Bush Continues to Nominate Unqualified People to Top Homeland Security Posts
Bush Continues to Nominate Unqualified People to Top Homeland Security Posts
President Bush stacked FEMA with political hacks who badly mismanaged the federal response to Hurricane Katrina. He continues to nominate unqualified people to top posts and it’s sparking bipartisan outrage. UPI 9/15/05:
Julie Myers was nominated by President Bush to head Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE — the agency charged with hunting down money launderers, sanctions busters and human traffickers, and which is the sole enforcer of immigration laws inside the country. Thursday, she faced a confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs.
“I’m really concerned about your management experience,” Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, told her, pointing out that ICE, with 20,000 employees, was the second-largest investigative agency in the federal government.
“I think that we ought to have a meeting with (Homeland Security Secretary) Mike Chertoff … to ask him… why he thinks you’re qualified for the job.
“Because based on your resume, I don’t think you are,” Voinovich concluded.
Bush, 9/16/07: “Julie, you’re doing a heck of a job.”
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I wonder what she is getting paid back for. Isn’t that the question behind every one of this dirtbag’s appointments?
September 16th, 2005 at 10:44 amRove told him to nominate her.
When’s Bush going to figure out Rove has only one skill, and that’s not the one he needs to finish his presidency?
September 16th, 2005 at 10:45 am2006 is the only to stop bushies mistakes,he will not learn. In the mean time we must push to impeach him.
September 16th, 2005 at 10:51 amSo will Voinovich shed a tear when he votes for her?
September 16th, 2005 at 11:02 amYou can push to impeach, but the only thing you will succeed in doing so is put Dick Chenney in charge. Brilliant move. It’s bad enough with him as Veep. Fortunately for the USA, Veep is a largely powerless position. Like it or not we’re stuck with the chimp until 08.
The Democrats have an opportunity to take back the Senate in 06, but they need to pull their heads out of their asses first. They have been so cowed by this administration of thieves the only thing they get by remaining the spineless wimps they are is derision. Until they take a stand for SOMETHING they will continue to be sheeple. Democrats need to get a message, one that ACUTALLY works. This crap of vote for me because I’m not him doesn’t work. They need something substantiative.
I loath Bush and his cronies, I want them ALL gone. I just don’t see the current crop of Dems able to do the job. Too many of them are tainted by voting for the slaughter in Iraq. We need folks with clean hands.
September 16th, 2005 at 11:04 amUmmm, 9/16/07? IS that 1907 or 2007?
Either way I assume he has a time machine.
Z.
September 16th, 2005 at 11:14 amGood post, Jennty (5). I agree, as much as I hate to say it. There are a few Dems around who could step up, but the press is only concerned with what the more radical or controversial ones have to say: Jesse Jackson, Sharpton, Kennedy, etc. You really have to search the web to get the takes from Obama, Ford, or Evan Bayh on anything political, thanks to Faux News, and their new followers at MSNBC.
September 16th, 2005 at 11:18 amHank, what makes Sharpton or Kennedy radical? The controversy that surrounds them is exclusively a creation of the right-wing media machine. Since when is telling the truth and speaking up for the little guy anything other than EXACTLY right?
September 16th, 2005 at 11:41 amJennty
You are so correct. Adopt and codify a god damn platform/contract NOW. The Democratic Party can not run individual campaigns in 2006! We need a unifying document that defines our goals, and at the same time “frames by reference” the GOP as corrupt and ineffective. Perhaps, they are waiting for the 2006 season to start, but I don’t trust their judgment and I’m very very worried.
September 16th, 2005 at 11:45 amI am infavor of indictments for the entire white house administration and 55 senators.
