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September 30, 2005

Pentagon Not Reimbursing Troops Who Buy Body Armor

Does this sound like an administration that cares about our troops?

Nearly a year after Congress demanded action, the Pentagon still hasn't figured out a way to reimburse U.S. troops for body armor and equipment they purchased to better protect themselves while serving in Iraq.

For Marine Sgt. Todd Bowers that extra equipment -- a high-tech rifle scope bought by his father for $600 and a $100 pair of goggles -- turned out to be a life-or-death purchase. And he has never been reimbursed.

Bowers, who is from Arizona but going to school in Washington, D.C., was shot by a sniper during his second tour in Iraq, but the round lodged in his scope, and his goggles protected his eyes from the shrapnel that struck his face.

"We weren't provided those going to Iraq," he said yesterday. "But they literally saved my life."

He and other soldiers and their parents are still spending hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars for armor they say the military won't provide. One U.S. senator said yesterday he will try again to force the Pentagon to obey the reimbursement law it opposed from the outset and has so far not implemented.

It is a crime -- literally -- that the Pentagon has not reimbursed the troops for their body armor and other vital equipment. It is equally reprehensible that our troops and their families are still purchasing this equipment themselves.

We can do better than this.

September 29, 2005

Lending a Helping Hand to Hurricane Vicitims

On Friday, September 9, days after Hurricane Katrina had ravaged the Gulf Coast, I felt frustrated and angry. In the communications department here at the DNC, I spend most of my day working and watching the news, and although I felt informed of what was going on around me, I also felt helpless and powerless to help those so far away.

At 10 a.m. the phone rang, and while I usually only get calls from the press, this one was different. A man identifying himself as a lifelong Republican was on the line. I began to prepare myself for whatever harsh words he was about to unleash, but to my surprise he said, "I need your help." So I asked him "What do you need?"

In the wake of Katrina, Forrest King took in six evacuees because he said it was time for Americans to come together and help one another. He went on to say he had an elderly woman in his care, she had no medicine, and no one from the state or federal level would help him. He said that the Republican Party had abandoned him. He said the last thing he ever expected was to be calling up the DNC asking for help but he had no one else to call.

Forrest told me the President he campaigned for -- just under a year ago -- had failed him and that Bush's blatant lack of leadership in the face of this crisis had shattered his faith in the Republican Party. It was further shattered when he called his Governor, Republican Mitt Romney, and gotten no help. It was diminished even more after a call to the Republican National Committee, who told him they couldn't do anything. He was shocked that his own party -- though politically in power at the national and state level -- didn't seem to have control over anything.

I explained to him that I was in the communications department in Washington, DC and didn't know what I could do for him. He said just get me medicine and help for this woman, she's dying. I knew I had to do something, so I called the state party in Massachusetts and spoke with the executive director. I told her the situation. She placed a call to a case worker in Senator Kennedy's office. I continued to call the state party and Kennedy's office throughout the day for updates.

When I spoke with Forrest, I heard the desperation in his voice when he talked about his frustration with the administration. But his patriotism and his ideas about how Americans should help one another had really affected me. I was invested in helping him, in making sure this woman he had taken in was OK, and in providing him with assurance that I hadn't abandoned him as his party did.

I called Forrest that afternoon after receiving word that an ambulance had been sent and the elderly woman was safely at the hospital. He answered saying, "I'm on my way," mistaking me for a case worker. He said he couldn't believe how quickly he received help and that he was actually on his way to the hospital. He later told me that the doctor who admitted the elderly woman said she should have never been placed in a residence and that bringing her to the hospital when he did, had probably saved her life.

When Forrest first called, he identified himself as a Republican. But above all he was an American who invited other Americans who lost everything to share his home. I am proud that as a fellow American and a Democrat, I could help him. I understand the anger Forrest has expressed towards the ambivalence of his party to help in a time of need.

I was fortunate to see dedication and compassion from my fellow Democrats to help him and other Americans in this time of tragedy. I feel my reaction to this man's plight truly reflects my core values and priorities as a Democrat. The health and well being of our fellow Americans is a moral responsibility that I will never shed. Thank you Forrest, and welcome to the Democratic Party.

DNC Staffers Volunteer on the Gulf Coast

DNC staffers TK Cenis and Jen Gonçalves recently returned from volunteering in the Gulf Coast, and wanted to share some of their experiences.

We're back! We went down South to help with Hurricane Katrina disaster relief. We are both fundraisers at the DNC, and between the two of us we cover the entire Southeast (this includes the areas affected by Katrina and Rita). We also want to mention that the DNC generously allowed us to help our fundraising regions for two weeks with paid leave. Thank you Governor Dean, Lindsay Lewis, and the powers that be at the DNC!

After some fast-track training at the National Headquarters of the American Red Cross, we were warned to be prepared for fast deployment. They weren't kidding, either.

Keep reading "DNC Staffers Volunteer on the Gulf Coast"

Open Thread

For the day...

Organizers from WI, SD, OK Visit DNC for Training

When we talk about the importance of building a community of Democrats committed to a stable party, we aren't talking about abstractions. Under Gov. Dean's 50-state strategy, we're hiring local organizers from every state in the nation to build a solid, permanent Democratic organization in their states.

Recently hired organizers from Wisconsin, South Dakota, and Oklahoma came to Washington for a two-day training session, and they visited with Gov. Dean in his office.

Conservatives Shouldn't Have Stuck With DeLay

Jesse Lee over at the DCCC has a must-read rundown of important points about the DeLay indictment, including a long quote from a conservative blogger who points out that the conservative movement gets what it deserves for sticking with DeLay.

And being done, a man who truly has the best interests of conservatism at heart would have stepped down to save the movement he purported to love. Tom DeLay has not, and that tells us all we need to know about what he values most.

Lee also has some speculation about who provided the key piece of information to prove that DeLay participated in the conspiracy. Click through to find out who he thinks it is.

September 28, 2005

More TV

Governor Dean will also be on CNN's "American Morning" and ABC's "Good Morning America" tomorrow morning.

The Difference

DNC Executive Director Tom McMahon just sent this email to Democrats across the country. The one thing that DeLay show us is that there really is a difference between us and them: we rely on you; they rely on pushing the edges and brokering power.

House Republican Leader Tom DeLay and two associates were indicted today for criminal conspiracy.

Specifically, the charge is conspiracy to violate campaign finance laws. The indictment is another stark reminder that Republicans have a lucrative money-for-influence machine that will do anything -- including breaking the law -- to funnel corporate and special interest money into their party in huge amounts.

People ask what the difference is between the two parties, and this indictment gives one clear answer.

Republicans are committed to pushing the legal limits to collect checks from special interests who want to use government for their own narrow purposes. Democrats are committed to funding our party with contributions from ordinary Americans so that when we take power, the government will represent the people.

Keep reading "The Difference"

Gov. Dean on Nightline Tonight

Gov. Dean will appear on ABC's Nightline tonight to discuss the indictment of Tom DeLay and more. Be sure to tune in!

The DeLay Indictment Online

The Smoking Gun has the actual DeLay indictment available online, which includes this check written to the Republican National Committee. Basically, corportations can't donate to state candidates in Texas. Instead, corporations donated $190,000 to DeLay's political action committee, who then gave the above check to the RNC's state campaign operation along with a list of those state candidates in Texas who were to get the money, and the RNC did DeLay's dirty work - helping his PAC launder the corporate money through Washington before sending it back down to his friends in Texas.

Meet the New Majority Leader...Same as the Old Majority Leader

Moments after House Majority Leader Tom DeLay was indicted on conspiracy charges, Republican leaders announced that David Dreier (R-CA) would be their recommendation for House Majority Leader. Why this seemingly random choice?

Could it be his unwavering loyalty for Tom DeLay?

House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-Calif.) said members are standing by DeLay. 'We know we’re under attack,' he said. 'It's a scorched-earth policy.' [Washington Post, 4/14/05]

'I never underestimate Tom DeLay,' said House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier, R-Calif., a member of the House leadership team. 'I think he can survive.' [Houston Chronicle, 3/15/05]

"He's had an amazing resilience and staying power, and I think justifiably so,' said Representative David Dreier, the California Republican who is the chairman of the Rules Committee. 'He's a strong man.' [New York Times, 3/15/05]

DeLay Indicted

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay has been indicted in Texas. More as it comes...

Open Thread

For the day...

Tapes Show Local Officials Acted in Louisiana While FEMA Delayed

Yesterday, Michael Brown tried to shift blame to local officials in his testimony to Congress, refusing to take responsibility for his own failures. But today, NPR has a report with a series of phone calls among local officials in Louisiana where you can clearly hear them making necessary preparations for the coming storm, while help from FEMA was delayed for days.

Here's a typical quote:

First and foremost, we have still not received, since the storm, any of our gasoline and diesel shipments. If it wasn't for a ship in port that's been helping us get diesel and gas, we would have nothing. So I don't know where our gas and diesel shipments are going, I don't know who's getting them, but that's, you know, atrocious.

Gov. Dean Speaks Out on Bush's Next Supreme Court Pick

This is leadership:

In an interview, Dean said Democratic unity is essential in the upcoming battle and that the party "absolutely" should be prepared to filibuster -- holding unlimited debate and preventing an up-or-down vote -- Bush's next high court nominee, if he taps someone they find unacceptably ideological. He cited appellate court judges Priscilla R. Owen and Janice Rogers Brown as two who would be likely to trigger such opposition.

"Those people are clearly not qualified to sit on the Supreme Court, and we're going to do everything we can to make sure they don't," he said. "If we lose, better to go down fighting and standing for what we believe in, because we will not win an election if the public doesn't think we'll stand up for what we believe in."

...

