Since the politicization of Katrina, I have been furious, in large part because it should not have been a political issue so quickly. There were legitimate complaints but when there is a problem that requires an immediate solution, it's more important to solve the problem then to sit around and complain about the problem. I am still baffled that people could be so filled with hatred of one man (Bush) that they could not understand a simple concept that some things transcends politics. That being said, I'd rather move on. We'll deal with this issue at the ballot box.

Rita is coming our way and this time is projected to hit Galveston-Houston area. Good news for Louisiana? Not necessarily. Remember that Katrina was NOT a direct hit on New Orleans, which was just west of they eye. Where the hurricane did hit is where the real damage is done.

We heard New Orleans this and that, but the strong side of the storm was on the eastern side. Gulfport, Biloxi and other cities were absolutely ravaged and fortunately for them, this hurricane will miss them. Here on the west side of the Hurricane, damage was done but wasn't that bad.

This time, we will be on the eastern side of Rita and if it makes landfall before the Texas border, could possibly be enough to break the weak points of the levee and flood New Orleans again.

Even if they are projecting the hurricane to hit Houston, doesn't mean that the hurricane will do so. The Hurricane could go further west or it could turn north and hit a more eastern part of the gulf coast. Those levees aren't strong enough.

So while we brace ourselves for that, life continues on. I was sitting in McDonalds today drinking a Powerade and reading the Newspaper when a story caught my attention. Back on July 4th of this year I got into a political debate downtown.

The Discovery Channel was in town with the Catteralls from Topanga, California and swapped homes with the Cambres of Clinton, La for 10 days. The Story has the Catteralls downtown giving out 'The Nation' and I began to talk with them. It turned into a good debate, around 30- 40 minutes, in my estimation but it was so hot that day, who knows maybe it was 10 minutes. Now, I hope they don't cut it up and make it look terrible and unrecognizable from what actually transpired like some fictiomentary directors The Show is scheduled to air November 17th on the Discovery Channel.

Anyway, Hanna and I did most of the debating but during our conversation, I stated that my political beliefs fall somewhere between a "Republican, a Libertarian, and an Anarchist". Why am I bringing this part up?

Well, this evening I come home and I come across this test to see where my political persuasions are. You guessed, somewhere between a "Republican, a Libertarian, and an Anarchist." Actually, it called me a Libertarian, but I was between an Anarchist and a Republican.

It also showed faces of different people throughout history and where they were on political issues, Stalin, Ghandi, George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, but I proudly found myself on the nose of Thomas Jefferson. Now that I am proud of. Still, I'd rather find myself a little more like John Adams, Ben Franklin, or maybe Thomas Payne, but to be Jeffersonian is a compliment.

You are a Social Liberal (73% permissive) and an... Economic Conservative (86% permissive) You are best described as a: Libertarian Link: The Politics Test on OkCupid Free Online Dating

You exhibit a very well-developed sense of Right and Wrong and believe in economic fairness.

Go Figure But what I really found interesting was that this...

How People Came Down On The Issues

47% pro-choice
30% pro-death penalty
39% for gun control
31% against the War on Drugs
17% for the War on Iraq

Election breakdown:

KERRY: 109,559 BUSH: 57,604

Nearly two out of three people taking this test voted for Kerry, but 53% of test takers considered theirself "Pro-life", 61% against "Gun Control", and 83% against the war on Iraq? That means even though Pro-Life and Gun Control are issues that Democrats often champion, many in their own party are opposed to it, according to this. Also, many Republicans had to be against the war in Iraq.

And one for Dan Rather and his emmy...

"Coooraaahge!"

Soon we won't be talking about Katrina, we'll be talking about a prettier girl called Rita. At least I hope she stays prettier. Forget that former President's comments, although liberals probably will think it's more important that Rita.

Tropical Storm Rita is heading to the Gulf Coast and depending on how much strength she gets, will damage the Katrina affected areas again. Well, what's left of it anyway. I wonder if this is going to change Ray Nagin's plan to get Nawlins up and running in the next couple of weeks.

As you can see from Rita's Path New Orleans could be hit once again by Thursday night. I would think that tomorrow morning, Ray Nagin and Kathleen Blanco will be evacuting the city.

Soon to be former Governor Kathleen Blanco continues her blame game, saying that she takes responsibility "for assuming that help was on the way". Kathleen, that's not the way to take responsibility. What you should have done was move.

Let me put this in a different way, if you saw a house burning down and you could see a child inside, naturally you would call 911, to report the fire. Right? But seeing the child, would you make an attempt to save the child's life, even at the risk of your own? Or would you go in front of the cameras and complain the 911 hasn't got there yet? The response is to do what you can to save the persons life until more help got there.

Kathleen Blanco choose to wait until help got there instead of moving on her own. She was the commander in chief until the feds got there. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

Wake Up Kathleen! You are still over there blaming Bush for your own incompetency and at the same time, Mayor Ray Nagin, against the advice of environmentalist, FEMA, doctors, et al, continues to invite Nawlins residence back home.

Isn't there a tropical storm named Rita heading towards New Orleans? Hello?

And they want us to impeach the President and replace him with what? Them? Replace Bush with the old white slavemanster mentality? Minorities pay special attention here. This is the way liberals treat you when you dare to think for yourself. According to them, you HAVE to tow the line... no matter what. Not even the loss of your family, the loss of your hometown, and a natural disaster should you ever cross political lines. Never think for yourself. At least, that's the impression I get.

If you are a minority, you must call Bush a racist. Anything short is disobedience to your master, the Democrats. Let's start with this anti free thought person at Daily Kos that says You ready to pay your fair share in taxes Donna? You ready to ask your wonderful President to ask rich folks like you to pay their fair share?

Cuz I think that is where you can help the most. But maybe you have some carpentry skills we don't know about.

Now, I don't think Donna Brazile has openly endorsed every Bush project but I could be wrong. What I do know is that Donna Brazile was missing some family, her hometwon was destroyed, and all of this could have been avoided if the Democrats that controlled her city for years and years would have fixed the levee to begin with. I also don't see the Democrats coming up with their own solutions. What solutions has any Democrat provided whatsoever? What exactly has any elected official or blogging Democrat done to actually help out? All I've seen from liberals is a bunch of finger pointing, calls of racism, and attempted intimidation of minorities that don't fall in line with what the "Masters" want them to think.

Here is a good example...

Warm F*cking Fuzzies

Since Bush still doesn't have a clue, Donna, how are we supposed to stand with you and rebuild?. Um, how about give her a better solution. Bush's solution, by default, is better than yours because you have absolutely nothing. You look at minorities and accuse Republicans of racism, and yet you have absolutely nothing to offer to help them out. What are Nawlins Minorities supposed to think? They have been told all their lives that if the Republicans get elected, they will cut every single program and leave minorities with nothing. Well guess what. Republicans did get elected and nothing is getting cut. Further more, under Democrats control of the city and state, many minorities lost everything. Even if the Republicans were to cut spending from them, what difference does it make now? They have nothing left, thanks to the years and years of Democrat control and their mismanagement of funds that were provided to fix the levee!