I will settle for white house indictments. I want to see it done in a manner so that the smirking chimp can not pardon anyone. (never forget the iran contra pardons)
Look at Ollie north, up to his eyes in illegal do do and with a waive of his magic wand bush-the-smarter makes it all go away. You think Ollie is out of a job? NOOOOOO…. Faux News needs more good men like him. (sic)
September 16th, 2005 at 11:50 amJay, Sharpton has made his name, in large part, based upon a lie. A lie that tore a town and state apart, led to the suicide of a falsely accused police officer and the ruined lived of many others. He may be popular now among many who may have forgotten his past, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s a crook.
September 16th, 2005 at 11:50 amShe was nominated, in part, because her uncle is General Meyers, Chief of Staff. She is not qualified, nor was the previous director of ICE, Michael Garcia who is now the US Attorney in Manhattan.
Julie Meyers is NOT qualified to run an agency of 20,000.
ICE itself is in shambles and needs attention. For the most part, Homeland Security itself is a joke (does NOT in fact investigate terrorism related matters).
September 16th, 2005 at 11:52 amWhat has she done to deserve the appointment you ask? She was born. He uncle is Richard Myers. That’s right, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers. She moved into his house when she came to Washington. She is also a former lackey for Chertoff when he was leading death squads in Centeral America. I’m sure she is more than qualified.
September 16th, 2005 at 11:55 amAlright, let’s look at this.
bush43 is a horrible president. Any push to impeach him will be for naught till there is a democrat majority in the House, and unsuccessful unless there is a democratic majority in the Senate. So, while we may realize that it won’t happen ANY TIME SOON, it is a valuable expression of our desires for a reasonable government on the national level.
Saying Cheney would be worse than bush43 is true. But we recognize the limits of our impeachment desire and think that advocating good government IS in our best interests. We can say this because (see above) we realize it ain’t going to happen till ‘06 at the earliest and probably never really. We know this.
To say nothing isn’t the best course of action. Sitting on our hands does nothing for anyone. We need to articulate our vision of how things should be done in conjunction with holding bushco (all of ‘em) to the appropriate responsibility they were elected to.
It isn’t a losing proposition. It isn’t a spinning of wheels exercise. It is all part of the big picture, the vision thing & how to tell the american people what we want and expect from our elected leaders.
September 16th, 2005 at 11:56 amZwack
I think Judd means that sometime in the future, there will be a problem that won’t be handled correctly and Bush will tell her that she is doing a heckava job.
September 16th, 2005 at 11:59 amI agree Kindness
I have called my reps (hell, even called other’s reps) too many times with no action. The only time that they seem to take notice is when hundreds call at once, like yesterday due too AmericaBlog’s urging. This why the blogs are so important, they create a critical mass when there is a call to action. I only wish they would take some kind of action concerning a platform/contract.
September 16th, 2005 at 12:06 pmAnd let’s not forget that Chertoff had no substantial management experience before he took over the Department of Homeland Security. So why should Julie Myers be held to a higher standard? Competence doesn’t matter with this crowd. High level government positions are the Republicans’ own entitlement (welfare) program.
September 16th, 2005 at 12:06 pmOne more thing. Julie Myers is the niece of Gen. Richard Myers.
September 16th, 2005 at 12:08 pmHere’s a bio from 2003 after her confirmation as Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement at the Department of Commerce: http://www.bxa.doc.gov/about/JMyersBio.htm
Interesting that she is another Kenneth W. Starr brood…
September 16th, 2005 at 12:24 pmJay wrote: “Hank, what makes Sharpton or Kennedy radical? The controversy that surrounds them is exclusively a creation of the right-wing media machine. Since when is telling the truth and speaking up for the little guy anything other than EXACTLY right?”
You are so right. The right-wing media machine has been at it for 20 or so years.
They made up the threat of Russia. They made many claims about Russia that the CIA said where just plain fiction. They say they brought Russia down when if fact it was on it’s last legs. Oddly, Osama and his boys also claimed to have brought down Russia. In fact, Gorby did it himself starting with getting out of Afghanistan.
They made up, or at least did not care to know, the truth about Clinton and white water et al. and so made Clinton up as a threat.