Dean said a straight party-line vote would show Democratic unity but would not be sufficient to block a nominee. "That's not a fight to the death," he said. "A fight to the death is a filibuster, which is the only way we can reject an unqualified nominee -- because the Republicans don't seem to have any qualms about putting unqualified people in all manner of positions all over the government."

September 27, 2005

Meeting with Cindy Sheehan

I met with Cindy Sheehan and three activist supporters here in my office at the DNC (two of whom were involved in the Presidential race) on Saturday after the rally. Some of you have met her, but for those who have not, I thought I would share my impressions.

She is a delightful person. She had not a drop of holier than thou zealotry. She is unpretentious and very clear. All this I expected, given the terrible sacrifice she has made, and her willingness to speak out.

What I was surprised at was her ability to be so comfortable in her own skin. After she became a phenomenon in Crawford, the Republican spin team realized she was a real threat. Cindy Sheehan, made a tremendous personal sacrifice. A sacrifice being made by too many American families who have had loved ones killed or maimed in this war.

Cindy has credibility the Administration does not have. Even the President tried to diminish her by saying that she did not believe in fighting terrorism. His minions, of course, did much worse, trying to make out that she was a media savvy manipulator -- and even spreading false rumors that she was anti-Semitic.

No one is untouched in the face of personal attack, but Cindy exudes an inner calm and a self-confidence which made it clear to me that she will not back down. I respect and support what she is doing in standing up and speaking out.

Whether you think the Iraq war is a good idea or not, all of us should support Cindy Sheehan. Perhaps the grossest disservice the Republican leadership has inflicted on our country is not the war, the huge deficits, or even the divisive appeals to the worst fears of voters. Rather it is the notion that it is unpatriotic to disagree with the most partisan President in our life time, and that dissent harms our country. Nothing could be farther from the truth -- we are a strong country because we have the right to dissent.

In fact it is the attempts of the Administration to fight dissent with personal attacks as they did during the Nixon era are that diminish our country in the long term.

Cindy Sheehan is honest in the face of a dishonest and corrupt Washington culture. She is plain spoken in an era of cynicism and propaganda, she in committed and idealistic in a time where our government has abandoned what is right for America in favor of what is right for the Republican party. We need more Cindy Sheehans.

File Under: No Surprise Here!

Today's New York Times has a report that the Bush administration demoted the federal prosecutor in Guam for his investigation of Bush pioneer and mega-lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

The Justice Department's inspector general and the F.B.I. are looking into the demotion of a veteran federal prosecutor whose reassignment nearly three years ago shut down a criminal investigation of the Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, current and former department officials report.

They said investigators had questioned whether the demotion of the prosecutor, Frederick A. Black, in November 2002 was related to his alert to Justice Department officials days earlier that he was investigating Mr. Abramoff. The lobbyist is a major Republican Party fund-raiser and a close friend of several Congressional leaders.

Colleagues said the demotion of Mr. Black, the acting United States attorney in Guam, and a subsequent order barring him from pursuing public corruption cases brought an end to his inquiry into Mr. Abramoff's lobbying work for some Guam judges.

Colleagues of Mr. Black, who had run the federal prosecutor's office in Guam for 12 years, spoke on condition of anonymity because of Justice Department rules that bar employees from talking to reporters. They said F.B.I. agents questioned several people in Guam and Washington this summer about whether Mr. Abramoff or his friends in the Bush administration had pushed for Mr. Black's removal. Mr. Abramoff's internal e-mail messages show that he boasted to clients about what he described as his close ties to John Ashcroft, then the attorney general, and others at the department.

Mr. Black's colleagues said that similar questions had been raised by investigators for the Justice Department's inspector general's office, which serves as the department's internal watchdog.

Earlier this summer we pointed out how Black's demotion could effect the Rove investigation.

Surprise of all surprises -- Bush has yet again punished an individual for asking this administration for accountability. This of course belongs with the story of former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, General Shinkseki, and former Army Corps of Engineers Director Mike Parker.

Michael Brown: PR Was FEMA's Biggest Problem

Michael Brown is testifying in front of the sham GOP congressional committee looking to whitewash the Bush administration's handling of Hurricane Katrina.

Brown admitted making mistakes, but his admission was limited to the public relations efforts:

But I do believe there are a couple specific mistakes that I made that I want to put on the table right now. First, I failed initially to set up a series of regular briefings to the media about what FEMA was doing throughout the gulf coast region. Instead, I became tied to the news shows, going on the news shows early in the morning and late at night and that was just a mistake. We should have been feed that information to the press instead of -- and in the manner and in the time a we wanted to instead of letting the press drive us.

It's nice to know that Michael Brown thought the biggest problem with FEMA's response was going on news shows instead of holding press conferences. Something tells me the people of the Gulf Coast who lost their homes thought FEMA should have other priorities.

Guess Who's Back

Fresh off his last job as head of FEMA, Michael Brown has been shopping his half-fake resume around Washington looking for a job that would fit him as well as his time with Arabian horses. Well, where does a former FEMA director go after resigning in shame? Back to FEMA!

As a consultant, Brown's job will be to help the organization figure out exactly what went wrong after Hurricane Katrina. And who better than the man who was, well, a major part of what went wrong. It's brilliant, really, because Brown will probably screw this up, too. If you were being investigated for something, wouldn't you want Brown on the case?

Open Thread

For the day...

September 26, 2005

The Latest News on the Frist Stock Scandal

Learn the full story on Bill Frist's stock sale scandal with recent media coverage here.

Open Thread

For the day. Auto open threads are being worked on, should be coming very soon...

September 23, 2005

Open Thread

For the evening...

Jack and George's Bogus Adventure

Today's Washington Post has an interesting piece on Washington mega-lobbyist, Jack Abramoff. The Post reported that, Bush's nominee to be Deputy Attorney General, Timothy E. Flanigan, testified to the Senate Justice Committee that when he worked at Tyco he had overseen Abramoff's lobbying for the firm.

We have already covered the ridiculousness of nominating a former Abramoff associate from a company that has been involved in corporate accounting scandals to a top Justice Department post.

Instead there is a more important part of the Post's piece focused on Flanigan's testimony -- Flanigan told the committee that Abramoff repeatedly told Tyco that he was in contact with White House Deputy Chief of Staff, Karl Rove on behalf of Tyco's interests.

Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff bragged two years ago that he was in contact with White House political aide Karl Rove on behalf of a large, Bermuda-based corporation that wanted to avoid incurring some taxes and continue receiving federal contracts, according to a written statement by President Bush's nominee to be deputy attorney general.

Timothy E. Flanigan, general counsel for conglomerate Tyco International Ltd., said in a statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee last week that Abramoff's lobbying firm initially boasted that Abramoff could help Tyco fend off a special liability tax because he "had good relationships with members of Congress," including House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.).

Abramoff later said "he had contact with Mr. Karl Rove" about the issue, according to the statement by Flanigan, who oversaw Tyco's dealings with Abramoff and his firm and received reports from Abramoff about progress in the lobbying campaign. Flanigan's statement is the latest indication that Abramoff promoted himself as having ready access to senior officials in the Bush administration

...

Lobbying disclosure statements filed by Abramoff listing his work for Tyco cite the "Executive Office of the President" as one of his lobbying targets on the tax and contracts issues. Others were the Department of Commerce, the General Services Administration and Congress. Greenberg Traurig records submitted to Tyco describe specific contacts with the White House legislative office, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday.

This is just the latest example of Abramoff's access to the top levels of the Bush Administration.

There was the assistant that he sent over to work for Rove who became his gate keeper, clearing his calls through Grover Norquist, which Josh Marshall wrote about in his The Hill Column.

Let's not forget either that Ralston herself reportedly had a special arrangement with Norquist, who gave her directions on who should access to Rove -- in many cases clients of Abramoff also working with Norquist got the nod.

Then there were the meetings that Norquist arranged between some of Abramoff's tribal clients and Bush.

Antitax activist Grover Norquist said yesterday that his organization has received nearly $1.5 million from Indian tribes in the past five years and that he arranged for tribal leaders to attend meetings to discuss tax policy with President Bush every year for the past four years.

Indian tribes have opposed longstanding proposals to impose a federal tax on their gaming revenues.

And of course there is all the rest.

September 22, 2005

Frist Sells Stock in Blind Trust Just Before It Drops

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) dumped all of his stock in the family health care business just one month before the stock took a dive when executives announced hospital admissions of insured patients were lower than expected.

For years, Frist claimed that his holdings in the company presented no conflicts of interest because it was held in a blind trust.

Several ethics experts and watchdogs said they found it odd that Frist could intervene to order such a sale when the HCA stock was ostensibly out of his reach in blind trusts. Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, said, "The notion that you have a blind trust but you can tell your trustee when to sell stock in it just doesn't make any sense. It means you have a seeing eye trust and not a blind trust. It's ridiculous."

Frist claims the sale of the stock was to prevent new conflicts of interest -- conflicts that somehow materialized suddenly after his first 11 years in the Senate. He says he had no conversations with executives in the company his father founded that led him to divest the stock before its value dropped. But that raises an obvious question: why drop the stock at that exact time?

Jan W. Baran, a Republican ethics expert at Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP, said, "That's the question, 'What changed?' " to compel Frist to sell his stock when he did.

According to Senate ethics rules, Baran said, Frist "can tell somebody to dispose of all of an asset that was initially placed into the blind trust. As a matter of Senate ethics rules, he is in compliance. The question that remains is, why did he sell the stock at that time? What conflicts arose in June that did not exist beforehand?"

"For the Securities and Exchange Commission," Baran added, "the answer is probably very important."

Let's hope the SEC takes the question seriously.

September 21, 2005

Republicans Can't Take Responsibility

Republicans are fighting over how to pay for the enormous costs of Katrina reconstruction, debating between cutting funding for public broadcasting, cutting public funding of elections, and cutting other programs -- some necessities, some pork.

