The Political Chase

Hello, We Still Have to Deal with Katrina

How is the recovery of the Gulf Coast region progressing? To fairly and accurately answer the question, there must be a reference point, something from which we can measure progress. There are many analytical methods experts could suggest and employ, but how do we know who has the best standard of reference for what was to be accomplished versus actual progress. When in doubt, always go to the top. In this case that is clearly the President of the United States.

President Bush on September 15, 2005 from Jackson Square, New Orleans, LA

“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 in the months to come will bring more than their fair share of struggles.”

The president’s statement is broad, but it is clear; meet the immediate needs. Food, shelter, and money are three of the four critical elements of human survival — immediate needs.

The Washington Post has a piece in today’s edition that provides a “status report” on the Gulf Coast region. This certainly sets the stage. Following is the WP’s description of the emotional state of many in Pass Christian, MS.

“The personal shock of it all hasn’t subsided. Locals say it’s not uncommon to hear perfectly rational people talk of suicide.”

Is it possible there could be a more significant indication of desperation? Does that provide you with a sense of people whose immediate needs have been met? The obvious question is what takes them to such a low level?

The situation in Pass Christian:

No new houses are framed out. No lots cleared. There is just devastation and a lingering stench and a tent city in which hundreds of residents huddle against the first chill of winter and wonder where they’ll find the money to rebuild their lives.

“FEMA continues to be able to mess up a one-car funeral — we don’t begin to have enough money for major reconstruction,” said Rep. Gene Taylor (D), who lost his own home in Bay St. Louis. “We’re going to have a lot of defaults and bankruptcies.

“The federal response, from highways to housing to trailers, is completely unacceptable.”

“The response of the federal government is bewildering and deplorable,” said Bruce Katz, director of metropolitan policy at the Brookings Institution, who has written two studies of the Katrina response. “We know how to deliver quality affordable housing in the United States — we just need the will and leadership to do it.”

Public housing authorities along the Mississippi coast lost 2,000 apartments and suffered $155 million in damages. But the federal government, which expects to spend close to $2 billion on temporary trailers, has not offered a dime to rebuild public housing.

Roy Necaise, chief operating officer of a regional Mississippi housing authority, said: “We have no federal funds, absolutely none, to rebuild. There’s absolutely nothing standing on the coast right now, and it’s going to be a long time before we’re able to bring folks home.

“Washington has totally let us down, and it’s a disgrace.”

After Andy Card provided the president a DVD summary of several nightly newscasts, he realized a tragedy beyond one’s imagination happened in his back yard. The entire nation screaming helped a little I suppose.

When Bush realized his political capital was operating at deficit greater than or equal to the nation’s deficit, he went into full campaign mode. The man could not make enough photo-op trips to the Gulf Coast. And then Plamegate raised its ugly head courtesy of Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald.

Thanks to Fitzgerald and meeting the milestone of 2,000 troop casualties in Iraq, the president had to deal with an additional public outcry. Katrina was a big problem, but it did not have the word impeachment as closely associated. Real personal liability and establishment of a legacy no president ever wants, was looking George Bush directly eye to eye. What is he supposed to do? As always; hit the campaign trail and oops that little problem of Katrina is barely visible from the rear view mirror.

At a time when the president could have been making a useful trip or two to the region (not every third day), Bush heightens the rhetoric on what is most important — his critics.

And our debate at home must also be fair-minded. One of the hallmarks of a free society and what makes our country strong is that our political leaders can discuss their differences openly, even in times of war. When I made the decision to remove Saddam Hussein from power, Congress approved it with strong bipartisan support. I also recognize that some of our fellow citizens and elected officials didn’t support the liberation of Iraq. And that is their right, and I respect it. As President and Commander-in-Chief, I accept the responsibilities, and the criticisms, and the consequences that come with such a solemn decision.

While it’s perfectly legitimate to criticize my decision or the conduct of the war, it is deeply irresponsible to rewrite the history of how that war began. (Applause.) Some Democrats and anti-war critics are now claiming we manipulated the intelligence and misled the American people about why we went to war. These critics are fully aware that a bipartisan Senate investigation found no evidence of political pressure to change the intelligence community’s judgments related to Iraq’s weapons programs.

They also know that intelligence agencies from around the world agreed with our assessment of Saddam Hussein. They know the United Nations passed more than a dozen resolutions citing his development and possession of weapons of mass destruction.

Saddam Hussein has long since been deposed. Iraq has transformed into a breeding ground for terrorists. Admit it or not, a civil war exists in Iraq today — we don’t have to worry about one starting tomorrow. And, we continue to have a third world nation situated on our own southern border. What a mess.

What are the solutions?

• Develop a plan to win the war — a novel idea. Implement the Powell Doctrine. We broke it, now we have to fix it. Immediate withdrawal is not the solution and staying the course is worse.
• Dispense with the tax cuts implemented in 2003 — that alone will provide more than enough funding for the Iraq mission we won two years ago.
• Implement Management 101 — Literally start managing. That too is a novel idea. Clean house — forget all the loyalties and put responsible people in responsible positions. Make them accountable.
• Launch the crooks and liars. The president absolutely cannot focus on doing his job while being shot at from every direction because he is surrounded by corruption. No more Dick Cheneys, Michael Scanlons, David Safavians, Scooter Libbys, Karl Roves, etc.
• Until Cheney is rightly behind bars, Congress should not even think about impeachment nor should the president resign under pressure.