FEMA Director Resigns, Bakes Cookies

Okay so he may or may not have baked cookies, but Mike Brown of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the government arm responsible for the rescue and relief efforts in New Orleans and parts of Mississippi, did step down from his position as Director today, citing the importance in avoiding "further distraction from the ongoing mission of FEMA."

That is, the mission to ignore poor, black Americans pleading for food and assistance in ever worsening conditions.

Falling under fire over his qualifications and history in dealing with emergency management, and specifically his muddled response to the immediate needs down south after the destruction and social devastation left behind in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Brown is but another victim of what I now call "The Fall Out Factor."

There's something familiar about someone being praised and paraded around town by the President, who for the record proclaimed days earlier, "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job," now finding himself without said job, without any political purpose, and frankly, without a friend in Washington to lean on.

Well, maybe just a few, say, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, former Attorney General John Ashcroft and former Commerce Secretary Donald Evans. Not to mention former Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, Education Secretary Rod Paige, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, and most recently NASA Deputy Administrator Frederick Gregory.

It seems many majestic men and women initially appointed and publicly applauded by President Bush have fallen to the same fevered fate, choosing to leave his Cabinet mid-sentence rather than serving out their terms under his, what is it called now, rein?

Apparently the only person near the White House unable to admit fault and step aside to let someone more competent take control is the head honcho himself.

No surprises there.

What with a botched war in Iraq, a social security system in scraps, a country divided now more than ever and shared criticism for his part, or lack thereof, in the disaster relief down south, it's no wonder a recent CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll shows a 54% disapproval rating for the games this grown man chooses to play.

Some of that criticism speaks to the speed at which the government responded to those left behind after the storm, predominately of poor, African American communities. When asked about the racial divide and it's role in the issue, Bush pointed out, "The storm didn't discriminate, and neither will the recovery effort."

I, for one, believe him. I mean, clearly it was easier to save the white people; they don't blend in with the muddy water. At least that's what I expect the next press release to reveal.

But if idle racism wasn't to blame for the horrifically bungled operation, what was? Incompetence? Now there's a novel admission.

In any case, my advice to the next chump who finds himself wading knee deep in Brown's big old shoes: watch your back, and the floor, for when it falls out beneath you, and it will - it always does - there's very little left in which to seek comfort.

Well, there's always the freshly baked cookies...