Michael Moore's Letter

[Brenda Starrr]

To All My Fellow Americans Who Voted for George W. Bush:

On this, the fourth anniversary of 9/11, I'm just curious, how does it feel?

How does it feel to know that the man you elected to lead us after we were attacked went ahead and put a guy in charge of FEMA whose main qualification was that he ran horse shows?

That's right. Horse shows.

I really want to know -- and I ask you this in all sincerity and with all due respect -- how do you feel about the utter contempt Mr. Bush has shown for your safety? C'mon, give me just a moment of honesty. Don't start ranting on about how this disaster in New Orleans was the fault of one of the poorest cities in America. Put aside your hatred of Democrats and liberals and anyone with the last name of Clinton. Just look me in the eye and tell me our President did the right thing after 9/11 by naming a horse show runner as the top man to protect us in case of an emergency or catastrophe.

I want you to put aside your self-affixed label of Republican/conservative/born-again/capitalist/ditto-head/right-winger and just talk to me as an American, on the common ground we both call America.

Are we safer now than before 9/11? When you learn that behind the horse show runner, the ..2 and ..3 men in charge of emergency preparedness have zero experience in emergency preparedness, do you think we are safer?

When you look at Michael Chertoff, the head of Homeland Security, a man with little experience in national security, do you feel secure?

When men who never served in the military and have never seen young men die in battle send our young people off to war, do you think they know how to conduct a war? Do they know what it means to have your legs blown off for a threat that was never there?

Do you really believe that turning over important government services to private corporations has resulted in better services for the people?

Why do you hate our federal government so much? You have voted for politicians for the past 25 years whose main goal has been to de-fund the federal government. Do you think that cutting federal programs like FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers has been good or bad for America? GOOD OR BAD?

With the nation's debt at an all-time high, do you think tax cuts for the rich are still a good idea? Will you give yours back so hundreds of thousands of homeless in New Orleans can have a home?

Do you believe in Jesus? Really? Didn't he say that we would be judged by how we treat the least among us? Hurricane Katrina came in and blew off the facade that we were a nation with liberty and justice for all. The wind howled and the water rose and what was revealed was that the poor in America shall be left to suffer and die while the President of the United States fiddles and tells them to eat cake.

That's not a joke. The day the hurricane hit and the levees broke, Mr. Bush, John McCain and their rich pals were stuffing themselves with cake. A full day after the levees broke (the same levees whose repair funding he had cut), Mr. Bush was playing a guitar some country singer gave him. All this while New Orleans sank under water.

It would take ANOTHER day before the President would do a flyover in his jumbo jet, peeking out the widow at the misery 2500 feet below him as he flew back to his second home in DC. It would then be TWO MORE DAYS before a trickle of federal aid and troops would arrive. This was no seven minutes in a sitting trance while children read "My Pet Goat" to him. This was FOUR DAYS of doing nothing other than saying "Brownie (FEMA director Michael Brown), you're doing a heck of a job!"

My Republican friends, does it bother you that we are the laughing stock of the world?

And on this sacred day of remembrance, do you think we honor or shame those who died on 9/11/01? If we learned nothing and find ourselves today every bit as vulnerable and unprepared as we were on that bright sunny morning, then did the 3,000 die in vain?

Our vulnerability is not just about dealing with terrorists or natural disasters. We are vulnerable and unsafe because we allow one in eight Americans to live in horrible poverty. We accept an education system where one in six children never graduate and most of those who do can't string a coherent sentence together. The middle class can't pay the mortgage or the hospital bills and 45 million have no health coverage whatsoever.

Are we safe? Do you really feel safe? You can only move so far out and build so many gated communities before the fruit of what you've sown will be crashing through your walls and demanding retribution. Do you really want to wait until that happens? Or is it your hope that if they are left alone long enough to soil themselves and shoot themselves and drown in the filth that fills the street that maybe the problem will somehow go away?

I know you know better. You gave the country and the world a man who wasn't up for the job and all he does is hire people who aren't up for the job. You did this to us, to the world, to the people of New Orleans. Please fix it. Bush is yours. And you know, for our peace and safety and security, this has to be fixed. What do you propose?

I have an idea, and it isn't a horse show.

Yours,

Michael Moore

www.michaelmoore.com

mmflint@aol.com

[phee]

Once again... interesting whether you hate the man or not.

[Brenda Starrr]

Yup.

[Marblez]

More brainwashing spin-doctor propaganda from an overbearing, ego maniacal, whiny-crybaby, political instigator.

