Thursday, August 31, 2006

I wonder

I would like to give a part of Bush's speech yesterday and respond to it:

We fight the terrorists and we fight all of those who give them aid. America has a message for the nations of the world: If you harbor terrorists, you are terrorists. If you train or arm a terrorist, you are a terrorist. If you feed a terrorist or fund a terrorist, you're a terrorist, and you will be held accountable by the United States and our friends.

While I like the point I wonder one thing: Does anyone remember Oklahoma City? I do. Does anyone remember who bombed the building? I do. Both were caucasions from America. Now does that mean Bush will bomb American Cities based on that statement?

Give Me A Break

So I looked at the alleged liberal LA Times today and I saw the headline in Jonah Goldberg's column which read "Give Bush A Break".

After wondering how much a break him and his ilk gave President Clinton (none) I read it. He basically said Bush did a great job handling Katrina. He didn't. It was his responsibility when the Federal Government handled it poorly.

Then he has the nerve to say that it's ok that Bush has forgotten about Osama Bin Laden. Pointing there haven't been any terror attacks since 9/11. Mind you he fails to mention the Anthrax attacks that occured shortly after 9/11.

So what break does Bush deserve? He has failed to protect us from terror, he failed to protect us from Katrina he has failed miserably in office yet he deserves a break? I don't think so.

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Wow

I didn't know Keith Olbermann had it in him. Here is a copy of his commentary after Rummy's speach which I posted earlier:

The man who sees absolutes, where all other men see nuances and

shades of meaning, is either a prophet, or a quack.

Donald S. Rumsfeld is not a prophet.

Mr. Rumsfeld’s remarkable comments to the Veterans of Foreign Wars

yesterday demand the deep analysis - and the sober contemplation - of every

American.

For they do not merely serve to impugn the morality or

intelligence - indeed, the loyalty — of the majority of Americans who

oppose the transient occupants of the highest offices in the land;

Worse, still, they credit those same transient occupants - our

employees — with a total omniscience; a total omniscience which neither

common sense, nor this administration’s track record at home or abroad,

suggests they deserve.

Dissent and disagreement with government is the life’s blood of

human freedom; And not merely because it is the first roadblock against the

kind of tyranny the men Mr. Rumsfeld likes to think of as "his" troops still

fight, this very evening, in Iraq.

It is also essential. Because just every once in awhile… it

is right — and the power to which it speaks, is wrong.

In a small irony, however, Mr. Rumsfeld’s speechwriter was

adroit in invoking the memory of the appeasement of the Nazis.

For, in their time, there was another government faced with true

peril - with a growing evil - powerful and remorseless.

That government, like Mr. Rumsfeld’s, had a monopoly on all the

facts. It, too, had the secret information. It alone had the true

picture of the threat. It too dismissed and insulted its critics in

terms like Mr. Rumsfeld’s - questioning their intellect and their

morality.

That government was England’s, in the 1930’s.

It knew Hitler posed no true threat to Europe, let alone

England.

It knew Germany was not re-arming, in violation of all

treaties and accords.

It knew that the hard evidence it received, which

contradicted policies, conclusions - and omniscience — needed to be

dismissed.

The English government of Neville Chamberlain already knew

the truth.

Most relevant of all - it "knew" that its staunchest critics

needed to be marginalized and isolated. In fact, it portrayed the foremost

of them as a blood-thirsty war-monger who was, if not truly senile - at

best… morally or intellectually confused.

That critic’s name… was Winston Churchill.

Sadly, we have no Winston Churchills evident among us this

evening. We have only Donald Rumsfelds, demonizing disagreement, the way

Neville Chamberlain demonized Winston Churchill.

History - and 163 million pounds of Luftwaffe bombs over England

- taught us that all Mr. Chamberlain had was his certainty - and his own

confusion. A confusion that suggested that the office can not only make the

man, but that the office can also make the facts.

Thus did Mr. Rumsfeld make an apt historical analogy.

Excepting the fact that he has the battery plugged in backwards.

His government, absolute - and exclusive - in its knowledge, is not the

modern version of the one which stood up to the Nazis. It is the modern

version of the government… of Neville Chamberlain.

But back to today’s Omniscients.

That about which Mr. Rumsfeld is confused… is simply this:

This is a Democracy. Still. Sometimes just barely. And as such,

all voices count — not just his. Had he or his President perhaps

proven any of their prior claims of omniscience - about Osama Bin

Laden’s plans five years ago - about Saddam Hussein’s weapons four years ago

- about Hurricane Katrina’s impact one* year ago - we all might be able to

swallow hard, and accept their omniscience as a bearable, even useful

recipe, of fact, plus ego.

But, to date, this government has proved little besides its own

arrogance, and its own hubris.

Mr. Rumsfeld is also personally confused, morally or

intellectually, about his own standing in this matter. From Iraq to

Katrina, to the entire "Fog of Fear" which continues to enveloppe this

nation - he, Mr. Bush, Mr. Cheney, and their cronies, have - inadvertently

or intentionally - profited and benefited, both personally, and politically.

And yet he can stand up, in public, and question the morality and

the intellect of those of us who dare ask just for the receipt for the

Emporer’s New Clothes.

In what country was Mr. Rumsfeld raised?

As a child, of whose heroism did he read?

On what side of the battle for freedom did he dream one day

to fight?

With what country has he confused… the United States of

America?

—–

The confusion we — as its citizens - must now address, is

stark and forbidding. But variations of it have faced our forefathers, when

men like Nixon and McCarthy and Curtis LeMay have darkened our skies and

obscured our flag. Note - with hope in your heart - that those earlier

Americans always found their way to the light… and we can, too.

The confusion is about whether this Secretary of Defense, and

this Administration, are in fact now accomplishing what they claim the

terrorists seek: The destruction of our freedoms, the very ones for

which the same veterans Mr. Rumsfeld addressed yesterday in Salt Lake City,

so valiantly fought.

—-

And about Mr. Rumsfeld’s other main assertion, that this country

faces a "new type of fascism."

As he was correct to remind us how a government that knew

everything could get everything wrong, so too was he right when he

said that — though probably not in the way he thought he meant it.

This country faces a new type of fascism - indeed.

—-

Although I presumptuously use his sign-off each night, in feeble

tribute… I have utterly no claim to the words of the exemplary journalist

Edward R. Murrow.

But never in the trial of a thousand years of writing could I

come close to matching how he phrased a warning to an earlier generation of

us, at a time when other politicians thought they (and they alone) knew

everything, and branded those who disagreed, "confused" or "immoral."

Thus forgive me for reading Murrow in full:

"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty," he said, in 1954.

"We must remember always that accusation is not proof, and that conviction

depends upon evidence and due process of law.

"We will not walk in fear - one, of another. We will not be

driven by fear into an age of un-reason, if we dig deep in our history

and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men;

"Not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate, and to

defend causes that were - for the moment - unpopular."


Thank you sir.

Rummy

So if I read the comments correctly Donald Rumsfeld said those who are against the occupation in Iraq are like those who wanted to appease Hitler. Being Jewish and against the occupation of Iraq I find the comments rather disgusting. But it's ok for Rummy to say that cause he's a conservative and it's ok for him to generalize. Here is the exact quotes.

There was a strange innocence about the world. Someone recently recalled one U.S. senator's reaction in September of 1939 upon hearing that Hitler had invaded Poland to start World War II. He exclaimed:

“Lord, if only I had talked to Hitler, all of this might have been avoided!”

I recount that history because once again we face similar challenges in efforts to confront the rising threat of a new type of fascism. Today -- another enemy, a different kind of enemy -- has made clear its intentions with attacks in places like New York and Washington, D.C., Bali, London, Madrid, Moscow and so many other places. But some seem not to have learned history's lessons.

The right-wing is getting more and more disgusting everyday in my view.

Monday, August 28, 2006

Real Numbers

Do you remember when Bush said after Katrina devastated New Orleans the following “This government will learn the lessons of Hurricane Katrina" and "get the work done quickly."

Well one year after Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast here is the hard numbers:

Less than half of the city’s pre-storm population of 460,000 has returned, putting the population at roughly what it was in 1880.

– Nearly a third of the trash has yet to be picked up.

Sixty percent of homes still lack electricity.

Seventeen percent of the buses are operational.

Half of the physicians have left, and there is a shortage of 1,000 nurses.

Six of the nine hospitals remain closed.

Sixty-six percent of public schools have reopened.

A 40 percent hike in rental rates, disproportionately affecting black and low-income families.

A 300 percent increase in the suicide rate.

Remember when a Bush official said they were going to make New Orleans a "whiter" city. Looks like he's getting his way.

Sunday, August 27, 2006

I wonder

So the IRS is making the Actors and Actresses who receive giftbags pay taxes on them. I know you might think I have a problem with that but I don't as long as they make Congressman, Senators, and Presidents (mind you any party here) do the exact same thing with the gifts they receive from lobbyists.

Sunday

As usual on Sunday you know I like to disect Bill O'Idiot and his column in the Los Angeles Daily News.

I'm going to quote what he says and have a comment.

"Despite what revisionist historians say, the USA did not lose militarily in Vietnam. We simply did not defeat the communist enemy, and shortly after we withdrew, they violated the signed treaty and took over South Vietnam"

Now here is what happened: Nixon took the term Republicans like to say about Democrats in Iraq and he cut and ran. We were soundly defeated in the war but if you look today it appears Vietnam is doing decently as a country and communism did nothing to deter it from growth. Mind you the key word is it appears.

"Today we are facing a similar situation in Iraq. The latest opinion research poll says 61 percent of Americans now oppose the Iraq War and just 35 percent support the action. But this is misleading. The opposition is not against the campaign to bring democrat to Iraq: the dissent is about our performance there.

In other words if the coalition were winning in Iraq, the folks would be behind the effort.

The far left is trying to make this a moral issue. It is spinning that somehow America is bad for deposing a murderous dictaor and making free elections possible. If that's bad, George Washington is Satan. That's how dopey the moral objection to Iraq is"

Ok so much here. NO the disagreement with Iraq is not about our performance there. What O'Idiot fails to mention is Iraq actually held elections before we started to occupy the country as we are now. It doesn't matter how the US is doing (not much of a coalition) the people would be against the illegal invasion and now occupation of Iraq. IS this the same far left who were against Clinton when he honored the U.N. request in Bosnia with the real genocide that was there? No it was the far right complaining about that. (For the record I was against that as well).

