FEMA and Sullivan and Coburn

[Hometown]

My partner and I have noticed a good number of households in our neighborhood that haven't even started to clean up the debris from our horrible ice storm.  

Last Sunday we went to check on Mrs. Wright who lives at the bottom of our hill.  When we knocked on her door and explained we were there to help haul limbs out the curb, she literally broke into tears.  She told us that we were the first people to check on her since the ice storm.

You see Mrs. Wright is somewhere just short of 100 and the only living relative she has is a daughter who is no spring chicken herself.  Now she would have qualified for help from the city in reconnecting her electric but she was unaware of the program and the $1,800 she paid an electrician has wiped out her savings.

It looks to me like the lady has at least $4,000 worth of tree work to do.  Very large limbs continue to hang over her house and her front and back yards are a tangle of mature fallen trees.

Then I go home and read stories about how JOHN SULLIVAN doesn't believe that Oklahomans need help from FEMA and TOM COBURN won't sign a letter asking FEMA to reconsider their denial of aid to Oklahomans.

Folks I have four words for you to explain why FEMA isn't helping Oklahoma:  JOHN SULLIVAN and TOM COBURN.  

With friends like this, who needs enemies.

Anyway it's obvious that people that put these guys in office in the first place are not very bright, but I hope and pray that they have memories and the next time an election rolls around they will remember what JOHN SULLIVAN and TOM COBURN have done to Oklahoma.  And the complete lack of concern they have shown for folks among us – like Mrs. Wright.

[grahambino]

wait...i'm confused.

i thought we sent them up there to fight big government spending?

i thought we sent them up there to further their own radical agendas.

you mean these people you elected are actually supposed to fight for Oklahoma?

[Juan Mad Okie]

quote:Originally posted by Hometown


Last Sunday we went to check on Mrs. Wright who lives at the bottom of our hill.  When we knocked on her door and explained we were there to help haul limbs out the curb, she literally broke into tears.  She told us that we were the first people to check on her since the ice storm.

Let me get this straight, you are *****ing about a couple of people in DC, yet it took you over a month to go check on a 100 year old lady?

[iplaw]

quote:Originally posted by Juan Mad Okie

quote:Originally posted by Hometown


Last Sunday we went to check on Mrs. Wright who lives at the bottom of our hill.  When we knocked on her door and explained we were there to help haul limbs out the curb, she literally broke into tears.  She told us that we were the first people to check on her since the ice storm.

Let me get this straight, you are *****ing about a couple of people in DC, yet it took you over a month to go check on a 100 year old lady?

Brilliant... although typical for the garden variety lib-rul.  

Ask not what you can do for your neighbors, ask what your gubment can do for YOU!

[guido911]

quote:Originally posted by iplaw

quote:Originally posted by Juan Mad Okie

quote:Originally posted by Hometown


Last Sunday we went to check on Mrs. Wright who lives at the bottom of our hill.  When we knocked on her door and explained we were there to help haul limbs out the curb, she literally broke into tears.  She told us that we were the first people to check on her since the ice storm.

Let me get this straight, you are *****ing about a couple of people in DC, yet it took you over a month to go check on a 100 year old lady?

Brilliant... although typical for the garden variety lib-rul.  

Ask not what you can do for your neighbors, ask what your gubment can do for YOU!

Yep. It's Coburn & Sullivan's fault that no one has assisted this person.

[iplaw]

quote:Originally posted by guido911

quote:Originally posted by iplaw

quote:Originally posted by Juan Mad Okie

quote:Originally posted by Hometown


Last Sunday we went to check on Mrs. Wright who lives at the bottom of our hill.  When we knocked on her door and explained we were there to help haul limbs out the curb, she literally broke into tears.  She told us that we were the first people to check on her since the ice storm.

Let me get this straight, you are *****ing about a couple of people in DC, yet it took you over a month to go check on a 100 year old lady?

Brilliant... although typical for the garden variety lib-rul.  

Ask not what you can do for your neighbors, ask what your gubment can do for YOU!

Yep. It's Coburn & Sullivan's fault that no one has assisted this person.

Yeah...if HT was in charge, a billion dollars would have immediately been allocated...later to be shuffled off and used to buy needles for crackheads or something else of great import.

