After The Storm

It's a sad day when a government function as simple as hurricane forecasting is polluted with political unprofessionalism and paralysis. When will the american public EVER take delivery of a government provided service that actually functions as intended and advertised? Congressional overseerers (also held in contempt by americans) must do a better job at choosing and placing qualified, competent, uncontroversial individuals into positions of leadership within governmental organizations. This controversy is JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE of this great country heading in the wrong direction. It is time for CONGRESS and the Executive branch to cease and desist in this type of poor behavior, attitude and service we as American Citizens expect and deserve. Otherwise, we are NO BETTER than every other nation we browbeat and degrade as being inferior. This used to be the dividing line between the United States and all other nations. What standard now delineates us from the rest of the world? Not much from where I sit!
NOAA, get your collective crap together and do the job you are famous for. Cut the political infighting. Choose competent, uncontroversial leaders and get to work on science, not politics!

I applaud your sentiments, Keith. However, this will be our fate until we elect responsible and caring people into high office. Unfortunately, they're few and far between.
There was an old Greek gentleman who opined that those who seek power are the last to whom it should be given.

Those most at fault for this have been in NOAA and NWS headquarters and DOC although I would like to know what Bill Proenza has told the public about climate change and global warming.

The fact of the firing is one thing, however, the tone of the article stating "The principal signers of the letter, Reps. Nick Lampson of Texas and Bart Stupak of Michigan, are, of course, Democrats, and Adm. Lautenbacher is, of course, an appointee of a Republican administration." certainly does take sides in the political argument. And it is anything but unbiased.
On another related note, my experience of NOAA weather forecasting has not gone well. As a victim of three hurricanes in South Florida over the past four years, I found that NOAA called it wrong on either the intensity or landfall of each of the storms. I also spend a great deal of time on the ocean and have learned to not rely on their forecasts when running offshore.

In 2005, NOAA NWS staff at the NC River Forecast Center office in Chanhassen were pressured, during official office hours, to sign letters of complaint which were used in the removal of a senior hydrologist who had spoke up about climate change in the Upper Midwest. One of the other senior staff members at the time told me that he signed a blank sheet of paper and submitted it. Everyone was forced to submit a letter regarding comments made at a staff meeting in late March, 2005. There was no doubt that pressure by NOAA NWS management toward staff was involved in that situation.

The tactic of pressuring NWS staff to sign letters was also used by NWS management in July of 2000 which were used against a senior hydrologist at NCRFC.

In both 2000 and 2005, the pressure was used by NOAA NWS management because the senior hydrologist expressed his concerns that climate change and hydrologic change, shown to be happening, were being ignored in NWS hydrologic modeling and flood prediction.

Get over it. The world is full of lousy human beings, in charge of other people.

That is probably why you are complaining....you prefer to abuse others with your congressional power, also.

You can't stand to see real people, stand up and demand that they have a decent human being to report to.

And so it goes: another tale of the politicization of a government agency which should never have been politicized in the first place. I have no objection to politics at all, but I have the strongest objections when an organization with a scientific mission is distracted or dysfunctional because government officials want it to reflect the thinking of the current administration.

Agency staff were distracted by their own arrogance over Al Gore's book on global warming before Bush. NOAA NWS staff used their public offices in poo pooing global warming which helped Bush claim victory in November, 2000.

Chuck,
Remember that the word "politics" comes from the Greek root-word "poly", meaning "many", and "ticks", meaning "bloodsuckers." Until we stop electing them, we are faced with an endless road of more of the same.

Andy, your definition of "politics" is now irrevocably (and hilariously) burned into my memory. You are, of course, quite correct that if we elect them, we only encourage them.

The hearings will reveal NOAA twisted arms and promised promotions to get the petition signed. NOAA has no regards for the people of south florida.

I think NOAA Deputy Br. Gen. Jack Kelly, who was director of NWS from 1998-2004, has been arm twisting again.

I'm not too surprised. While it is sad that we have to deal with this stuff, nothing will happen until WE, the people, take a stand and either not vote for anyone, or take the people who we do not like in power, out of power. But that'll never happen. I do like your definition as well Andy. Things like this almost make me want to become a politician instead of furthering my career as a draftsman. Only a year and a half left........