If New Orleans is going to get on its feet, the people there are going to need good jobs with decent pay. It shouldn’t be a problem. God knows there is plenty of work to be done. Except . . . One action Bush did not trumpet publicly drew a quick protest from a leading Democrat. By executive order, Bush … Read More
New Orleans 2.0: Richer & Whiter
That’s what the rich & white New Orleanians want. The Wall Street Journal: The mostly African-American neighborhoods of New Orleans are largely underwater, and the people who lived there have scattered across the country. But in many of the predominantly white and more affluent areas, streets are dry and passable. Gracious homes are mostly intact and powered by generators. Yesterday, … Read More
Brown’s Padded Bio
Time Magazine reports: An investigation by TIME has found discrepancies in his online legal profile and official bio, including a description of Brown released by the White House at the time of his nomination in 2001 to the job as deputy chief of FEMA. The weird thing is this: even taking his padded resume at face value, he still wasn’t … Read More
Katrina Aid Package
Congress passed a $51 billion Katrina aid package today. Eleven (!!) voted against it. Take a guess: Were they (a) members of the "culture of life" Republican party, or (b) Democrats?
More Katrina Punditry
Today, we’re going to have some fun with Renew America columnist Karen Pittman, living proof that beauties and brains tend not to run together. Or not run at all. Keep in mind as you read that, according to her bio, she’s known as the "Lay’s Potato Chip of political punditry". Which is saying something. I have heard it all now. … Read More
Hurricane Victims To Cheney: “Go Fuck Yourself”
Well, turnabout is fair game. Months ago, Cheney (on the Senate floor) told Senator Leahy to "go fuck himself". Today, some local in Mississippi said the same thing . . . to Cheney. It aired on CNN. Crooks and Liars has the video. Raw Story has the transcript: Off camera, a protester shouts, "Go f–k yourself, Mr. Cheney. Go f–k … Read More
CBS Poll: 58% Disapprove Of Bush’s Handling Of Katrina
CBS: President George W. Bush finds disapproval on his handling of the matter, too — and the public now shows diminished confidence in his abilities to handle a crisis or provide leadership, as well as in the government’s ability to protect the country. RATING THE RESPONSE President George W. Bush’s overall response to Katrina meets with disapproval today – a … Read More
Denial Is A Flooded River In Egypt
Oy vey: At a news conference, Pelosi, D-Calif., said Bush’s choice for head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency had "absolutely no credentials." She related that she had urged Bush at the White House on Tuesday to fire Michael Brown. "He said ‘Why would I do that?’" Pelosi said. "’I said because of all that went wrong, of all that … Read More
Whitewash Begins
This was predictable: Yesterday, congressional Republicans tried to get a head start, announcing the formation of an [Katrina] investigative commission that they can control. They rejected Democratic appeals to model the panel after the Sept. 11 commission, which was made up of non-lawmakers and was equally balanced between Republicans and Democrats. That commission won wide praise for assessing how the … Read More
What The Real 43rd President Did
From the Knoxville News [registration required] as reported here: Al Gore chartered a private jet and personally assisted in the evacuation of 140 New Orleans hurricane survivors, most of them in need of medical attention. Bush, on the other hand, flew into the Gulf Coast to hug some black people. You know, look all prezdential ‘n shit.
The Cult Presidency
Matt Yglesius looks at polling data regarding Katrina, and makes some astute observations: There’s some striking stuff in this CBS poll on Katrina. 58 percent disapprove of Bush’s handling of the hurricane, and just 38 percent approve. But consider this — only 20 percent say the federal government’s handling of the disaster was adequate, while 77 percent say it wasn’t. … Read More
Kaye Grogan And Katrina
We knew Kaye wouldn’t disappoint us when she got around to writing about Katrina. As the convoys of the U.S. National Guard arrived in New Orleans, their first priority was to try and restore civility, law and order, before they could begin to perform their rescue operations in a timely manner. If the convoys wanted to do anything in a … Read More
Katrina Fashion Sense
Winning the award for the most awkward and self-conscious article, I present this from the New York Sun. It seems that the spector of thousands and thousands of dead bloated bodies is going to harsh the hype of the upcoming Big Apple Fashion Week. After the chaos on the Gulf Coast, it’s time for order in the world: modesty, linear … Read More
Katrina Talking Points
Others have summarized the right wing excuses on Katrina, but so far, I like Green Knight’s the best: 1. The real victims here are the President and his Administration, because they’re being (gasp!) criticized. The people stranded in New Orleans are not victims. They have no one to blame but themselves.2. Nobody could have seen the emergency coming. Nevertheless, those … Read More