They made up an organization called Al Queda in January of 2001 so they could prosecute Osama Bin Laden in his absence. (Since then Osama as accepted the term but there was NO indication that Al Queda existed other than from some Arab thief who made it all up so he could get witness protection.)
They made up the weapons of mass destruction on Iraq.
People need to know that the Neocons (Wolfy, Rummy et al.) have been lieing to gain power for years. Even Bush the First didn’t like what they wanted to do and were doing. For Sharpton or Kennedy or anyone else to come through, the message of deciet has to be played over and over again.
September 16th, 2005 at 12:25 pmBesides being the niece of a high-ranking general, she was also Deputy to Kenneth Starr in the OIC. That’s exactly why she’s nominated.
September 16th, 2005 at 12:28 pmVoinivich is a KOOK. I lost all respect for him when he started crying over John Bolten. What a LOSER. The GOP will take him out in the 2010 primary. He is part of the Ohio problem we are having. We will destroy him.
September 16th, 2005 at 12:41 pmBush is trying to take blame to deter independent investigation.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4849706
September 16th, 2005 at 12:43 pmWhat makes Kennedy so radical? LOL!!! Hoo-boy, watching Democrats try to agree on something should be fun to watch?
September 16th, 2005 at 12:43 pm#23,
September 16th, 2005 at 12:45 pmYep, an attempt at damage control.
“WE will destroy him”?
I saw someone taking pictures of the train you ride on, NED.
September 16th, 2005 at 12:45 pmBrian – Good – tell them I said.
I am just stating the facts. The difference is I admit it. You people work 24/7 to destroy Bush and rip this country apart and you don’t have the balls to admit it. We destroyed Kerry because he begged for it. AND so has Voin and other Ohio Republicans. They are corrupt scumbags with the exception of Blackwell.
September 16th, 2005 at 12:48 pmI haven’t heard from or communicated to you in many weeks, NED. You sound different. I can’t figure it out.
September 16th, 2005 at 12:54 pmPuberty? Feeling alittle “testie”?
Does anyone smell a putrid decaying corpse here? I keep getting faint whiffs of rot. Best to just ignore it.
September 16th, 2005 at 12:56 pmIs it just me or has this story been taken off the UPI website?
September 16th, 2005 at 12:56 pm[...] Republican Senator Voinovich came down hard on Bush nominee Julie Myers. More info here. [...]
September 16th, 2005 at 12:57 pmlike anything you say has any credibility here ne dementia. get your own blog and leave us alone….
Oh, that’s right you do have your own “blog”. You LOVE Ann Coulter, eh? What is it, the tobacco stretch lines around her mouth? The bleached hair? The only comparison I can see between the two of you is that you are both crazy and want to shout it from the rooftops.
Sorry about feeding the trolls. I’ll try to remember.
September 16th, 2005 at 12:59 pmbush figures if he can become president, anyone can do most anything, no qualifications or experience required.
September 16th, 2005 at 1:00 pmWhere can we see her resume?
September 16th, 2005 at 1:01 pm“Destroyed?” Is that your world view — people you don’t agree with have to be “destroyed?” Pathetic.
September 16th, 2005 at 1:02 pmPass over the venom guys. I don’t think our beautiful minds should have to be infected with such hatefulness.
September 16th, 2005 at 1:04 pmNED says “I am just stating the facts.”
Nothing you have written in this thread could be said to be a fact. They are all empty statements full of hate.
Try this fact: Bush lied to the American people about the preparedness of the country in case of terrorist attack or natural disaster. Hell, John Kerry would have done a better job with his eyes closed.
September 16th, 2005 at 1:05 pmNow is when NeD calls Kerry names – watch.
September 16th, 2005 at 1:06 pmLet Brown and Chertoff be the poster boys of minority filibuster power.
September 16th, 2005 at 1:09 pmFolks,
NED and all the skels are putrefied corpses. They should be thrown into a hole and forgotten. Corpses do not have coherent thoughts, they only smell, so let us put vicks vapor under our noses and ignore them.
