Don't Politicize This!

You usually hear the comment, "you shouldn't politicize this" when Republicans are being criticized. You either hear that, or the grouping of parties like, "well, both Republicans and Democrats are responsible..." It really is comedy.

Lets put aside Bush's lie that "no one expected the levees to break" when IT WAS PREDICTED! The Times Picayune of New Orleans won awards for PREDICTING IT. But Bush will lie whenever he can, which is why Republicans want a new guy in charge...

Fear not, Republicans, the call for another disgraced Republican is on, and that man, of course, is their favorite bragole (brah-zhole) Rudolph Giuliani.

Rep. John Sweeney, R-N.Y., urged President Bush to appoint former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani or two former military officials to run the ground response in the Gulf Coast, saying local authorities are not up to the task.

Sweeney suggested Giuliani or retired generals Colin Powell and Tommy Franks could take charge of the much-criticized hurricane relief efforts.

"We owe it to the American people to have America's best leaders with experience on the ground running this," said Sweeney. "It's been painfully obvious over the last four or five days that the circumstances and challenges coming at us are new, are nothing that had ever been anticipated."

Lets look at our candidates here.

First, we have Rudy, who has ZERO CONNECTION to New Orleans, and yet, he's the leader we need. If ignoring the concerns of black people is what you're looking for then Rudy is DEFINITELY the guy. Maybe, similar to what he did as mayor, he'll have all the police head into the Superdome and start issuing tickets to anyone with an outstanding warrant. Or, if we're luckier, he'll blame the black guy who gets shot for taking out his wallet.

Oh, that Rudy, a legacy created in a day.

Gotta appreciate Sweeney's efforts to get Rudy some positive press after his little downfall.

Then we have Colin Powell. Afterall, he can sympathize with so many of the "refugees." REFUGEES! That's what they're called! Powell, who is almost black, is a perfect person for the Republicans to go down there and show their other stripe. Would he take the gig? Hmmm...not sure. I mean, there were rumors of Presidential aspirations, but I'm not sure he wants to get his hands dirty with a mess that is really beyond fixable, at least for now.

Finally, Tommy Franks. You remember the amazing job he did in Iraq! Maybe he'll donate some of the funds he made from the sale of his recent book. That should go a long way...

Now lets focus on the real issue here, and that's racism.

I keep hearing, "If these people were white they would have been airlifted out in 5 minutes...they'd have all the food they need...Bush would have been here already..."

I'm not sure I believe any of that. Plus, I can't remember a time when I saw white people even in a situation like this. Do you know why you don't see it? Because white people generally don't live in shanty towns in New Orleans and Africa for this country makes sure that doesn't happen.

Ahhh, now we're getting somewhere. Of course, there were white people mixed in with the black folks, representatively similar to the white specks you see when you stare really closely at pepper, but those people are pretty much black too, at least in the way they're treated in life.

So why couldn't these people get out of New Orleans, a city with 30% unemployment? Well, there's your answer! These people have no jobs, money, education, know how, cars, houses with doors, windows, anything. These people don't have a chance to escape, and I don't just mean the storm. I'm talking about their overall plight, period.

Where were they going to go? Did they have enough money to squeeze multiple people into a car, and head to a hotel outside the city somewhere? Stay for days? No! So they stayed at home, waiting for a storm they never thought would be this bad. Could life actually deal them cards worse than they're playing? Yes, life could, and did.

All of this gets back to the fact that this country doesn't do anything to truly make a difference in the lives of the poor. I'm not even going to get back into the predicted environmental impact issues related to the levees, and the lack of funds for the Corps of Engineers, FEMA, and anything related to environmental issues.

This is all about education and opportunity! When Kanye West says, "Bush don't care about black people..." he's not saying it solely in response to this event. He's saying it because he sees suffering in every major city across the country, and conservatives like Bush aren't willing to do anything to change that. This is just a day when folks like West know it's a chance to point out the racist reality in this country.

