Is America Answering the Wakeup Call?

Bush suffers in polls post-Katrina - Yahoo! News: "After a week of criticism for a slow response to the devastation caused by Katrina, polls released on Thursday registered drops in Bush's approval ratings and in confidence in his leadership.

A Pew Research Center poll found 67 percent of Americans believed Bush could have done more to speed up relief efforts, and just 28 percent believed he did all he could. His approval rating slipped to 40 percent, down four points since July to the lowest point Pew has recorded."

Even The Brits Are Aghast

Focus: When the levees broke, the waters rose and Bush’s credibility sank with New Orleans - Sunday Times - Times Online

There seems to me a strong chance that this calamity could be the beginning of something profound in American politics: a sense that government is broken and that someone needs to fix it.

It did, after all, fail. It failed to spend the necessary money to protect New Orleans in the first place. This disaster, after all, did not come out of the blue.

Below is a passage from the Houston Chronicle in 2001, which quoted the Federal Emergency Management Agency on the three likeliest potential disasters to threaten America. They were: an earthquake in San Francisco, a terrorist attack in New York City (predicted before 9/11), and a hurricane hitting New Orleans.

Read this prophetic passage and weep: “The New Orleans hurricane scenario may be the deadliest of all. In the face of an approaching storm, scientists say, the city’s less-than-adequate evacuation routes would strand 250,000 people or more, and probably kill one of 10 left behind as the city drowned under 20ft of water.

“Thousands of refugees could land in Houston. Economically, the toll would be shattering . . . If an Allison-type storm were to strike New Orleans, or a category three storm or greater with at least 111mph winds, the results would be cataclysmic, New Orleans planners said.”

Katrina, of course, was category four.

Budget Cuts and Missed Opportunities

Gazing at Breached Levees, Critics See Years of Missed Opportunities - New York Times

And Bush says there will be no need to raise taxes. No need for the rest of us to make any sacrifices, especially if they have lots of money.

Yep, angrier and angrier.... I'm not the only one, obviously. I hope people get out and vote with their hearts and minds this November. We need people in office who will be, and hold others, accountable. We must remember this!

Bush Faces Rising Complaints About Handling of Disaster - New York Times

Bush Faces Rising Complaints About Handling of Disaster - New York Times: "Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, a Democrat, said today that she was so angry about federal failures and second-guessing that if she heard any more criticism of local efforts, even from the president, she might 'punch' him."

I like this woman. I hope she gets the chance, since it's a sure thing the criticisms have only just begun (see last post below).

White House Enacts a Plan to Ease Political Damage - New York Times

White House Enacts a Plan to Ease Political Damage - New York Times

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 - Under the command of President Bush's two senior political advisers, the White House rolled out a plan this weekend to contain the political damage from the administration's response to Hurricane Katrina.

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

The effort is being directed by Mr. Bush's chief political adviser, Karl Rove, and his communications director, Dan Bartlett. It began late last week after Congressional Republicans called White House officials to register alarm about what they saw as a feeble response by Mr. Bush to the hurricane, according to Republican Congressional aides....

When the going gets rough, the rough get spinning. Janet thinks I'm taking this all too seriously. Maybe she's right. Maybe it only gets me angry and raises my blood pressure. It should!

Think Progress » Chertoff Learned of Levee Failure 36 Hours After Mayor Nagin?

Think Progress » Chertoff Learned of Levee Failure 36 Hours After Mayor Nagin?

Liar, liar, pants on fire!

I'm glad the media is finally standing up to the administration and its masters, but the blogosphere is where the real story resides. Is this the revolution we've been waiting for? Let's hope.