# Ex-FEMA head to start disaster planning firm
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-fema-head-to-start-disaster-planning-firm/332724
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [November 25, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-fema-head-to-start-disaster-planning-firm/332724 "2005-11-25T20:26:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-fema-head-to-start-disaster-planning-firm/332724/1 "2005-11-25T20:26:14Z")
[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10198491/](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10198491/)
I had to check to make this was on MSN and not the onion.
I found it amusing anyway.
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### Author:  [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2005, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-fema-head-to-start-disaster-planning-firm/332724/2 "2005-11-25T20:37:20Z")
> [@Michael Brown](#):
>
> “My wife, children and my grandchild still love me. My parents are still proud of me.”
What the hell? If this is the only credentials a person has to offer me then forgive but I am taking my bussiness elsewhere.
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### Author:  [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2005, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-fema-head-to-start-disaster-planning-firm/332724/3 "2005-11-25T20:41:51Z")
Where’s the rotflmao smilie when you need it? I guess his wife, kids, grandkid and parents will be the investors and customers.
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-fema-head-to-start-disaster-planning-firm/332724/4 "2005-11-25T20:43:07Z")
Well, I suppose he is free to start one. The public and private pressure to stay away from him is going to be intense. Go you imagine being the CEO that approves his new company as the disaster planners for them. I think most of them are smart enough to know that.
I did wonder what he planned on doing for a job after that though. His family still has to eat.
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### Author:  [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2005, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-fema-head-to-start-disaster-planning-firm/332724/5 "2005-11-25T20:46:11Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#):
>
> Well, I suppose he is free to start one. The public and private pressure to stay away from him is going to be intense. Go you imagine being the CEO that approves his new company as the disaster planners for them. I think most of them are smart enough to know that.
I dunno.
I would have thought that his complete lack of demonstrated leadership ability in the area might have prevented the Administration from appointing him head of FEMA.
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### Author:  [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2005, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-fema-head-to-start-disaster-planning-firm/332724/6 "2005-11-25T21:08:03Z")
I’d hire him.
Then I’d do the exact opposite of what his firm recommends.
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### Author:  [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2005, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-fema-head-to-start-disaster-planning-firm/332724/7 "2005-11-25T21:11:37Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#):
>
> Well, I suppose he is free to start one. The public and private pressure to stay away from him is going to be intense. Go you imagine being the CEO that approves his new company as the disaster planners for them. I think most of them are smart enough to know that.
>
> I did wonder what he planned on doing for a job after that though. His family still has to eat.
You actually think he is capable to get food and water to his family?
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### Author:  [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2005, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-fema-head-to-start-disaster-planning-firm/332724/8 "2005-11-25T21:15:19Z")
> [@ZebraShaSha](#):
>
> You actually think he is capable to get food and water to his family?
He has people for that.
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### Author:  [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-fema-head-to-start-disaster-planning-firm/332724/9 "2005-11-25T21:18:30Z")
1. Note that after being “sent packing” Brownie is _still_ being paid out tax dollars as a “consultant” at a rate equivalent to $140k/year.
2. He clearly has friends in high places.
3. Being a friend is more important than ability.
4. He _will_ get US government contracts. All the media complaints in the world won’t stop it. Look at all the companies that routinely get “no bid” contracts now.
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### Author:  [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2005, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-fema-head-to-start-disaster-planning-firm/332724/10 "2005-11-25T22:17:15Z")
> [@Michael Brown](#):
>
> “My wife, children and my grandchild still love me. My parents are still proud of me.”
Obviously, they didn’t live in New Orleans/coastal Mississippi…
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### Author:  [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2005, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-fema-head-to-start-disaster-planning-firm/332724/11 "2005-11-26T07:02:26Z")
Well, you have to admit his planning results in disasters.
We can hope firms owned by rock-ribbed Pubbies hire him, have a disaster, and the owner loses all. (And the employees rapidly get new jobs.) Serve them right.
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### Author:  [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2005, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-fema-head-to-start-disaster-planning-firm/332724/12 "2005-11-26T15:44:26Z")
> [@ftg](#):
>
> 1. Note that after being “sent packing” Brownie is _still_ being paid out tax dollars as a “consultant” at a rate equivalent to $140k/year.
Not anymore he’s not, is he? I thought I heard they quit paying him.
I wish I got paid that sort of money for not working.
And I can’t figure out whether I want to laugh or cry at the idea of him running a disaster planning company. I definitely feel sort of sick about it, though.
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### Author:  [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2005, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-fema-head-to-start-disaster-planning-firm/332724/13 "2005-11-26T16:19:31Z")
> [@whiterabbit](#):
>
> Not anymore he’s not, is he? I thought I heard they quit paying him.
Ah, [here’s](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/11/10/national/main1034081.shtml) the info. His contract _was_ extended, but he voluntarily left to start his company. Note that the extension was still made after the initial shock and awe of him being kept on was revealed.
Ethics, ability, public outrage no longer matter. It’s who you are friends with. Ergo, his business will be financially successful at least thru Jan. 2009. Then he will be so rich he can retire.
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### Author:  [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2005, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-fema-head-to-start-disaster-planning-firm/332724/14 "2005-11-26T17:07:32Z")
> [@ftg](#):
>
> 1. He _will_ get US government contracts. All the media complaints in the world won’t stop it. Look at all the companies that routinely get “no bid” contracts now.
Until 2008, at least.
In other news, Michael Jackson is starting a chain of day care centers.
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### Author:  [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-fema-head-to-start-disaster-planning-firm/332724/15 "2005-11-26T21:06:53Z")
Well if YOU were planning a disaster, wouldn’t you hire the most qualified person to help with it? C’mon, his resume has ‘Disaster’ written all over it. When it comes to staging a disaster, Michael Brown is _sans peur_!
Oh, wait. Were you talking about disaster _avoidance_? Oh well then, never mind. [/emily litella]