But you'll notice they've taken one option off the table: eliminating the Bush tax cuts. Despite the fact that the cuts are overwhelmingly responsible for the record federal deficits and overwhelmingly benefit the wealthiest sliver of Americans, Republicans refuse to call for the most minimal sacrifices.

This is about responsibility: responsibility to the victims of Hurricane Katrina and responsibility to the future generations of Americans whose future earnings we're currently borrowing against.

Open Thread

For the day...

September 20, 2005

Reid: Roberts Leaves Too Many Unanswered Questions

Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada took to the Senate floor today to announce his opposition to confirming John Roberts to be chief justice of the Supreme Court.

Reid questioned Roberts's commitment to civil rights, especially given the troubling questions brought up by the incomplete records of his time in the Reagan administration.

The full text of Reid's remarks on the Senate floor are after the jump.

Keep reading "Reid: Roberts Leaves Too Many Unanswered Questions"

Democrats Fight for Independent Katrina Commission

Democrats won a key battle in the fight for an independent, 9/11 Commission-style investigation into the federal government's response to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina yesterday when Congressional Republicans abandoned plans for their own whitewash investigation.

Democrats, pushing for a fully independent investigation, refused to join a GOP-controlled joint congressional panel. Republicans crafted a plan that put themselves entirely in control of any investigation of the Bush administration. Their panel would have had a majority of Republicans, giving Democrats no power to issue subpoenas or control the direction of the investigation.

The White House has also begun its own internal probe into its own response, but Democrats in Congress have made a full and independent investigation -- like that conducted by the bipartisan 9/11 Commission -- a top priority.

The Bush administration also initially opposed the creation of the 9/11 Commission.

Open Thread

For the day...

Something Smells Fishy in Alaska

The Anchorage Daily News has an investigative report of a deal between Alaska State Senator Ben Stevens, the son of Republican U.S Senator Ted Stevens, and a fishery that stood to gain millions thanks to legislation pushed through by the elder Stevens.

State Sen. Ben Stevens held a secret option to buy into an Alaska seafood company at the same time his powerful father, U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, was creating a special Aleutian Islands fishery that would supply the company with pollock worth millions of dollars a year.

The pollock allocation alone was projected to provide the company with $1.5 million in profits this year and $3.7 million in 2006, the company's founder said in an affidavit in March, before problems involving the company and the availability of fish cast doubt on those numbers. Under his deal, Ben Stevens would have been entitled to one-fourth of the profits of the company, Adak Fisheries.

During the time he held the option, the company grew in value from about $2 million to at least $8.5 million, according to an owner and court documents.

The full report has a lot more detail about the origins of the deal and Ted Stevens's refusal to provide all the details about what he knew when he pushed the legislation that benefited his son.

September 19, 2005

Corrupt Chickens Coming Home To Roost

A press release from the Department of Justice is reporting that current Director of Procurement at the Office of Management and Budget David H. Safavian has been arrested for "making false statements to a GSA (General Services Administration) ethics officer and the GSA-OIG, along with obstruction of a GSA-OIG investigation."

Safavian is the former Chief of Staff as the General Services Administration and is accused of helping "a lobbyist" (Jack Abramoff) acquire GSA property in the Washington, DC. area. Apparently Safavian made false statements to the GSA's Inspector General when he was questioned about a golf trip to Scotland paid for by Abramoff, and attended by Congressman Bob Ney (R-OH) and former Bush campaign official, Ralph Reed.

Safavian also worked with Abramoff in the mid nineties as a lobbyist, traveling with Abramoff to the Common Wealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, in connection with their firm's attempt to prevent United States labor standards from being applied in the US. Territory. Before working with Abramoff, Safavian started a lobbying firm with Americans for Tax Reform founder Grover Norquist called Janus-Merritt Strategies, where the lobbied for a variety of companies including, the National Indian Gaming Association, the Interactive Gaming Council, the Interactive Services Association, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States

Asked in January of 2005 about Abramoff Safavian said "Jack is an old friend of mine"

Out of Touch, Much?

The numbers speak for themselves.

Gov. Dean's Trip to Israel

Governor Dean is currently travelling through Israel and is writing about his experiences on the National Jewish Democratic Council website. Be sure to keep an eye on NJDC.org for updates.

September 18, 2005

Open Thread

PamB has reminded us that today is the 2nd anniversary of Kicking Ass. Thanks to you, and all of the regulars like her and so many others, that have made it work for that long.

September 16, 2005

54,436 Letters to Editors on Roberts -- And Counting

In less than 24 hours, Democrats across the country have written 52,983 letters to editors of local and national newspapers.

They wrote in response to a call from Governor Howard Dean to speak out against Supreme Court nominee John Roberts. Governor Dean published his own op-ed today in newspapers across the country.

You can keep the momentum going by writing your own letter now ...

Bush's Speech: Tonight You're Not Alone, Two Weeks Ago I Was Busy Eating Cake

From Bush's speech last night:

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're not alone.

But when Katrina hit, President Bush couldn't be bothered to change his schedule...

But when it did, he did not immediately show that he sensed its magnitude. On the Monday that Hurricane Katrina landed and the Crescent City began drowning, Bush was joshing with Senator John McCain on the tarmac of an Air Force base in Arizona, posing with a melting birthday cake. Like a scene out of a Michael Moore mockumentary, he was heading into a long-planned Medicare round table at a local country club, joking that he had "spiced up" his entourage by bringing the First Lady, then noting to the audience that he had phoned Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff from Air Force One. "I said, 'Are you working with the Governor?'" Bush recounted. "He said, 'You bet we are.'" But the President was not talking about the killer storm. He was talking about immigration, and the Governor was Arizona's.

...even though officials on the ground were waiting for help:

A man in a blue FEMA windbreaker arrived to brief them on his helicopter flyover of the city.... The FEMA man found a phone, but he had trouble reaching senior officials in Washington. When he finally got someone on the line, the city officials kept hearing him say, "You don't understand, you don't understand."

And while Louisiana's Democratic governor tried repeatedly to reach President Bush, he called Mississippi's Republican governor repeatedly:

She says that two days after Katrina, desperate for help, she couldn't get through to Bush and didn't get a callback; hours later, she tried again, and they talked.

...

Barbour hasn't had to wait hours to talk to Bush. In fact, Barbour said in an interview with USA TODAY, the president called him three to four times in the wake of Katrina. "I never called him. He always called me," he said.

When was Bush informed that the levees had been breached? Why was Governor Blanco unable to get through to the President? Why did the "Western White House" fail to respond in the case of the biggest natural disaster to ever hit the United States?

Bush's Speech: Touts Inspector Generals Overseeing Reconstruction, Doesn't Mention Karl Rove

From Bush's speech last night:

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.... And taxpayers expect this work to be done honestly and wisely -- so we'll have a team of inspectors general reviewing all expenditures.

But Bush failed to mention that he put Karl Rove in charge of reconstruction:

Republicans said Karl Rove, the White House deputy chief of staff and Mr. Bush's chief political adviser, was in charge of the reconstruction effort, which reaches across many agencies of government and includes the direct involvement of Alphonso R. Jackson, secretary of housing and urban development.

And the administration has already doled out $100 million in no-bid contracts to cronies. Several no-bid contracts have been awarded over the last two weeks to large, politically influential companies, including the Fluor Corporation, Dewberry, and C2HM Hill, major donors to the Republican Party; Bechtel, a defense contractor with political connections to the Bush Administration; and Kellogg Brown & Root, a subsidiary of Halliburton, the giant defense contractor once led by Cheney and a current client of Joe Albaugh.

Spokesmen at FEMA have been unwilling to provide details of the decision-making process that is being used to award contracts for the hurricane-relief program, nor have they identified the agency officials who are making the procurement decisions.

Did Karl Rove, as the official in charge of reconstruction efforts, sign off on assigning no-bid contracts worth at least $100 million to companies such as Bechtel Inc., Fluor Corp. and Kellogg Brown and Root? If not, who did?

Open Thread

For the day...

Bush's Speech: Bush Touts New Jobs, Doesn't Mention Lower Wages

From Bush's speech last night:

In the rebuilding process, there will be many important decisions and many details to resolve, yet we're moving forward according to some clear principles.... And in the work of rebuilding, as many jobs as possible should go to the men and women who live in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

But what Bush didn't mention was that he would be suspending wage protections for workers during the reconstruction.

President Bush yesterday suspended application of the federal law governing workers' pay on federal contracts in the Hurricane Katrina-damaged areas of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The action infuriated labor leaders and their Democratic supporters in Congress, who said it will lower wages and make it harder for union contractors to win bids.

The Davis-Bacon Act, passed in 1931 during the Great Depression, sets a minimum pay scale for workers on federal contracts by requiring contractors to pay the prevailing or average pay in the region. Suspension of the act will allow contractors to pay lower wages. Many Republicans have opposed Davis-Bacon, charging that it amounts to a taxpayer subsidy to unions.

With $100 million handed out in no-bid contracts to corporate cronies, why is the Administration cutting wages for the working people in the Gulf that are victims of the storm? Isn't the Administration taking advantage of the storm to push through a long-standing Republican goal?

September 15, 2005

Open Thread

For the night...

Paula Zahn Now

Governor Dean will be on her show tonight at 8pm.

The Verdict on John Roberts

Gov. Dean sent the following letter to supporters today.

Dear Fellow Democrat,

I've been watching Supreme Court nominee John Roberts artfully dodge question after question during his confirmation hearings. And I've read the limited documents the White House released about his work in the Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations -- though we are still waiting for answers for the over 100,000 Americans who submitted Freedom of Information Act requests for key documents.