[Msterbeau]

More brainwashing spin-doctor propaganda from an overbearing, ego maniacal whiny crybaby political antagonist.

Don't shoot the messenger Marblez. Whether you like Moore or not, it's easy enough to find evidence that the FEMA director and others mentioned clearly did NOT have the proper qualifications to do the job they were given. Both Republicans and Democrats have been guilty of this to some degree in the past but this is a case where the implications border on the criminal.

Here's a quote from Trent Lott, of all people: “Michael Brown has been acting like a private, instead of a general,”

There is clear evidence that he couldn't even handle the horse show business, coroborated by people who were part of the organization. They called him a "fucking disaster" and that he left the organization in financial ruin.

Sounds like just the guy to be in charge of disasters to me.... :doh

[Steven]

Let's let Saint Michael give is "idea", since he has one.

All things will spin. Especially now. Michael Moore is always at his best, when disaster strikes. Let's let him take office, pick up a weapon, rally the troops, administor foreign policy, etc. etc. etc.

As a messanger, Michael Moore is no more forthwith than any of them, including our career politicians. He slants, leaves out portions of information, seizes the momentum when the people are down to fan the flames, and does all of it with an air of arrogance.... only Michael seems to know whats best for America.

In my opinion, he does far more damage then he does good.

[Marblez]

it's easy enough to find evidence that the FEMA director and others mentioned clearly did NOT have the proper qualifications to do the job they were given.  Both Republicans and Democrats have been guilty of this to some degree in the past but this is a case where the implications border on the criminal. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I fail to see how it borders on the criminal. Honestly. Not that my source is going to be completely unbiased, but I am sure it isn't all a figment od GW's overactive imagination.

Perhaps Michael Moore really meant to say the following as well, excerpted from FEMA's website:

"{michael} Brown has led Homeland Security’s response to more than 164 presidentially declared disasters and emergencies, including the 2003 Columbia Shuttle disaster and the California wildfires in 2003. In 2004, Mr. Brown led FEMA’s thousands of dedicated disaster workers during the most active hurricane season in over 100 years, as FEMA delivered aid more quickly and more efficiently than ever before.

Previously, Mr. Brown served as FEMA's Deputy Director and the agency's General Counsel. Shortly after the September 11th terrorist attacks, Mr. Brown served on the President's Consequence Management Principal's Committee, which acted as the White House's policy coordination group for the federal domestic response to the attacks. Later, the President asked him to head the Consequence Management Working Group to identify and resolve key issues regarding the federal response plan. In August 2002, President Bush appointed him to the Transition Planning Office for the new Department of Homeland Security, serving as the transition leader for the EP&R Division.

Prior to joining FEMA, Mr. Brown practiced law in Colorado and Oklahoma, where he served as a bar examiner on ethics and professional responsibility for the Oklahoma Supreme Court and as a hearing examiner for the Colorado Supreme Court. He had been appointed as a special prosecutor in police disciplinary matters. While attending law school he was appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee of the Oklahoma Legislature as the Finance Committee Staff Director, where he oversaw state fiscal issues. His background in state and local government also includes serving as an assistant city manager with emergency services oversight and as a city councilman.

Mr. Brown was also an adjunct professor of law for the Oklahoma City University.

A native of Oklahoma, Mr. Brown holds a bachelor's degree in Public Administration/Political Science from Central State University, Oklahoma. He received his J.D. from Oklahoma City University’s School of Law. "

[Marblez]

Here's a quote from Trent Lott, of all people: “Michael Brown has been acting like a private, instead of a general,”

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Shocking that that would come from a Mississippi Senator, isn't it?

[The_Dark]

Why do people even pay attention to Moore anymore? His "letters" and other public statements are based on half-truths at best. Yet, so many people just buy into what he says as if he actually knew what truth was. Come on people, Fact Checking a Liberal will not hurt you.

[DarkVampire]

Blah blah blah. Let me know when Moore has something worth listening to.

[Msterbeau]

I fail to see how it borders on the criminal. Honestly. Not that my source is going to be completely unbiased, but I am sure it isn't all a figment od GW's overactive imagination.

Perhaps Michael Moore really meant to say the following as well, excerpted from FEMA's website:

"{michael} Brown has led Homeland Security’s response to more than 164 presidentially declared disasters and emergencies, including the 2003 Columbia Shuttle disaster and the California wildfires in 2003. In 2004, Mr. Brown led FEMA’s thousands of dedicated disaster workers during the most active hurricane season in over 100 years, as FEMA delivered aid more quickly and more efficiently than ever before.

