out a percieved failing of the President, that they failed to realize what their criticism would logically lead to, which is what this is.

That is my problem with the Left in general. They usually fail to think their proposals and demands out to their logical conclusions.

Instant gratification usually leads to long term misery.
 

Oh and by the way, Haliburton is not the evil boogey man that people have made them out to be either.

There is not another company in the world that can and will do what Haliburton does, and that is why they get no-bid contracts.

There is nobody else to bid against them.
 

And if I was President Bush, At this point, I would not care one whit what you guys wanted.

I would do whatever I dad-gum well pleased, and just let you all scream about it.

You are not interested in working with him, and he is not running for re-election. Why should he care what you think?
 

Hey Tug, if I thought there was a snow balls chance that any president of the United States would care what "I Thought", I sure as the devil would be writing them these little jewels of wisdom rather than spending them on ER's blog.
 

Or-how 'bout this?:
If they at least wanted to appear that they cared,as opposed to being interested in scoring political points, maybe the administration would find some middle ground between the pointless dundering and cronyism that made the last hurricane worse than it should have been and the martial law that will not call itself that option espoused here.
I mean, I'd even trust them as Politicians (which is to say a great deal) if they didn't always operate at such silly, deadly extremes.
Sorry. These people don't care about me, or the conservative rank and file, or anyone, it seems. What they actually do care about is entirely unclear to me.
 

For the record:
The anon on FEMA and "The Jerk" are one and the same. I reply with facts and figures. After “The Press” does what the press always does i.e. dismiss the truth in order to have their way I turn “The Jerk” loose. ER is much more entertaining when he’s out of control.
 

Hope you enjoyed it.

--ER