"There is no question that Iran, the world's most dangerous country, is behind much of the instability in Iraq. If the USA follows John Murtha's advice and pulls out quickly, Iran will partner up with the killer Shiite cleric al-Sadr and dominate Iraq, That will hieghten Iran's power in the Persian Gulf regoin and give Hezbollah and other terrorist outfits, including al-Quada, far more opportunities to devlop their homocidal plots.

So cutting and running is irresponsible and dangerous to America, and anyone who promotes that strategy should be agressivley challenged."

So in one part, this may shock you, O'Idiot is right. I think Iran and Iraq are inevitably going to, at least in part, going to merge whether we are there or not. And yes that will be dangerous if/when that happens. But if say Iran sends hundreds of millions of troops in Iraq that would be a bloodbath for our soldiers who are already stretched to the limit. If you wanna challenge me on that I'm right here.

O'Idiot is so out of touch with reality it's not funny. But hey so is Bush and the republican party.

Saturday, August 26, 2006

A Response

There is a letter in today's so-called liberal Los Angeles Times about Senator Hilary Clinton and the possibility of her running in 2008. Here is the letter and I have a response (I know you are shocked).

"I have a better sugestion for Sen. Clinton and her husband: retire from public life and let the people who care about this country be in charge. The Clinton's main prioity is what is best for them.

Wehn I see the vicious attacks against Bush-being called a liar, misleading the country - it is a national disgrace. Voters should think long and hard before they vote in the fall election and in 2008."

To the letter writer my question is this:

Were you one of the many right-wingers who mercilessly bashed President Clinton while he was in office? I bet you were. And are you actually saying Republicans care? Should I remind the letter writer YET AGAIN who was in charge when 9/11/01 happened. Need I remind who was in charge when Katrina happened? Who has let the current President break so many laws it isn't funny? Do I have to remind you this? Before the blame Clinton for everything crowd goes nuts as they will IF she runs we need to be reminded YET AGAIN how the Republicans have been non-productive in office.

This is important

With the one year anniversery of Katrina upon us I think it's important to remind everyone the events of that period.

http://www.thinkprogress.org/katrina-timeline is the link.

Friday, August 26

GOV. KATHLEEN BLANCO DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY IN LOUISIANA [Office of the Governor]

GULF COAST STATES REQUEST TROOP ASSISTANCE FROM PENTAGON: At a 9/1 press conference, Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré, commander, Joint Task Force Katrina, said that the Gulf States began the process of requesting additional forces on Friday, 8/26. [DOD]
Saturday, August 27

GOV. HALEY BARBOUR DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY IN MISSISSIPPI [Office of the Governor]

5AM CDT — KATRINA UPGRADED TO CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE [CNN]

GOV. BLANCO ASKS BUSH TO DECLARE FEDERAL STATE OF EMERGENCY IN LOUISIANA: “I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and that supplementary Federal assistance is necessary to save lives, protect property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a disaster.” [Office of the Governor]

FEDERAL EMERGENCY DECLARED, DHS AND FEMA GIVEN FULL AUTHORITY TO RESPOND TO KATRINA: “Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.” [White House]
Sunday, August 28

2AM CDT – KATRINA UPGRADED TO CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE [CNN]

7AM CDT – KATRINA UPGRADED TO CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE [CNN]

MORNING — LOUISIANA NEWSPAPER SIGNALS LEVEES MAY GIVE: “Forecasters Fear Levees Won’t Hold Katrina”: “Forecasters feared Sunday afternoon that storm driven waters will lap over the New Orleans levees when monster Hurricane Katrina pushes past the Crescent City tomorrow.” [Lafayette Daily Advertiser]

nagin.jpg 9:30 AM CDT — MAYOR NAGIN ISSUES FIRST EVER MANDATORY EVACUATION OF NEW ORLEANS: “We’re facing the storm most of us have feared,” said Nagin. “This is going to be an unprecedented event.” [Times-Picayune]

AFTERNOON — BUSH, BROWN, CHERTOFF WARNED OF LEVEE FAILURE BY NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER DIRECTOR: Dr. Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center: “‘We were briefing them way before landfall. … It’s not like this was a surprise. We had in the advisories that the levee could be topped.’” [Times-Picayune; St. Petersburg Times]

4PM CDT – NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES SPECIAL HURRICANE WARNING: In the event of a category 4 or 5 hit, “Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks, perhaps longer. … At least one-half of well-constructed homes will have roof and wall failure. All gabled roofs will fail, leaving those homes severely damaged or destroyed. … Power outages will last for weeks. … Water shortages will make human suffering incredible by modern standards.” [National Weather Service]

LATE PM – REPORTS OF WATER TOPPLING OVER LEVEE: “Waves crashed atop the exercise path on the Lake Pontchartrain levee in Kenner early Monday as Katrina churned closer.” [Times-Picayune]

APPROXIMATELY 30,000 EVACUEES GATHER AT SUPERDOME WITH ROUGHLY 36 HOURS WORTH OF FOOD [Times-Picayune]

LOUISIANA NATIONAL GUARD REQUESTS 700 BUSES FROM FEMA FOR EVACUATIONS: FEMA sends only 100 buses. [Boston Globe]
Monday, August 29

7AM CDT – KATRINA MAKES LANDFALL AS A CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE [CNN]

7:30 AM CDT – BUSH ADMINISTRATION NOTIFIED OF THE LEVEE BREACH: The administration finds out that a levee in New Orleans was breached. On this day, 28 “government agencies, from local Louisiana parishes to the White House, [reported that] that New Orleans levees” were breached. [AP]

8AM CDT – MAYOR NAGIN REPORTS THAT WATER IS FLOWING OVER LEVEE: “I’ve gotten reports this morning that there is already water coming over some of the levee systems. In the lower ninth ward, we’ve had one of our pumping stations to stop operating, so we will have significant flooding, it is just a matter of how much.” [NBC’s “Today Show”]

11:13 AM CDT - WHITE HOUSE CIRCULATES INTERNAL MEMO ABOUT LEVEE BREACH: “Flooding is significant throughout the region and a levee in New Orleans has reportedly been breached sending 6-8 feet of water throughout the 9th ward area of the city.” [AP]

MORNING – BROWN WARNS BUSH ABOUT THE POTENTIAL DEVASTATION OF KATRINA: In a briefing, Brown warned Bush, “This is, to put it mildly, the big one, I think.” He also voiced concerns that the government may not have the capacity to “respond to a catastrophe within a catastrophe” and that the Superdome was ill-equipped to be a refuge of last resort. [AP]

MORNING – MAYFIELD WARNS BUSH ABOUT THE TOPPING OF THE LEVEES: In the same briefing, Max Mayfield, National Hurricane Center Director, warns, “This is a category 5 hurricane, very similar to Hurricane Andrew in the maximum intensity, but there’s a big big difference. This hurricane is much larger than Andrew ever was. I also want to make absolutely clear to everyone that the greatest potential for large loss of lives is still in the coastal areas from the storm surge. … I don’t think anyone can tell you with any confidence right now whether the levees will be topped or not, but there’s obviously a very very grave concern.” [AP]

MORNING — BUSH CALLS SECRETARY CHERTOFF TO DISCUSS IMMIGRATION: “I spoke to Mike Chertoff today — he’s the head of the Department of Homeland Security. I knew people would want me to discuss this issue [immigration], so we got us an airplane on — a telephone on Air Force One, so I called him. I said, are you working with the governor? He said, you bet we are.” [White House]

mccainbirthday.jpg MORNING – BUSH SHARES BIRTHDAY CAKE PHOTO-OP WITH SEN. JOHN MCCAIN [White House]

11AM CDT — MICHAEL BROWN FINALLY REQUESTS THAT DHS DISPATCH 1,000 EMPLOYEES TO REGION, GIVES THEM TWO DAYS TO ARRIVE: “Brown’s memo to Chertoff described Katrina as ‘this near catastrophic event’ but otherwise lacked any urgent language. The memo politely ended, ‘Thank you for your consideration in helping us to meet our responsibilities.’” [AP]

LATE MORNING – LEVEE BREACHED: “A large section of the vital 17th Street Canal levee, where it connects to the brand new ‘hurricane proof’ Old Hammond Highway bridge, gave way late Monday morning in Bucktown after Katrina’s fiercest winds were well north.” [Times-Picayune]

11AM CDT — BUSH VISITS ARIZONA RESORT TO PROMOTE MEDICARE DRUG BENEFIT: “This new bill I signed says, if you’re a senior and you like the way things are today, you’re in good shape, don’t change. But, by the way, there’s a lot of different options for you. And we’re here to talk about what that means to our seniors.” [White House]

4:30PM CDT — BUSH TRAVELS TO CALIFORNIA SENIOR CENTER TO DISCUSS MEDICARE DRUG BENEFIT: “We’ve got some folks up here who are concerned about their Social Security or Medicare. Joan Geist is with us. … I could tell — she was looking at me when I first walked in the room to meet her, she was wondering whether or not old George W. is going to take away her Social Security check.” [White House]

8PM CDT — RUMSFELD ATTENDS SAN DIEGO PADRES BASEBALL GAME: Rumsfeld “joined Padres President John Moores in the owner’s box…at Petco Park.” [Editor & Publisher]

8PM CDT – GOV. BLANCO AGAIN REQUESTS ASSISTANCE FROM BUSH: “Mr. President, we need your help. We need everything you’ve got.” [Newsweek]

LATE PM – BUSH GOES TO BED WITHOUT ACTING ON BLANCO’S REQUESTS [Newsweek]
Tuesday, August 30

11AM CDT – BUSH SPEAKS ON IRAQ AT NAVAL BASE CORONADO [White House]

MIDDAY – CHERTOFF CLAIMS HE FINALLY BECOMES AWARE THAT LEVEE HAS FAILED: “It was on Tuesday that the levee–may have been overnight Monday to Tuesday–that the levee started to break. And it was midday Tuesday that I became aware of the fact that there was no possibility of plugging the gap and that essentially the lake was going to start to drain into the city.” But later reports note that the Bush administration learned of the levee breach on Aug. 29. [Meet the Press, 9/4/05; AP]

PENTAGON CLAIMS THERE ARE ENOUGH NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS IN REGION: “Pentagon spokesman Lawrence Di Rita said the states have adequate National Guard units to handle the hurricane needs.” [WWL-TV]