But we know enough to see a pattern -- and I've made up my mind about John Roberts. He's the wrong man at the wrong time for our country -- a trait that he shares with much of the Republican leadership, including the president who nominated him.

I've written an op-ed that will appear in newspapers across the country tomorrow (you can get a preview at the bottom of this message). But I am just one voice -- your community needs to hear from you. By filling local papers with letters to editors, Americans watching this process unfold will understand that we have a different vision for the court and a different vision for our country.

Join me on editorial pages across America by writing a letter to the editor -- with our new online tool and talking points, you can write and submit your letter in minutes:

http://www.democrats.org/robertsletters

John Roberts may have a sharp legal mind, but his record shows that he lacks a sense of justice.

The skills John Roberts displays are like those of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove or House Republican Leader Tom DeLay. Both of those men have sharp political minds -- they are among the smartest in Washington. But they use those skills to push a narrow ideology and win at any cost. Roberts has spent a career using the law to protect corporate interests and roll back the rights that protect us all.

Roberts, Rove, DeLay and the rest of the extremist Republican leadership all have the same problem. They abuse their power by pursuing ideological crusades -- and they ignore the real problems we face as a country and as a community.

Thousands of letters appearing in papers across the country will reach every American with our message -- that the time for narrow ideology and protecting the rights of only a few is over. Write a letter to the editor now:

http://www.democrats.org/robertsletters

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the disastrous response, we have seen the consequences of government by ideologues and political cronies. We have also seen the stark reality of American life that people like Roberts, Rove and DeLay either don't understand or choose to ignore -- that inequalities still persist to this day.

Our rights -- and the rights of the most vulnerable in our society -- are in danger. They are in danger from those who actively seek to roll them back, and they are in danger from those in positions of leadership who don't understand how important it is to protect the rights of every American.

The ultimate battleground for justice, fairness and opportunity in America has always been the Supreme Court. Justices have the power to use the law to hold America back, and they have the power to use the law to hold America to the high moral standards we set for ourselves.

Let's make sure that Americans open their newspapers and understand the stakes:

http://www.democrats.org/robertsletters

Thank you.

Governor Howard Dean, M.D.

P.S. -- You can get a sneak preview of my op-ed before it appears in papers across the country: http://www.democrats.org/robertscolumn

September 14, 2005

Volunteers make it happen!

Democratic leaders from around the Commonwealth of Virginia continue to step up and support our Democratic nominees in many ways. From hosting events, talking to their neighbors and putting up yard signs, individual volunteers are the lifeblood of the coordinated Democratic campaign.

Just this weekend, over 35 volunteers rolled up their sleeves and put together a 24,000 piece mailing - helping to get the word out about state Sen. Leslie Byrne (D)and her vision for the Lt. Governor's office. And while stuffing, sorting and stamping may not sound like exciting work on a crisp Fall day, we had a great time talking issues and discussing why each of us is involved in political action. And we helped a Democratic nominee reach out to voters in a cost-effective way.

People from all walks of life are coming out to support the Virginia campaign in 2005 - from educators to students, emergency room physicians to home care workers, women and men of all ages and backgrounds. The Democratic Party is the Party of the people - and the grassroots is how we reach voters and win campaigns.

Let us hear about the volunteer action and campaign work in your state!

Gov. Dean on The View

DNC Chairman Howard Dean will be on ABC's The View tomorrow -- don't miss it! You can check local listings to see when it will be on.

Open Thread

Here you go.

September 13, 2005

Gov. Dean on Hannity and Colmes Tonight

Governor Dean will be appearing on Fox News Hannity & Colmes tonight, airing at 9 p.m. ET. Be sure to tune in!

Bush Uses Rescue Workers as Human Shields

When just asked about the nation's preparedness in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, President Bush just said that he wouldn't stand for criticism of the people on the ground who are working in the rescue and recovery efforts.

Needless to say, no one has been criticizing the people who are sacrificing themselves to help their fellow Americans. But Bush loves to use first responders as a human shield to deflect criticism away from himself. He does the same thing with Iraq when he implies that criticism of his policies is the same as criticizing the troops.

He should be ashamed of hiding behind the Americans who are on the ground in the Gulf Coast doing the hard work of recovery. Many Americans have legitimate questions about the response of Bush and his administration officials, and criticizing his actions (and inaction) has nothing to do with the bravery and sacrifice of first responders and volunteers on the ground.

September 12, 2005

The Phantom Interviews

With Judiciary Committee hearings underway, information on Judge John Roberts continues to trickle out, making it clear that the White House seems incapable of providing the Senate the information it needs about John Roberts career and writings.

The latest evidence is the discovery of more television appearances Roberts made from 1996-1998. Weeks ago, the full Judiciary Committee asked the White House to furnish it with copies of all speeches and interviews that Roberts has given. Since then, many more have trickled out, some with important information on his views on key cases. The relative ease with which the White House could have located and supplied this information calls into serious question their good faith effort to cooperate. Found with a simple search on the C-Span website are videotapes of six appearances Roberts made discussing the Supreme Court.

Its not too late for the White House to provide meaningful cooperation with the Senate Committee seeking evaluate Roberts qualifications, background and commitment to equal justice for all. They can start by providing a full list of his works and writings and by releasing the limited range of memos Roberts wrote as a senior policymaker in the Department of Justice. More than 100,000 Americans have written the Department of Justice requesting these documents, but the White House continues to stonewall.

Missing Interviews

9/17/1996 National Legal Ctr. for Public Interest, Supreme Court Term Preview (Last Aired 9/21/1996)

Two former government attorneys previewed several cases on the Supreme Court's docket for the 1996-97 term, which starts on October 7. They focused particularly on those cases which they believed were most important for the general public, including President Clinton vs. Paula Jones and several First Amendment cases.

2/10/1998 Washington Legal Foundation Midterm Supreme Court Review (Last Aired 2/28/1998)

Panelists gave an assessment of the Supreme Court's progress thus far at the mid-point in its term. Attorneys who have clerked for Supreme Court justices and who have argued cases before the Court reviewed this term's significant cases and some of the Court's rulings.

9/17/1999 National Legal Ctr. for Public Interest Supreme Court Term Preview (Last Aired 9/21/1999)

John Roberts and Ted Olson talked about the upcoming term of the Supreme Court. They focused on the decline in the courts caseload. They also talked about cases regarding rights of police officers, FDA regulation of cigarettes, and campaign finance. After their prepared remarks they answered questions from the audience.

6/19/1997 Georgetown University, Law Center Supreme Court Practices Seminar (Last Aired 8/7/2005)

Mr. Roberts spoke to students at a summer seminar on Supreme Court practices, how the Court works and the decision making process. He explained what factors the Court weighs in deciding whether to hear a case and how to decide those cases. Following his presentation, Mr. Roberts answered questions from the audience.

4/29/1997 American Inns of Court Arguing a Case Before the Supreme Court Forum (Last Aired 8/22/2005)

Five attorneys, who between them have argued seventy two cases before the Supreme Court, discuss how to argue a case before the Court. They discuss such topics as how to prepare for an oral argument, what to do about aggressive questioning and how to respond to a question to which they do not know the answer. The attorneys also discussed cases they have argued and how they prepared for them on an individual basis and then compared and contrasted them with each other. The panel then took questions from the audience

.

Brown is Out at FEMA

Wait, I'm confused...didn't the President think "Brownie" was doing a "heck of a job"?

Open Thread

For the day...

September 10, 2005

Open Thread

For the day...

September 9, 2005

Absolutely Indefensible

Rep. Richard Baker (R-LA): "We finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans. We couldn't do it, but God did."

I have nothing to add to that.

From Texas, a First-Hand Account

I was sent this message from Melissa Noriega, the wife of Texas State Representative Rick Noriega who is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army. Last week, Houston Mayor Bill White appointed him to run operations at the George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB as it's in the letter), which houses 4000 evacuees. Lt. Colonel Noriega just returned from a tour in Afghanistan, and while there his wife Melissa held his seat in the Texas legislature.

My husband, Rick Noriega, humble public servant and state rep extrordinaire, has managed once again to blow me even me away. You all really should see what God, Mayorbill and Col. Rick Noriega have wrought.

The GRB is organized, orderly and automated. When the folks arrive, we cheer and clap for them, whisk away their dirty clothes while they shower and get them squared away. The moms get queensized air mattresses and the single men cots, in different areas, separated by police and National Guard walking around being very present and very nice. Everyone gets a blanket and a pillow, and if they ask, they can have a second one. The sheets are clearly donated and the floor of the GRB is a sea of quilt squares and out-of-style stripes. The generous people of Houston reached into their linen closets and made up the visitors' beds.

There is a chow hall. It is set up with round tables and chairs in groups. There are handwashing stations set up everywhere, with the hand gel to kill germs--so far the group is pretty healthy.There are port-a-potties tucked away from everyone. There is bottled water everywhere. The guests (that's what they are called--NOT refugees or victims) sit down and eat, with plasticware and napkins. There is a schedule for meals, and lots of lines, so folks don't have to stand long.

Keep reading "From Texas, a First-Hand Account"

Oregon Congressman Warned of Disaster

The folks over at Blue Oregon have the scoop:

On January 26, 2005 -- over seven months ago -- Oregon's own Congressman Earl Blumenauer said this on the House floor:

"Mr. Speaker, I recently had the opportunity to view the devastation in Southeast Asia as a result of the tsunami. As appalled as I was by what I saw, I must confess that occasionally my thoughts drifted back to the United States. What would have happened if last September, Hurricane Ivan had veered 40 miles to the west, devastating the city of New Orleans? One likely scenario would have had a tsunami-like 30-foot wall of water hitting the city, causing thousands of deaths and $100 billion in damage.

