Blame Game

Anti-Federalism proving Anti-Federalism does not work:

It orchestrated visits by cabinet members to the region, leading up to an extraordinary return visit by Mr. Bush planned for Monday, directed administration officials not to respond to attacks from Democrats on the relief efforts, and sought to move the blame for the slow response to Louisiana state officials, according to Republicans familiar with the White House plan.

If it takes Katrina to make people realize that more, not less, federal control is needed to deal with problems of a magnitude bigger than any local government or private corporation, then great. However, for the White House to lambast the blame on Louisiana, which, after having 40% of their national guard and 50% of their national guard's equipment shipped off to Iraq, could not handle this disaster by themselves is nothing short of blaming a cripple for not being able to walk out of NOLA before Katrina hit.

This disaster brought to you by the people who keep cutting federal budgets for important things and lining their own pockets with the difference, your friendly, racist, blameless GOP.

Justice For Whom?

I'm not saying I liked Rehnquist, but the man's logic was fairly sound. Now we've got to worry about Bush trying to shove a second crazy into the courts in the coming month.

My vote goes for Gonzo. He might be a Bush puppet for the next 3 years, but once Bush is gone I get the feeling he might surprise us.

Liars

Unsurprising.

Too Awful To Be True

Except it is.

Bush faked his photo-op. To hell with relief for those suffering when he can look good.

Johnny Full-of-It

WaPo:

"It's as if the entire Gulf Coast were obliterated by the worst kind of weapon you can imagine," Bush said at another point. As he left New Orleans, Bush said: "I'm going to fly out of here in a minute, but I want you to know that I'm not going to forget what I've seen. I understand the devastation requires more than one day's attention."

That is exactly the point many of us have been worrying about. What if a nuclear weapon or dirty bomb had hit NOLA? Would the government's response have been any better? All evidence points to "no." What does Bush do? Flies in for a photo-op to make like Jesus, kissing victims' foreheads, and then gets out of there as soon as he can turn tail. Now he understands. Now, 5 days after Katrina hit. Condoleeza Rice told us that we cannot wait for that smoking gun to show itself, because it would be too late at that point. Well after 4 years that gun showed itself and Bush was caught on vacation with his nose next to a line of blow.

Bush's actions speak louder than his words and they betray his true personality.

Johnny Come Lately

Military vehicles bearing food and supplies sloshed into the drenched heart of this humbled and stricken city on Friday, while commercial airplanes and cargo planes arrived to lift beleaguered hurricane survivors from the depths of a ghastly horror.

After the hurricane hit on Monday. Sorry Bush, you missed the boat, and posing for photo-ops with national guardsmen and helicopters that could be off helping the situation, instead of making you look official, does not help anything.

Link.

Red Cross Not Allowed Into NOLA

Believe it.

Shock and Anarchy

Hunter, over at kos, has been dead on with his assessments of the Katrina disaster, and his latest piece continues to hit home.

Link.

I'm Impressed

Props to the NYT editorial board for publishing great editorials today.

Now if they would only own up for Judy.

Accountability

I understand the argument that Bush should be given a free pass for Katrina because it was a natural disaster, but I do not buy it. Apart from being on vacation when the hurricane hit and taking guitar lessons, he systematically cut FEMA's budget, the army corps of engineers' budget, and forced the national guard into Iraq where they cannot help Americans.

Now Bush says that the breach of the levees could not have been anticipated. I call that absolute bullshit. Bush can be held accountable not only for creating a situation where our response capabilities were weakened, (nevermind Homeland Security is not letting Canada deliver aid) but also for attempting to shirk his responsibilities. Furthermore, he has publicly denounced looting, even though people are stealing food and water to survive.

If Bush wants to hold people accountable for trying to stay alive, he can damn well be held accountable for letting them die.