September 16th, 2005 at 1:14 pmDon’t feed those trolls. They are mindless pieces of sh!t.
Just look at the double talk:
“You people work 24/7 to destroy Bush and rip this country apart and you don’t have the balls to admit it. We destroyed Kerry because he begged for it.”
Why do you think he believes one of these is okay, but the other isn’t. He just doesn’t make sense.
Remember, talk about the troll, but not to the troll.
September 16th, 2005 at 1:23 pmI hate you bunch of haters. Exposing them is a hoot. Thanks, Spudge.
September 16th, 2005 at 1:30 pmI work in international trade and I’ve dealt with ICE agents before (when they were US Customs Special Agents). Reading her resume from the BIS website, I wouldn’t say she’s unqualified. She’s been working in investigative agencies since she left private practice. Working for Ken Starr is a knock against her in my book, but I disagree that her resume lacks the qualfications for the position. However, if its been embellished… that’s a different story….
September 16th, 2005 at 2:03 pmUM – ok, like I said, you people seek to destroy those you do not agree with and don’t have the balls to admit it. AND the Bush lied thing – I guess Kerry lied too since he supported the war.
Have a nice weekend everyone. Oh – and thanks for all the help with John Roberts. Conservatives could never have won that battle without you morons helping us out!!! lol! Bye, bye….
September 16th, 2005 at 2:09 pmNED: “We destroyed Kerry because he begged for it. AND so has Voin and other Ohio Republicans. They are corrupt scumbags with the exception of Blackwell.”
Have lived in Ohio nearly 50 years. Blackwell is known to be one of the most corrupt scumbags in a party that has lately become infamous for its corrupt scumbags. I’ve overheard Dem’s praying that Blackwell will be stupid enough to run for Gov.
Looks like the RON proposals will be on the ballot this year (google ‘Reform Ohio Now’). I urge everyone in Ohio to turn out and VOTE. For or against, that’s your choice. Show up and make it.
September 16th, 2005 at 2:10 pmRemember, Michael Brown’s resume was padded. It wouldn’t surprise me if hers wasn’t either. Why doesn’t Congress require a background check of these people. If they have nothing to hide, then they shouldn’t care.
Just like if I apply for a new job, I don’t care if they do a background check on me. I have nothing to hide. But, the difference is that I would apply for a job I am not qualified for. These people shouldn’t be above the rules that apply to everyone else.
September 16th, 2005 at 2:11 pmShe’s a relative of Gen. Myers! Good grief!! Good ol’ boys, frat buddies, and nepotism. There is no end!!
September 16th, 2005 at 2:19 pmAARRGGHH!!
You all noticed that the odor in here when a certain troll entered? Did you all also notice – and I’m sure you did – that he can’t argue the topic, so he is attacking Kennedy (just because) Kerry (with the same old lies), and Voinovich (because he occasionally does’t stand with the pack), and he talks of violence -destroy, rip apart, etc.
September 16th, 2005 at 2:29 pm“UM – ok, like I said, you people seek to destroy those you do not agree with and don’t have the balls to admit it. AND the Bush lied thing – I guess Kerry lied too since he supported the war.”
Kerry supported the war based on bush’s lies – one of the first signs of insanity NED is the ‘inability to distinguish ambiguity’. You call others morons because they don’t make sense to you in your insane mental state. Seek some clinical assistance, you’re way in over your head as a propagandist – you aren’t mentally stable enough to fulfill your responsibilities. Just like Brown – you’re UNQUALIFIED…
September 16th, 2005 at 2:29 pmThe “radical” Democrats are so called because they have been labeled (and repeated over and over) as such by the right — the right-wingers, the racists, the bigots, the self-centered party of the Republicans.
September 16th, 2005 at 2:33 pm“Oh – and thanks for all the help with John Roberts. Conservatives could never have won that battle without you morons helping us out!!!”