Again, I can not stress enough to minorities throughout the nation exactly what the Democrats think about you. They are telling you today what they think about you. Pay attention. Donna Brazille's letter has nothing to do with politics, her beliefs, or even her loyalties. It has everything to do with being a woman that has been separated from her family with no contact, a storm destroying the city she grew up in, and she's a woman that wants a solution. George W. Bush has provided that solution, Democrats haven't.

One thing that really bothers me about this bus situation, crying and blaming Bush for not getting buses down here quick enough. If buses were so badly needed, why didn't the mayor of Baton Rouge and Lafayette volunteer some buses? Mainly Baton Rouge, I don't know what Lafayette was going through but I do know that those buses here could have been used. They didn't need them for the children because the schools here were closed. Mayor Kip Holden is an African American Democrat, I'm sure that he would have been willing to help out. Why didn't he move on this? Why didn't Nagin and Blanco ask him for the buses? No solutions from the Blanco, but we did see plenty of blame from her.

What have we seen from these extremist on the left wing? That they can make a sign that says impeach Bush quicker than they can put of canned food in a box for Katrina Victims? Do you really think that the President having to go to the bathroom is really that big of a deal? Should we really impeach Bush because he has to go to the bathroom sometime during the week that we have a disaster to take care of? I'm really impressed with the extremist on the left, they have lost every ounce of reason and are completely destroying the Democrat party.

Lining them up

Arizona Bull Moose calls Donna a piece of crap.
Frumious Blues call Donna a "Professional Loser"
Says Donna "lost her marbles"








You think this is bad, just wait until these people figure out that George Bush eats food too. They'll be screaming for his impeachment then.

Fantasy Life
Surburban Guerilla
Too Lost in this World.
Sparky Rectum

Kudos go out to Donna Brazile on her comments today. The folks at Protein Wisdom also has comments on it.

Some excerpts with my comments.

On Thursday night President Bush spoke to the nation from my city. I am not a Republican. I did not vote for George W. Bush -- in fact, I worked pretty hard against him in 2000 and 2004. But on Thursday night, after watching him speak from the heart, I could not have been prouder of the president and the plan he outlined to empower those who lost everything and to rebuild the Gulf Coast.

Welcome aboard, Donna.

I know, maybe better than anyone, that there are times when it seems that our nation is too divided ever to heal. There are times when we feel so different from each other that we can hardly believe that we are all part of the same family. But we are one nation. We are a family. And this is what we do. When the president asked us to pitch in Thursday night, he wasn't really asking us to do anything spectacular. He was asking us to be Americans, and to do what Americans always do.

It's a relief to see that not all Democrats are preoccupied with using this as a reason to impeach Bush. This is exactly right, though others would have you believe differently, the fact of the matter for most people,was that this trajedy broke any racial divisions, monetary divisions, or gender divisions. Immediately after Katrina, we all rolled up our sleeves and went to work.

The president has set a national goal and defined a national purpose. This is something I believe with all my heart: When we are united, nothing can stop us. We will not waver, we will not tire, and we will not stop until the streets are clean, every last brick has been replaced and every last family has its home back.

I do believe you speak for most of us...

Mr. President, I am ready for duty. I am ready to stir those old pots again. Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work.

Well said. You can read the entire article here

in other news around the state, the L.A. Times reports that Louisiana officials were already being indicted...

WASHINGTON — Senior officials in Louisiana's emergency planning agency already were awaiting trial over allegations stemming from a federal investigation into waste, mismanagement and missing funds when Hurricane Katrina struck.

And federal auditors are still trying to track as much as $60 million in unaccounted for funds that were funneled to the state from the Federal Emergency Management Agency dating back to 1998.

In March, FEMA demanded that Louisiana repay $30.4 million to the federal government.

Louisiana Democrats keep playing with fire and then they wonder why they get burned. Somehow I'll bet, they'll blame Bush for all this.

Where are the environmentalist now?

Maybe you have heard by now that the water in the Nawlins streets is extremely toxic. You might have heard that they are dumping that water back into Lake Pontchartrain, What I haven't heard, and I don't think you have either, are the environmentally conscience leftist protesting this. Is it because it's okay to poison fish?. I understand that personally there's nothing one can do, but I haven't heard anybody protest the dumping of toxins into lake Ponchartrain. Yes, the water that is being pumped out goes into Lake Pontchartrain. Or as this rare blogger notes "Lake Pontchartrain: Prepare To Die"

And Larry Joubert sent me this email at avman82000 @ yahoo.com, I found it interesting and wanted to share it with you

Politics over duty

This is a post from a fellow over in Merritt Is, FL, a reporter who's been researching what went on before the storm hit the Gulf Coast.

I think all of Mayor Nagin's pomp and posturing is going to bite him hard in the near future as the lies and distortions of his interviews are coming to light.

On Friday night before the storm hit Max Mayfield of the National Hurricane Center took the unprecedented action of calling Nagin (Mayor of New Orleans) and Blanco (Governor of New Orleans) personally to plead with them to begin MANDATORY evacuation of New Orleans and they said they'd take it under consideration. This was after the NOAA buoy 240 miles south had recorded 68 ft waves before it was destroyed.

President Bush spent Friday afternoon and evening in meetings with his advisors and administrators drafting all of the paperwork required for a state to request federal assistance (and not be in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act or having to enact the Insurgency Act). Just before midnight Friday evening the President called Governor Blanco and pleaded with her to sign the request papers so the federal government and the military could legally begin mobilization and call up. He was told that they didn't think it necessary for the federal government to be involved yet. After the President's final call to the governor she held meetings with her staff to discuss the political ramifications of bringing federal forces. It was decided that if they allowed federal assistance it would make it look as if they had failed so it was agreed upon that the feds would not be invited in.

Saturday before the storm hit the President again called Blanco and Nagin requesting they please sign the papers requesting federal assistance, that they declare the state an emergency area, and begin mandatory evacuation. After a personal plea from the President Nagin agreed to order an evacuation, but it would not be a full mandatory evacuation, and the governor still refused to sign the papers requesting and authorizing federal action. In frustration the President declared the area a national disaster area before the state of Louisiana did so he could legally begin some advanced preparations. Rumor has it that the President's legal advisers were looking into the ramifications of using the insurgency act to bypass the Constitutional requirement that a state request federal aid before the federal government can move into state with troops - but that had not been done since 1906 and the Constitutionality of it was called into question to use before the disaster.