MASS LOOTING REPORTED, SECURITY SHORTAGE CITED: “The looting is out of control. The French Quarter has been attacked,” Councilwoman Jackie Clarkson said. “We’re using exhausted, scarce police to control looting when they should be used for search and rescue while we still have people on rooftops.” [AP]

U.S.S. BATAAN SITS OFF SHORE, VIRTUALLY UNUSED: “The USS Bataan, a 844-foot ship designed to dispatch Marines in amphibious assaults, has helicopters, doctors, hospital beds, food and water. It also can make its own water, up to 100,000 gallons a day. And it just happened to be in the Gulf of Mexico when Katrina came roaring ashore. The Bataan rode out the storm and then followed it toward shore, awaiting relief orders. Helicopter pilots flying from its deck were some of the first to begin plucking stranded New Orleans residents. But now the Bataan’s hospital facilities, including six operating rooms and beds for 600 patients, are empty.” [Chicago Tribune]

bushguitar.jpg2PM CDT – PRESIDENT BUSH PLAYS GUITAR WITH COUNTRY SINGER MARK WILLIS [AP]

BUSH RETURNS TO CRAWFORD FOR FINAL NIGHT OF VACATION [AP]
Wednesday, August 31

1:45AM CDT – FEMA REQUESTS AMBULANCES THAT DO NOT EXIST: “Almost 18 hours later, [FEMA] canceled the request for the ambulances because it turned out, as one FEMA employee put it, ‘the DOT doesn’t do ambulances.’” [Wall Street Journal]

11:20 AM CDT — FEMA STAFF WARNED BROWN THAT PEOPLE WERE DYING AT THE SUPERDOME: Three hours later, Brown’s press secretary wrote to colleagues complaining that Brown needed more time scheduled to eat at a restaurant: “He needs much more that (sic) 20 or 30 minutes. We now have traffic to encounter to go to and from a location of his choise (sic), followed by wait service from the restaurant staff, eating, etc. Thank you.” [AP]

NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS ARRIVE IN LOUSIANA, MISSISSIPPI, ALABAMA, AND FLORIDA: Troops arrive two days after they are requested. [Boston Globe]

superdome2.jpg TENS OF THOUSANDS TRAPPED IN SUPERDOME; CONDITIONS DETERIORATE: “A 2-year-old girl slept in a pool of urine. Crack vials littered a restroom. Blood stained the walls next to vending machines smashed by teenagers. ‘We pee on the floor. We are like animals,’ said Taffany Smith, 25, as she cradled her 3-week-old son, Terry. … By Wednesday, it had degenerated into horror. … At least two people, including a child, have been raped. At least three people have died, including one man who jumped 50 feet to his death, saying he had nothing left to live for. There is no sanitation. The stench is overwhelming.”" [Los Angeles Times, 9/1/05]

PRESIDENT BUSH FINALLY ORGANIZES TASK FORCE TO COORDINATE FEDERAL RESPONSE: Bush says on Tuesday he will “fly to Washington to begin work…with a task force that will coordinate the work of 14 federal agencies involved in the relief effort.” [New York Times, 8/31/05]

JEFFERSON PARISH EMERGENCY DIRECTOR SAYS FOOD AND WATER SUPPLY GONE: “Director Walter Maestri: FEMA and national agencies not delivering the help nearly as fast as it is needed.” [WWL-TV]

waterisrising22.jpg 80,000 BELIEVED STRANDED IN NEW ORLEANS: Former Mayor Sidney Barthelemy “estimated 80,000 were trapped in the flooded city and urged President Bush to send more troops.” [Reuters]

3,000 STRANDED AT CONVENTION CENTER WITHOUT FOOD OR WATER: “With 3,000 or more evacuees stranded at the convention center — and with no apparent contingency plan or authority to deal with them — collecting a body was no one’s priority. … Some had been at the convention center since Tuesday morning but had received no food, water or instructions.” [Times-Picayune]

PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY DECLARED FOR ENTIRE GULF COAST: “After a natural disaster, short and long-term medical problems can occur. Diseases like cholera, typhoid, hepatitis and mosquito-borne illnesses tend to break out under these conditions.” [WCBS-TV]

bushplane.jpg BUSH SURVEYS DAMAGE FROM AIR FORCE ONE: President Bush flew over New Orleans on Air Force One. “During the 35-minute tour, Bush clearly saw from his vantage point the damage to the football stadium in New Orleans as well as the flooded neighborhoods, wiped out bridges and slabs of foundations where houses used to stand.” [Fox News]

CHERTOFF “EXTREMELY PLEASED WITH THE RESPONSE” OF THE GOVERNMENT: “We are extremely pleased with the response that every element of the federal government, all of our federal partners, have made to this terrible tragedy.” [Department of Homeland Security]

EARLY AM – BLANCO AGAIN TRIES TO REQUEST HELP FROM BUSH: “She was transferred around the White House for a while until she ended up on the phone with Fran Townsend, the president’s Homeland Security adviser, who tried to reassure her but did not have many specifics. Hours later, Blanco called back and insisted on speaking to the president. When he came on the line, the governor recalled, “I just asked him for help, ‘whatever you have’.” She asked for 40,000 troops.” [Newsweek]

4PM CDT — BUSH GIVES FIRST MAJOR ADDRESS ON KATRINA: “Nothing about the president’s demeanor… — which seemed casual to the point of carelessness — suggested that he understood the depth of the current crisis.” [New York Times]

7PM CDT – CONDOLEEZZA RICE TAKES IN A BROADWAY SHOW: “On Wednesday night, Secretary Rice was booed by some audience members at ‘Spamalot!, the Monty Python musical at the Shubert, when the lights went up after the performance.” [New York Post, 9/2/05]

8PM CDT — FEMA DIRECTOR BROWN CLAIMS SURPRISE OVER SIZE OF STORM: “I must say, this storm is much much bigger than anyone expected.” [CNN]
Thursday, September 1

7AM CDT — BUSH CLAIMS NO ONE EXPECTED LEVEES TO BREAK: “I don’t think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees.” However, as former FEMA Director Michael Brown told CNN, “the president knew from our earlier conversations that that was one of my concerns, that the levees could actually breach.” [Situation Room, 3/2/06]

CONDOLEEZZA RICE VISITS U.S. OPEN: “Rice, [in New York] on three days’ vacation to shop and see the U.S. Open, hitting some balls with retired champ Monica Seles at the Indoor Tennis Club at Grand Central.” [New York Post]

STILL NO COMMAND AND CONTROL ESTABLISHED: Terry Ebbert, New Orleans Homeland Security Director: “This is a national emergency. This is a national disgrace. FEMA has been here three days, yet there is no command and control. We can send massive amounts of aid to tsunami victims, but we can’t bail out the city of New Orleans.” [Fox News]

2PM CDT — MAYOR NAGIN ISSUES “DESPERATE SOS” TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: “This is a desperate SOS. Right now we are out of resources at the convention centre and don’t anticipate enough buses. We need buses. Currently the convention centre is unsanitary and unsafe and we’re running out of supplies.” [Guardian, 9/2/05]

2PM CDT — MICHAEL BROWN CLAIMS NOT TO HAVE HEARD OF REPORTS OF VIOLENCE: “I’ve had no reports of unrest, if the connotation of the word unrest means that people are beginning to riot, or you know, they’re banging on walls and screaming and hollering or burning tires or whatever. I’ve had no reports of that.” [CNN]

katrina7.jpgNEW ORLEANS “DESCEND[S] INTO ANARCHY”: “Storm victims were raped and beaten, fights and fires broke out, corpses lay out in the open, and rescue helicopters and law enforcement officers were shot at as flooded-out New Orleans descended into anarchy Thursday. ‘This is a desperate SOS,’ the mayor said.” [AP]

CONDOLEEZZA RICE GOES SHOE SHOPPING: “Just moments ago at the Ferragamo on 5th Avenue, Condoleeza Rice was seen spending several thousands of dollars on some nice, new shoes (we’ve confirmed this, so her new heels will surely get coverage from the WaPo’s Robin Givhan). A fellow shopper, unable to fathom the absurdity of Rice’s timing, went up to the Secretary and reportedly shouted, ‘How dare you shop for shoes while thousands are dying and homeless!’” [Gawker]

MICHAEL BROWN FINALLY LEARNS OF EVACUEES IN CONVENTION CENTER: “We learned about that (Thursday), so I have directed that we have all available resources to get that convention center to make sure that they have the food and water and medical care that they need.” [CNN]
Friday, September 2

ROVE-LED CAMPAIGN TO BLAME LOCAL OFFICIALS BEGINS: “Under the command of President Bush’s two senior political advisers, the White House rolled out a plan…to contain the political damage from the administration’s response to Hurricane Katrina.” President Bush’s comments from the Rose Garden Friday morning formed “the start of this campaign.” [New York Times, 9/5/05]

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES DEMAND THAT DHS TO PAY ATTENTION TO WORKER-SAFETY: “By Friday, experts and officials from NIH, the Department of Labor and the Environmental Protection Agency began to make frantic calls to the Department of Homeland Security and members of Congress, demanding that the worker-safety portion of the national response plan be activated.” [Wall Street Journal]

EARLY AM — BUSH WATCHES DVD OF THE WEEK’S NEWSCASTS CREATED BY STAFF WHO THOUGHT BUSH “NEEDED TO SEE THE HORRIFIC REPORTS”: “The reality, say several aides who did not wish to be quoted because it might displease the president, did not really sink in until Thursday night. Some White House staffers were watching the evening news and thought the president needed to see the horrific reports coming out of New Orleans. Counselor Bartlett made up a DVD of the newscasts so Bush could see them in their entirety as he flew down to the Gulf Coast the next morning on Air Force One.” [Newsweek]

10 AM CDT — PRESIDENT BUSH STAGES PHOTO-OP “BRIEFING”: Coast Guard helicopters and crew diverted to act as backdrop for President Bush’s photo-op.