[grahambino]

quote:Originally posted by Juan Mad Okie

quote:Originally posted by Hometown


Last Sunday we went to check on Mrs. Wright who lives at the bottom of our hill.  When we knocked on her door and explained we were there to help haul limbs out the curb, she literally broke into tears.  She told us that we were the first people to check on her since the ice storm.

Let me get this straight, you are *****ing about a couple of people in DC, yet it took you over a month to go check on a 100 year old lady?

If you don't have a problem w/ your elected officials (oh yeah...those "couple people")
not supporting our home state, that is fine.

Why don't you just come out and say it?

Instead you ignore the original post & attempt to attack the poster personally.

[iplaw]

quote:Originally posted by grahambino

quote:Originally posted by Juan Mad Okie

quote:Originally posted by Hometown


Last Sunday we went to check on Mrs. Wright who lives at the bottom of our hill.  When we knocked on her door and explained we were there to help haul limbs out the curb, she literally broke into tears.  She told us that we were the first people to check on her since the ice storm.

Let me get this straight, you are *****ing about a couple of people in DC, yet it took you over a month to go check on a 100 year old lady?

If you don't have a problem w/ your elected officials (oh yeah...those "couple people")
not supporting our home state, that is fine.

Why don't you just come out and say it?

Instead you ignore the original post & attempt to attack the poster personally.

Possibly it's because HT, as usual, failed to give any proof or evidence that would lend credibility to the absurd accusation.

Hyperbole and broad sweeping generalizations don't deserve anything more than mockery.

[iplaw]

Here is Coburn and Sullivan's letter:

quote:
January 17, 2008

R. David Paulison, Administrator
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
500 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20472

Dear Administrator Paulison,

We write in follow up to President Bush's recent major disaster declaration for the State of Oklahoma and the subsequent denial of Governor Brad Henry's request for Individual Assistance for Tulsa and Oklahoma counties.

As you know, the FY 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act signed by the President on December 26, 2007 (PL- 110-161) contained a provision requiring FEMA to provide a report regarding major disaster declaration decisions.  The report is to include a summary of all damage assessment data used in approving or denying the major disaster declarations.  With this being the first disaster incident in Oklahoma since this law took effect, FEMA is presented with a great opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to bringing accountability and transparency to the disaster declaration process.

As public confidence in the federal government continues to decline, it is absolutely imperative that all agencies—and Congress for that matter—operate in the most open and transparent manner possible.  The decision whether or not to approve a major disaster declaration, and the federal assistance that comes with it, in a time of natural disaster is one of the most important decisions that your agency makes, and it is critically important that it be done with full knowledge that decisional data will be released to the public.  To do so, rebuilds confidence in this process and reassures taxpayers that these decisions are based solely on merit. In addition, it will also help state officials to understand the specific criteria used to determine federal disaster assistance eligibility.

All across our state, Oklahomans are picking up the pieces from yet another devastating ice storm.   We thank you in advance for your ongoing efforts, and we eagerly await your report to Congress and the citizens of our great state explaining your most recent decision to deny Governor Brad Henry's request for Individual Assistance for Tulsa and Oklahoma counties.

As our state continues recovery efforts, we stand ready to assist you in any way possible.

Sincerely,

Tom A. Coburn, MD                                                  
John Sullivan
United States Senator                                                  
United States Representative

Where in this letter do either of these gentlemen say that we don't need help from FEMA?

[Juan Mad Okie]

quote:Originally posted by grahambino

If you don't have a problem w/ your elected officials (oh yeah...those "couple people")
not supporting our home state, that is fine.

I dont trust the Gov't, and I take care of my own. He obviously knew about this 100 year old lady and chose not to do anything for a month... and neither did anyone else... THAT is what is sad...

[grahambino]

quote:Originally posted by iplaw

Here is Coburn and Sullivan's letter:

quote:
January 17, 2008

R. David Paulison, Administrator
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
500 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20472

Dear Administrator Paulison,

We write in follow up to President Bush's recent major disaster declaration for the State of Oklahoma and the subsequent denial of Governor Brad Henry's request for Individual Assistance for Tulsa and Oklahoma counties.