And yet you said the opposite just recently? You said there was nothing anyone could do to stop his nomination, so how could anything ‘help’ a nomination that was guaranteed? Which lie is the truth NED? Or do you tell so many you can’t remember?
As for John Roberts, in many ways I think having a theocratic and nazi set of judges may be good for america. In the 30s the country was in an almost identical situation with Hoover, and it brought about the new deal and some of the most sweeping social changes in american history. Seeing republicans at their ‘best/worst/truest’ self quickly made america realize what stupid and dangerous schmucks you are.
I say at this point the only way back from the insane path you have america on is to follow the eventual path that Spain and Franco took. Give you guys enough rope to hang yourself, and eventually you will…
September 16th, 2005 at 2:33 pm[...] (via thinkprogress.org) [...]
September 16th, 2005 at 2:40 pmWhat would anyone expect from this administration? What competent, experinced person would want to take a job with these buffoons? The only pool of talent from which the Clown-in-Chief can draw from are sycophants, campaign contributors, liars, nepotists, and all around losers, like NED.
September 16th, 2005 at 3:16 pm[...] Via Think Progress. [...]
September 16th, 2005 at 3:37 pmRemember that Bush claims responsibility only to the extent that the federal government failed to act properly. Between the Democratic LA Governor and NO Mayor, as well as environmentalists, big labor and any other liberal target within 1,000 miles. By the time the blame is dolled out, everyone else will be guilty, the feds will be owed an apology and Bush will be the big Santa Claus for the Gulf Coast,
September 16th, 2005 at 6:06 pmSo long as they follow the new FEMA color code system for approaching “Natural Terror” they’ll be okay…
Color Labeled Uniform Standard Tragedy Evasion Requirements – Federal Use, Classified Knowledge (CLUSTERFUCK) Protocols:
Gray: A massive storm is approaching and decisive action should be taken.
Tan: Ignore pending danger, it’s vacation season.
White: Storm is heading for a state governed by a Bush relative, spare no resource.
Black: Storm is headed toward, you know, implement Plan “B.â€
No color: There is no “Plan B.â€
Blue: Identify and vilify a blue-state governor for all failures attributable to FEMA.
Green: Massive clean-up contracts imminent, call Halliburton.
Red: Embarrassment over failures and missteps being reported by media, issue gag order and confiscate cameras.
Bright Red: Embarrassment over failures and missteps reaches White House, replace director and congratulate him for a job well done.
Brown: This is a category five, shit in your pants and proceed immediately to Dick Cheney’s bunker.
Full article: http://www.eyewitnessmuse.com/musings.php?p=147
September 16th, 2005 at 6:40 pmSo what exactly is in Julie Myers resume that would qualify her? I haven’t read it. Oh, wait…silly me! One doesn’t have to see her resume — we already know what it says — the same thing all the BushCo resumes do: “Bush campaign organizer and fundraiser for ______ County Republican Committee, ______(insert state), 19XX-200X.”
September 16th, 2005 at 7:47 pmThe democrats got the message from the bushes when Paul Wellstone had his ACIDENT(?)
September 16th, 2005 at 8:42 pmand when Bertha Champagne threatened to squeel.
September 16th, 2005 at 9:25 pmRobert,
I had the same observation… I hoped it wasn’t true, but the response from congress made me fear that it was…
September 16th, 2005 at 11:50 pmOh, man, did the headline writer get it right on that UPI article or what? Whew. That’s funny.
September 17th, 2005 at 1:55 amupthread Jennty said impeachment would leave Cheney in charge. Not exactly. Conviction in the Senate would put Cheney in charge.
Two things: First, if the Dems take over the House next year, which I’m betting on happening impeachment will be introduced. Considering the Clinton impeachment, which actually hardened and maybe even increased support for him, I’m not betting on it passing BUT if it did there is no way in hell the Senate, which is still likely to be controlled by the GOP, is going to convict.