10:35AM CDT — BUSH PRAISES MICHAEL BROWN: “Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job.” [White House, 9/2/05]

BUSH VISIT GROUNDS FOOD AID: “Three tons of food ready for delivery by air to refugees in St. Bernard Parish and on Algiers Point sat on the Crescent City Connection bridge Friday afternoon as air traffic was halted because of President Bush’s visit to New Orleans, officials said.” [Times-Picayune]

LEVEE REPAIR WORK ORCHESTRATED FOR PRESIDENT’S VISIT: Sen. Mary Landrieu, 9/3: “Touring this critical site yesterday with the President, I saw what I believed to be a real and significant effort to get a handle on a major cause of this catastrophe. Flying over this critical spot again this morning, less than 24 hours later, it became apparent that yesterday we witnessed a hastily prepared stage set for a Presidential photo opportunity; and the desperately needed resources we saw were this morning reduced to a single, lonely piece of equipment.” [Sen. Mary Landrieu]

firefighters2.jpgBUSH USES 50 FIREFIGHTERS AS PROPS IN DISASTER AREA PHOTO-OP: A group of 1,000 firefighters convened in Atlanta to volunteer with the Katrina relief efforts. Of those, “a team of 50 Monday morning quickly was ushered onto a flight headed for Louisiana. The crew’s first assignment: to stand beside President Bush as he tours devastated areas.” [Salt Lake Tribune; Reuters]

12PM CDT — BUSH “SATISFIED WITH THE RESPONSE”: “I am satisfied with the response. I am not satisfied with all the results.” [AP]

PM – FEMA’S NO. 2 OFFICIAL “IMPRESSED” WITH GOVERNMENT RESPONSE: “I am actually very impressed with the mobilization of man and machine to help our friends in this unfortunate area….I think it’s one of the most impressive search-and-rescue operations this country has ever conducted domestically.” [Time]

CONGRESS APPROVES INITIAL FUNDING: Congress quickly approves $10.5 billion in initial aid for rescue and relief efforts. [AP, 9/4/05]
Saturday, September 3

SENIOR BUSH ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL LIES TO WASHINGTON POST, CLAIMS GOV. BLANCO NEVER DECLARED STATE OF EMERGENCY: The Post reported in their Sunday edition “As of Saturday, Blanco still had not declared a state of emergency, the senior Bush official said.” They were forced to issue a correction hours later. [Washington Post, 9/4/05]

9AM CDT — BUSH BLAMES STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS: “[T]he magnitude of responding to a crisis over a disaster area that is larger than the size of Great Britain has created tremendous problems that have strained state and local capabilities. The result is that many of our citizens simply are not getting the help they need.” [White House, 9/3/05]

8:05PM CDT – FEMA FINALIZES BUS REQUEST: “FEMA ended up modifying the number of buses it thought it needed to get the job done, until it settled on a final request of 1,335 buses at 8:05 p.m. on Sept. 3. The buses, though, trickled into New Orleans, with only a dozen or so arriving the first day.” [Wall Street Journal, 9/13/05]

kanye.jpg KANYE WEST TELLS AUDIENCE, “GEORGE BUSH DOESN’T CARE ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE.” [BBC, 9/3/05]

CHERTOFF CLAIMS THAT NO ONE COULD HAVE PREDICTED KATRINA: Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff argues that “government planners did not predict such a disaster ever could occur.” However, scientists and others had warned of the possibility for years. [CNN, 9/5/05]

THE LOUISIANA SUPERDOME IS FULLY EVACUATED: By the time the evacuation was finished, the Superdome was in such a poor state that “inside and outside…[it] was a sea of trash up to 5 feet deep. [AP, 9/3/05]
Monday, September 5

FORMER FIRST LADY PATRONIZES POOR REFUGEES: Former First Lady Barbara Bush says, “Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this, this is working very well for them.” [American Public Media, 9/5/05]
Thursday, September 8

BUSH SUSPENDS DAVIS-BACON ACT: Bush halts the enforcement of a law that sets the minimum pay for workers on federal contracts. AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney blasted the move as “outrageous.” [Washington Post, 9/9/05]

CONGRESS APPROVES MORE RELIEF FUNDING: Congress appropriates an additional $51.8 billion relief funding, six days after approving initial funding of $10.5 billion. [Washington Post, 9/9/05]
Friday, September 9

BROWN STRIPPED OF RELIEF DUTIES: FEMA chief Michael Brown is removed from his duty overseeing relief operations. He is replaced by Vice Admiral Thad Allen, chief of staff of the U.S. Coast Guard. [CTV, 9/9/05]
Monday, September 12

FEMA DIRECTOR RESIGNS: FEMA head Michael Brown resigns. Brown was “under fire over his qualifications and for what critics call a bungled response to Katrina.” [CNN, 9/12/05]
Tuesday, September 13

BUSH TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR FLAWED RESPONSE: “Katrina exposed serious problems in our response capability at all levels of government,” Mr. Bush said. “And to the extent that the federal government didn’t fully do its job right, I take responsibility.” [New York Times, 9/13/05]
Wednesday, September 14

INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIVE PANEL REJECTED: Senate Republicans voted down an attempt by Sen. Hillary Clinton “to establish an independent, bipartisan panel patterned after the 9/11 Commission to investigate” the government’s failures following Hurricane Katrina. [AP, 9/14/05]
Thursday, September 15

BUSH ADDRESSES NATION, SAYS HIS ADMINISTRATION WILL “LEARN THE LESSONS” OF KATRINA: “This government will learn the lessons of Hurricane Katrina. We are going to review every action and make necessary changes, so that we are better prepared for any challenge of nature, or act of evil men, that could threaten our people.” [Bush, 9/15/05]

HOUSE ESTABLISHES KATRINA COMMISSION: A day after the Senate rejected an independent panel, the House of Representatives approved legislation to create the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina. Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) was named as Chairman of the Committee. [House, 9/15/05]
Tuesday, September 20

ALLSTATE REFUSES TO REIMBURSE VICTIMS: Insurance giant refuses to pay those filing Katrina flood claims. The storm may end up costing insurers as much as $60 billion. [MarketWatch, 9/20/05]
October

3rd – IRAQ WAR HINDERS KATRINA RELIEF: An inquiry into the government’s response to Hurricane Katrina finds that the effort suffered “near catastrophic failures due to endemic corruption, divisions within the military and troop shortages caused by the Iraq war.” [Independent, 10/3/05]

10th – BUSH VISITS REGION FOR THE 8TH TIME SINCE KATRINA HIT [Situation Room, 10/10/05]

13th – 600,000 REFUGEES LIVING IN HOTELS: Spending $11 million a day, the reliance on hotels has been necessary because FEMA “has had problems installing mobile homes and travel trailers for evacuees.” [New York Times, 10/13/05]

19th – CHERTOFF TESTIFIES, CLAIMS ADMINISTRATION WAS PREPARED FOR KATRINA: In his testimony, he says, “The idea that this department and this administration and the president were somehow detached from Katrina is simply not correct. We were acutely aware of Katrina and the risk it posed.” Despite Chertoff’s claim, Bush wasn’t made aware of the failed response until four days after the storm hit. [Chertoff, 10/19/05]

November

1st – BUSH APPOINTS “KATRINA CZAR”: Donald Powell, head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., is tapped by President Bush to become the hurricane recovery czar. He will work to coordinate recovery and rebuilding efforts. [U.S. News & World Report, 11/3/05]

10th – VICTIMS SUE FEMA FOR AID [New York Times, 11/10/05]

16th – EVACUEES GIVEN 15 DAYS TO LEAVE: 150,000 evacuees are given until December 1 to leave government-subsidized hotels and find other housing. “Housing advocates criticized the announcement, saying that FEMA failed to spell out long-term housing plans, ignored existing federal housing programs and will push some poor evacuees into shelters for the homeless because of lack of planning.” [Washington Post, 11/16/05]

23rd – THOUSANDS REMAIN MISSING: Nearly three months after Katrina hit, the National Center for Missing Adults says over 6,500 people are unaccounted for in the hurricane’s wake. In addition, “more than 400 bodies remain unidentified.” [ABC News, 11/23/05]
December

4th – “THE DISASTER IS STILL REALLY GOING ON, IN TERMS OF HEALTH CARE”: “Many hospitals in the New Orleans area are short-staffed and struggling to care for a growing population of patients who are returning to their homes three months after fleeing Hurricane Katrina.” [USA Today, 12/4/05]

13th – VICTIMS TAKE OUT AD TO GET CONGRESS’ ATTENTION: Homeless victims of Hurricane Katrina took out ad space to “[plead] with Congress to pay for stronger levees.” See the ad here. [New York Times, 12/13/05]

14th – HOUSTON ENDS VOUCHER PROGRAM: Houston Mayor Bill White said today he will stop giving Katrina refugees vouchers for a year’s worth of rent and utilities. With more than 100,000 displaced persons flocking to Houston, White declared, “Houston is full.” [Houston Chronicle, 12/14/05]

21st – PRESIDENT BUSH SIGNS SUPPLEMENTAL OF $29 BILLION FOR KATRINA RELIEF [Brookings, 3/21/06]
2006: JANUARY

4th – NEW ORLEANS STILL NOT SAFE FOR DISPLACED: “The bottom line: it continues to be a very risky decision for many of the displaced households to return to the area, since all of the key necessities are in scarce supply, and it is not at all clear when or if they will be brought back online.” [Brookings, 01/04/06]

12th – PRESIDENT BUSH TRAVELS TO NEW ORLEANS; SPENDS LESS THAN 24 HOURS IN THE REGION: He congratulated Mayor Ray Nagin for getting the city’s infrastructure “back on its feet,” but he met the locals in an area that wasn’t flooded and saw little of the city, save for the view from the interstate as he arrived. “I will tell you, the contrast between when I was last here and today…is pretty dramatic,” he said. “It’s a heck of a place to bring your family.” [WSJ, 01/13/06]

24th – WHITE HOUSE REFUSES TO COOPERATE WITH A SENATE INVESTIGATION OF KATRINA: “The Bush administration, citing the confidentiality of executive branch communications, said Tuesday that it did not plan to turn over certain documents about Hurricane Katrina or make senior White House officials available for sworn testimony before two Congressional committees investigating the storm response.” [New York Times, 1/24/06]

25th – ADMINISTRATION REJECTS RECONSTRUCTION PLAN: The White House rejects a Congressional reconstruction plan — the “most broadly supported plan for rebuilding communities,” and instead backs $6.2 billion in block grants that Congress provided last year, which Rep. Richard Baker (R-LA) called “unacceptable.” [Times-Picayune, 1/25/06]