As you know, the FY 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act signed by the President on December 26, 2007 (PL- 110-161) contained a provision requiring FEMA to provide a report regarding major disaster declaration decisions.  The report is to include a summary of all damage assessment data used in approving or denying the major disaster declarations.  With this being the first disaster incident in Oklahoma since this law took effect, FEMA is presented with a great opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to bringing accountability and transparency to the disaster declaration process.

As public confidence in the federal government continues to decline, it is absolutely imperative that all agencies—and Congress for that matter—operate in the most open and transparent manner possible.  The decision whether or not to approve a major disaster declaration, and the federal assistance that comes with it, in a time of natural disaster is one of the most important decisions that your agency makes, and it is critically important that it be done with full knowledge that decisional data will be released to the public.  To do so, rebuilds confidence in this process and reassures taxpayers that these decisions are based solely on merit. In addition, it will also help state officials to understand the specific criteria used to determine federal disaster assistance eligibility.

All across our state, Oklahomans are picking up the pieces from yet another devastating ice storm.   We thank you in advance for your ongoing efforts, and we eagerly await your report to Congress and the citizens of our great state explaining your most recent decision to deny Governor Brad Henry's request for Individual Assistance for Tulsa and Oklahoma counties.

As our state continues recovery efforts, we stand ready to assist you in any way possible.

Sincerely,

Tom A. Coburn, MD                                                  
John Sullivan
United States Senator                                                  
United States Representative

Where in this letter do either of these gentlemen say that we don't need help from FEMA?

You're right.  There is nothing in there saying we don't need help from FEMA.  The letter is asking for transparency in the decision to deny Brad Henry's request for individual assistance.  
Which I agree is 100% necessary.
While they never say we don't need help from FEMA, there isnt anything in the letter saying we do.  
Instead, they offer our state's resources to assist FEMA...

[Breadburner]

[Hometown]

Thanks Grahambino, You get it.  And so do Breadburner, Juan Mad Okie, and Iplaw.  But they see themselves as spin doctors for the Republican party and they can't set aside their cynicism even in the face of this devastating disaster.  Oklahoma depends on its representatives in Washington to obtain federal assistance.  I repeat, with representatives like Sullivan and Coburn, who needs enemies.

Anyway, I got my information from the Tulsa World.  Here are two of their recent stories on the subject:

TULSA WORLD ON SULLIVAN

Sullivan cautious on aid

HESITANT
Rep. John Sullivan: "People forget this is taxpayers' money."

By JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau
1/17/2008

He says he'll help in the appeal of FEMA's aid denial but adds that money must be spent wisely.

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. John Sullivan, although open to working with Oklahoma officials to appeal a federal agency's denial of individual assistance to ice storm victims, said Wednesday that the entire process must be scrutinized.

"I am not the person that is just going to jump on a bandwagon and say, 'Hey, let's just give everybody money,' " said Sullivan, R-Okla.

"I want to make sure we only help those who need it with federal dollars and we scrutinize it."

He also said he was concerned that some people might not continue to carry private insurance, and he cited the recent record for the way the Federal Emergency Management Agency has handled individual assistance.

"We all remember Katrina and those victims," Sullivan said of the devastating 2005 Gulf Coast hurricane.

"Some of those people got individual assistance debit cards and used them for gambling and adult entertainment."

He quickly added that he was not suggesting that Oklahomans would do such things.

Sullivan spoke in response to FEMA's decision to deny the state's request for individual assistance for storm victims in Tulsa and Oklahoma counties.

Gov. Brad Henry was outraged by that decision, and he vowed to appeal it.

Henry is expected to ask members of the state's congressional delegation for help.

Sullivan said: "I am open to reviewing his appeal and working with him on the individual assistance. But it is very difficult to get."

He repeatedly emphasized the need for careful scrutiny throughout the process.

"People forget this is taxpayers' money," Sullivan said. "Someone has to really scrutinize this and watch it."

He also suggested that people understand what they are getting into once they receive individual assistance.

"With these federal handouts, this public assistance, there is also a lot of strong bureaucratic strings attached," Sullivan said.

A spokesman for Henry declined to respond directly to Sullivan's comments.

The spokesman, Phil Bacharach, said, "We would just stress certainly in this instance that . . . there seems to be little question this certainly rises to the level of warranting individual assistance."

Despite a similar rejection by FEMA last year, the state clearly did not expect to be turned down again.