Second, I’m not betting on Cheney lasting till 2008. I’m not saying he’s going to die, I’m betting on him retiring in 2006/2007 allowing Bush to pick someone (ahem, like John McCain) as VP. Cheney wasn’t going to run for Pres plus he’d have NO chance and he’s already been the de facto Pres for the last seven. So, strategically, to have the bully pulpit, Air Force 2, and the lap dog press that would follow him everywhere, there has to be another VP to take the handoff from this adminstration in hopes to remain in power to appoint the next two judges on the SCOTUS, etc. How could someone like McCain, who’s likely to run in 2008 anyway, turn down the VP slot? It creates a near lock on the 2008 election.
September 17th, 2005 at 2:49 amJulie Meyers is married to Chertoff’s Chief of Staff. Check that out…. strange bedfellows and probably a conflict of interest.
Also ICE Agents and management are writing her written answers to the Confirmation Hearing and preping her. Don’t know if this is illegal but sounds a like it as she is not in the job. I could see giving her some help but allowing law enforcement resources to be spent on her hearing is wrong.
September 18th, 2005 at 10:29 amCan’t we impeach both Bush and Cheney and replace them with a newly elected Democratic speaker of the house in ‘06. That fat a-hole has committed treason at equal levels to bush and may have been directly involved in the now forgotten rove-plame scandal.
As for Sharpton, whoever reminded us that he is a filthy criminal himself, bravo. I was never a big Hilary fan, but I can’t imagine a bigger slap in the face to the nutcase christians in ‘08 then for Bill Clinton to go strolling back into the west wing. Hopefully his wife will make him Ambassador to the UN or secretary of State. It may be nepotism, but you can’t dispute his qualifications. Let her play republican lite to get elected. We know who she really is.
September 18th, 2005 at 4:20 pmThere is nothing it the entire world I would love more than to see Hillary as president!
Well, that would be my #2 choice – as #1 would have to be seeing dumya and cheeney and the bunch executed for treason and war crimes.
But at this point, either would be the best path for the USA and entire world.
September 18th, 2005 at 6:43 pmkj,
I understand why you’d see hillary as an improvement – but she and bill are part of the DLC. These rightwingers who are here don’t realize how far right american has swung – and by the standards of the 1950s and 1960s, the clintons are eisenhower republicans! This country is so far to the right these days, franco’s fascism in spain was leftist!
September 18th, 2005 at 7:00 pmGW has always been a man of ‘principle’. Unfortunately, it’s the “Peter Principle” he loves.
September 19th, 2005 at 10:14 amWhat part if “Dick Cheney is already president, and Bush just a ‘front’ ” don’t ya’ll get??? Rove is The Brain and Cheney the Hands, and The Monster created by the Bush Family and Friends has this country in a chokehold. In Banana Republics we call such consortiums ‘”juntas”. They usuallly take power by force of arms. Rove came up with bright idea of controlling the vote, by controlling the media and the Supreme Court. He understood the American Psyche, and its susceptiblity to mind-control. The magic word? “Security”. The classic line for such paranoia-feeding? From Dr. Strangelove: “They are stealing our bodily fluids”. “They” is illegal immigrants, arabs, gays, blacks and liberals” (liberal being code for ‘perverts’) Gen. Meyers’ neice, just another laborer in the family business, and the business is “profit.”…….what the mob calls “booty”.
The Corporate Big Brother is not just watching-us, it is locking our liberities in Gitmoland.
September 20th, 2005 at 6:42 pmAnother incompetent crony, what a surprise.
Bush doesn’t WANT our borders secure. His corporate pals love the cheap illegal labor. And if a million illegals can sneak in every year, so can terrorists.
All you Dubyalovers can go straight to HELL.
September 22nd, 2005 at 10:17 amWhen your as dumb as Bush everyone else seems smart…
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December 28th, 2005 at 8:04 pm