What does FEMA do ?

[Joy in the Journey]

Greetings,

Does anyone know anything about FEMA ? I've been reading/studying a few things about them and some of it is a bit disconcerting to say the least. I know in the public's eyes they are simply as their name states - the Federal Emergency Management Agency in charge of coordinating disaster readiness and such - but I've also read a few things that simply can not be overlooked. They have powers in excess of Congress and the President. Why ? What do they need all that broad power for.

This is far form a "conspiracy theory", rather these are facts about this agency. I'm not really interested in discussing whether they are part of some new world order that some say ( I'll keep that to myself ), but perhaps a discussion on what we do know about them.

Any thought about this ?

God bless,

Tim

Edited September 9, 2005 by Ovedya

[Ovedya]

Discussion about FEMA certainly is not related to conspiracy theory. However, the article you linked to most certainly is filled with conspiracy theories.

In discussing FEMA, please try to stay away from any conjecture as to what FEMA could do, or what FEMA has supposedly done. Stuff that Alex jones and his ilk promotes would fall under this category.

[Guest Zayit]

JIJ, you may be interested in this: FEMA chief relieved of Katrina duties

[Guest Zayit]

Here is an excerpt from Meet the Press, it comes from MSNBC, I hope it's not taboo to post this site? Transcript for September 4

MR. TIM RUSSERT:  Our issues this Sunday:  devastation, desperation and death all along the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.  What now?  With us, the secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, the governor of Mississippi, Haley Barbour, and the president of Jefferson Parish, Aaron Broussard.

Jefferson Parish President Broussard, let me start with you.  You just heard the director of Homeland Security's explanation of what has happened this last week.  What is your reaction?

MR. AARON BROUSSARD:  We have been abandoned by our own country.  Hurricane Katrina will go down in history as one of the worst storms ever to hit an American coast, but the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina will go down as one of the worst abandonments of Americans on American soil ever in U.S. history.

MR. RUSSERT:  Mr. Broussard, let me ask--I want to ask--should...

MR. BROUSSARD:  You know, just some quick examples...

MR. RUSSERT:  Hold on.  Hold on, sir.  Shouldn't the mayor of New Orleans and the governor of New Orleans bear some responsibility?  Couldn't they have been much more forceful, much more effective and much more organized in evacuating the area?

MR. BROUSSARD:  Sir, they were told like me, every single day, "The cavalry's coming," on a federal level, "The cavalry's coming, the cavalry's coming, the cavalry's coming."  I have just begun to hear the hoofs of the cavalry.  The cavalry's still not here yet, but I've begun to hear the hoofs, and we're almost a week out.

Let me give you just three quick examples.  We had Wal-Mart deliver three trucks of water, trailer trucks of water.  FEMA turned them back.  They said we didn't need them.  This was a week ago.  FEMA--we had 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel on a Coast Guard vessel docked in my parish.  The Coast Guard said, "Come get the fuel right away."  When we got there with our trucks, they got a word.  "FEMA says don't give you the fuel."  Yesterday--yesterday--FEMA comes in and cuts all of our emergency communication lines.  They cut them without notice.  Our sheriff, Harry Lee, goes back in, he reconnects the line. He posts armed guards on our line and says, "No one is getting near these lines."  Sheriff Harry Lee said that if America--American government would have responded like Wal-Mart has responded, we wouldn't be in this crisis.

[other one]

do a google search on ( "executive order" gov fema) and only look at official government sites. You will find just about every conceivable thing listed, but if you only read the official government sites, you can learn from the very beginning the awesome powers that have been given to this organization, since the early Ronald Regan days.

It will take some time to get through all of those executive orders that have created, enlarged and maintained this organization.

It is both very comforting to know that there is a group that is here to help in times of distress and emergencies, and also a bit terrifying to know of those powers and how mankind has abused that kind of power all throughout history.

If you are faint of heart, I'd stay far away from the conspiracy parts of anything that you might browse through not on the Gov sites. There are many that are very tightly focused on reality, but the vast majority are simply figments of people's imagination. If one wanted to look into this kind of thing you need to get away from the Internet and into the library reading books, speeches and legal papers from some of those who are thought to be within groups amassing power and fortune.

[Joy in the Journey]

Thanks for the links everyone Not sure why my link was removed, but I'll respect the decision that was made. I hardly think that all the executive orders ( in the link I posted ) granting FEMA all the power they have are hyperbole or manufactured by conspiracy theorists- but....

Anyway, thanks for the input so far and my God bless you richly

Tim