"The city has always been at risk because of its low-lying location, but that risk has been increased because of rising sea levels, groundwater pumping and the erosion of coastal Louisiana. Twenty-four square miles of wetland disappear every year, since the 1930s an area one and a half times the size of Rhode Island washed away.

"Considering the reaction of the American public to the loss of a dozen people in the recent mud slides in California, it is hard to imagine what would happen if a disaster of that magnitude hit the United States.

"The experience of Southeast Asia should convince us all of the urgent need for congressional action to prevent wide-scale loss of life and economic destruction at home and abroad. Prevention and planning will pay off. Maybe the devastation will encourage us to act before disaster strikes."

They also have other resources, including video of the speech.

Mike Brown: Horse Judge, Resume Padder

UPDATE: Brown has been taken off of managing Katrina relief efforts and sent back to Washington. Bush isn't firing him, but taking him out of the Gulf Coast is clearly not a vote of confidence.

I guess padding his resume was worse than gross incompetence.

***********

Embattled FEMA director Mike Brown faces new charges today from a TIME magazine investigation that shows he significantly padded his resume. Here's one choice example:

Before joining FEMA, his only previous stint in emergency management, according to his bio posted on FEMA's website, was "serving as an assistant city manager with emergency services oversight." The White House press release from 2001 stated that Brown worked for the city of Edmond, Okla., from 1975 to 1978 "overseeing the emergency services division." In fact, according to Claudia Deakins, head of public relations for the city of Edmond, Brown was an "assistant to the city manager" from 1977 to 1980, not a manager himself, and had no authority over other employees. "The assistant is more like an intern," she told TIME. "Department heads did not report to him." Brown did do a good job at his humble position, however, according to his boss. "Yes. Mike Brown worked for me. He was my administrative assistant. He was a student at Central State University," recalls former city manager Bill Dashner. "Mike used to handle a lot of details. Every now and again I'd ask him to write me a speech. He was very loyal. He was always on time. He always had on a suit and a starched white shirt."

Well it's good to know that Brown was a natty dresser, but clearly that didn't qualify him to lead our nation's disaster-relief efforts.

And the tragedy that continues to unfold in the Gulf Coast is a direct result of his incompetence -- and of President Bush's decision to put FEMA in the hands of a crony who would work to dismantle the organization.

Gov. Dean on CNN Situation Room Today

Today at 4:15 p.m. ET, Governor Dean will appear on CNN's Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. Make sure you tune in!

The Iraq-Katrina Connection

Paul Krugman looks at the anatomy of failed policy and failed leadership:

[E]ven with the most generous possible assessment, this is the administration's second big policy disaster, after Iraq. And the chain of mistakes was perfectly in character - there are striking parallels between the errors the administration made in Iraq and the errors it made last week.

In Iraq, the administration displayed a combination of paralysis and denial after the fall of Baghdad, as uncontrolled looting destroyed much of Iraq's infrastructure.

The same deer-in-the-headlights immobility prevailed as Katrina approached and struck the Gulf Coast. The storm gave plenty of warning. By the afternoon of Monday, Aug. 29, the flooding of New Orleans was well under way - city officials publicly confirmed a breach in the 17th Street Canal at 2 p.m. Yet on Tuesday federal officials were still playing down the problem, and large-scale federal aid didn't arrive until last Friday.

In Iraq the Coalition Provisional Authority, which ran the country during the crucial first year after Saddam's fall - the period when an effective government might have forestalled the nascent insurgency - was staffed on the basis of ideological correctness and personal connections rather than qualifications. At one point Ari Fleischer's brother was in charge of private-sector development.

The administration followed the same principles in staffing FEMA. The agency had become a highly professional organization during the Clinton years, but under Mr. Bush it reverted to its former status as a "turkey farm," a source of patronage jobs.

As Bloomberg News puts it, the agency's "upper ranks are mostly staffed with people who share two traits: loyalty to President George W. Bush and little or no background in emergency management." By now everyone knows FEMA's current head went from overseeing horse shows to overseeing the nation's response to disaster, with no obvious qualifications other than the fact that he was Mr. Allbaugh's college roommate.

All that's missing from the Katrina story is an expensive reconstruction effort, with lucrative deals for politically connected companies, that fails to deliver essential services. But give it time - they're working on that, too.

Why did the administration make the same mistakes twice? Because it paid no political price the first time.

Can the administration escape accountability again? Some of the tactics it has used to obscure its failure in Iraq won't be available this time. The reality of the catastrophe was right there on our TV's, although FEMA is now trying to prevent the media from showing pictures of the dead. And people who ask hard questions can't be accused of undermining the troops.

But the other factors that allowed the administration to evade responsibility for the mess in Iraq are still in place. The media will be tempted to revert to he-said-she-said stories rather than damning factual accounts. The effort to shift blame to state and local officials is under way. Smear campaigns against critics will start soon, if they haven't already. And raw political power will be used to block any independent investigation.

Will this be enough to let the administration get away with another failure? Let's hope not: if the administration isn't held accountable for what just happened, it will keep repeating its mistakes. Michael Brown and Michael Chertoff will receive presidential medals, and the next disaster will be even worse.

Also a must-read: George Lakoff's analysis of a failure not only of policy, not only of leadership -- but a failure of moral and political philosophy.

Freedom, 1984-Style

I don't want to overuse the term "Orwellian," but what else can you say about a "Freedom Walk" where you aren't allowed to attend unless you've registered with the Department of Defense?

Organizers of the Pentagon's 9/11 memorial Freedom Walk on Sunday are taking extraordinary measures to control participation in the march and concert, with the route fenced off and lined with police and the event closed to anyone who does not register online by 4:30 p.m. today.

Is this the freedom Bush is always talking about bringing to Iraq? Funny, I always thought that word meant something else.

Intra-Office Email

Speaking of letters ... like you probably have, all of us here have been receiving many messages from friends and colleagues offering opportunities to help the relief efforts. Thought I'd pass this along as an example of what's in folks' inboxes here at headquarters, and as an opportunity for anyone in the neighborhood here in DC:

Hello all -

More volunteer needs are below. Please email me if you are going to be able to help and during what time period, so we can let the coordinators know when to expect you.

- TONIGHT THRU SUNDAY: DC Emergency Management Agency needs help contacting and coordinating the huge number of people who have offered to volunteer. They need people to commit to coming at any time from now thru Sunday at their office - 14th and U St., NW.

- ONGOING: Please bring supplies to the 2nd floor bridge conference room for sorting and distribution to evacuees. List of needs posted throughout building.

- ALSO: if you are able to, please consider purchasing pre-paid Food, Gas, Post Office or especially American Express Gift Cards. These are much easier to transport and allow displaced people to purchase according to their specific needs. Please bring these directly to me at my desk rather than the conference room.

Thanks!

Emily Barson
Office of the Executive Director
Democratic National Committee

The disaster affected everyone in the path of the hurricane without exception -- the relief operation will require the involvement of the every single member of our American community. It's been inspiring to see everyone at headquarters take that responsibility so seriously.

They Get Letters

We haven't really pushed this yet, but I wanted to give you here on the blog a heads-up before we did. We've got a newly re-designed tool so that you can send letters to various newspaper editors. Check it out: www.democrats.org/lte.

Open Thread

For the day...

Karen Hughes Starts Spinning at State

Just now on CNN, they quoted Karen Hughes, who is being sworn in today as Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy, as saying that her first task will be to improve the international perception of the Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina.

Read that again.

This is the administration's top priority. Not fixing their mistakes. Not holding people accountable. Not even apologizing for what they've done wrong and moving forward. Results don't matter to them, only perception.

Karen Hughes is extremely talented at communications; she has been at the heart of every Bush campaign. Look to her efforts in the State Department to lead the way on covering up administration failures, smearing critics who try to tell the truth, and spinning the hell out of this story.

UPDATE: Here's the exact quote from the broadcast:

Hughes says her first challenge is to change the world's perception of the government's response to Hurricane Katrina.

September 8, 2005

Bad News for President Bush

The American people have been watching this administration's performance during Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, and they aren't happy:

Two new polls show Americans give President George W. Bush poor marks for his handling of the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, with one survey showing that Bush is now losing support even among his Republican base.

Both polls contain additional bad news for Bush. A poll by the Pew Research Center for People and the Press gives him an overall job approval rating of 40 percent -- down 10 percent since January -- and a disapproval rating of 52 percent, among the highest of his presidency.

Bush's job approval rating was 41 percent in a Zogby America poll, the lowest in that poll's history, and 53 percent of those questioned said the nation is headed in the "wrong direction."

America is sick and tired of the pattern of failures and excuses from this president.

Republican Texas Governor Pushes His Own Charity

Yesterday, we showed you how Democratic Governors are stepping up to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. As counterpoint, here's what one Republican Governor -- Rick Perry of Texas -- has done since the tragedy:

Gov. Rick Perry, in hurricane relief tours around the state, in news releases and on his official state Web site, has urged Texans to contribute to three groups: the Red Cross, Salvation Army and the OneStar Foundation.

The last of those is a volunteer-coordinating effort founded by Mr. Perry. His prominent promotion of his own foundation has prompted some to question whether the governor is trying to benefit politically from the outpouring of sympathy and good works in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

"One thing about politicians, you can never overestimate their shamelessness," said Fred Lewis, director of Campaigns for People, a group that favors greater disclosure of political donations and limits on the influence of large donors.

...

Mr. Perry's picture is prominent throughout OneStar's Web site, which says the foundation was "birthed from the heart and vision of Governor Rick Perry."

Needless to say, everyone is working to help the victims. But it's nice to see that Governor Perry has found an opportunity to promote his personal projects as well.

Open Thread

For the day...

September 7, 2005

Open Thread

For the night...