How can we let this happen to people in America?!?!? That's the big question. How can the richest country allow this to happen? I ask, "Allow what to happen?" Are you wondering why we allow people to be so poor, with little chance for opportunity? Is that what you're wondering? Are you wondering why we don't fund education ten-fold so people can have the chance to live better lives, and not have to be put in situations like this to begin with? I've been wondering the same thing!

Hey, if these were white people, do I think Bush would have been there faster? Well, if Karl Rove told him these were white people in areas that vote Bush, then certainly. If these were extremely poor white people, not so sure. He may have asked Karl if this is an issue he needs to deal with a bit quicker. His party doesn't care about anyone who's poor, it just so happens so many blacks are.

You can rest assured when the environmentally concerned start discussing Global Warming in two weeks, when the media is begging for more angles, you'll hear the "don't politicize this" crowd loud and clear, and they'll be conservatives. When you start hearing the questions about Bush and blacks, you'll hear it again. You'll hear it again, and again, and again, the same way US policy has nothing to do with what happened on September 11, 2001. The same way the Bush family has nothing to do with the Saudi Royal Family. The real issues will be swept under the wrong, and nothing will change.

More creedence will be given to the fact that "New Orleans was built in a bad area...it never should have been built..." That'll be a good party line.

Can I Get a...

"Hey Ya" from JC Watts?

Kanye West:

Comedian Mike Myers was paired with Kanye West for a 90-second segment that began with Myers speaking of Katrina's devastation. Then, to Myers' evident surprise, West began a rant by saying, "I hate the way they portray us in the media. If you see a black family, it says they're looting. See a white family, it says they're looking for food."

While allowing that "the Red Cross is doing everything they can," West — who delivered an emotional outburst at the American Music Awards after he was snubbed for an award — declared that government authorities are intentionally dragging their feet on aid to the Gulf Coast. Without getting specific, he added, "They've given them permission to go down and shoot us."

After he stated, "George Bush doesn't care about black people," the camera cut away to comedian Chris Tucker.

Friends Email Discussion

It's just too interesting not to post:

Devastation and chaos beyond control in Nola and the Gulf Coast. Looks like a bad scene from the Third World. Government cuts led to a lot of the problems and the Feds are barely helping now. At least we are shooting looters...I'd hate for someone to get away with stealing something to drink for their family.

Not too mention we are in an unwinnable war and I had to pay $3.09 for gas this morning!

At least Bush cut his vacation short. I was worried for a second.


-Dice
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no doubt....the issues of this country are being brought to light for sure, its ridiculous. If this were mostly white people they would have already picked them up and been evacuated.

Gas is at $3.40 by me(at the cheap place) for regular yesterday. The whole thing is corrupt!

-Jake Lips
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The situation is heat breaking and infuriating. I don't understand why those people are still there. I guess the fact that they're black isn't helping their case.

Bush completely bungled this like he's bungled everything else. All he needed was to show some hummers and choppers rolling into the city and carrying people out to be a hero -- but instead he just rattled on about the quantities of rice that were being shipped into the area. Good job. Too bad those people are all still starving and floating around next to decaying bodies. And only five days into the destruction of a major US city and he's already there checking into it. He could have waited until they all drowned or starved to death.

I think the media has been doing a terrible job of really representing what's going on and questioning why there haven't been any resources available to help. I fear that the death-toll is going to be a lot higher than anyone is predicting at this point.

Depressing.

jack
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I think this is going to lead to greater ethnic unrest in this country. You're right, if they were white they'd be out of there and no doubt blacks across the country are aware of that. The only positive thing may be that this will turn the tide against the war and the Republican congress and white house. There are obviously a lot of conservative white voters in Mississipi and the Gulf Coast who've lost everything and will now openly question this country's investment in building roads and infrastructure for Iraqis.

And fuck the media two times. I hate these cunt cable news fuckers trying to become part of the story. I'd like to strap water bottles and Oyster Po Boys to shephard smith and throw him into the fucking Superdome.

Oh yeah and fuck you Bush. You goddamned smirking monkey.

-Crust

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Truly sad & disgusting.

I agree, it does look like the 3rd World. Shouldn't be.