31st – PRESIDENT BUSH DOES NOT MENTION KATRINA ONCE IN HIS STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS [Bush, 1/31/06]
FEBRUARY

1st – GOVERNMENT AUDITORS “LAMBAST” SECRETARY CHERTOFF’S RESPONSE TO KATRINA: Congressional investigators on Wednesday lambasted the U.S. government for its response to Hurricane Katrina, saying a lack of a clear chain of command hindered relief efforts and that Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff or another top official should have been the point person on relief efforts. [CBS News, 2/1/06]

10th – MICHAEL BROWN TESTIFIES: Brown called “a little disingenuous” and “just baloney” assertions by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and other top administration officials that they were unaware of the severity of the catastrophe for a day after Katrina struck on Aug. 29. [New York Times, 2/11/06]

13th – GAO REPORT CONCLUDES THAT FEMA’S DISASTER AID PROGRAM IS RIDDLED WITH FRAUD [USA Today, 2/13/06]

13th – HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY MICHAEL CHERTOFF ANNOUNCES REFORMS FOR FEMA [CS Monitor, 2/14/06]

15th – BUSH, SENIOR ADMINISTRATION LEADERS SINGLED OUT IN “BLISTERING” HOUSE REPORT ON KATRINA: The House of Representatives releases a 600-page report that further criticizes the White House’s response. [The report] lays primary fault with the passive reaction and misjudgments of top Bush aides, singling out Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, the Homeland Security Operations Center and the White House Homeland Security Council. [Washington Post, 2/12/06]

23rd – WHITE HOUSE ISSUES OWN “LESS SCATHING” REPORT [ABC, 2/23/06]

27th – ONLY ONE-THIRD OF KATRINA CHARITY DONATIONS REMAIN [Washington Post, 2/27/06]

28th – MARDI GRAS FINDS A QUIET NEW ORLEANS: “The lack of revelry reflects the lack of people — New Orleans’s black middle class is gone.” [Washington Post, 2/25/06]
MARCH

1st – TAPES SHOWING BUSH BEING WARNED OF A POTENTIAL BREACH IN THE LEVEES ARE RELEASED [Washington Post, 3/1/06]

2nd – UNCERTAINTY STILL REIGNS IN NEW ORLEANS: “Now six months since Katrina made landfall, New Orleans remains primarily in a gut and wait mode. Homeowners have gutted their houses, but are waiting to invest in their homes until they receive greater signs of certainty.” [Brookings, 3/2/06]

5th – CONSERVATIVE CRITICIZES RESPONSE TO KATRINA: Weekly Standard Editor Bill Kristol said that Bush’s handling of the disaster had become “an emblem of the administration that just isn’t as serious about the competent execution of the functions of government as it should be.” [Fox News Sunday, 3/5/06]

8th – TIM McGRAW AND FAITH HILL, NATIVES OF LOUISIANA, CALL RECOVERY EFFORTS “HUMILIATING”: McGraw specifically criticized President Bush. “There’s no reason why someone can’t go down there who’s supposed to be the leader of the free world … and say, ‘I’m giving you a job to do and I’m not leaving here until it’s done. And you’re held accountable, and you’re held accountable, and you’re held accountable.’” [ABC, 3/8/06]

15th – A STUDY FINDS THAT THE WHITE HOUSE HAS REJECTED HURRICANE DISASTER-RECOVERY LOANS AT A HIGHER RATE THAN ANY OTHER ADMINISTRATION IN THE LAST 15 YEARS [USA Today, 3/15/06]

19th – THE BROADEST COUNSELING PROGRAM EVER GETS UNDERWAY: An estimated 500,000 people need some form of mental health service, but “even people trained to offer solace break down easily and often.” [Baltimore Sun, 3/20/06]

21st – THE LARGEST CHILD-RECOVERY EFFORT IN U.S. HISTORY ENDS: Six months after Katrina, 5,192 children are reunited with their family members. [USA Today, 3/21/06]

30th – BUSH ADMINISTRATION MISCALCULATES COST OF REBUILDING LEVEES: “The Bush administration said yesterday that the cost of rebuilding New Orleans’s levees to federal standards has nearly tripled to $10 billion and that there may not be enough money to fully protect the entire region.” [Washington Post, 3/31/06]
APRIL

4th – MARY LANDRIEU (D-LA) THREATENS TO PLACE HOLDS ON THE PRESIDENT’S NOMINEES: “Mr. President, the piecemeal approach that has marked your administration’s response to providing adequate levee and flood protection for Louisiana has not worked,” Landrieu wrote. “It needs to be replaced by a comprehensive approach that is both more effective and cost-efficient.” [The Hill, 4/5/06]

6th – BUSH NOMINATES R. DAVID PAULISON TO HEAD FEMA: Seven other candidates turned down the post. [CBS News, 4/6/06]

12th – THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION ISSUES LONG-AWAITED CONSTRUCTION GUIDELINES FOR KATRINA-AFFECTED REGIONS [WP, 4/13/06]

14th – THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FAULTS ITSELF: “After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, [Homeland Security’s] prevention and preparedness for terrorism have overshadowed that for natural hazards, both in perception and in application,” the report reads. [CBS News, 4/14/06]

17th – “KATRINA KIDS” SING FOR LAURA BUSH: Today at the White House Easter Egg Roll, dozens of children “from the stricken Gulf Coast region serenaded First Lady Laura Bush with a song praising the beleaguered Federal Emergency Management Agency.” To the tune of “Hey Look Me Over,” the kids from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama sang:

“Our country’s stood beside us
People have sent us aid.
Katrina could not stop us, our hopes will never fade.
Congress, Bush and FEMA
People across our land
Together have come to rebuild us and we join them hand-in-hand!” [ThinkProgress, 4/17/06]

24th – HOUSING SECRETARY SAYS ONLY THE “BEST RESIDENTS” SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO RETURN TO HOUSING COMPLEX: Alphonso Jackson added: “I don’t care what color they are, if they are devastating a community, they shouldn’t be allowed to return.” [USA TODAY, 4/25/06]

25th – BUSH ASKS CONGRESS FOR ADDITIONAL $2.2 BILLION TO REPAIR LEVEES: The move comes after the government announced it had initially underestimated the amount needed to repair New Orleans’ damaged levees. Bush, however, said that this request should come out of FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund. [Bush, 4/25/06]

27th – SENATE RELEASES 800-PAGE REPORT: The only national bipartisan inquiry in the country faults the Administration for “bungling the storm response by neglecting warnings, failing to grasp Katrina’s destructiveness, doing too little or taking the wrong steps before the Aug. 29 landfall.” [hsgac.senate.gov, 4/27/06]

27th – BUSH MAKES 11TH TRIP TO DAMAGED GULF COAST SINCE KATRINA LANDED: “If you are interested in helping the victims of Katrina, interested in helping them get back on their feet, come on down here.” [Washington Post, 4/28/06]
MAY

2nd – FEMA CLOSES ITS LONG-TERM RECOVERY OFFICE IN NEW ORLEANS [AP, 5/2/06]

katrinadebris.jpg 8th – 7.2 MILLION TONS OF DEBRIS YET TO BE REMOVED AS LANDFILL DEBATE RAGES [New York Times, 5/8/06]

10th – LOUISIANA LAWMAKERS APPROVE $7.5 BILLION AID PROGRAM FOR HOMEOWNERS [Boston Globe, 5/10/06]

18th – DEATH TOLL OF LOUISIANA REACHES 1,577: “A continuing rise in reports of out-of-state deaths” has increased Louisiana’s official Katrina toll by 22 percent. [The Times-Picayune, 5/19/06]

20th – NEW ORLEANS MAYOR RAY NAGIN IS REELECTED [ABC, 5/20/06]
JUNE

1st – FEMA CLOSES THE LAST FOUR CAMPS THAT HOUSE AND FEED RECOVERY VOLUNTEERS [The Times-Picayune, 5/31/06]

5th – THE FIRST CRIMINAL TRIALS SINCE KATRINA OPEN [Fox News, 6/6/06]

15th – PRESIDENT BUSH SIGNS ADDITIONAL SPENDING OF $19.4 BILLION FOR KATRINA RELIEF: $4.2 billion goes towards housing. The package brings the total allocated by the federal government for recovery efforts to around $107 billion. [Brookings, 7/1/06]

16th – DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SAYS THAT NEW ORLEANS IS NOT PREPARED FOR ANOTHER DISASTER [DHS, 6/16/06]

19th – NEW ORLEANS CONVENTION CENTER REOPENS [mccno.com, 6/20/06]

26th – $2 BILLION IN TAX DOLLARS FOR RELIEF LOST TO WASTE AND FRAUD: “The estimate of up to $2 billion in fraud and waste represents nearly 11 percent of the $19 billion spent by FEMA on Hurricanes Katrina and Rita as of mid-June, or about 6 percent of total money that has been obligated.” [New York Times, 6/26/06]
JULY

3rd – SEXUAL ASSAULTS AMONG KATRINA EVACUEES CLIMB ALARMINGLY: “We have families doubling and tripling up in substandard housing, families living with extended family members they wouldn’t normally choose to live with,” said Alisa Klein, a public health and violence prevention specialist with the nonprofit National Sexual Violence Resource Center in Harrisburg, Pa. “We’re seeing this increased vulnerability to sexual violence…” [Women eNews, 7/3/06]

11th – DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT APPROVES $4.2 BILLION FOR LOUISIANA’S REBUILDING PROGRAM [USA Today, 7/11/06]

21st – NEW ORLEANS RESIDENTS FACE HIGHER ELECTRICITY PRICES AMID BLACKOUTS: “Ten months after Hurricane Katrina, the city still does not have a reliable electrical system. Hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of repairs are still needed on a system devastated by flooding, the local utility is in bankruptcy and less than half the system’s prestorm customers have returned.” [New York Times, 7/22/06]

26th – MAYOR RAY NAGIN OUTLINES 100-DAY PLAN TO REBUILD NEW ORLEANS [BayouBuzz.com, 7/26/06]

28th – U.N. CRITICIZES THE U.S. FOR FAILING TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF THE POOR: A panel of 18 UN poverty experts said it was concerned that the poor, especially African-Americans, “were disadvantaged by the rescue and evacuation plans implemented when Hurricane Katrina hit the United States of America.” [Mississippi Sun Herald, 7/28/06]
AUGUST

3rd – GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION OF NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPTARTMENT IS LAUNCHED: Law enforcement officials from Gretna prevented the evacuees, most of them black, from crossing a Mississippi River bridge into the predominantly white suburb. [Los Angeles Times, 8/4/06]

7th – FIRST WAVE OF NEW ORLEANS SCHOOLS OPEN: Eight new public schools open giving 4,000 students an early start on the school year. [CNN, 8/7/06]

8th – NEW ORLEANS STILL NOT BACK ON TRACK: One year after Katrina, New Orleans is showing signs of early rebirth…but the majority of indicators are troubling, pointing to much-needed progress in basic city services, infrastructure, and affordable housing for workers in order to boost market confidence and move the region’s economy affirmatively forward. [Brookings, 8/06]

Now for all those who blame the deomcratic mayor of New Orleans and governor of Lousiana just remember it was declared on August 27th a FEDERAL DISASTER AREA. That means the RESPONSIBILITY of the disaster is on the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT and last I checked that means the person in charge of the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT who last I checked is George W. Bush. End of story.