Throw in that over half the federal aid of the past decade to NO for levee construction, maintenance, and repair was diverted to fund a marina and support the gambling ships. Toss in the investigation that will look into why the emergency preparedness plan submitted to the federal government for funding and published on the city's website was never implemented and in fact may have been bogus for the purpose of gaining additional federal funding as we now learn that the organizations identified in the plan were never contacted or coordinating into any planning - though the document implies that they were.

The suffering people of NO need to be asking some hard questions as do we all, but they better start with why Blanco refused to even sign the multi-state mutual aid pack activation documents until Wednesday which further delayed the legal deployment of National Guard from adjoining states. Or maybe ask why Nagin keeps harping that the President should have commandeered 500 Greyhound busses to help him when according to his own emergency plan and documents he claimed to have over 500 busses at his disposal to use between the local school busses and the city transportation busses - but he never raised a finger to prepare them or activate them.

This is a sad time for all of us to see that a major city has all but been destroyed and thousands of people have died with hundreds of thousands more suffering, but it's certainly not a time for people to be pointing fingers and trying to find a bigger dog to blame for local corruption and incompetence. Pray to God for the survivors that they can start their lives anew as fast as possible and we learn from all the mistakes to avoid them in the future.

The email was dated September 6th. Other commentors on Donna Brazile.
BlogsforBush rallies for the Prez
Dancing In Tongues is relieved that a Democrat did something positive.
Fred Schoeneman enjoyed the letter.
Decision '08
Blogspot seems to take pleasure in the Demos reaction.
The Fifth Blog seems to be a little upset, what? That kooky extreme 'impeach Bush' crowd still doesn't get it?
The Hutch Report is hoping more Democrats jump on board.
Spatula City extends his thank you to Donna Brazile
Go Blog and Multiply is exactly right about Democrats playing the race card.
Micheal Bowen saw this type of support coming.
Molinillo calls Brazille an idiot.... guess he is so politically blinded that he just can't see that some things transcend political lines. What, I might ask, have the Democrats done to help?
Is Skeptical
Daily KOS suddenly is concerned about tax increases. Wait, did I just say a liberal is concerned about tax increases? I ought to go back and read it. Hmmm, maybe he's concerned about his taxes because he don't like it going to black people? But if it were a white European Nation like Bosnia or Somalia I wonder how he would react.

What Attitude Problem? thinks Donna will be a lone wolf.
History As It Happens is in the early stages of joining the conspiracy crowd.
The View from the Left wants to punish Donna and Clinton with a tax increase.
Medium Cool is red hot that Nawlins Democrats aren't towing his line. Again, a extremist who so caught up in hatred that he just can't see that some things transcends political lines. If you are a Republican, you ought to silently smile that libs like this politicized Katrina.
The Impolitic shows concern for the people that aren't getting food. Um, that problem has been solved. Hey, I got a great idea for him, he ought to use Sean Penn's boat and help out.

Joe's DartBlog understands that this isn't coddling, it's time to be Americans.
Best of Blogs still doesn't even get the simple fact that time after time Nawlins was given the money to fix the levee and the Democrats would mispend the money.... what's another word for somebody who takes money like that... hmmm, crook? Embezzeler? Fraudulent? Oh, those words don't apply to Democrats.

When I tell people that I thought that President Bush's speech was overall better than Governor Blanco's but I was more impressed with the Governors, people seemed to be baffled.

But comparing the two side by side wasn't the same to me. I didn't view the speeches in the same manner. To me, it was comparing the work of a college grad to a seventh grader. I voted for George W. Bush, he represents me to my country, he represents my beliefs. When he was up there, he did not seem to represent my beliefs. I was cringing while listening to his speech. It seemed that he was apologizing without coming out and actually doing so. I thought that he gave the impression that government was supposed to take care of our every little need and I simply don't believe in that.

I believe that people are more than capable of meeting their needs, that people sell short the abilities of others by satisfying basic needs of others. When basic needs are met, one of the key foundations of the desire to succeed disappears. When we put people on welfare, we encourage them never to try achieving success.

So when Bush came out in support of these government programs, it was jaw dropping. Rereading the speech, as I said, came to a much different conclusion. It seemed to lead people one way, yet he actually said something completely different.

I judged President Bush's speech with a higher expectation and as somebody who supposedly shares my views. I already had faith in him and he let me down.

Kathleen Blanco, on the otherhand has been disappointing to me as a Governor. I didn't vote for her but considering that she is supposed to be a 'Conservative Democrat' has been a let down. With her inaction concerning Katrina, my opinion had so dramatically dropped that I was for almost anything to get her out of office. Her impeachment, a Recall, her resignation, any thing. As a Republican it would be terrible for her to leave office early. In my view, her leaving office would most likely put Mitch Landrieu in office and he'd stay there for 10 years. It didn't work to the Republican advantage to remove her.

I as a citizen, did not care about the politics. My first job as a voter is doing right by country, by God, and by myself, screw the party if it goes against that. Kathleen, in my view, was such a disaster when we needed her the most that I had come to the conclusion as a citizen that anybody was better than her, and we needed that better person before another hurricane comes our way. We don't need a Governor that is reminiscent of a seventh grader.

So when Kathleen Blanco approached the podium, I expected a few things. I expected her to blame Bush, she didn't and to my surprise took the blame for failures in state government. I was grateful that she did something as simple as that. I thought it showed she has finally acted like a mature person.

Number 2, I expected her to start crying, pass out, or something unusual. I expected this Governor to find a way to crash and burn. She did not.

Number 3, I expected her to look completely lost, even though she looked distrought, she finally acted like she was in command.

So as a citizen, I was very concerned about her speech and was pleasantly surprised, it was well enough to save her term as Governor.

As a Republican, I was thrilled that she her speech was well enought to deflate people's desire to impeach her. People are not going to forget who let them down after Katrina. As a Republican, I am very confident about our chances concerning Blanco in an election.

Truth of the matter is that I felt more disappointed in Bush, but it was a great relief to see that Kathleen finally had some sense about her. One is a college grad, capable of doing better, the other a seventh grade school girl that exceeded expectations.

What's going on?

"Ed, I'm a black woman and Jesse Jackson does not speak for me" ---a calller on the Ed Buggs radio show September 16th.

"They could get the buses out here on election day to get them to vote for them, but they can't use those buses to save our lives?" --common saying within the African American community.

"His support is waning and fast in the African American community" African American talkshow host Ed Buggs on Jesse Jackson

And it's growing... the funny thing is that liberals thought if they could get the quick jump on this, they'd be able to effectively end Bush's presidency. Instead, they had unintended consequences.

The other day while speaking to an evacuee, I asked him who he blamed the most. He said the President. That being said, there were some very key things the guy was telling me about being down in Nawlins during the flooding.

Evacuee: "Man, there was all kinds of things going on, things they don't want to tell you. You don't know this but they blew up the levee."

LC: "Who blew up the levee?"

Evacuee: "The state, they have dynamite down low, they have it for this very reason. In case they need to blow the levee."