How to help besides donating some cash?

-Woods
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Good take from Mr. Moore:


Friday, September 2nd, 2005

Dear Mr. Bush:

Any idea where all our helicopters are? It's Day 5 of Hurricane Katrina and thousands remain stranded in New Orleans and need to be airlifted. Where on earth could you have misplaced all our military choppers? Do you need help finding them? I once lost my car in a Sears parking lot. Man, was that a drag.

Also, any idea where all our national guard soldiers are? We could really use them right now for the type of thing they signed up to do like helping with national disasters. How come they weren't there to begin with?

Last Thursday I was in south Florida and sat outside while the eye of Hurricane Katrina passed over my head. It was only a Category 1 then but it was pretty nasty. Eleven people died and, as of today, there were still homes without power. That night the weatherman said this storm was on its way to New Orleans. That was Thursday! Did anybody tell you? I know you didn't want to interrupt your vacation and I know how you don't like to get bad news. Plus, you had fundraisers to go to and mothers of dead soldiers to ignore and smear. You sure showed her!

I especially like how, the day after the hurricane, instead of flying to Louisiana, you flew to San Diego to party with your business peeps. Don't let people criticize you for this -- after all, the hurricane was over and what the heck could you do, put your finger in the dike?

And don't listen to those who, in the coming days, will reveal how you specifically reduced the Army Corps of Engineers' budget for New Orleans this summer for the third year in a row. You just tell them that even if you hadn't cut the money to fix those levees, there weren't going to be any Army engineers to fix them anyway because you had a much more important construction job for them -- BUILDING DEMOCRACY IN IRAQ!

On Day 3, when you finally left your vacation home, I have to say I was moved by how you had your Air Force One pilot descend from the clouds as you flew over New Orleans so you could catch a quick look of the disaster. Hey, I know you couldn't stop and grab a bullhorn and stand on some rubble and act like a commander in chief. Been there done that.

There will be those who will try to politicize this tragedy and try to use it against you. Just have your people keep pointing that out. Respond to nothing. Even those pesky scientists who predicted this would happen because the water in the Gulf of Mexico is getting hotter and hotter making a storm like this inevitable. Ignore them and all their global warming Chicken Littles. There is nothing unusual about a hurricane that was so wide it would be like having one F-4 tornado that stretched from New York to Cleveland.

No, Mr. Bush, you just stay the course. It's not your fault that 30 percent of New Orleans lives in poverty or that tens of thousands had no transportation to get out of town. C'mon, they're black! I mean, it's not like this happened to Kennebunkport. Can you imagine leaving white people on their roofs for five days? Don't make me laugh! Race has nothing -- NOTHING -- to do with this!

You hang in there, Mr. Bush. Just try to find a few of our Army helicopters and send them there. Pretend the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast are near Tikrit.

Yours,

Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
www.MichaelMoore.com

P.S. That annoying mother, Cindy Sheehan, is no longer at your ranch. She and dozens of other relatives of the Iraqi War dead are now driving across the country, stopping in many cities along the way. Maybe you can catch up with them before they get to DC on September 21st.



-Woods
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Wow, I had just cut in order to paste that...

So true...

40% of Louisiana National Guard is currently in Iraq, imagine how they feel...


-Woods
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Yeah, Woods, that's interesting. Can you think of another war in which this country has been involved that has seen soldiers return home to find their relatives dead?

Please Please Please red states, realize the truth about your president and your party's agenda.

-gainz


WEINISH:

Oh my liberal friends, whatever will we do??????

Like I've been saying, sometimes things have to get worse, MUCH WORSE, before they get better.

The old cliche, you can walk someone to water, but you can't make them drink. Well, a funny thing happened. The water came to us...and now we're all drinking it.

Email from Dice

Thoughts from a friend:

Devastation and chaos beyond control in Nola and the Gulf Coast. Looks like a bad scene from the Third World. Government cuts led to a lot of the problems and the Feds are barely helping now. At least we are shooting looters...I'd hate for someone to get away with stealing something to drink for their family.

