To: Michael Brown
From: Your Advisor
Date: 21 November, 2005
RE: Disaster Consulting

First, let me congratulate you sir on saying nay to the naysayers who called you fey at FEMA. After showing the U.S. Senate exactly what people on the Gulf should have done to better prepare for Hurricane Katrina, you’re opening a PR firm to show clients how to best prepare for their own big disasters. Bravo.

Before moving on, lets look back at what you saw and what you said. "Hurricane Katrina showed how bad disasters can be, and there's an incredible need for individuals and businesses to understand how important preparedness is."

Words of wisdom from someone whose lived disaster - someone some would even call a living disaster. If only New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin had had the good sense to listen to you back in August. Water over the levee I guess they’d call it.

Here’s what your new clients need to know. You graduated from an unaccredited law school, went to work at a law-firm where you were described as “shallow” then let-go, famously became Commissioner of the International Arabian Horse Association that then forced you out over conflict of interest allegations. You didn’t leave without leaving a legacy though. The association then went bust and folded.

But it was at FEMA where you would hear the president say what your resume underplayed. “Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job.”

It was in doing that job that you received the August 31st e-mail from FEMA's only employee in New Orleans. "Sir, I know that you know the situation is past critical...many will die." Remember what you wrote back? "Thanks for the update. Anything specific I need to do or tweak?"

After all that most would be ruined. Not you. You’re stronger for it. Going out now on your own to consult on the only road you’ve ever known - disaster.

Bravo Brownie!

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