LC: "Why would they blow the levee"

Evacuee: "To save New Orleans. If the levee breaks or New Orleans gets flooded, they blow the levee on the other end to drain it, so the water went into the smaller towns."

This sound familiar to anybody? I have heard talk of the levee being blown up, even a NOPD mentioned something about certain officials blowing up the levee. That's right Farakhan talked about the levee being blown... in order to drown black people.

The problem with Farakhans story and this gentleman's story is that even though they sound the same, the result is completely different.

According to Farakhan, the levee was blown to flood Nawlins- where the black people were. The other version was to blow the levee and spread the water outside Nawlins, where the white people were. It seems more reasonable that if government were to blow a levee, they'd have to do it in a reasonable area that wouldn't risk lives.

Which makes more sense, blowing the levee to save lives, or blowing the levee to cost lives based on the color of ones skin?

"No, none whatsoever, because I feel like our city and our state government should have been there before the federal government was called in.”- Connie London when asked by Dean Reynolds if she harbors "any anger toward the President because of the slow federal response?"

And in the same interview Dean asked London: “And really it wasn't Hurricane Katrina that really tore up the city. It was when they opened the floodgates. It was not the hurricane itself. It was the floodgates, when they opened the floodgates, that's where all the water came.”

Reynolds: “Do you blame anybody for this?”

London: “Yes. I mean, they've been allocated federal funds to fix the levee system, and it never got done. I fault the mayor of our city personally. I really do.”

And according to the Wall Street Journal:

What's interesting about the angry messages is the choice of targets. The majority aren't about President Bush and the slow pace of federal assistance, for instance. Writers seem to be furious chiefly about the performance of local and state officials, specifically Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin. Messages blasting them for ineptitude during the crisis outnumber those about federal authorities.

It's still going on, people contine to talk about the very people that tried to divide us down here. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton continued to drive a wedge between theirselves and the African American communities. Minorities continue to wake up to liberalism and see that liberals don't want them to succeed. Liberals need to do everything they can to keep racism alive and well, because without it, Democrats have nothing to offer their minority base.

As a matter of fact, what are you liberals going to tell these African Americans during the up coming election? Are you going to tell them that if the Republican gets elected, they'll cut spending on them? Well, after they LOST everything under Democrat leadership, there is nothing to fear in Republican cutting. A plethora of people lost everything and the entire time their personal property was being destroyed, Democrats seemed to use this as an excuse to impeach the President. You Democrats don't understand, while people were kicking in the final barriers of racism, you folks did everything you could to keep racism alive. You folks up there never stopped to consider, these are your voters you risk losing, maybe you actually ought to go help them, instead of sitting around complaining about the guy that actually was doing something to help. That guy was President Bush.

This post contains the text of President Bush's speech last night. I thought the beginning of the speech was really good but once we get below the fold, I start commenting on the speech giving my thoughts on what he said. I highlighted my thoughts in bold throughout this post.

BUSH: Good evening. I am speaking to you from the city of New Orleans, nearly empty, still partly underwater, and waiting for life and hope to return. Eastward from Lake Pontchartrain, across the Mississippi coast, to Alabama and into Florida, millions of lives were changed in a day by a cruel and wasteful storm.

In the aftermath, we have seen fellow citizens left stunned and uprooted, searching for loved ones, and grieving for the dead and looking for meaning in a tragedy that seems so blind and random. We have also witnessed the kind of desperation no citizen of this great and generous nation should ever have to know — fellow Americans calling out for food and water, vulnerable people left at the mercy of criminals who had no mercy, and the bodies of the dead lying uncovered and untended in the street.

These days of sorrow and outrage have also been marked by acts of courage and kindness that make all Americans proud. Coast Guard and other personnel rescued tens of thousands of people from flooded neighborhoods. Religious congregations and families have welcomed strangers as brothers and sisters and neighbors.

In the community of Chalmette, when two men tried to break into a home, the owner invited them to stay and took in 15 other people who had no place to go. At Tulane Hospital for Children, doctors and nurses didn't eat for days so patients could have food, and eventually carried the patients on their backs up eight flights of stairs to helicopters.

Many first responders were victims themselves — wounded healers, with a sense of duty greater than their own suffering. When I met Steve Scott of the Biloxi Fire Department, he and his colleagues were conducting a house-to-house search for survivors. Steve told me this: "I lost my house and I lost my cars, but I still got my family ... and I still got my spirit."

Across the Gulf Coast, among people who have lost much and suffered much and given to the limit of their power, we are seeing that same spirit: a core of strength that survives all hurt, a faith in God no storm can take away and a powerful American determination to clear the ruins and build better than before.

Tonight so many victims of the hurricane and the flood are far from home and friends and familiar things. You need to know that our whole nation cares about you, and in the journey ahead, you are not alone. To all who carry a burden of loss, I extend the deepest sympathy of our country. To every person who has served and sacrificed in this emergency, I offer the gratitude of our country.

And tonight I also offer this pledge of the American people: Throughout the area hit by the hurricane, we will do what it takes. We will stay as long as it takes to help citizens rebuild their communities and their lives. And all who question the future of the Crescent City need to know: There is no way to imagine America without New Orleans, and this great city will rise again.

The work of rescue is largely finished; the work of recovery is moving forward. In nearly all of Mississippi, electric power has been restored. Trade is starting to return to the Port of New Orleans, and agricultural shipments are moving down the Mississippi River. All major gasoline pipelines are now in operation, preventing the supply disruptions that many feared.

The breaks in the levees have been closed, the pumps are running, and the water here in New Orleans is receding by the hour. Environmental officials are on the ground, taking water samples, identifying and dealing with hazardous debris, and working to get drinking water and wastewater treatment systems operating again. And some very sad duties are being carried out by professionals who gather the dead, treat them with respect and prepare them for their rest.

In the task of recovery and rebuilding, some of the hardest work is still ahead and it will require the creative skill and generosity of a united country.

So far so good, excellent speech Mr. President.

Our first commitment is to meet the immediate needs of those who had to flee their homes and leave all their possessions behind. For these Americans, every night brings uncertainty, every day requires new courage and the months to come will bring more than their fair share of struggles.

I understand, let's help them recuperate. Let's help these people get back on their feet, I understand that.

The Department of Homeland Security is registering evacuees who are now in shelters, churches or private homes, whether in the Gulf region or far away. I have signed an order providing immediate assistance to people from the disaster area. As of today, more than 500 thousand evacuee families have gotten emergency help to pay for food, clothing and other essentials.

Impressive, 500 you say? Not bad, now let's just get to the rest of the 1.3 million that resides in New Orleans plus the people in the affected areas and we'll be alright. But 500,000 is worthy of boastfullness.

