Is the Senate Partly to Blame for FEMA's Ineptitude?

We now know that, prior to working for FEMA, under secretary Michael Brown had no emergency management experience. He practiced law in Colorado and Oklahoma, taught some law classes at Oklahoma City University, and served as commissioner of the International Arabian Horse Association (a position he was asked to resign). While the President shouldn't have nominated Brown as FEMA director, and while Brown probably shouldn't have accepted the nomination, the Senate nonetheless confirmed Brown with a voice vote on August 1, 2002. (If this link becomes inactive, go to the "Nominations" page at THOMAS and search for "Michael Brown" in the records of the 107th Congress.)

Because Brown was confirmed by voice vote, we have no record of how individual senators voted. Where nominations are concerned, voice votes are usually taken when the outcome of the vote is obvious.

I understand that the Senate has to vote on several hundred presidential nominations in the course of a session, and that voice votes enable the Senate to work efficiently. But FEMA director is a very important job. The confirmation of a nominee with little relevant experience should not be dealt with as a formality. The Senate should have recognized that Brown was not qualified and rejected the nomination.

This gets me to a fundamental problem in American politics, at least at the federal level. Regardless of who is in the White House, the president's party almost always supports his nominations unanimously. The opposition party only puts up a fight in special circumstances, circumstances that have more to do with politics than making sure that the right people are appointed to the right positions.

In case you were wondering, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff was confirmed 98-0 in a roll-call vote earlier this year. (Arlen Spector and Montana Democrat Max Baucus didn't show.)

The Senate needs to take more seriously its responsibility to confirm or reject presidential nominations. The Constitution gives the legislative body this reponsibility to ensure that competent and qualified persons are serving in high-ranking, non-elected government positions. The Senate is charged with making sure our appointed leaders are fit to lead. This is a serious job, and one that voters need to consider when electing one-third of the Senate next year.

In other disturbing Hurricane Katrina/homeland security news, Daily Kos has quite a list of the many ways that FEMA has failed to use valuable and necessary resources available to them.