Not too mention we are in an unwinnable war and I had to pay $3.09 for gas this morning!

At least Bush cut his vacation short. I was worried for a second.

Scarborough Country!!!

Guess where that is? That's in Biloxi, Mississippi now. I mean, it really always was, but now it's REALLY THERE. He's there.

This guy is such a tremendous jackass it's unfathomable. Yesterday, in response to Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert's bulldoze commentary, Scarborough was in full defense of the people in New Orleans, and elsewhere. In fact, Joe loves the place. Afterall, he and his wife were "in that beautiful city exactly a year ago today." And don't you worry because, "the people of New Orleans are good, strong, resilient people..." These are the gem-like quotes you hear on Scarborough.

But the best part of Joe's show is when he interviews the locales who, if white, say, "You know, I voted for President Bush, but where is he now? We're suffering here..." Then of course, the black people who say, "We can send money to Iraq, and food, but we're stahvin' and Mistah Bush ain't done nuttin..." We also have a reporter from a Spanish TV station who asked, "Why is it when we're in trouble in Spain, and around the world, relief is there in 1 day, but 5 days later you still have nothing?"

So may questions! But Scarborough has a blanket response to these criticisms of Dennis Hastert (which Joe find deplorable) and President: Republicans, Democrats, and Federal Bureaucrats aren't doing their jobs...they're letting these people suffer.

As if Joe Scarborough was any different as a "federal bureaucrat!" What the hell did he ever do as a Republican Congressman from Florida? Now he and his wife are down with the regular folk, and they are feeling it. Chris Matthews at least made the comment, "We don't usually bring camaras into these poor neighborhoods...and now we're seeing how people in our country live..." Well guess what, they live that way no thanks to people like JOE SCARBOROUGH.

Maybe this will be the life turning point of Joe Scarborough, when he sees first hand how the people of New Orleans live. How a city that's 75% black deals with tragedy. What happens to these people after they supposedly "recover from this tragedy..."

What jobs are these people going back to? Is their education system going to change? Are they going to get new housing loans? What's New Orleans going to look like in 3 years? I'll tell you: THE SAME PLACE IT WAS TWO WEEKS AGO. POOR, BROKEN, and DANGEROUS.

Hopefully out of all this Joe Scarborough, and his "wife's Republican friends..." as he called them, pull their heads out of their asses and see the world for what it is, as opposed to this supposed dog eat dog world he believes everyone is required to live in, regardless of what type of dog you are. I'm not holding my breath that it's going to happen, but stranger things have happened. If living in the battered south now (and this goes for the citizens who voted for Bush/Republicans as well) doesn't open your eyes to the realities of the world around you then nothing will ever change.

As for Republicans AND DEMOCRATS Scarborough wants to call out, I'd like to know how it's the fault of Democrats. Seriously. I mean, I'm not blaming Republicans for the wind and rain, but I'm certainly going to blame them for their policy of starve the federal government, their brushing aside of environmental issues, the use of so many National Guardsmen in Iraq, and of course their plan and practice of taking money away from FEMA.

Yes, if a LIBERAL was President, and if Congress was dominated by them, the likelihood is New Orleans would have suffered far less.

It's All About Wood

It always is.

Accusing federal drug regulators of ignoring sound science, a top official at the Food and Drug Administration resigned yesterday to protest the agency's failure to allow sales of the "morning-after" pill without a prescription.

Susan F. Wood said she left her post promoting women's health at the FDA because of the agency's decision last week indefinitely delaying approval of over-the-counter sales of the Plan B pill until it could hear more public comment and study further.

"I couldn't stand by and appear to support the decision the agency made because it wasn't based on science and good clinical evidence," she said.

Read the whole piece. I love how Billy Tauzin makes claims like it's all "about the science."

Here's the real issue.

I just sent Instant Messages to random people who read the news, and follow politics closely. Here's what I got back:

WEINISH: question, have you heard anything abhout Plan B in the last few days, with regard to abortion?

RFerl1: nope
-actually works for a company that does polling data for candidates.

Shwilson21: hmmmmm not sure
-most surprising since he's the guy who will usually do a quick google to be in the know.