Previously, Mr. Brown served as FEMA's Deputy Director and the agency's General Counsel. Shortly after the September 11th terrorist attacks, Mr. Brown served on the President's Consequence Management Principal's Committee, which acted as the White House's policy coordination group for the federal domestic response to the attacks. Later, the President asked him to head the Consequence Management Working Group to identify and resolve key issues regarding the federal response plan. In August 2002, President Bush appointed him to the Transition Planning Office for the new Department of Homeland Security, serving as the transition leader for the EP&R Division.

Prior to joining FEMA, Mr. Brown practiced law in Colorado and Oklahoma, where he served as a bar examiner on ethics and professional responsibility for the Oklahoma Supreme Court and as a hearing examiner for the Colorado Supreme Court. He had been appointed as a special prosecutor in police disciplinary matters. While attending law school he was appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee of the Oklahoma Legislature as the Finance Committee Staff Director, where he oversaw state fiscal issues. His background in state and local government also includes serving as an assistant city manager with emergency services oversight and as a city councilman.

Mr. Brown was also an adjunct professor of law for the Oklahoma City University.

A native of Oklahoma, Mr. Brown holds a bachelor's degree in Public Administration/Political Science from Central State University, Oklahoma. He received his J.D. from Oklahoma City University’s School of Law. "

You've got to be kidding. Using the FEMA website as your source for objective info on it's director is like asking a tight-knit family member to describe another. They're going to put everything about that person in the best possible light... usually distorting the truth in the process.

Post something from an independent source, then I'll discuss it.

Dark: I did go and fact check. How do you think I found out that he was incompetent even at horse show promoting?

Derail Moore if you must, I could care less, but the vast majority of evidence says Michael Brown was completely unqualified for the position of FEMA director. Go ahead. Prove me wrong.

Yeah... He "lead" the response....... LOL!!!!!!!!

[Steven]

I fail to see how it borders on the criminal. Honestly. Not that my source is going to be completely unbiased, but I am sure it isn't all a figment od GW's overactive imagination.

Perhaps Michael Moore really meant to say the following as well, excerpted from FEMA's website:

"{michael} Brown has led Homeland Security’s response to more than 164 presidentially declared disasters and emergencies, including the 2003 Columbia Shuttle disaster and the California wildfires in 2003. In 2004, Mr. Brown led FEMA’s thousands of dedicated disaster workers during the most active hurricane season in over 100 years, as FEMA delivered aid more quickly and more efficiently than ever before.

Previously, Mr. Brown served as FEMA's Deputy Director and the agency's General Counsel. Shortly after the September 11th terrorist attacks, Mr. Brown served on the President's Consequence Management Principal's Committee, which acted as the White House's policy coordination group for the federal domestic response to the attacks. Later, the President asked him to head the Consequence Management Working Group to identify and resolve key issues regarding the federal response plan. In August 2002, President Bush appointed him to the Transition Planning Office for the new Department of Homeland Security, serving as the transition leader for the EP&R Division.

Prior to joining FEMA, Mr. Brown practiced law in Colorado and Oklahoma, where he served as a bar examiner on ethics and professional responsibility for the Oklahoma Supreme Court and as a hearing examiner for the Colorado Supreme Court. He had been appointed as a special prosecutor in police disciplinary matters. While attending law school he was appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee of the Oklahoma Legislature as the Finance Committee Staff Director, where he oversaw state fiscal issues. His background in state and local government also includes serving as an assistant city manager with emergency services oversight and as a city councilman.

Mr. Brown was also an adjunct professor of law for the Oklahoma City University.

A native of Oklahoma, Mr. Brown holds a bachelor's degree in Public Administration/Political Science from Central State University, Oklahoma. He received his J.D. from Oklahoma City University’s School of Law. "

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

this is exactly the kind of information Mr. Moore chooses to succicently omit in favor of an emotionally charged responsive slant. According to Michael Moore - Mr. Brown has all the professional credentials of a janitor.

[Homicidalheathen]

I didn't vote for Bush and voted but hated all of the choices both times. I don't know what to do.....not vote????

[Paper Hearts]

I want you to put aside your self-affixed label of Republican/conservative/born-again/capitalist/ditto-head/right-winger and just talk to me as an American, on the common ground we both call America.