Dean: 'We need to make moral choices'

Governor Dean spoke to the National Baptist Convention of America in Miami on Wednesday, September 7th. The following are excerpts from the speech:

This is a critical moment in our nation's history and we have a shared responsibility to move our country forward and learn from the mistakes made and be truthful with ourselves about how and why this happened and what we must do going forward to rebuild America.

Because we will ultimately be judged by how we react in times of trouble and how we care for the least among us.

I want to talk to you not as the Chairman of the Democratic Party, but as an American. Last week, we witnessed tremendous acts of courage and heroism, of people coming together, opening their hearts to one another trying to reach out and help one another. That was America at its best.

But that's not all we saw. We saw people desperately trying to survive in conditions we could not imagine in an American city.

As survivors are evacuated, order is restored, the water slowly begins to recede, and we sort through the rubble, we must also begin to come to terms with the ugly truth that skin color, age and economics played a deadly role in who survived and who did not.

And the question that emerged: how can this happen in America?

The truth is, what we saw on the television in New Orleans exists here in Miami, and in every part of our country, every day. Because people are poor throughout our country. They are old. They are young. They are black, white, and brown. They are not refugees. They are our fellow Americans.

The truth is that we have ignored the poor for far too long. And until it washed right up on our front doorsteps, we might have continued to ignore the reality that poverty has too many of our fellow Americans in its grip, and we have a shared moral responsibility not to ignore it anymore.

Keep reading "Dean: 'We need to make moral choices'"

Democratic Governors Respond with Help

All over the country, Democratic Governors have pledged massive resources to help the victims of Katrina and its aftermath. They have provided first responders, shelter and supplies, health care, schools, engineering, law enforcement, and much more to help Gulf Coast residents.

You can learn more about the efforts of individual Democratic Governors to aid in the Katrina relief by choosing a state below.

Thanks to the Democratic Governor's Association and Heartland PAC for putting the information together.

Hurricane Katrina Timeline

Think Progress has a timeline of important Katrina-response events stretching from days before the storm hit to last Saturday. It starts with Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco declaring a state of emergency and ends with President Bush blaming local officials for not doing enough.

It's definitely worth reading the whole thing to reach an understanding of the magnitude of failure on the part of this administration.

GOP Blame the Victims Chorus: Official Membership

The membership of the GOP Blame the Victims Chorus is growing pretty fast, so I wanted to include a list of the members so far. Take a look at those who want to hold the destitute, sick, and elderly accountable for not evacuating New Orleans when they had no means of doing so.

Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff
"The critical thing was to get people out of there before the disaster. Some people chose not to obey that order. That was a mistake on their part."

FEMA Director Michael Brown
"Unfortunately, that's going to be attributable a lot to people who did not heed the advance warnings."

Arizona Senator Jon Kyl
"The question is if people know year after year after year a natural disaster occurs in a particular place and people continue to build there and want to live there, should they bear the responsibility of buying insurance or should everyone else bear the responsibility?"

Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum
"You have people who don't heed those warnings and then put people at risk as a result of not heeding those warnings. There may be a need to look at tougher penalties on those who decide to ride it out and understand that there are consequences to not leaving."

As the Republican Party looks to shift the blame away from the administration's feckless response, they are going to increasingly point to the victims of the disaster. This list is only going to grow.

Open Thread

Here's a fresh one for the day.

September 6, 2005

Open Thread

Sorry for the delay...

Democrats on the Ground: Helping the Displaced in Texas

We got the email below today at Democratic Party headquarters, and we wanted to share it with you to give you one example of what Democrats are doing on the ground to help those who have been displaced by Katrina. And of course, we urge you to help, too.

Louis Rainey, the Political Director for Louisiana's Democratic Party, and his family are safe but they have lost everything. Their house is gone. He is now in Dallas, Texas and he is in recovery mode. He has set up a command post in The Marriot Courtyard in Dallas Texas.

He has got the hotel to cut prices in half and is himself paying for rooms for dislocated people. The shelters are full and can't accept any more people. He has taken it upon himself to contact everyone he knows to try and get these people help. He is asking us to send gas and food vouchers, gift cards to the Marriott, anything that can be spared to help these people.

Please give what you can. You can send gift cards or even write a check to the Marriott to subsidize the cost of rooms that the Marriot is providing at a discounted rate.

Hotel information:
Marriot Courtyard
2383 Stemmons Road
Dallas, Texas 75220
Attn: Louis Rainey

Stores surrounding the Marriot, Walgreens, Walmart, Sams Club, Kroger Grocery Store and all of the major gas stations.

Bush Will Report to Bush on Investigation of Bush Administration

In an effort to head off any actual investigation into the botched response to Hurricane Katrina, George Bush announced the head of his investigation into what he and his administration did wrong in the wake of Katrina. His ace detective: himself.

Beset with criticism over the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, President Bush said Tuesday he will oversee an investigation into what went wrong and why — in part to be sure that the country would withstand more storms or even a weapons of mass destruction attack.

Yet another entry into the "we're-not-making-this-up" category. One wonders if he'll be using a mirror to interview himself, or if he'll be putting together a cardboard cut-out of himself to sit across the table from him.

Another Republican Smears the Victims

Add Arizona Senator Jon Kyl to the chorus of Republicans blaming the victims of Katrina and the relief disaster to its aftermath.

Senate Democrats' Katrina Relief Plan

Democratic Senators have unveiled the following plan in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Although the Congress last week appropriated $10.5 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Defense Department, it is clear much more will be needed given the enormity of this disaster. While government authorities and others assess the scope of the problem and decide how much additional funding will be needed to address specific problems, there are a number of legislative items the Senate can and should promptly approve that can help Katrina's victims. After the Senate has completed action on this emergency legislation, we hope the Senate will quickly provide significant new funding, and consider other substantive proposals that could help address short- and medium-term needs. These proposals must be followed by a much broader, long-term effort to rebuild and rehabilitate the Gulf Coast region and substantially improve efforts to prevent, mitigate and respond to future disasters.

The following are just some examples of proposals that Senate Democrats believe deserve immediate Senate action this week...

Keep reading "Senate Democrats' Katrina Relief Plan"

President Bush's Responsibility

In his typically measured style, Kevin Drum over at Washington Monthly gives a good account of exactly why he holds President Bush responsible for the disaster that hit New Orleans and the Gulf coast.

Drum shows how it was Bush's essential governing philosophy -- rewarding cronies and dismantling and privatizing essential services like FEMA -- that lies at the heart of the disaster.

Help the Relief Effort Today

There are hundreds of relief organizations working in the Gulf States today to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Below are just a few who are helping in their own way.

• The American Red Cross
• The Salvation Army
• Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation
• United Jewish Communities
• Catholic Charities USA
• United Methodist Committee on Relief
• Noah's Wish
• Humane Society of the United States
• ASPCA
• United Way
• America's Second Harvest
• Direct Relief International
• Habitat for Humanity

The list reflects the range of needs - from general aid, to helping with the pets left behind, to feeding everyone there. Please do what you can.

Keep reading "Help the Relief Effort Today"

Open Thread

For the day...

September 5, 2005

Open Thread

Happy Labor Day...

CNN: Chertoff 'in Direct Contradiction With the Facts'

Yesterday morning, CNN's Tom Forman blasted Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff for lying to the public about the administration's efforts in the relief disaster following Hurricane Katrina.

Forman pointed out that Chertoff misled us about how much they knew before the disaster and the extent of the relief efforts so far.

And Secretary Chertoff has continued with the same tact this morning he's been on talk shows saying things which all can tell in many cases are in direct contradiction of the facts saying, for example they rescued 10,000 people in these days. His own department, people mark put on -- Homeland Security put out a press release that said they rescued 4500 people in three days. Suddenly the number has doubled. This is going on and on and on.

The full transcript of Forman's report is after the jump.

Keep reading "CNN: Chertoff 'in Direct Contradiction With the Facts'"

Open Letter to the President

The New Orleans Times-Picayune published a must-read open letter to the President yesterday that eloquently expresses the fury of a city that waited too long for help.

Despite the city's multiple points of entry, our nation's bureaucrats spent days after last week's hurricane wringing their hands, lamenting the fact that they could neither rescue the city's stranded victims nor bring them food, water and medical supplies.

Meanwhile there were journalists, including some who work for The Times-Picayune, going in and out of the city via the Crescent City Connection. On Thursday morning, that crew saw a caravan of 13 Wal-Mart tractor trailers headed into town to bring food, water and supplies to a dying city.

Television reporters were doing live reports from downtown New Orleans streets. Harry Connick Jr. brought in some aid Thursday, and his efforts were the focus of a "Today" show story Friday morning.

Yet, the people trained to protect our nation, the people whose job it is to quickly bring in aid were absent. Those who should have been deploying troops were singing a sad song about how our city was impossible to reach.

Make sure you read the whole thing.

September 3, 2005

Chief Justice Rehnquist has Died

Use this as a Rehnquist thread...

'Katrina Happy Talk'

You've probably seen this, but for those who haven't, Ron Fournier has an article out over the AP wire strongly criticizing the Bush administration for their most recent decision to totally disregard reality...

The Iraqi insurgency is in its last throes. The economy is booming. Anybody who leaks a CIA agent's identity will be fired. Add another piece of White House rhetoric that doesn't match the public's view of reality: Help is on the way, Gulf Coast.

As New Orleans descended into anarchy, top Bush administration officials congratulated each other for jobs well done and spoke of water, food and troops pouring into the ravaged city. Television pictures told a different story.

"What it reminded me of the other day is 'Baghdad Bob' saying there are no Americans at the airport," said Rich Galen, a Republican consultant in Washington. He was referring to
Saddam Hussein's reality-challenged minister of information who denied the existence of U.S. troops in the Iraqi capital.