DonLaw: in what context?
DonLaw: as in the sick disco biscuits song :-)
-very smart dude.

bergdees: nope, why?

QueenHynd: no, why

ElDoopo:you mean our exit strategy from iraq?
ElDoopo: btw, saw a dude on the subway with a super furry animals tee.

These are the responses from smart people, who follow the news, about a major issue. An issue involving a scientist leaving the FDA because she cannot standby as the FDA puts science on the shelf in favor of politics. That's right, a woman's health, and a woman's rights, brushed aside. One friend, a female, actually knew about the story. She was the only one.

I'm sure this story was frontpage on the NYTIMES and other sites at some point, but I wonder how much news it garnered on Omaha's local news leader.

The Hurricane, washing away not just lives, but news as well...

No More Mr. Nice Guy

So John Roberts wasn't always the guy with the pleasant demeanor dressing his kids in pastels.

Did you know Bush asked all the nominees what their exercise regiment was? I mean, I know full well that a healthy body leads to a healthy mind, but that's because I try to stay in shape, and am not an idiot. Bush on the other hand, is an idiot, as is say Arnold, so all the personal evidence available to him should lead him to believe that working out makes you less capable!

But seriously, if John Roberts were to be rejected you know the next character would be even worse. At least on some level I believe Roberts could surprise. However, if the Democrats succeeded in knocking out Roberts they'd have no prayer in knocking out the next nominee. The country would never stand for back to back rejections, and the second person would likely be worse. Conservatives would recognize the frustration citizens would have, and of course, something else would happen to overshadow the confirmation process enabling nominee 2 to sail right through. How do I know this? Well, when things are bad for Bush something ALWAYS happens to divert attention.

Personally, I think conservatives made a mistake in nominating Roberts and not a fetus. Seriously, a fetus would have been the ultimate candidate. A fetus could be nomintated "FOR LIFE!" In addition, conservatives could then claim the fetus must survive in order to assume its responsibility as a judge. Then if there was an abortion they could say "democrats kill judges, and don't believe in our judicial system." Take it one step further, they can nominate a black fetus conceived by rape!

I hereby nominate FETUS JONES!

Washing Away

Do you know the Times Picayune did a feature story in 2002 title "Washing Away" describing what would happen to New Orleans if a major hurricane hit its shores? Well, they did one, and of course, nothing was done. Actually, take that back, something was done. The Federal Government made sure less money was going into future studies, and if you follows budgets on any level you know FEMA money was scaled back under Bush and his Congress.

The series specifically mentioned the levees washing away, amongst other things.

Gotta love these people!

Okay, now we know Global Warming has nothing to do with any of this...of course. Lets save that piece of liberal ranting for another time, but lets pretend a liberal was the Governor of New Orleans. Since liberals tend to believe in federal spending, which will come in DROVES now, and liberals believe in environmental protections, one has to wonder if a liberal would have heeded the warnings made by the Times Picayune. I mean, if you take into account all the things conservatives say about liberals, you'd have to assume a liberal would have spent all the money, and a liberal would have minimized the damage to New Orleans. The LEVEES WOULD NOT HAVE BROKEN!

Of course, fixing these levees, and other problems, would have cost more than the millions New Orleans already spent addressing the problem, but had the federal government given even more money and continued analyzing future problems the federal government would actually be SAVING MONEY! Now we have to pay for damage above and beyond the costs associated with fixing the problems initially. At the same time, the government would currently have to devote fewer resources to New Orleans, and would be able to focus on other areas heavily affected. But no, no, no, no.

Our current leaders do not see past today. Investing in the future is a liberal thing, and therefore bad to conservatives.

So ask yourself, a natural disaster is beyond the control of man, but which group would do a better job of minimizing the damage by one? It's an easy question. Of course, conservatives have a great plan for fixing the problem now: sending in the military.

Katherine Harris Gets Pregnant

After she fucks herself by taking the most extreme position possible in an almost moderate state.