Now here is my question was Katrina a nautral disaster or man-made? I bring it up because the levees (which again Bush failed to give money requested due to the occupation of Iraq) are man-made and if the levees failed does that mean it's more man-made or natural. Just curious if someone can answer that for me.

A little too much

Now as you know I'm a fan of the thinkprogress.org website but I'd like to say something they posted yesterday I might have to disagree with. They showed a CNN piece about a cat that can do tricks. You see I think stories like that are fine. You can't be serious with things 24 hours a day sometimes moods need to be lightened just a bit and stories like that help calm things down. That's just me.

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Much to talk about

Busy day today in terms of things I wanna talk about. Latest is Tomas Sowell's column in the Los Angeles Daily News. The headline reads "Zealots can't be bought off".

He's wrong, dead wrong. Bush,Cheney,the Republican controlled house and senate have been bought off by oil, insurance, pharmacutical, energy companies. Which is why they are not accomplishing anything.

Oh wait he means terrorist zealots. Nevermind.

Think They Will Sue?

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060824/NEWS01/608240332/1002/NEWS

To the gentlemen or lady who posted the way to shorten the links if he can tell me how to do that I'd appreciate it.

This is disgusting. Racism at it's worse. 9 African-American children were ordered to the back of a school bus by the bus driver to be replaced by white children. Not sure if the bus driver is aware of this but segregation was banned years ago. To do this is nothing more then disgusting no matter what. This guy should be fired and sued as well as his employer. There is no room for that in todays society and we will not advance as a society as long as people like that exist.

Punch Counter Punch

I'd like to give a quote from Hannity and would like to respond to that: (courtesy of mediamaters)

HANNITY: No, no, no. Hang on, Kate. This is a good point 'cause Mary Anne is saying -- but this is what I say. Mary Anne's party, Bob Beckel's party, are weak, consistently wrong on homeland security and national security issues. They are weak. They'll cut, run, and surrender. They won't allow us to combat the terrorists. Let's take that issue to them. I think it's a winning issue for Republicans.

The they he is refering to is democrats. I don't know how this could be a winning issue for Republicans though. If this was me and I had any pull in the Democratic party I would remind the people who exactly was in charge in 9/11/01 and remind them of Bush's failure to capture Bin Laden. I will also remind people of the anthrax attacks shortly after 9/11 and the failure of the right, who is in charge, to capture the person who attacked us.

Bush is very soft on security as is the right wing. People need to be reminded.

Big Shock

I know this will shock no one but Joe Lieberman is campagning today with GOP incumbants in Connecticut. Once a Republican always a Republican.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Is that racist or real?

I'd like to ask that about the following comment Conrad Burns (R) Montana made the other day about someone in his employment:

Recently referred to his house painter as “a nice little Guatemalan man” who might be in the country illegally. “The other day, the little fella who does our maintenance work around the house, he’s from Guatemala, and I said, ‘Could I see your green card?’” Burns said. “And Hugo says, ‘No.’ I said, ‘Oh gosh.’”

If he has hired an illegal immigrant he should be charged with whatever crimes committed as should anyone no mater what.

How about these from Pat Buchanan's new book (courtesy of mediamaters):

This [immigration] is an invasion, the greatest invasion in history." [p. 5]
"We are witnessing how nations perish. We are entered upon the final act of our civilization. The last scene is the deconstruction of the nations. The penultimate scene, now well underway, is the invasion unresisted." [p. 6]
"Chicano chauvinists and Mexican agents have made clear their intent to take back through demography and culture what their ancestors lost through war." [p. 12]
"[W]e are in the midst of a savage culture war in which traditionalist values have been losing ground for two generations." [p. 28]
"The first imperative is an immediate moratorium on all immigration, such as the one we imposed from 1924 to 1965. ... But even with a moratorium, success is not assured." [p. 250-251]

Just wondering if these comments by right-wingers should be considered racist? I think they are but that's me.

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Huh

Did I see where George Bush claim that he NEVER said Iraq attacked us on 9/11/01? Did he say that? If you type in just on my site alone Bush,9/11,Iraq you will see I posted 100 references Bush has said Iraq attacked us on 9/11.

Now let's sum up: We are now in occupation of Iraq based on two reasons that Bush gave that have been lies, those reasons were Irq attacked us on 9/11 and Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.

Again those have been proven lies AND Bush needs to be put on trial for War Crimes.

Monday, August 21, 2006

Lost It

I think Pat Buchanon has lost it. He said on the Don Imus show today the following:

Mexican government has a “direct program” to reannex “the seven states of the American Southwest.” The first step is for Mexico “to push the poor, unemployed, and uneducated into the United States.” He criticized President Bush for not understanding “the nature and character of the invasion” from Mexico.



Sounds like a sane person to me.

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Timelines

If you goto thinkprogress.org they have a timeline of the lies on the occupation of Iraq from the Bush Administration and we are inching toward 3000 soldiers dying because of these lies.

In October the occupation will officially be longer then WWII think about all the soldiers who are away from their loved ones and all the soldiers who aren't coming back home.

http://www.thinkprogress.org/iraq-timeline

Friday, August 18, 2006

Ending of Two Eras

I'd like to talk about two disturbing events that has occured recently in Los Angeles in our radio markets.

First our only country station changed formats to a hip-hop station. That's wrong. Don't get me wrong I'm not a huge country music fan I'm more of a classic rock fan but still in the 2nd biggest market there is no room for one country station? Nevermind I also find it disgusting that in America a majority of the radio stations here are in Spanish but that's another post.

We already have 5 hip hop stations in Los Angeles this will be 6. I only have one station that plays pure classic rock. I guess this is more a reason to get satelite radio isn't it.

The second I was saddened to learn a 23 year show here called breakfast with the Beatles has ended or is about to end according to laradio.com that was always fun to listen to.

Thursday, August 17, 2006

An Apology

Like many others I made a rush to judgement on the Jon Bonet Ramsey murder 10 years ago. I assumed that it was a family member who killed the child based on what I saw of the evidence.

It does appear I was wrong to make that assumption as an arrest has been made. John Mark Karr was arrested in Thailand and has confessed to the crime. I don't know if this is considered a part of the media or not I know it's part of the blogosphere but I would like to apologize to the Ramseys. I think I owe them that much and if this is considered part of the media I think the rest of the media if this pans out at the very least owes them the same.

It's a shame Patsy Ramsey died before this happened.

A little more stupidity

Again more stupidity from your right-wing media. This, courtesy of mediamaters, is Don Imus producer who is talking about the person arrested of killing Jon Boney Ramsey:

McGUIRK: He looks like Ned Lamont, actually. Is that who you want representing you, Connecticut?


These so-called people are so disgusting.

Question

So now that a Federal Judge has ruled that Bush has violated the first and fourth ammendments to the United States Constitution with his warrentless wiretapping program will the Republicans have the courage to CHARGE him with those crimes? I doubt it since we know they are cowards.

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Irony

Remember how the right wing was so joyous how President Bill Clinton had to testify during the Paula Jones case? How they did the usual smear tactic on him? Turns out that's going to come back to haunt them.

You know how Cheney,Libby,Bush,Rove,Novack leaked the name of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame and now she and former U.S. Ambassador Joe Wilson are rightfully suing Cheney and Libby for ruining their lives.

As usual Cheney and company are trying to weasel out of this but their testimony but the Supreme Court ruled in 1997 that Clinton "or any other official has an immunity that extends beyond the scope of any action taken in an official capacity."

I love the irony here.

Reminder

You know how Bush/Cheney/the right-wing echo machine claim we haven't been attacked since 9/11/01 I think people need a reminder of something that has never been solved:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_anthrax_attacks

See if we need a history lesson here starting September 18th, 2001 there were several letters sent to so-called liberal media outlets and two U.S. Senate offices which killed 5 people and sickened 17 others. The letters had Anthrax which was made here in the United States. No arrests have been made regarding the attacks.

The first wave of the Anthrax attacks were sent to ABC,CBS,NBC and the National Enquirer and the second attacks were sent to Democratic Senators Tom Dashile of South Dakota and Patrick Leahy of Vermont. But again no arrests, no charges.

So again I challenge anyone, ANYONE to challenge Bush and the right-wing media on what they say because there have been terrorist deaths after 9/11 in the United States. And like 9/11 these attacks have gone unpunished.

So we are not safer.

Disgusting

Here is how disgusting right-wing Foxnews is. There was a flight diverted today due to an unruly passenger who apparently had closterphobia. Here is what the panel said before that was known:

Weekly Standard deputy publisher David Bass said, “She’s probably not al Qaeda affiliate, probably not a terrorist, could just be a Ned Lamont supporter, we don’t know.”

Now I'm not sure how many know this but the real person who supports terrorists is George Bush the first, and Ronald Reagan. After all they gave Osama lots of money to fight the Soviet Union. Democrats should remind people of that. Remind people of all the right-wingers who went to Saddam remind people of all of their support for the enemy.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Some Sense

It's about time someone established in the Democrat party stood up to the character assasination attempt on Ned Lamont. That person is President Bill Clinton

From dailykos.com

Well, if I were Joe and I was running as an independent, that's what I'd say, too," Clinton said. "But that's not quite right. That is, there were almost no Democrats who agreed with his position, which was, 'I want to attack Iraq whether or not they have weapons of mass destruction.'"