Evacuees who have not yet registered should contact FEMA or the Red Cross. We need to know who you are, because many of you will also be eligible for broader assistance in the future. Many families were separated during the evacuation, and we are working to help you reunite. Please call 1-877-568-3317 — that's 1-877-568-3317 — and we will work to bring your family back together, and pay for your travel to reach them.

Man you said that number too fast, what's that number again? THANK GOODNESS NBC put that number up on the screen. Oh never mind, they didn't. I wonder if Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are going to call NBC racist for not putting the number up on the screen for African Americans to write it down?

In addition, we are taking steps to ensure that evacuees don't have to travel great distances or navigate bureaucracies to get the benefits that are there for them. The Department of Health and Human Services has sent more than 15 hundred health professionals, along with over 50 tons of medical supplies, including vaccines, antibiotics and medicines, for people with chronic conditions such as diabetes. The Social Security Administration is delivering checks. The Department of Labor is helping displaced persons apply for temporary jobs and unemployment benefits. And the Postal Service is registering new addresses so that people can get their mail.

So far I'm with you Mr. President, effective government, not bad.

To carry out the first stages of the relief effort and begin the rebuilding at once, I have asked for, and the Congress has provided, more than $60 billion. This is an unprecedented response to an unprecedented crisis, which demonstrates the compassion and resolve of our nation.

Actually Mr. President, what that demonstrates is that the house, the senate, and the President are willing to spend other people's money and then take credit for being compassionate. If these two branches of government were so compassionate with money, shouldn't they open their own wallets? It's one thing to assist with government money but to call congress and the President compassionate because of it is misleading. I'll tell you what, Mr. President, let me have access to your finances in the form of taxes, I'll spend it and then take credit for being compassionate, how's that sound?

Our second commitment is to help the citizens of the Gulf Coast to overcome this disaster, put their lives back together and rebuild their communities. Along this coast, for mile after mile, the wind and water swept the land clean. In Mississippi, many thousands of houses were damaged or destroyed. In New Orleans and surrounding parishes, more than a quarter million houses are no longer safe to live in. Hundreds of thousands of people from across this region will need to find longer-term housing.

Our goal is to get people out of shelters by the middle of October. So we are providing direct assistance to evacuees that allows them to rent apartments, and many already are moving into places of their own. A number of states have taken in evacuees and shown them great compassion, admitting children to school and providing health care. So I will work with Congress to ensure that states are reimbursed for these extra expenses.

Arrrrgh, Mr. President, If those states chose to assist us, why does the federal government need to reimburse them? If the Federal government will reimburse New York, why then shouldn't New York just offer us an additional 50 billion in aid, then they can take even more credit for being compassionate with New Yorkers money and then not have to spend a dime of it? Just think, if the other 49 states decides to be just as compassionate as the Federal Government? What's to stop them? they will be reimbursed. Also, using this reasoning, shouldn't the federal government also reimburse the good citizens in the United States for all they gave? It is after all the role of the United States to reimburse people for being compassionate, or is it just compassionate with other people's money?

In the disaster area and in cities that have received huge numbers of displaced people we are beginning to bring in mobile homes and trailers for temporary use. To relieve the burden on local health care facilities in the region, we are sending extra doctors and nurses to these areas. We are also providing money that can be used to cover overtime pay for police and fire departments while cities and towns rebuild.

Okay, this is spending that I don't necessarily agree with but I understand it. However, with the influx of doctors, nurses, police, and fire departments from the affected area, we may have enough employees to avoid the overtime.

Near New Orleans, Biloxi and other cities, housing is urgently needed for police and firefighters, other service providers and the many workers who are going to rebuild those cities. Right now, many are sleeping on ships we have brought to the Port of New Orleans, and more ships are on their way to the region. And we will provide mobile homes and supply them with basic services, as close to the construction areas as possible, so the rebuilding process can go forward as quickly as possible.

Okay, you got me back on track with you here. For awhile there, I thought you were going to say, 'Congratulations Louisiana, you hit the Jackpot!' Mr. President, I think I speak on behalf of most Louisianans (at least I hope I do) when I say that we don't want anything extra, we just want to get back to our daily lives. We aren't asking for freebies, (most of us aren't) we are asking for some assistance.

And the federal government will undertake a close partnership with the states of Louisiana and Mississippi, the city of New Orleans and other Gulf Coast cities so they can rebuild in a sensible, well planned way. Federal funds will cover the great majority of the costs of repairing public infrastructure in the disaster zone, from roads and bridges to schools and water systems. Our goal is to get the work done quickly. And taxpayers expect this work to be done honestly and wisely, so we will have a team of inspectors general reviewing all expenditures.

Actually, I think I prefer an independent organization to oversee the expenditures. A company not linked with any Democrats or Republicans. Independent CPA's from around the nation, anything but government overseeing how they spend money, they haven't proved to be the best spenders.

In the rebuilding process, there will be many important decisions and many details to resolve, yet we are moving forward according to some clear principles. The federal government will be fully engaged in the mission, but Governor Barbour, Governor Blanco, Mayor Nagin and other state and local leaders will have the primary role in planning for their own future. Clearly, communities will need to move decisively to change zoning laws and building codes, in order to avoid a repeat of what we have seen. And in the work of rebuilding, as many jobs as possible should go to men and women who live in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Oh God, I wish he hadn't said Governor Blanco. Anybody willing to bet Shaw gets a large portion of that cash now?

Our third commitment is this: When communities are rebuilt, they must be even better and stronger than before the storm. Within the Gulf region are some of the most beautiful and historic places in America. As all of us saw on television, there is also some deep, persistent poverty in this region as well. And that poverty has roots in a history of racial discrimination, which cut off generations from the opportunity of America. We have a duty to confront this poverty with bold action. So let us restore all that we have cherished from yesterday, and let us rise above the legacy of inequality.

Mr. President, the Democrats have long controlled the South, are you accusing the Democrats of racism? I certainly hope not, besides, it's perfectly okay to be a racist- if you are a Democrat. But the legacy of inequality? That's an interesting term, can you name a single system without the Super rich and the Super poor? Doesn't even the most socialist countries get tainted by the rich and powerful that keep the poor down and in poverty? Anyway, I would like to see a country that everybody is perfectly equal as far as finances. Do you think that once we make everybody financially equal that they will stay that way? Or do you think that maybe some people will spend their money in ways that lead to poverty, while others will spend their money in ways that will lead them to riches? Personally, I think some people just choose to be wiser with their money than others, thus creating inequalities.

When the streets are rebuilt, there should be many new businesses, including minority-owned businesses, along those streets. When the houses are rebuilt, more families should own, not rent, those houses. When the regional economy revives, local people should be prepared for the jobs being created. Americans want the Gulf Coast not just to survive, but to thrive, not just to cope, but to overcome. We want evacuees to come home for the best of reasons, because they have a real chance at a better life in a place they love.

