A Good Day for Politics, or, “I Love the Smell of Napalm in the Senate”
This week has been a windfall for politicos, as we politically adept and minded voyeurs are being treated to an early (or late) Christmas of political intrigue, bounding and out-and-out irony on both sides of the border.
Two tidbits that ticked my incredulousness bone this morning:
AMERICAN FRONT:
Former FEMA head Michael Brown has taken to blaming the Department of Homeland Security for the failures apparent during the Katrina hurricane mess. Mr. Brown, who quit under duress as chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency mere days after nature decided to bitchslap the Gulf Coast area, maintains that FEMA's mission was marginalized when it was inhaled by the newly minted (and obviously mismanaged) Homeland Security agency. Homeland Security had “terrorism prevention”, not disaster response, its top priority, Brown noted. It makes one think, after all the posturing of being ready for any disaster, that the Feds sat around on their hands for days while disaster relief teams from Vancouver were in there helping folks out. Within days, it was ‘Lord of the Flies’ on the ground, with rapes, death, carnage, shootings, police corruption, you name it, taking over and they had no idea how to respond. There was little to no preparedness… AND THEY KNEW IT WAS COMING. Now, imagine the chaos that would result if they didn’t, like in a terrorist attack.
"There was a cultural clash that didn't recognize the absolute inherent science of preparing for a disaster," he told the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee. "Any time you break that cycle … you're doomed to failure."
He added: "The policies and decisions implemented by the DHS put FEMA on a path to failure." In other words, you’re screwed.
CANADIAN FRONT:
Our newly minted cabinet seems to be off on the (far) right foot. Not only did they appoint a minister from the opposition who, in an act befitting of Benedict himself, spat in the eye of his electorate and jumped ship to the Tories, but they seem to be nearsighted as well when it comes to the cultural makeup of this country.
They have appointed Ted Menzies, a unilingual Anglophone (English only, please), an Albertan farmer, as parliamentary secretary to Quebec City’s Josee Verner. H e would be answering questions when she was not available. Sound harmless? Not quite. His department is in charge of, yep, official languages and francophonie. In other words, he’s in charge of representing the FRENCH-SPEAKING voters of this country, all without speaking a lick himself. The closest he’s been to French in the far west has probably been French fries.
"I can understand a lot of conversational French but I just haven't quite got up the nerve to speak it yet," said Menzies, an Alberta farmer before he was first elected in Macleod riding in 2004.
Until I'm fluent in French I will listen to the translation and I will answer in whatever language I'm capable of answering in at that time.”
I wish I could be given a choice job irregardless of my qualifications. You can't work at a fucking McDonald's in Canada without Speaking French, and this arsehole gets a cabinet position that requires it? I thought this governement was all about 'ethics'? They're about as much about ethics as Paris Hilton or Bai Ling is about 'taste'.
On the Emerson front:
New Democrat MP Peter Julian sent a letter to House of Commons Ethics Commissioner Bernard Shapiro requesting an investigation into a possible breach of the Ethics Code involving Prime Minister Harper and Trade Minister David Emerson. Let’s hope he gets nailed.
WORLD FRONT:
Yep, last I heard they were still burning flags over cartoons. Sigh. What a world. Calgon take me away.
Two tidbits that ticked my incredulousness bone this morning:
AMERICAN FRONT:
Former FEMA head Michael Brown has taken to blaming the Department of Homeland Security for the failures apparent during the Katrina hurricane mess. Mr. Brown, who quit under duress as chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency mere days after nature decided to bitchslap the Gulf Coast area, maintains that FEMA's mission was marginalized when it was inhaled by the newly minted (and obviously mismanaged) Homeland Security agency. Homeland Security had “terrorism prevention”, not disaster response, its top priority, Brown noted. It makes one think, after all the posturing of being ready for any disaster, that the Feds sat around on their hands for days while disaster relief teams from Vancouver were in there helping folks out. Within days, it was ‘Lord of the Flies’ on the ground, with rapes, death, carnage, shootings, police corruption, you name it, taking over and they had no idea how to respond. There was little to no preparedness… AND THEY KNEW IT WAS COMING. Now, imagine the chaos that would result if they didn’t, like in a terrorist attack.
"There was a cultural clash that didn't recognize the absolute inherent science of preparing for a disaster," he told the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee. "Any time you break that cycle … you're doomed to failure."
He added: "The policies and decisions implemented by the DHS put FEMA on a path to failure." In other words, you’re screwed.
CANADIAN FRONT:
Our newly minted cabinet seems to be off on the (far) right foot. Not only did they appoint a minister from the opposition who, in an act befitting of Benedict himself, spat in the eye of his electorate and jumped ship to the Tories, but they seem to be nearsighted as well when it comes to the cultural makeup of this country.
They have appointed Ted Menzies, a unilingual Anglophone (English only, please), an Albertan farmer, as parliamentary secretary to Quebec City’s Josee Verner. H e would be answering questions when she was not available. Sound harmless? Not quite. His department is in charge of, yep, official languages and francophonie. In other words, he’s in charge of representing the FRENCH-SPEAKING voters of this country, all without speaking a lick himself. The closest he’s been to French in the far west has probably been French fries.
"I can understand a lot of conversational French but I just haven't quite got up the nerve to speak it yet," said Menzies, an Alberta farmer before he was first elected in Macleod riding in 2004.
Until I'm fluent in French I will listen to the translation and I will answer in whatever language I'm capable of answering in at that time.”
I wish I could be given a choice job irregardless of my qualifications. You can't work at a fucking McDonald's in Canada without Speaking French, and this arsehole gets a cabinet position that requires it? I thought this governement was all about 'ethics'? They're about as much about ethics as Paris Hilton or Bai Ling is about 'taste'.
On the Emerson front:
New Democrat MP Peter Julian sent a letter to House of Commons Ethics Commissioner Bernard Shapiro requesting an investigation into a possible breach of the Ethics Code involving Prime Minister Harper and Trade Minister David Emerson. Let’s hope he gets nailed.
WORLD FRONT:
Yep, last I heard they were still burning flags over cartoons. Sigh. What a world. Calgon take me away.
posted by Blog Monkey at 5:23 p.m.
3 Comments:
The really sad thing about the flag burning is that the same cartoons had been posted in Arabic papers, but little to no response. I have nothing but respect for most Muslims, but these actions remind me of the Rodney King riots in LA. I understand discontent with the way things work or the way a group feels they are perceived, but actions like these just make those who actually are prejudiced against them feel like they have proof. They should have had vigils or marches and been dignified instead.
good suggestion... however an upcoming post will address this current reaction.
i'd much rather be making jokes, but loftier causes abound.
Got your message, but it's not showing yet. I'll check back, though.
Post a Comment
<< Home