"His position is the Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld position, which was, 'Does it matter if they have weapons? None of this matters. ... This is a big, important priority, and 9/11 gives us the way of attacking and deposing Saddam.'"

Clinton said that a vote for Lamont was not, as Lieberman had implied, a vote against the country's security.

. . . Clinton said he campaigned for Lieberman because they had been friends for 35 years, and Clinton did not want the Democratic Party split over Iraq.


Just remember what party was going to allow our ports to be taken over by a country who supports terrorists, what party was in control 9/11 and what party has forgotten about the person who attacked us on 9/11.

Monday, August 14, 2006

Another Year

As I'm a year older (my birthday today) as always I would like to thank you for your continued support of this site. It's appreciated.

How many more

How many more times are democrats in Ct. going to let republicans call them stupid for voting for Ned Lamont? I just saw a column today by Michael Reagan joining a long list of conservatives who see there golden boy Lieberman going down. It's rediculous.

By the way when is the so-called liberal media going to stop refering Ned Lamont as the anti-war candidate like he offers nothing else? If you have ever heard or seen him interviewed he is extremely knowledgable on all issues.

But the media isn't liberal is it?

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Uh-oh

Man I don't know what to do. No Sunday Bill O'Idiot column in the Los Angeles Daily News and you all know how I look forward to disproving everything he says. I guess I will have to turn to Rich Lowry who is saying how Cheney is right and it's ok to torture, kidnap prisoners.

I think we all remember 9/11/2001. I know I will have that day etched in my memory forever. Does anyone remember the goodwill the world had toward the United States right afterwards? I do. Does anyone remember the support we had going after the person responsible for 9/11 Osama Bin Laden?? I do.

I guess I'm trying to say is Bush is responsible for the hatred the world has toward us now. With the ocupation we have in Iraq. The death and destruction. The failed war on terror. The failure of Bush to get Bin Laden yet the bastard has the nerve to say HE'S tough on security? I think not. I said it before how we are told how we are making dents in Al Queda yet every attack is blamed on them so obviously he is lying on that and the media doesn't call him on that.

Remember that.

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Protection

If you go to rawstory.com you will see a story that caught my eye immediately that's gone unreported by the conservative media and it's especially important with the events in London: The Bush administration quietly diverted $6 million dollars in the equipment used to detect bombs.

Who is really protecting you. I guarentee you it isn't the right-wing.

Friday, August 11, 2006

What Nerve

So it's becoming obvious how the Republicans are going to run in 2006: Fear and smear.

They will use the failure of the war on terror. They will blame democrats even though democrats are not in charge. They will say "hey we're the party that's tough on terror" when they were about to sell our ports to a country that supports terrorism. Yeah I feel very secure with them in charge.

Now what they will do is smear any Democrat who opposes the war and the President. What I would do is turn everything in their face and point out all the failures of the administration to protect it's citizens. Remember who was in charge 9/11/01. Remember who was in charge when the disaster in Iraq was initiated and remember who has completely and utterly forgot about who attacked us on 9/11/01. Remember the party in charge.

Also ladies and gentlemen remember who has given the tax breaks to big oil companies who are making record profits while gas prices skyrocket. Remember who is in charge. That's right Republicans.

So Republicans really have nothing to run on cause I just proved how wrong they are about what they will run on.

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Same Brain

I know I have a lot to say today. Obviously with breaking news I try to keep up as much as possible.

I always say how the right shares the same one brain I'd like to give two comments. First from Vice President Dick Cheney then from my favorite Bill O'Idiot talking about Joe Lieberman's loss:

"The thing that's partly disturbing about [Lieberman's loss] is the fact that," Cheney told reporters from Jackson, Wyoming, "our adversaries, if you will, in this conflict, and the al Qaeda types--they clearly are betting on the proposition that ultimately they can break the will of the American people in terms of our ability to stay in the fight and complete the task."

That was from rawstory this is from thinkprogress:

Yesterday, Bill O’Reilly said that Joe Lieberman’s defeat in the Connecticut primary was “a chilling indication of what lies ahead in American politics.” O’Reilly said, “Iran’s betting we Americans have no will to restrain their jihad.” According to O’Reilly the results of the Connecticut primary shows Iran “might be right.”

Think about it. The right is saying terrorists are winning BECAUSE NED LAMONT BEAT JOE LIEBERMAN. As I said it's the people who chose that they want a change and if I was ANY war supporter on either side I'd be worried cause I know I'm not voting for anyone who supported the illegal occupation of Iraq

An Date

Let's hope 8/22 isn't a date to remember. That's when the President of Iran is going to give his "response" to the U.N. request on him banning his nuclear capabilities. Sounds more like a threat but hopefully I'll be wrong.

Jonah Goldberg

I haven't talked much about Jonah Goldberg because he is pretty much a waste of space however I'd like to comment on his column in today's Los Angeles Times.

He is upset as all conservatives are about Lieberman's loss to Ned Lamont in the Ct. primary. He's talking about how the state and party has shifted to the left now correct me if I'm wrong but being liberal myself (mind you that's a good thing to have different viewpoints) why would I vote for someone who doesn't share my views or in otherwords why would I vote for a person like Lieberman who is nothing but a Bush kiss ass?

But then again Lieberman is a Republican so of course they should endorse him.

London Threat

First of all congrats to Scotland Yard for appearing to stop yet another terror attack plot against both Great Britain and the United States. They did a great job and deserve all the credit in the world. Kudos.

Now onto the failed war on terror. When I was watching FoxNews they gave a reminder on the failed United States war on terror by saying this sounds Al Queda attack. Now Bush has cut and ran in Afghanastan letting Al Queda run free. He forgot about Osama Bin Laden who, I feel I need to remind you, IS the person responsible for the attacks on 9/11. So again if there is ANY Al Queda attack anywhere it's cause Bush failed. No more no less.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Duh

So I'm reading the Los Angeles Daily News letters section during the week and I come across a letter complaining about the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young concert about how pollitical it was and how anti-Bush it was.

Now I'm not sure how intelligent he is (my guess he's a right-winger so that explains something) but obviously he didn't know Niel Young's new cd "Living with War" is completely against Bush AND how political Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young are.

Maybe he should see pro-Bush guys like Toby Keith.

What's it really going to mean

With Ned Lamont's big win yesterday I guess there is one question that should be asked: Really state primaries are cool and the message sent is "we are tired of the occupation in Iraq which is deteriorating every day." That's great BUT the question is what's it going to mean in November?

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

People

The people of Ct. have spoken the Democratic nominee for Senate is NOT Joe Lieberman but Ned Lamont. Congrats and give them hell come November. By the way the loser Lieberman is running as an independent. He just should change parties to republican since that's what he is.

A big day

Today is the primary in Ct. Contrary to what the right-wing media claims it is a big day for Democrats. Will Joe Lieberman continue his hold on his Senate seat or will Ned LaMont take the Democratic Primary. Looking quickly at Raw Story they are already having problems with the election. So will the republicans favorite democrat win or will we have new blood finally.

We will find out tonight.

A laugh

I saw something so funny on thinkprogress.org just now. Bill O'Idiot saying how conservatives "don't call liberals racists or bigots". Now I have 100's of posts on my website how that is wrong but here are a few more:

Welcome to the 21st century librarian: book-smart, reality-stupid, Bush-deranged bigots. [Malkin, 6/21/06]

And yet, I keep reading — and in fact, I think I read in, I believe, I heard you say that there was some crossover vote in this race, something like 20 percent of white voters voted for [New Orleans mayor Ray] Nagin, who is obviously a full-blown racist. [Tucker Carlson, 5/22/06]

[Senate Minority Leader Harry] Reid knows a little something about being racist. [Rich Galen, 6/22/06]

Now looking at that that shows how wrong O'Idiot is as always. But what would you expect from someone who says it's ok to rape and murder someone who's dressed sexy.

Monday, August 07, 2006

9/11 Questions

I think I have a couple of questions about 9/11 if I can get satisfactory answers I will be fine with the results of 9/11. And a reminder the 5 anniversery of the attacks is next month.

Why did Bush and Cheney refuse to testify to the 9/11 comission under oath and only testify together? Did they have to get their stories straight?

Why weren't normal NORAD procedures followed? I ask this because when golfer Payne Stewart died in the plane crash they had jets scrambled and observing the jet which lost cabin pressure. But they didn't in any of the hijackings. Why because there was plenty of time to do so.

Why did building 7 fail when it wasn't hit?

Respect

You know there is one thing I've always asked for when doing the site is respect. You don't have to like me or agree with me but at least respect me as I will always do to you with your opinions whether I agree with them or not. That's respect.

I guess that's where this whole mess with Robert started. I stated my views he disrespected them. Mind you he never stated any argument against what I said (a typical right-wing response) but he condemned me for doing exactly what the right does all the time with generalizations on the left. Funny how they don't like it with the shoe on the other foot isn't it.

So understand I will not change my views. You might like them you might not like them that's fine. I will treat you with the respect you deserve as long as it's done the same toward me. I have always stated I would love to have a healthy conversation. I, contrary to the right-wing, am not close-minded and am open to change.

By the way if you noticed I still have the link to Robert's website on mine. I am not mad at him as he is at me. But again I am not close-minded as he is and I am open to critisizm

More More More

So it looks like the price of oil is going to skyrocket again with the announcement that British Patrolium has to cut off production for a pipeline in Alaska due to karosion. (probably spelled wrong). If you don't think they have known about it for awhile you are sadly mistaken. They chose a time where the price of oil will skyrocket and gas will now probably become $4 a gallon or more and that is pure profits which they are taking in at record paces since they have the Republican controlled congress, senate and president in their pockets.

Sunday, August 06, 2006

Maybe he's happy?

You know with all the coverage of the war between Israel and Lebanon you know what hasn't gotten a lot of coverage since it began is the occupation of Iraq. I'm just asking because I just wonder if the fact the Bush Administration has done next to nothing to help the conflict (although let's face facts they will be fighting long after we are all dead) because the news coverage takes the occupation in Iraq off the front page. Just wondering.

Bill O'Idiot

Per my usual Sunday tradition I'd like to comment on Bill O'Idiot's column that appears in the Los Angeles Daily News today. As usual he attacks the "liberal" media (which he forgets he's a part of) on thier coverage of the terror war.