I have to admit, when I heard this, my face cringed. Although it's obvious that I misheard what the President said. I don't believe in excluding minorities but I do not believe in giving extra treatment. I believe that in God's eyes we are all CREATED equal and that government ought to treat us as such. In other words, Government ought not to give favoritism based on the color of ones skin. That being said, rereading the transcript is actually better than the way I heard it.

When one resident of this city who lost his home was asked by a reporter if he would relocate, he said, "Naw, I will rebuild but I'll build higher." That is our vision of the future, in this city and beyond: We will not just rebuild, we will build higher and better.

You should have gotten his name, he's got the right spirit.

To meet this goal, I will listen to good ideas from Congress, state and local officials, and the private sector. I believe we should start with three initiatives that the Congress should pass.

Listen to the private sector Mr. President, we already had our fill of what government can do for us.

Tonight I propose the creation of a Gulf Opportunity Zone, encompassing the region of the disaster in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Within this zone, we should provide immediate incentives for job-creating, investment tax relief for small businesses, incentives to companies that create jobs, and loans and loan guarantees for small businesses, including minority-owned enterprises, to get them up and running again. It is entrepreneurship that creates jobs and opportunity, it is entrepreneurship that helps break the cycle of poverty and we will take the side of entrepreneurs as they lead the economic revival of the Gulf region.

Oh, good advice. Leave government out of this as much as possible. Trust me, we've had our fill of government assistance.

I propose the creation of Worker Recovery Accounts to help those evacuees who need extra help finding work. Under this plan, the federal government would provide accounts of up to $5,000, which these evacuees could draw upon for job training and education to help them get a good job and for child care expenses during their job search.

Well Mr. President, I think educational funds and job training courses are readily available for just about anybody that wants it. I am not quite sure if you think this is a new idea, but we have plenty of that already. I could be wrong, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama might not have it.

To help lower-income citizens in the hurricane region build new and better lives, I also propose that Congress pass an Urban Homesteading Act. Under this approach, we will identify property in the region owned by the federal government, and provide building sites to low-income citizens free of charge, through a lottery. In return, they would pledge to build on the lot, with either a mortgage or help from a charitable organization like Habitat for Humanity. Homeownership is one of the great strengths of any community, and it must be a central part of our vision for the revival of this region.

When I heard this I already had my fill of hearing of your compassion with the People's money. Now that I reread this, I think that this is a very good idea, but does that mean that we now have to find more property to create more projects so that we can fill that up with more poor people? I'm not opposed to giving people property and breaking up Projects with homeowners, I think I like this idea.

In the long run, the New Orleans area has a particular challenge, because much of the city lies below sea level. The people who call it home need to have reassurance that their lives will be safer in the years to come. Protecting a city that sits lower than the water around it is not easy, but it can and has been done. City and parish officials in New Orleans and state officials in Louisiana will have a large part in the engineering decisions to come, and the Army Corps of Engineers will work at their side to make the flood protection system stronger than it has ever been.

Ah h*ll no! They were given enough chances to fix the levee and given another opportunity they would just build a Category 3 Levee and then milk the system for funds to build it up to a Category 5. No! On the flood protection system, send somebody else, h*ll contract Halliburton.

The work that has begun in the Gulf Coast region will be one of the largest reconstruction efforts the world has ever seen. When that job is done, all Americans will have something to be very proud of, and all Americans are needed in this common effort. It is the armies of compassion — charities and houses of worship and idealistic men and women — that give our reconstruction effort its humanity. They offer to those who hurt a friendly face, an arm around the shoulder and the reassurance that in hard times, they can count on someone who cares. By land, by sea and by air, good people wanting to make a difference deployed to the Gulf Coast, and they have been working around the clock ever since.

The cash needed to support the armies of compassion is great, and Americans have given generously. For example, the private fundraising effort led by former Presidents Bush and Clinton has already received pledges of more than $100 million. Some of that money is going to governors, to be used for immediate needs within their states. A portion will also be sent to local houses of worship, to help reimburse them for the expense of helping others. This evening the need is still urgent, and I ask the American people to continue donating to the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, other good charities and religious congregations in the region.

You know, speaking of churches, they have really been extraordinary around here. Without the churches, uniting, working, helping, who knows what kind of mess we'd be in right now.

It is also essential for the many organizations of our country to reach out to your fellow citizens in the Gulf area. So I have asked USA Freedom Corps to create an information clearinghouse, available at usafreedomcorps.gov, so that families anywhere in the country can find opportunities to help families in the region or a school can support a school. And I challenge existing organizations — churches, Scout troops or labor union locals — to get in touch with their counterparts in Mississippi, Louisiana or Alabama, and learn what they can do to help. In this great national enterprise, important work can be done by everyone, and everyone should find their role and do their part.

Ah, now there's the REAL compassion. It's in people's hearts. Republicans, Independents, and EVEN A COUPLE of Democrats were able to put their politics to the side and just help people in a time of need. Rich and poor alike reached out and helped the rich and poor that was suffering. People of all races united to help people of all races that were suffering. People helped not because it "was the compassionate thing to do" they helped because for them to do otherwise was inhumane. For many, they did what they did because they had to, for their own well being. They did exactly what anybody else would do and they did not seek credit for being "compassionate"

The government of this nation will do its part as well. Our cities must have clear and up-to-date plans for responding to natural disasters, disease outbreaks or terrorist attack, for evacuating large numbers of people in an emergency and for providing the food, water and security they would need. In a time of terror threats and weapons of mass destruction, the danger to our citizens reaches much wider than a fault line or a flood plain. I consider detailed emergency planning to be a national security priority. Therefore, I have ordered the Department of Homeland Security to undertake an immediate review, in cooperation with local counterparts, of emergency plans in every major city in America.

Oh don't go there Mr. President. Really, this whole terrorism thing is a little overboard. I understand national security issues but do we really have to jump at our own shadow? A natural disaster is not the same thing as terrorism.

I also want to know all the facts about the government response to Hurricane Katrina. The storm involved a massive flood, a major supply and security operation, and an evacuation order affecting more than a million people. It was not a normal hurricane and the normal disaster relief system was not equal to it. Many of the men and women of the Coast Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the United States military, the National Guard, Homeland Security and state and local governments performed skillfully under the worst conditions. Yet the system, at every level of government, was not well coordinated and was overwhelmed in the first few days. It is now clear that a challenge on this scale requires greater federal authority and a broader role for the armed forces, the institution of our government most capable of massive logistical operations on a moment's notice.

Mr. President, the biggest failure in all of this is the Louisiana State Government when they did not fix the levee when given the money in the past. They do that and there would not have been the flooding. The government would have been able to respond. It's not that hard to figure out.

Four years after the frightening experience of September 11th, Americans have every right to expect a more effective response in a time of emergency. When the federal government fails to meet such an obligation, I, as President, am responsible for the problem, and for the solution. So I have ordered every Cabinet secretary to participate in a comprehensive review of the government response to the hurricane. 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.