To some critics, President Bush seemed to deny the existence of problems with hurricane relief this week. He waited until Friday to acknowledged that "the results are not acceptable," and even then the president parsed his words.

John Aravosis also points out this moment on CNN where Aaron Brown just couldn't take the spin anymore...

At some point, these guys, I mean I shouldn't say this, but you hear these people in Washington saying "oh no, this is, things are going fine, it's ok." You want to say "what planet are you people ON?!" I mean, COME ON!

Now, I've vented that and I'll stop.... I apologize. Sort of.

Their response was bad enough, but they should suck it up, admit their mistakes, and quit trying to paint things like they're just fine. People aren't stupid.

Open Thread

Using a lot of thread lately, which is great. We can't quit talking about what's happened in this country this week...

Landrieu Blasts Bush for Photo-Ops and Lack of Help

Mike Lidell at the DSCC posts this from Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu...

Yesterday, I was hoping President Bush would come away from his tour of the regional devastation triggered by Hurricane Katrina with a new understanding for the magnitude of the suffering and for the abject failures of the current Federal Emergency Management Agency. 24 hours later, the President has yet to answer my call for a cabinet-level official to lead our efforts. Meanwhile, FEMA, now a shell of what it once was, continues to be overwhelmed by the task at hand.

I understand that the U.S. Forest Service had water-tanker aircraft available to help douse the fires raging on our riverfront, but FEMA has yet to accept the aid. When Amtrak offered trains to evacuate significant numbers of victims – far more efficiently than buses – FEMA again dragged its feet. Offers of medicine, communications equipment and other desperately needed items continue to flow in, only to be ignored by the agency.

But perhaps the greatest disappointment stands at the breached 17th Street levee. Touring this critical site yesterday with the President, I saw what I believed to be a real and significant effort to get a handle on a major cause of this catastrophe. Flying over this critical spot again this morning, less than 24 hours later, it became apparent that yesterday we witnessed a hastily prepared stage set for a Presidential photo opportunity; and the desperately needed resources we saw were this morning reduced to a single, lonely piece of equipment. The good and decent people of southeast Louisiana and the Gulf Coast – black and white, rich and poor, young and old – deserve far better from their national government.

Mr. President, I’m imploring you once again to get a cabinet-level official stood up as soon as possible to get this entire operation moving forward regionwide with all the resources – military and otherwise – necessary to relieve the unmitigated suffering and economic damage that is unfolding.

Mike also points out that Sen. Landrieu will be on This Week with George Stephanopoulos and 60 Minutes tomorrow.

Rose-Colored Glasses

CNN has a fantastic article that's been making its way around the internet comparing what the Bush Administration was saying about the disaster in the Gulf States with what people on the ground were actually seeing.

Open Thread

For the day...

Democratic Mayors Ready to Help

National Council of Democratic Mayors President Douglas Palmer sent this message to Democratic Mayors across the country yesterday, urging them to do whatever they can to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

My fellow Mayors,

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina our Mayoral colleagues and fellow citizens of this nation are struggling to make sense of this devastating tragedy and pick up the pieces of their lives. Trying times like these call for us to stand together and do whatever we can to help in the rescue, recovery and massive rehabilitation effort.

I'm writing to you with an urgent plea for you to immediately open up your cities and offer refuge and assistance to the affected citizens who have been left with nothing. As the first point of contact for our own communities, Mayors have the power to help like no one else can, particularly in the bordering and nearby states. There are so many things we can do:

Offer to send any available transportation services to the Gulf region to aid in the evacuation; Coordinate with your local religious and civic organizations to assess their capacity and ability to offer immediate services; Easily enroll displaced children in local schools; Work with your local motels and hotels to offer shelter.

The list goes on and on but we must move quickly to help as much as we possibly can. With so much happening right now my office would like to be a resource to you in your efforts to reach out and make a difference.

Please contact Jessica Briddle at 202-879-5599 jbriddle@deweysquare.com with any requests for information and offers of assistance.

Right now, weve got to help people with the basic necessities.

Sincerely Yours and Hoping We Can Make a Difference,

Mayor Douglas Palmer

Trenton, NJ
President National Conference of Democratic Mayors

September 2, 2005

Open Thread

For the night...

Republican Priorities: Cut Taxes for the Rich

Right now, it's not clear exactly how much it will take to rebuild the Gulf States. We do know, however, that budget cuts were responsible for the under-funded levee projects in New Orleans.

Well, in the wake of the disaster, what does ultra-conservative activist Grover Norquist do? He writes a memo (PDF) suggesting that even after Katrina, now is the time to give a tax break to the wealthiest Americans.

Showing little sympathy, the RNC yesterday emailed their activists asking them not to help in the aftermath of Katrina, but to call their Senators about this very issue.

Frist has done his part and signaled that one of the very first actions the Senate will take after their long summer recess is to work on permanently repealing the estate tax.

As ThinkProgress points out:

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has "found that the estate tax encourages wealthy individuals to donate considerably more to charity, since estate tax liability is reduced through donations made both during life and at death." If there were no estate tax in 2000, for example, "charitable donations would have been between $13 billion to $25 billion lower than they actually were."

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said in response:

I am surprised at the Republican leadership's insensitivity toward the events of the last week. With thousands presumed dead after Hurricane Katrina and families uprooted all along the Gulf Coast, giving tax breaks to millionaires should be the last thing on the Senate's agenda. I understand that the Senate shouldn't grind to a halt as a result of Hurricane Katrina, but there are issues that are of much greater importance both to the people directly affected by the hurricane as well as the nation as a whole than estate tax repeal.

This shouldn't even be a choice. Families have been torn apart and homes have been washed in four states. These victims deserve the Senate's time, not the handful of millionaires repealing the Estate Tax will affect. I once again urge Senator Frist to reconsider his decision. Gulf Coast families are counting on us. They are suffering, and they have no where else to turn. We owe it to them to make their safety and survival our top priority, and we should give them nothing less. Regardless of how one feels about the estate tax, we should all be able to agree that the Senate's attention should be on the victims of this crisis.

After a week of a down-right confusing response to one of the worst disasters this country has ever seen, is this where their priorities lie?

Volunteer if You're in DC

If you're in the DC area, you can voluteer with DC Cares to help load busses that are headed to the Gulf States today at the Armory. An email that was forwarded to DNC staff is posted below...

Also, sorry to ask more of you at this point, but if you could see if there are any individuals who are available to help today at 3:00pm at the DC Armory lot # 10 to help load busses with supplies that will be heading down to New Orleans to pick up people that would be great. Obviously this will conflict with those who are doing the training today but maybe those who are doing the training on Monday could help or those who aren’t signed up to be deployed but would like to help locally. I will be leaving to go to the Armory in about 45 minutes at which point interested individuals can get in touch with me on my cell phone at 202-321-6771. Thanks for all your help.

Worst Photo-Op Ever

John Aravosis has the transcript from just after the President's "breifing" on the ground...

Daryn Kagen: I gotta say that was rather an odd thing to be watching. The president finally making it to the gulf coast after five days, and then spending a big chunk of time, when he could be out seeing the devastation, getting a briefing that frankly he could have gotten back at the White House, if not then, then on board Air Force One. A lot of that seemed like a political opportunity for the cameras and for the Republican governors of Mississippi and Alabama.

Bill Schneider: I'm not sure that's what most Americans and certainly most people in the area wanted to hear, as if the president were being filled in, told what was going on, there was a lot of thanking a lot of congratulations. Look these are frantic desperate people who have lost everything, who are in a very desperate situation, what they want is someone to come there and say the government is in control, we have control of this situation, there's a leader in charge here and we're gonna make it work....

What people want there is leadership, they don't want someone being briefed, they want leadership.

Why is this happening five days later? And why isn't anything more constructive?

ThinkProgress has a screenshot and asks:

Why are these helicopters being used as a backdrop for President Bush, instead of assisting the victims of Hurricane Katrina?

Why are members of the Coast Guard being used as a backdrop for Bush’s press conference? Don’t they have more important things to do?

Condi Finally Gets to Work

This is nice to see...

The White House battled a chorus of criticism throughout the day as bloggers made much of the secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, vacationing in New York during the disaster, where she was spotted at a Broadway show and was to attend the U.S. Open. By Thursday evening, Ms. Rice had cut short her vacation and returned to Washington, where she headed to a staff meeting to discuss ways of coordinating offers of foreign assistance from more than 30 countries and organizations.

Now someone can talk to the Canadians about helping out...

Outrage Over Federal Response to Katrina

Republican Members of Congress from Louisiana are questioning how the White House has responded to Katrina so far...

Rep. Charles W. Boustany Jr., (R-La.), said he spent the past 48 hours urging the Bush administration to send help. "I started making calls and trying to impress upon the White House and others that something needed to be done," he said. "The state resources were being overwhelmed, and we needed direct federal assistance, command and control, and security -- all three of which are lacking."

The quote came from an article in this morning's Washington Post about the lack of help people on the ground in the Gulf States are recieving from the federal government...

Tens of thousands of people remain stranded on the streets of New Orleans in desperate conditions because officials failed to plan for a serious levee breach and the federal response to Hurricane Katrina was slow, according to disaster experts and Louisiana government officials.

Though experts had long predicted that the city -- which sits mostly below sea level and is surrounded by water -- would face unprecedented devastation after an immense hurricane, they said problems were worsened by a late evacuation order and insufficient emergency shelter for as many as 100,000 people.

Terry Ebbert, head of New Orleans's emergency operations, said the response from the Federal Emergency Management Agency was inadequate and that Louisiana officials have been overwhelmed.

