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Hello Mr. Lowry,
I’ve enjoyed your work at NR and NRO for many years.
I have to disagree vehemently however with many of your posts on the Fed reaction to the Gulf Coast disaster.
Has Brown made some comments that seem, I emphasize seem because many reports have not provided context, stupid? No doubt.
Is the Dept of Homeland Sec probably a bureaucratic disaster. Yes.
However, despite what you “think”, it does not seem probably that Brown being more astute at press conferences, or FEMA being independent of the new dept would have made one iota of difference to the manner or the speed of the Fed response.
It’s all a matter of logistics. The logistics of getting federal responders and supplies, most of which can’t be preplaced for fear of having them destroyed by the storm itself, into a disaster area that large is truly difficult.
This isn’t Star Trek. There are no transponder doohickies to make the NTl Guard and supplies of food, water, fuel etc appear magically when you want them to.
Please please read Jason van Steenwyk at iraqnow.blogspot.com
The guy’s a guardsman who’s been involved with disaster relief for many years in Fla.
His conclusion is that this is the fastest the Feds have ever been, the fastest possible reaction.
Please don’t make the mistake the Left is making in using this disaster to promote some of your pet causes. Argue against the Dept of Homeland Sec as much as you want. But this isn’t the time to do it, nor are they at fault on this.
Keep up the good work that you’ve done on all issues other than this one.