"We were just dumbfounded," Bacharach said, pointing to statistics such as the 13,000 damage reports and the more than 640,000 homes and businesses that lost power.

"We hope FEMA will reconsider."

Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., spoke with Henry; FEMA's chief David Paulison; and Rep. Dan Boren, D-Okla., to determine what further assistance may be available to storm victims.

Inhofe issued a statement afterward. It said:

"Like Governor Henry and my fellow Oklahomans, I'm disappointed that FEMA has denied individual assistance to Oklahoma and Tulsa counties.

"This is not the first time FEMA's actions have failed to live up to expectations, and my own family was without power for over a week."

He also mentioned his proposal to return FEMA to its former status as an independent agency. It is now part of the Department of Homeland Security.

Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor also expressed disappointment over FEMA's denial.

"We had been optimistic that FEMA would properly assess the historic damage of this storm and would provide personal assistance to those in need," she said.

Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., touted a measure late last year that he said would bring openness and transparency to the process used by FEMA. The measure was inserted in a major spending bill.

It was unclear exactly how that provision might work with FEMA's recent actions.

MORE FROM THE TULSA WORLD

Oklahoma congressional delegation: Split forms over appeal to FEMA

By JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau
1/19/2008

WASHINGTON -- In a rare display of disunity, Oklahoma's congressional delegation split over signing a letter Friday appealing a federal agency's decision to deny individual assistance to storm victims in Tulsa and Oklahoma counties.

Republican U.S. Rep. John Sullivan declined to sign the letter and remains unsure about whether the decision by the Federal Emergency Management Agency needs to be appealed.

"By law, Gov. (Brad) Henry must make the appeal request," Sullivan said. "After his appeal is made to FEMA, I look forward to reviewing the damage numbers that are used to present Oklahoma's need for individual assistance."

Henry, who was outraged by FEMA's decision, already has announced that he plans to appeal, and four members of the delegation made it clear that they will back the governor.

Republican Reps. Mary Fallin, who led the effort, Frank Lucas and Tom Cole and Democratic Rep. Dan Boren signed a letter to FEMA Director R. David Paulison requesting an appeal.

After being contacted by the Tulsa World about the letter, Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe's office said he also would sign it.

Republican Sen. Tom Coburn declined to comment.

"The storm was catastrophic for Oklahomans all over the state, especially in Oklahoma and Tulsa counties," the letter states. "Over 13,000 damage claims were submitted from families and individuals who endured damage to their homes, small businesses and places of work."

In a separate statement, Fallin said she is convinced that Tulsa and Oklahoma counties should be granted individual assistance on top of the public assistance already provided under previous FEMA actions.

"The destruction in Oklahoma County was both obvious and extensive," she said.

Sullivan's current stance is an about face for him.

Last month, he said he already was convinced that the state had a good case to make for individual assistance.

"I am going to work very hard to try to secure that," he said in December.

Now, Sullivan stresses the need for accountability in the entire FEMA process and has focused some of his comments on ensuring that only those who need help get it.

"It is important that we scrutinize the criteria FEMA uses to determine eligibility, so that the state can build a stronger case and ensure its allocation of federal resources are based on merit in the future," he said Friday.

Typically, efforts by the congressional delegation, such as the letter to FEMA, easily generate unity.

Henry did not comment Friday, but a spokesman said the governor is grateful for the help of the congressional delegation.

[guido911]

quote:Originally posted by Juan Mad Okie

quote:Originally posted by grahambino

If you don't have a problem w/ your elected officials (oh yeah...those "couple people")
not supporting our home state, that is fine.

I dont trust the Gov't, and I take care of my own. He obviously knew about this 100 year old lady and chose not to do anything for a month... and neither did anyone else... THAT is what is sad...

wow.

[tim huntzinger]

'Sullie' is playing politics with this, and doing it poorly. Like when he said that opponents of the Race Riot Memorial were bigots and had to backtrack.  He is scared of being unthroned and needs to at least give lip service to fiscal responsibility.

So what is the point of the letter? That Dr. Tom and 'Sullie' can write a better letter than Fallin et al?  Where in the letter does it say Okies deserve individual assistance?  All the letter says is for FEMA to waste time and effort and prepare a report justifying the decision.  Waste of time IMO but I suppose the least they could do.