Now speaking for the papers I read I have no clue what he is talking about. The New York Times has been mostly pro Bush after all weren't they the ones that leaked the name of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame?? Didn't the Times put her and whoever she had under her as operatives in mortal danger? Yeah they did.

Now he states a study how the media "tilts to the left" I wish I new what he watches. Does he watch his own network? Does he watch MSNBC (outside of Keith Olberman) how about CNN with Glen Beck and all the conservatives now on that network? How about the talk media except for (obviously) the Air America network.

He also claims people watch and listen to his show cause they want "the facts" now again I might be a laymen but he lies so damn much on his show only cause the right-wing are so full of followers who won't question them is why he is successful. Now remember they call Rush's fans dittoheads because they repeat what he says without question.

So as usual Bill O'Idiot get the facts wrong. Now again if someone can correct me on this fine feel free I like a challenge.

Friday, August 04, 2006

Blocked

You know what's going to happen. The republicans are going to campaign on the minimum wage increase/ death tax decrease that was rejected yesterday by the senate. The republicans are going to say how the democrats voted against the minimum wage hike when that is not what happened.

You see what happened is the republicans made it impossible to vote for the bill in an election year tactic. The Death Tax, Estate Tax, Paris Hilton Tax whatever you wish to call it the republicans have been trying to get rid of it for years even though most people in the United States will not be effected by it. In other words it only effects the richest of the rich.

So when Republicans try to campaign on this in the fall remember what really happened. I won't forget I hope you don't either.

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Excuse me

So I'm seeing Donald Rumsfeld testify before the Senate and saw an interesting quote "never painted a rosy picture about Iraq" now going into the archives I can give a few quotes he has said and they sound pretty rosey to me.

Dec. 18, 2002: KING: What’s the current situation in Afghanistan? RUMSFELD: It is encouraging. They have elected a government through the Loya Jirga process. The Taliban are gone. The al Qaeda are gone.

Feb. 7, 2003: “It is unknowable how long that conflict will last. It could last six days, six weeks. I doubt six months.”

Feb. 20 2003: “‘Do you expect the invasion, if it comes, to be welcomed by the majority of the civilian population of Iraq?’ Jim Lehrer asked the defense secretary on PBS’ The News Hour. ‘There is no question but that they would be welcomed,’ Rumsfeld replied, referring to American forces.”

Mar. 30, 2003: “It happens not to be the area where weapons of mass destruction were dispersed. We know where they are. They’re in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad and east, west, south and north somewhat.”



Thanks to thinkprogress for helping remind how the right just lies constantly.

34 years ago

My friend sent me this article from the Los Angeles Times 34 years ago. I'd like to share this with you. Funny it still rings true today.

ISRAEL'S PECULIAR POSITION by Eric Hoffer (LA
Times 5/26/68)



Look when this was written ......1968!
The Jews are a peculiar people: things permitted
to other nations are
forbidden to the Jews.

Other nations drive out thousands, even millions
of people and there is
no
refugee problem. Russia did it, Poland and
Czechoslovakia did it, Turkey
threw out a million Greeks, and Algeria a
million Frenchman. Indonesia
threw
out heaven knows how many Chinese-and no one
says a word about refugees.
But in the case of Israel the displaced Arabs
have become eternal
refugees.
Everyone insists that Israel must take back
every single Arab. Arnold
Toynbee calls the displacement of the Arabs an
atrocity greater than any
committed by the Nazis. Other nations when
victorious on the battlefield
dictate
peace terms. But when Israel is victorious it
must sue for peace .

Everyone expects the Jews to be the only real
Christians in this world.
Other nations when they are defeated survive and
recover but should
Israel be
defeated it would be destroyed. Had Nasser
triumphed last June [1967] he
would have wiped Israel off the map, and no one
would have lifted a
finger to
save the Jews. No commitment to the Jews by any
government, including
our own,
is worth the paper it is written on .
There is a cry of outrage all over the world
when people die in Vietnam
or
when two Blacks are executed in Rhodesia. But
when Hitler slaughtered
Jews
>> no one remonstrated with him. The Swedes, who
are ready to break off
diplomatic relations with America because of
what we do in Vietnam, did
not let out
a peep when Hitler was slaughtering Jews. They
sent Hitler choice iron
ore,
and ball bearings, and serviced his troop trains
to Norway.

The Jews are alone in the world. If Israel
survives, it will be solely
because of Jewish efforts. And Jewish resources.
Yet at this moment
Israel is
our only reliable and unconditional ally. We can
rely more on Israel
than

Israel can rely on us. And one has only to
imagine what would have
happened last
summer [1967] had the Arabs and their Russian
backers won the war to
realize how vital the survival of Israel is to
America and the West in
general.

I have a premonition that will not leave me; as
it goes with Israel so
will
it go with all of us.
Should Israel perish the holocaust will be upon
us.

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Wrong Blame

On his show Whiffleball on July 31st Chris Matthews as usual misplaced blame on 9/11. He said how President Bill Clinton did nothing to prevent 9/11 when President Clinton WAS NOT IN CHARGE. Last I checked George Bush was allegedly in charge. Here is the exact quotes courtesly of mediamaters.com between him and Republican Senate candidate KT McFarland:

MATTHEWS: Let me ask you about the president. You know, the strongest security concern in this city -- and I've talked to a lot of people -- is, of course, 9-11 and, of course, how it's changed the city. And we're looking at one of the most beautiful places in New York -- I always say to people, come to Rockefeller Center if you want to feel the city, the metropolitan part of the city. How has the president done in protecting this city since he took office and since he went through all this on 9-11?

McFARLAND: I think the fact that we've not had another terrorist incident is example number one. We've -- the United States has not had a significant terrorist incident since September 11. I give that --

MATTHEWS: So what foiled -- what foiled the terrorists?

McFARLAND: I think a number of things have foiled it. One, and particularly here in New York, you just mentioned a minute ago, Rudy Giuliani -- well, Mayor [Michael] Bloomberg has done a brilliant job. When September the 11th happened, he turned to the police department and he turned to [Police] Commissioner [Raymond W.] Kelly and he said, "Do whatever you have to do to make sure it doesn't happen again."

MATTHEWS: Mark, what do you think of my idea of taking the U.N., if it wants to expand -- in fact, encourage it to expand -- and put it down at World Trade Center, in the footprint, so that if they hit us again, they're hitting everybody?

GREEN: I like that idea. But let me disagree --

MATTHEWS: Hold the whole world hostage to our security -- don't you think that's a good idea?

GREEN: One second -- let me just --

MATTHEWS: If we're going to rebuild, why don't we put the U.N. -- you guys have a problem, really, coming out against terrorism. We'll put you in a situation where you face the terrorists head-on.

GREEN: Chris --

MATTHEWS: We're going to put you --

GREEN: It's a good TV idea, but --

MATTHEWS: Why isn't it a good idea in reality?

GREEN: Symbolically it's a good idea, because they hit us there, and let the world come together there. But I disagree on Bush and protecting New York. It was eight years between the first and the second World Trade Center attacks. As a New Yorker who saw the plane go into the World Trade Center on the day I had an election -- of course I'm relieved there's no attack, but for one day -- for four days of the Iraq war, we can inspect not 5 percent of all containers coming into this city, but 20 percent. We could protect every airliner with antimissile devices.

So since terrorism around the world has tripled, I'm not satisfied, oh, we haven't been hit in New York. The war in Iraq has increased terrorism, isolated America. We're spending it in the wrong place.

McFARLAND: Well, now, wait a minute.

MATTHEWS: Who was president from '93 to 2001? Who was president of the United States?

GREEN: You know the answer.

MATTHEWS: Bill Clinton. Do you think he did a good job of stopping a second attack on the World Trade Center when he was president for eight years?

GREEN: We can't know whether he stopped it. Richard Clarke --

MATTHEWS: We know he didn't stop it.

GREEN: Richard Clarke's book said that Clinton was on the case on terrorism. Sandy Berger said, when he briefed Condoleezza Rice, he said your number one issue will be terrorism --

McFARLAND: Tell that to 2,000 people who died.



First off there was a terrorist attack this past Friday in Seattle where a muslim shot 6 people in a jewish federation killing 1 so that leaves that theory out that there hasn't been an attack here since 9/11. Second President Clinton presented Bush a plan to get Bin Laden which was ignored. Third when PResident Clinton wanted to attack and kill Bin Laden he was embarassed by the right-wing media into stopping despite the current president having the same experience as Present Clinton. So Chris Matthews I gotta say you are wrong. Dead wrong only person to blame for on 9/11 is Bush. No other.

Questions

Next month is the 5th anniversery of the attacks on September 11, 2001. Scary thought it seems like it was yesterday. I have many memories of having fun with my friends in those towers.

What I would like to do is if I ever could spend 5 minutes with Bush there are many questions I would like to ask about that day. Here are some of them.


In August, 2001 you were given a Presidential Daily Briefing warning how Osama Bin Laden was determined to strike using airplanes in the United States. Was that taken seriously and what, if any, steps were taken to protect the public?

When you were advised about the attacks at the school you chose to stay there instead of going to a secure location did you not feel or know you were a threat at an event that was clearly advertised to the public?

Why did it take so long for you to get back to Washington D.C. that day? Did you fear there would be more attacks?

Why have you forgotten about the person who you have said attacked us on 9/11 Osama Bin Laden? Why are you letting him go unpunished and make the deaths in vein?

Why do you continue to insist Iraq attacked us on 9/11 when you said it was Osama Bin Laden? Did the facts change all the sudden?

That's all I can think of at the moment

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

I don't understand

One of the things I will never understand about the right is why they, most of them who have never served in the military, attack democrats who have?

Here is an example remember during the 2004 campaign the so-called swift boats veterens for truth who mercilessly attacked John Kerry even though IS a war hero and just pretty much denied his military service DESPITE our current president who IS a draft dodger, who WAS awol during the Vietnam war. It was stupid.

Now we have John Murtha http://www.tribune-democrat.com/local/local_story_213002118.html?keyword=secondarystory

now the same group is trying to get a REAL war hero out of congress because he is against the occupation of Iraq. Now again Murtha IS an actual war hero compared to these nothings and you would think he would no more about combat then these fools. But that doesn't stop the out of touch with reality right.

Castro

So Fidel Castro is in surgery and handed power over to his brother. People in Miami are celebrating in the streets nevermind he is not dead. He's going to probably outlive us all. He's outlived what 5 U.S. Presidents??