Edwards proposes 'Brownie's Law'

[babylonsister]

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/12/08/505515.aspx

Edwards proposes 'Brownie's Law'
Posted: Saturday, December 08, 2007 3:01 PM by Domenico Montanaro
From NBC/NJ’s Tricia Miller

CONCORD, N.H. -- Edwards, who launched his candidacy in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, took a question this morning on rebuilding the Gulf Coast city. He talked about improving law enforcement, providing stepping-stone jobs and rebuilding infrastructure, including hospitals and schools. He then told the questioner about what he calls “Brownie’s Law,” named after former FEMA head Michael Brown.

“It’s a radical idea,” Edwards quipped. “Here’s what it would provide: that in order to be in charge of a major federal agency you have to actually have some experience and competence….”

The last few words of his response were drowned out, as the audience applauded for almost eight seconds. Asked afterward about “Brownie’s Law” in relationship to the Senate’s confirmation process, Edwards responded, “The president of the United States has a responsibility to nominate people for major positions in government, who actually meet the qualifications. Is it the responsibility of Congress to also go through that process? Of course it is, but the President of the United States has that responsibility, and we ought to have a law that actually requires it.”

[stray cat]

1. sounds like a good idea to me!

[MadBadger]

2. Youd think that wouldnt be necessary.

[stray cat]

3. Agreed but Bush has proved to me it is.

[Prophet 451]

15. You would think so..... n/t

[cali]

4. Sadly, after bush

this may actually be neccessary.

[aquart]

7. "May"?

When people can't see the line they're crossing, sometimes you have to make it a wall.

[asdjrocky]

5. k nt

[Turbineguy]

6. "Brownie's Law"?

now that's cruel. I mean it's bad enough being a prize goof and screwing things up and having Bush call you Brownie and tell you you're dion' a heck-uv-a job, but this?

[Usrename]

8. It might be cruel if Brown were doing time for the people he killed.

But how did Brownie ever come to believe that he could run FEMA to begin with? What were they thinking?

He didn't even question his own qualifications. That's a pretty gross disregard for the lives of his fellow citizens.

[frogmarch]

9. I like it, but

not the proposed name for it. I don't feel sorry for Brownie, but naming a law after him makes it sound as if he proposed it. Or was a victim of his own incompetence.

[tom_paine]

10. I like it. Seems like common sense, but in a totalitarian nation like Imperial Amerika

common sense must be legislated, and must fight an uphill battle against both the Bushies and the Vichy Dems.

Watch. If Brownie's Law is ever proposed, more than a few of our Brave Democratic Leadership will work very hard against it.

Sorry to be so pessimistic, but I am merely basing a projection on the future of dozens of episodes from the recent historical past, which seems to not have changed one iota.

[Beaverhausen]

11. I love it

and it is truly sad that this kind of thing is necessary.

[HootieMcBoob]

12. I would add

that the person's experience should not be in trying to undo what the agency's mandate is. For example the head of mine safety should not have been a lobbyist for the coal industry.

[Yukari Yakumo]

13. I'm not keen on it.

How would it be enforced? Since appointments require Congressional approval (usually), how would have that stopped Bush from installing Brown?

Sounds like a lot of rhetoric and no substance from Edwards, again.

[zalinda]

14. Part of the problem is that in the past

Presidents actually nominated people who were qualified. But then we have Bush, he nominates people who are barely qualified, and if they don't pass Congress, he then nominates someone who is even less qualified. So what happens is Congress will pass someone who is not really qualified because they could get someone who is even less qualified. When these nominations happen all work on the people's business gets side tracked and they have devote time to these quasi qualified candidates. When we had Presidents who actually cared about doing the best job, there was no need for a law, but maybe because of Bush, we need one. This actually should be called the Bush's law.

zalinda

[falconwing]

16. I think it's part of the Clean-Up Process

that we are going to be in for the next decade. Anything we can do to keep our eyes on the reasons why we all have to have brooms, mops, buckets and bleach in our hands to rectify this muck-up of the last 7 years is a good thing.

Never forget how we let ourselves get here. Never forget how we let the ruthless people into power. Never forget how we thought, "they wouldn't do THAT, would they?" and then they would. Every damn time.

And I feel they will again, with Iran....

Black-hearted sonsabitches....

[Czolgosz]

17. Thanks for posting this