Katherine Harris has wrestled with her political position on abortion for the past decade. At one point she campaigned to win over abortion rights supporters; later, she said she supported the laws of the land but was personally opposed to abortion.

Now, the Republican congresswoman from Longboat Key declares herself firmly against abortion rights and is using the issue to attack incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat...

Harris said there shouldn't be an exception for the health of a woman. She said the exception could allow a woman to have the abortion for a minor ailment or some unprovable mental duress.

Oh, read on. This one is such an unbelievable C.

Optimism

Seriously, maybe I'm forgetting, but can someone point out ONE good thing that's happened under Bush?

I'm not even trying to be a dick about this. I'm actually interested in knowing.

email me at: weinishblog@yahoo.com

A Natural Disaster...

...Is George W. Bush, and the Conservatives. They will promise everything, and no one will ever have to worry about paying for it. They'll give more money to disaster stricken areas across the Southeast after having cut money for programs meant to deal with such issues.

The future is not something that worries these people. Then the future becomes the present, and don't you worry cause funding is a comin'. Anyone can react, but it takes more to have foresight. Same thing can be said about global warming issues, and other related matters. Because stem cell research doesn't yet cure all ills, it's not funded. When it does, and someone else does the funding, then they'll throw money at the problem.

Certainly these are different examples that do not matchup logically, but the point is the same: politics and ends justifying the means thought processes dominate the conservative way of thinking.

Trickle down economics has never worked, but in theory it could. Cutting money from the federal government is a goal, whether or not it is something that's beneficial, or not. It's what they believe. These beliefs get in the way of funding things like disasters. However, you can always find a hypocrite when it comes to the conservatives, whether it be with regard to House rules, or just a natural disater.

Tom Delay, uber-crite, a man who wants to starve the beast, provides yet again, the greatest of examples. When Houston was hit by Hurricane Allison in 2001, Tom Delay was all for "doing the right thing." Prior to the hurricane the right thing was cutting money from FEMAs budget. In fact, the right thing was cutting money from every budget except Defense. Ahh, but then came the winds, rains, and the blowhards, and money needed to be restored. Delay then supported getting the money back for Houston/Texas.

So a disaster strikes and all the good conservatives are just ready to give, give, give. Where's it all going to come from? Who cares! Right now we're giving! They have compassion, of course.

Last night I heard Governor Haley Barbour of Mississippi on dipshit Joe Scarborough's show talking about the devastation of this hurricane, and Hurricane Corrine of the late 60s. It was all so touching.

I'm sitting there thinking to myself, "Do these people deserve this? I mean, afterall, they voted for Haley Barbour, a guy who's as crooked as they come. Is their God not telling them something?"

There are people strewn across these states who are as poor as they come. I've been to these areas in New Orleans and honestly, these people will lose again. Yet, they won't even lose that much, I assure you. The rundown areas of the south don't even have a lot of possessions to lose. Their houses are practically shacks. They've got all of September to dry off.

The money that will flow to these states, the billions of dollars promised by our fearless leader, where will it go? It won't go towards educating these people so they can move out of these shacks, and maybe even become smart enough to vote against politicians who work against their own self interest, the ones who cut funding for disaster projects, or the Haley Barbours of the world. No, no, no, the funding will go somewhere, but it certainly won't benefit the folks who won't care that their wood floor is now a dirt floor. They're used to it.

I feel for those people who suffer the most from these events, but yet I can't seem to shed a tear for those who have made Mississippi, parts of Louisiana, and other areas in the south what it is, the same way I'm sure many of these people don't care that my friends and acquaintances died on 9/11 in "Jew York City."

Frankly, death for some of these poor people may even be a better option. I mean, the Haley Barbours of the world have to think so since for them it's one less nigger he has to worry about.

The natural disasters that hit our lands aren't half as bad as the natural disasters we have as elected officials, elected by, again, natural disasters.

Numbers Finally Going Up!

Under Bush lead, they're finally getting some positive momentum.

Ferl adds this:

Rferl1: I love it..."the last decline in overall poverty was in 2000"....hmmm...what happened in 2000? It wasn't 9/11 so it can't be the terrorist's fault.

