Wow, it just keeps getting better and better. Or worse and worse, if you're human.

I must say, despite being an extreme cynic, the one thing I would have given the current government credit for a week ago was being capable of reacting to a crisis. Well, the only thing they seem to be able to do is attempt to cover their asses. Not working this time, guys.

The word of the day is accountability. That idiot Brown who's running FEMA? I'd love to try him for treason, but he's almost certain to keep his job. Same for his boss, Chertoff. In Bush's America, no one is held accountable for their mistakes. The number of flat out lies that have come out of their mouths over the last week has been staggering. They claimed to be unaware of the Convention Center situation a full 24 hours after is was on national news. Bush and Chertoff both claimed this was a completely unimaginable situation, when in 2001 FEMA has ranked it among the 3 most likely disasters (along with a terrorist attack in NYC, natch). Treason or willful, criminal negligence. Take your pick.

On the 26th, Pat Buchanan, of all people, called for the impeachment of Bush over illegal immigration. As my roomie would say, a stopped clock is right twice a day. As Patty B said, "George Bush is chief executive of the United States. It is his duty to enforce the laws. Can anyone fairly say he is enforcing the immigration laws?" Now, the immigration question is a whole other post (short version: I agree with Pat-o here), but his post actually snapped the actual reason that impeachment exists back into my head. If the guy's doing a shitty job, toss him out. Course, then we get Cheney. Do we get a discount on impeachments if we get them by the dozen?

But that's all old news now.

This just in: Rehnquist is dead. Oh, it's going to be an interesting year.

It's occurred to me that the Bush administration's tactic for dealing with crisis has, for the last few years, been to ignore it. It's so amazingly stupid a tactic that it's brilliant. It's worked amazingly well. They know how fickle the American people are, and how malleable. What's that, Rove violated every ethics rule in the book, along with a few laws? Ignore it. It's a tactic so ballsy, so bold, that it worked. It's worked over and over again. 9/11 commish say we should have fucking known better? Ignore it. It worked. Political victory through sheer bravado. Genius.

Except that this time, things are taking too long to go away. Cleanup's going to take 9 months, though noticeable improvements should be seen in a couple.

Ah well, he'll still probably still come out on top. I think I'll start stockpiling whisky now for when Bush stands grinning on a single New Orleans building and declares victory for his rebuilding plan. I'm going to need a great deal of it.

Just a reminder, donate anything you can spare to a charity. Not that FEMA is likely to allow charities back into the area anytime soon.

Here's another reminder: midterm elections next year. Maybe if we all vote very, very hard, we can elect McCain president-and-a-half. If not, I bet a Democratic Senate would send the administration into collective apoplexy.

(Note to the secret service: the apoplexy thing is figurative. I wish death on no man but Carrot-Top)

After-the-fact postscript: Wow, this must have been cathartic to write. More information is starting to surface about the fake food distribution camps which were set up for Bush's 'visit', then torn down once he and the press left. Beyond words.

Posted by Jason at September 3, 2005 11:17 PM to Commentary