Don't remind us of terrorism, it's not the same thing. I know you Washingtonians think it is, but it ain't.

The United States Congress also has an important oversight function to perform. Congress is preparing an investigation, and I will work with members of both parties to make sure this effort is thorough.

I wonder if they will suggest a mismanaged government on the local level for not fixing the levee when given the money in the first place. Probably not, they'll replace incompetent government with an even bigger incompetent government, then tell us they solved the problem.

In the life of this nation, we have often been reminded that nature is an awesome force, and that all life is fragile. We are the heirs of men and women who lived through those first terrible winters at Jamestown and Plymouth, who rebuilt Chicago after a great fire, and San Francisco after a great earthquake, who reclaimed the prairie from the dust bowl of the 1930s. Every time, the people of this land have come back from fire, flood and storm to build anew and to build better than what we had before. Americans have never left our destiny to the whims of nature and we will not start now.

You know, I don't think Kathleen used Jamestown, Plymouth, or the Dust bowl yesterday, you must know history better than her.

These trials have also reminded us that we are often stronger than we know, with the help of grace and one another. They remind us of a hope beyond all pain and death, a God who welcomes the lost to a house not made with hands. And they remind us that we are tied together in this life, in this nation, and that the despair of any touches us all.

I know that when you sit on the steps of a porch where a home once stood or sleep on a cot in a crowded shelter it is hard to imagine a bright future. But that future will come. The streets of Biloxi and Gulfport will again be filled with lovely homes and the sound of children playing. The churches of Alabama will have their broken steeples mended and their congregations whole. And here in New Orleans, the streetcars will once again rumble down St. Charles, and the passionate soul of a great city will return.

In this place, there is a custom for the funerals of jazz musicians. The funeral procession parades slowly through the streets, followed by a band playing a mournful dirge as it moves to the cemetery. Once the casket has been laid in place, the band breaks into a joyful "second line" symbolizing the triumph of the spirit over death. Tonight the Gulf Coast is still coming through the dirge, yet we will live to see the second line.

Thank you, and may God bless America.

I liked this speech so much more after going through it the second time. I think after the last two weeks I expected more out of President Bush than I did out of Kathleen Blanco. Although I liked President Bush's speech much better, it didn't impress me as much as Kathleen Blanco.

The reason is simply this, immediately after Katrina, my support fell whole-heartedly behind all of our leaders. I was behind Nagin, Blanco, Landrieu, Vitter, Jindal, Jefferson, and yes President Bush. My support was there. Yet, I couldn't help but to notice the immediate politicization of this trajedy by the Democrats. Once Katrina turned political and political questions were raised, I wanted answers to the questions as well, but it was not the time to think about the answers. The day that we turned the corner down here, I began to look at what the problem was.

Had this never turned political, I would have never even thought about this politically. Yet, the questions raised continue to point at Kathleen Blanco. Also Mary Landrieu seemed to take some cheap political shots at the President as well but the ineptness was really on our Governor.

So when Kathleen gave her speech Weds night, it didn't take much from her to impress me. She finally actd like she had some control, and I think we throughout the state needed to see some stability in our Governor. Thinking back, she didn't offer any real solutions nor did she give a timetable for getting things done. Simple things, like when there will be a special session, if there is going to be one. Stability, she needed to show that to impress anybody.

Bush ought to be more stoic, like he was leading the nation. Well he was that, he had the stability and the leadership but I also thought that he appeared to be pandering. President Bush did not come out an apologize for failures of the government but his speech seemed to me, at various times, an apology of sorts. If Bush leads without apology he'd get more kudos from me.

I expected more out of President Bush, even though his speech was better than Gov Blanco's, I'd give him a 'C'

Context of Speech

Before I begin, I see the Liberals are complaining about Kenyon getting a contract. Don't worry about it, again the truth will clear the Bush administration and indict Kathleen Blanco. Just a simple warning to you liberals.

I was pleasantly surprised by Governor Kathleen Blanco's speech tonight. Did she change my mind on whether or not she should be impeached? No. Did she just save her job as Governor? Probably so. Is it politically correct to take responsibility? Obviously.

Highlights of her speech

"We all know that there were failures at every level of government: state, federal and local. At the state level, we must take a careful look at what went wrong and make sure it never happens again. The buck stops here, and as your governor, I take full responsibility,"

It's about damn time she realized that it's her job as Governor to oversee the well being of the state. Not the President's, not FEMA's, not Ray Nagin's, not even Gullianni's. It's her job, and it's about damn time she accepted the responsibility that came with it. Anymore procrastination from this lady and we can take her out of the oven cause she's done.

"President Bush is a friend and partner"

Exactly right Governor and it's about time you realized it. I can say a lot of negative things about President Bush but when our state needed him the most he was there. He was there from the beginning and he's going to be there for us until the end. Hopefully this is a strong sign that you put your childish politics to the side and realized that in order for us to conquer this we need the President on our side.

Governor, I also hope that from now on, for the rest of your term, you are more warm to the President instead of giving him the snub and running off with Saints owner Tom Benson to give him more of the state's money that should have been used to fix the levee in the first place.

"I assure the Congress and every American taxpayer that every nickel will be properly spent,"

Exactly right, Governor the citizens of this state have for too long long been the victim of corruption on just about every level of local government, from cities and township governments to the state level. Before your speech, I was just thinking that corruption in this state is so bad that we ought to hire an independent organization to oversee the independent organization that oversees how this money is spent.

Our state owes it to the citizens of this nation that opened up their hearts and their wallets, every penny is spent properly and is accounted for. More importantly, the state owes it to the victims of Katrina the victims of mismanaged government that has abused funds appropriated for the levees in the past, to finally spend the money that they, the victims, worked hard for and was forced through government to give in order to fix the levee! We ought to be pissed that government misappropriated money before, don't misappropriate money anymore.

"I am telling each and every one of you: we want you back home,"

Kathleen, had the state not misappropriated the money in the first place, the good people of Nawlins would never have had to leave. Now this is perhaps the only politically motivated part of the speech, at least that I caught. You see, New Orleans IS the Democrat base here in Louisiana, without New Orleans the Democrat party dies. New Orleans has a long history of being controlled by Democrats and only through permission of New Orleans do Democrats do anything.

Now those Democrats are scattered all over the United States, many not coming back as they are often treated better in their new communities than they are in Nawlins. Nawlins, according to some had more murders this year than New York City. Truth or Myth? I don't know, I am still trying to confirm it.

Regardless of it's validity, the fact is that the city was running rampant with murders, had a high poverty rate, and well, it's not a place I would live. Of course if you're a Democrat, it's the ideal location.

Outside of sounding whiny and having the almost distressed look on her face the speech was just fine. Bottom line? I'd give Governor Kathleen Blanco an A minus.