Do you believe in Jesus? Really? Didn't he say that we would be judged by how we treat the least among us? Hurricane Katrina came in and blew off the facade that we were a nation with liberty and justice for all. The wind howled and the water rose and what was revealed was that the poor in America shall be left to suffer and die while the President of the United States fiddles and tells them to eat cake.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

These two paragraphs are interesting to me because lately I've been pondering how the party of the Christian right (the republicans) are such great Darwinists, in practice, where as the supposedly morally devoid parties (the left) are actually the parties of charity.

The republicans as capitalists, are all about survival of the fittest and that is Darwinism and also the opposite of what Christ was into. The Christan right would make perfect atheists.

The people that are framed as worldly (as if it were something bad), the left, actually believe in socialism which is a system of charity based on an idea brotherhood-this is Christ's message exactly. The "secular" party are more fit as the party of christianity.

[The_Dark]

Post something from an independent source, then I'll discuss it.

Thats so closed minded it sickens me. "I don't like your source, so even if they say the same thing as everyone else, I wont talk to you until you use another source." Yeah, ok.. thats so... spoiled rotten child of you...

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/07/national...al/07brown.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_D._Brown

[Brenda Starrr]

Mmmmm.....

Testy, testy, testy. Amazing what opinions one post will procure. Who has the popcorn?

[Head Wreck]

cmon. why are people listening to the capitalist pig and opinion-fascist micheal moore

[The_Dark]

I would really like to know why people think FEMA is sopposed to prevent natural disasters. I would also like to know why none of you realize that FEMA cant do a god damn thing until a State's govener asks it to.

Dont get me wrong.. I dont think this mess was handled well at all... but I think more of the blame lays on the shoulders of the mator of Nola and the Govener of La.

People are blaming Bush for cutting funding to fixing the levys... noone asks why it was cut... could be the 2 billion federal dollars Nola has been sitting on for years... yes... 2 billion of your Tax dollars that were allocated to fix the levys.. been sitting in bank accounts for years waiting for the Mayor to sign off on so it could be used. It may be federal money.. it may be the Army Core of Engineers.. it still takes a Local government agency to spend the money... and for some reason they wont do it.

Why did the Govener wait for 2 days before asking for Federal aid?

Why did local officials not allow the Red Cross to give food and water to people for 3 days?

[phee]

Micheal Moore annoys the holy piss out of me as a person.... sometimes I agree with him, in the way that I might agree with a someone screaming and whining in my ear... I hate the way in which he communicates... but there is a lot that I agree with as far as what he says. He is a propoganda machine, just like any politician right or left. I agree with HH on this, I din't vote for Bush... and my Gawd did you see our other choices??? I mean did we have any other choices?

Pointing the finger really does nothing in my opinion. But doing nothing (which seemed to be the case in New Orleans) until the damage was already so severe, whether it was the Federal Gov. the Local Gov, or a mass problem of resource mismanagement, and red tape nightmare.

[Brenda Starrr]

Hmm....

Maybe *I* could run FEMA. I don't think that being a makeup artist would stop me.

[Msterbeau]

Mmmmm.....

Testy, testy, testy. Amazing what opinions one post will procure. Who has the popcorn?

LOL!! I don't like popcorn either.

Dark, If you and Steven and Marblez think that any self respecting journalist would cite that as a reliable piece of information, then you're living in another dimension. It's PR, plain and simple, and I take PR with a BIG grain of salt.

Close minded? Hardly. I'm exercising my right to question the source and validity of the information. I already provided a reason for doing so. What have you added to this discussion besides name calling?

[Brenda Starrr]

Will you settle for Chex Mix? This thread is very entertaining, and I love to snack while being entertained.

[ZhukovCodeslinger]

To avoid lots of bullshit and arguments etc. I willingly choose to limit my response to Michael Moore, FEMA, Bush et. al. TO the following:

17*

There you have heard it.... my response. It is about the most nonargumentative thing I could think of to post... and now you all know what I really think about the issues involved.... maybe it will change some of your opinons too.

Zhuk

notice, Zhukovcodeslinger has not edited this post... and does not feel like doing so

[phee]

?

[The_Dark]

Close minded?  Hardly.  I'm exercising my right to question the source and validity of the information.  I already provided a reason for doing so.  What have you added to this discussion besides name calling?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Marc, maybe you should read all of my post... there are a couple links there to other sources... oh wiat.. those dont support your line of thinking either..so they dont count...

and um.. exactly where did I call anyone a name?