Be Proud

To live in a country that doesn't protect its workers.

The striking workers at Northwest Airlines haven't been out of work for more than 2 weeks, and already there are signs of dissent. Workers are trying to fight massive pay and job cuts that seem inevitable.

Many of the workers have no choice but to go back to work and take less, assuming they're kept, or re-hired, because their union doesn't have health insurance benefits for its members. Another sign of the weakening of unions around the country. I believe these days only 8-9% of all workers are in unions, which is extremely low. Whether you believe in unions, or not, those who remain in them do so because they are well aware they are at the extreme mercy of big businesses.

What really rankles me is the lack of options afforded to these workers, and of course, the opposite case for the airlines.

Replacement workers will likely remain on the job in many instances; these people will work for less. People who have been on the job for over 30 years, who have in many cases shown loyalty, will be out the door. The replacements will be less experienced, and when it comes to airlines, less experience means less safety. I don't blame the replacements for taking the jobs as workers who are facing hard times are pitted against workers who are on strike. It's an amazing thing business does as they pit workers against workers. The enemy becomes the line crosser; not the line blower on Wall St.

So the workers have few options, but what do airlines have? The workers don't have government sponsored health insurance, but what do they airlines have? The workers have no source for income, but what do the airlines have? The airlines have the TAXPAYERS! That's right, as we can't afford to provide health insurance nation wide, we can certainly afford Congressionally sponsored taxpayer bailouts of major airlines because this afterall, is the way the free market system is supposed to work! What a joke.

The cost of oil surges, raising operations costs for airlines. Pre-9/11 the government did as little as possible to force private companies to enhance security measures, and haven't done too much since aside from hiring more minimum wage employees to screen bags. Health insurance costs continue to rise. Unemployment benefits don't get extended for those who need it. The usual Republican response: more taxpayer money for the airlines.

When people like Republican Congressman and House Leader Dennis Hastert are willing to do anything for corporations like United Airlines (I'm sure I can point out numerous other situations) this is what you get.

Add the latest NWA issue to the defaulting pension situation which taxpayers will one day be forced to pick up, and what do you have?

Be proud.

It's Incredible

They even fuck up natural disasters:

In fiscal year 2006, the New Orleans district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is bracing for a record $71.2 million reduction in federal funding.

It would be the largest single-year funding loss ever for the New Orleans district, Corps officials said.

I've been here over 30 years and I've never seen this level of reduction, said Al Naomi, project manager for the New Orleans district. I think part of the problem is it's not so much the reduction, it's the drastic reduction in one fiscal year. It's the immediacy of the reduction that I think is the hardest thing to adapt to.

There is an economic ripple effect, too. The cuts mean major hurricane and flood protection projects will not be awarded to local engineering firms. Also, a study to determine ways to protect the region from a Category 5 hurricane has been shelved for now.

Money is so tight the New Orleans district, which employs 1,300 people, instituted a hiring freeze last month on all positions. The freeze is the first of its kind in about 10 years, said Marcia Demma, chief of the Corps' Programs Management Branch.

Stephen Jeselink, interim commander of the New Orleans Corps district, told employees in an internal e-mail dated May 25 that the district is experiencing financial challenges. Execution of our available funds must be dealt with through prudent districtwide management decisions. In addition to a hiring freeze, Jeselink canceled the annual Corps picnic held every June.

Congress is setting the Corps budget.

The House of Representatives wants to cut the New Orleans district budget 21 percent to $272.4 million in 2006, down from $343.5 million in 2005. The House figure is about $20 million lower than the president's suggested $290.7 million budget.

Don't worry, I expect the wealthiest of Republicans to fill the gaps through donation. Riiiiiight...

High Standards

So oil futures touched just over $70 a barrel today for a brief period, but rest assured, when adjusted for an inflation it's not as bad as it was during the early 1980s.

In other words, when compared to the worst period ever for oil, Bush isn't doing as bad, just close.

Pretty soon, after the storm passes in Louisiana, things should settle back down to their normal price of $60.