"This is a national disgrace. FEMA has been here three days, yet there is no command and control," Ebbert told the Associated Press as he watched refugees evacuate the Superdome yesterday. "We can send massive amounts of aid to tsunami victims, but we can't bail out the city of New Orleans. We have got a mayor who has been pushing and asking, but we're not getting supplies."

...

[Martha A.] Madden, now a national security and environmental consultant, said the lack of immediate federal help, specifically in the form of military assistance, was "incomprehensible."

"How many people are going to die, per hour, before you get 40,000 troops in there?" Madden asked yesterday. "I think it has cost lives. ... They can go into Iraq and do this and do that, but they can't drop some food on Canal Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, right now? It's just mind-boggling."

FEMA Chief Joins GOP Chorus of Blame-the-Victim

Federal Emergency Management Agency head Michael Brown told CNN last night that the people who are dying in New Orleans are responsible for their own deaths for choosing not to evacuate:

Michael Brown also agreed with other public officials that the death toll in the city could reach into the thousands.

"Unfortunately, that's going to be attributable a lot to people who did not heed the advance warnings," Brown told CNN.

Thousands upon thousands of people had absolutely no way to get out of the city. Is the man charged with responding to disasters seriously blaming them for dying?

UPDATE: The people living through this disaster can respond much better to statements like this. Michael Brown (and Michael Chertoff) should hear what this woman on CNN has to say (RealPlayer video).

September 1, 2005

DNC Fall Meeting Postponed; Staff Given Leave to Participate in Volunteer Relief Efforts

All Democratic National Committee staff just received this email from the Chief of Staff, Leah Daughtry, postponing the twice-yearly DNC Fall Meeting which had been scheduled to start a week from today.

She also mentions an email about volunteer opportunities through Greater DC Cares that circulated around the office here this afternoon (you can contact them directly if you're in the DC area). Thought I would pass it along:

From: Leah Daughtry

To: Everyone

Subject: Help for Katrina Victims

As a result of Hurricane Katrina, our country is facing the worst natural disaster in its history, with estimated thousands of lives lost and displaced. With the eyes of our nation and the world focused on Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, Governor Dean feels strongly that the time and attention of the DNC is best focused on assisting our family, friends, colleagues and loved ones in the affected areas.

Toward that end, we are postponing next week's DNC meeting to a date to be determined. We want to thank all the staff that have worked so hard on preparations for the meeting, particularly the Secretary's Office and Party Affairs.

Many of you have inquired about volunteering for the relief efforts. Earlier today, Jen Goncalves sent us all an email regarding a DC Cares recruitment effort. If you are interested in participating in this effort, please send an email to Emily Barson, and we will follow up with you and your Department Directors. Note that if you do choose to volunteer for this effort, you may do so without taking vacation or other leave.

Thanks again for all your incredible hard work. If you should have questions, please let me know.

Here's the official statement from Governor Dean postponing the meeting.

We all need to do something. Whether you're in DC or not, you can read more about what you can do.

Open Thread

For the evening...

Americans Respond to What They See on TV

On CNN today Jack Cafferty said that out of 600 emails he got about the federal government's response to Katrina, "no one" was praising them.

Here's the video, and the transcript.

UPDATE: Better transcript posted below...

Keep reading "Americans Respond to What They See on TV"

Hastert Questions the Need to Rebuild (Yes, Really)

Another in a simply bizarre (and growing) string of remarks and actions from Republican leaders:

Hastert says rebuilding isn’t sensible

By Patrick Waldron
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted Thursday, September 01, 2005

Lawmakers have to ask themselves if it’s worth sinking possibly billions of federal dollars into rebuilding New Orleans, a low-lying city which would remain a vulnerable hurricane target even after clean up, House Speaker Dennis Hastert said Wednesday.

“It doesn’t make sense to me,” said Hastert during an interview with the Daily Herald editorial board. “And it’s a question that certainly we should ask.”

I think there may be a few hundred thousand New Orleanians -- and millions of Americans who love that city -- who have an answer for him.

RNC Sends Email to Activists on Estate Tax Cut

The RNC apparently found time in its busy schedule to ask Republican activists to take action today to help eliminate the estate tax -- a tax that is only paid by the very wealthiest sliver of American society.

It's nice to see the Republican Party isn't confused about its priorities.

UPDATE: No, really, we couldn't make something like this up. John Aravosis at AMERICABlog has a screenshot here.

Scott McClellan Ignores Victims' Reality

While people are starving, sick, thirsty, and dying, this is what the White House has to offer:

Reporter: Regarding the president's zero tolerance for insurance fraud, looting, price gouging. Does he make any allowance for people who have yet to receive aid who are taking things like water or food or shoes to walk among the debris?

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan: I think you heard from the president earlier today about his zero tolerance. We understand the need for food and water and supplies of that nature. That's why we have a massive effort underway to continue getting food and water and ice to those who are in need. There are ways for them to get that help.

Anyone who has been watching CNN knows that there are thousands of people stuck in New Orleans and other cities across the Gulf Coast who are getting no help.

This isn't about criticizing the relief efforts. There are thousands of people working as hard as they can to get those people the help they need.

It's about the gall of Scott McClellan and others to blame the victims and anyone else they can find. It's just disgusting. Atrios has more here, here, here, and here.

Let Them Eat Cake

John Aravosis points to a Gawker report that says Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice is in New York City catching up on Broadway shows and shoe shopping. Apparently a customer in the same store, after seeing a Bush cabinet official shoe shopping while New Orleans lay in ruins, ran up and chastised Rice by saying: "How dare you shop for shoes while thousands are dying and homeless!" Rice's reponse? She had the questioner physically removed from the store while she shopped.

Around the same time, Canadian search and rescue teams were ready to fly in to help with the efforts in the Gulf states, but couldn't get permission to enter the country.

Canadian agencies are saying that foreign aid is probably not being permitted into Louisiana and Mississippi because of "mass confusion" at the U.S. federal level in the wake of the storm.

Wow. If only there was a cabinet official who was charged with dealing with foreign countries that wanted to help.

Oh, I guess there is...but she's shoe shopping.

Bush Claims the Disaster Wasn't Predictable

Bush today:

I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees.

New Orleans Times Picayune story from June 8, 2004:

"When levees are below grade, as ours are in many spots right now, they're more vulnerable to waves pouring over them and degrading them," Naomi said. "We're not below storm-surge elevation yet, but we will be if we stop raising our levees as they subside."

Bush budget falls short

The Bush administration's proposed fiscal 2005 budget includes only $3.9 million for the east bank hurricane project. Congress likely will increase that amount, although last year it bumped up the administration's $3 million proposal only to $5.5 million.

"I needed $11 million this year, and I got $5.5 million," Naomi said. "I need $22.5 million next year to do everything that needs doing, and the first $4.5 million of that will go to pay four contractors who couldn't get paid this year."

Bush is already focusing on avoiding any kind of accountability for this tragedy. But his budget cuts are responsible for for what we're seeing.

UPDATE: FEMA identified this scenario as one of the three most likely disasters that could hit the country back in 2001.

The full Times-Picayune story from June 2004 is after the jump.

Keep reading "Bush Claims the Disaster Wasn't Predictable"

Chertoff Blames Refugees and the Dead for Their Fate

Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff today:

"The critical thing was to get people out of there before the disaster," he said on NBC's Today program. "Some people chose not to obey that order. That was a mistake on their part."

Remember, there was no help available for citizens to evacuate. Perhaps Chertoff lives in a world where everyone has easy access to their own transportation, but there are a whole lot of people in the real world who don't.

UPDATE: DNC Research points us to an AP article from before the hurricane that described the plight of people who were unable to evacuate.

Making matters worse, at least 100,000 people in the city lack the transportation to get out of town. Nagin said the Superdome might be used as a shelter of last resort for people who have no cars, with city bus pick-up points around New Orleans.

"I know they're saying 'Get out of town,' but I don't have any way to get out," said Hattie Johns, 74. "If you don't have no money, you can't go."

Funding Cuts Helped Cause Preventable New Orleans Devastation

While no one could have anticipated when a hurricane of Katrina's power would hit the Gulf coast or the extent of damage it would do, the devastation in New Orleans was predictable and preventable, and the Bush administration and Republicans in Congress must bear responsibility for slashing the funds meant for shoring up the levees meant to keep the water out.

Look, this isn't about partisanship. It's about genuine accountability for the short-sighted choices they made. This administration has escaped accountability for its mistakes far too often.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune has covered the budget cuts in multiple stories for the past two years, and Will Bunch sums up the coverage in Editor & Publisher:

New Orleans had long known it was highly vulnerable to flooding and a direct hit from a hurricane. In fact, the federal government has been working with state and local officials in the region since the late 1960s on major hurricane and flood relief efforts. When flooding from a massive rainstorm in May 1995 killed six people, Congress authorized the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project, or SELA.

Over the next 10 years, the Army Corps of Engineers, tasked with carrying out SELA, spent $430 million on shoring up levees and building pumping stations, with $50 million in local aid. But at least $250 million in crucial projects remained, even as hurricane activity in the Atlantic Basin increased dramatically and the levees surrounding New Orleans continued to subside.

Yet after 2003, the flow of federal dollars toward SELA dropped to a trickle. The Corps never tried to hide the fact that the spending pressures of the war in Iraq, as well as homeland security -- coming at the same time as federal tax cuts -- was the reason for the strain. At least nine articles in the Times-Picayune from 2004 and 2005 specifically cite the cost of Iraq as a reason for the lack of hurricane- and flood-control dollars.

...

The 2004 hurricane season was the worst in decades. In spite of that, the federal government came back this spring with the steepest reduction in hurricane and flood-control funding for New Orleans in history. Because of the proposed cuts, the Corps office there imposed a hiring freeze. Officials said that money targeted for the SELA project -- $10.4 million, down from $36.5 million -- was not enough to start any new jobs.