The Dead Pelican has a much different take on Kathleen Blanco's screeetch.
As does Emily Metzgar

Governor Kathleen Blanco will address the state legislature tonight at 6:30 pm. To me this is a critical speech that she will give.

Last night Governor Kathleen Blanco added to the finger pointing whe she said "No one, even those at the highest levels, seems to be able to break through the beauracracy to get this important mission done.". Although I can't seem to find a story backing this, I did hear today on WJBO that FEMA was baffled that the Governor said this as it was the State's responsibility to remove the dead and that Governor Blanco stated such to FEMA. Again more evidence that Kathleen Blanco is impeding the process and not assisting.

If Kathleen does not take the bull by the horns tonight and start acting like a leader instead of a finger pointing seventh grade school girl (with one year teaching experience) then her governorship will definitely be threatened with a recall or impeachment. Only an outstanding speech tonight can breathe any life back into her term.

She's been rocky as a governor and tonight she may well drive the final nail into her coffin.

Mary Landrieu

also continues with her finger pointing as her re-election bid nears. On Monday Landrieu stated that Brown's resignation "will not alone solve all the problems that plagued the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina and the devastating floods that followed the levee breaches."

I agree Mary. In fact, I agree with you whole heartedly that the "levee breaches" is a large part of what plagued the federal government from responding. After all, while the city was flooding, nobody did anything because of the breaches. Why did the levee break? Did FEMA order the levee bombed? Or was it that the levee wasn't supposed to last during a CAT 5 hurricane? What did you do to prevent the levee from breaking Senator Landrieu? What did your Father do while mayor of Nawlins? What did your brother do as Lt. Governor? Your family is as responsible as anybody is for the levee breaking Senator Landreiu. We'll remember that on election day. The good news for Republicans is that the Democrats won't be able to keep specific polls open for late night voters in Nawlins. The other good news?

Well, like many blacks down here are observing, they could move the buses on election day to get them to vote, but they can't get the buses running to save their constituents lives?

Mary, you are up for re-election soon, we'll take care of you then, just as you took care of us all these years.

There's something in the name of William Jefferson

William Jefferson, who is currently under investigation by the Federal Government for something that is still unclear, aided the Louisiana National Guard in it's effort to save.... his documents. Wow, simply amazing. There's about fifty thoughts running through my mind and I'm not sure any of them is clean enough to use. People are dying and all Rep Jefferson can think about is saving his... No, shouldn't say that.

If he were Marion Barry, I could see that. Except it would be pipes and bags instead of boxes of documents. No, I shouldn't say that.

Seriously, this is what this guy thinks the national guard is for? To save his precious baggage while people die? No wonder why he stayed so silent on this. Still I am curious, what exactly was so important that those boxes had to be evacuated before any of his constituents? Perhaps it was the New Orleans city evacuation plans that filled those boxes?

Impeach Blanco, h#ll, recall her at least.

For those of you outside the State of Louisiana - thanks for your help, but if there is trouble in disaster relief, we'll decide who to blame. You can blame who you want, but Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama took the hit. It's these people down here that government failed to help.

For those of you outside the south that think this is going to help you win Kansas, I think you are mistaken... Kansas isn't affected by FEMA's response, by Bush's response, or by Louisiana State Government's response. George Bush can take all the responsibility he wants, but that does not matter. The fact is, our state took the impact as did Mississippi and Alabama, it's our states responsibility to take steps to ensure that this does not happen again.

The fact of the matter is, if our state government would have fixed the Levy to begin with, there would be no finger pointing because Louisiana would have dodge the big one. Had the levy never broke, New Orleans would not have flooded. There would not be the dead bodies floating around the swamp called Nawlins. It was a problem the preceeded Bush by decades. Louisiana government had several opportunities to fix the problem before it was ever a problem, now, it's all of our problem. Thank Louisiana government.

What did you expect FEMA to do? Was FEMA any slower this time than they were with any other hurricane? We know FEMA takes a while just as Nawlins knew FEMA would take a while. In fact, nobody would be complaining that FEMA is taking too long had the city never flooded. Instead, FEMA is overwhelmed with the excessive claims due to the break in the levy...something the Louisiana government should have taken care of a long time ago.

Now this is going to come as a shock to you liberals... George W. Bush did not stick his finger in the air, stir up a hurricane and direct it towards New Orleans because he doesn't like black people. In fact, George W. Bush was never even a Louisianan state official. What exactly did George W. Bush do to cause the problem to begin with?

I will tell you who has been active in politics for the longest time, much longer than her one year long teaching career. (Yes, the former teacher was a teacher for one full year) That person is Governor Kathleen Blanco. Since the 80's, Kathleen Blanco has been active in state government, serving as state legislature and Lt Governor before taking on the role as Governor. She above all should have known that the LEVY SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED. Yet, she wants to point her finger at Bush? It's gotten so bad that Political Consultant Roy Fletcher has had this to say about Kathleen Blanco..."IMPEACH HER, THEN INDICT HER!

Hat Tip Breakfast at Tiffany's who also has some info on Roy Fletcher

The criticism continues to rise against the Governor especially considering that the Lt. Governor is also a Democrat. Democrats have nothing to lose by dumping Kathleen Blanco, but in order to keep that seat they would be better of dumping her. She's been incompetent.

Word flying around here in Louisiana isn't blame Bush... it's impeach Kathleen Blanco. Again, we decide what's best for this state... We made a mistake with Kathleen, not Bush.

Other links...

The Media Blog
Cornpone also shows support

One more thing... if our government was too slow to respond to New Orleans residents because they had a majority blacks, then what does that say about the Clinton administration that took a couple of weeks to do anything while 100% of those slaughtered on the streets of Rwanda were all black? Where was Jesse Jackson then?

Uh oh, this is exactly what I was warning you libs about. Despite all the criticism that Bush took, people down here are really taking a look at local government. They are really taking a look at Kathleen Blanco and the demand for her impeachment has begun.

I had joked a few times that one of the bright sides of this hurricane was that we learned that our Governor enjoys taking her time to think things through before making a decision. Unfortunately the joke is a little too true. She could point her finger at Bush but the bottom line is, if she didn't want to govern this state, why then did she even run for office?

People may be upset with FEMA, but if Micheal Brown ought to resign, then so should every first responder that is capable of doing something about the situation. I am not so hard on Ray Nagin as many others around here are. Still those most critical of the Bush administration that had the ability to do something ought to be held accountable for their own shortcomings. Thus comes the movement to recall Governor Blanco.

The Political Teen has video of Blanco admitting that she hesitated and should have sent troops in. Also Governor Blanco failed to show up and meet with refugees as promised. The Houston Chronicle also reports that Kathleen Blanco's political future is in doubt. Even the Northside Journal is complaining of Blanco's lack of leadership

More to come...

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