Crisis Papers

"Hurricane Katrina was The Perfect Storm predicted and predictable, and yet the Federal response to the victims of this Category Five hurricane was chillingly and perhaps criminally lackadaisical, unfeeling, late and insufficient. Not surprising, actually, as this is George Bush's usual days-late-and-a-dollar-short response to tragedies. He is solipsism personified.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Guard in Louisiana were AWOL in New Orleans -- their troops and funds had been diverted to Iraq. Meanwhile, thousands of survivors of the Katrina hurricane and flood were drowning or, even if in massive shelters, were starving and dying of dehydration because there was no food or water around for them. Adequate supplies weren't pre-positioned or because apparently nobody was in charge to give the orders. Bush was at fundraisers or playing golf, before his handlers finally caught on that this was a major political disaster that was going to require some compassionate PR spin and actual help being delivered pronto. Condi was buying thousand-dollar shoes at Ferragamo's in New York and heading out to a night at the theater. Disgraceful! (When a patron berated Rice for her uncaring behavior while thousands were homeless or dying in the New Orleans flood, she had the manager throw the customer out. Par for the course in a Bush Cabinet.)"

More. I will note for my records or someone running across this in the future that this is not a permament link.