QotD

[queenofstripes]

"Tell me where the line forms to ask hard questions. I yield back the balance of my time." -- Rep. Brad Miller (North Carolina, 13th District), regarding accountability for Katrina and other national crises

(quote and link courtesy of jica, via ktigerI'm still afraid of people not waiting for evidence before they make accusations. But I'm more afraid of

Comments

[postrodent]

The worst thing is that I don't think anything politically dramatic is going to come out of Katrina. Bush has been pressured into launching an investigation, but we've seen how much damage the findings of the 9/11 commission did him. The only thing that's really stuck to Bush *so far* is the Iraq war, perhaps because it continues to manufacture grisly images for the evening news. At the end of the day, and despite the slow awakening of the national media, I suspect that the political scene will be the same: a bitterly divided country, and a lack of any meaningful political opposition to the Dominionist wing of the Republican party

[queenofstripes]

I don't think anything dramatic's going to come out of it, either. We're not going to get a Watergate out of this. But I think a slower, subtler and perhaps just as useful shift is going to come. This anger's gonna end up going somewhere.

[rhinoscillator]

My feeling (from up here, at least) is that this could actually stick to Bush. After a terrorist incident there's a 'them' to blame and vilify, but in the case of a natural disaster - especially one that was foreseen years ago - the frustration and anger could end up directed at those in authority.

I dearly hope we learn from all this.

I presume you've also been reading Alan AtKisson. I so needed that. :>

[postrodent]

It's quite possible that this disaster would "stick to" Bush, but from where I sit it's harder to say what that would really mean. The Democrats are weary and have no real ideas, the Greens and Libs are still fringe parties. It seems terribly plausible that, assuming American society is still recognizably intact by 2008, the GOP might push forward some fresh face that was superficially clean of the crimes and blunders of the last eight years and walk off with the show again.

Meanwhile, I read Worldchanging pretty faithfully and I still managed to miss Alan Atkisson's piece. Thanks very much for the link!

[momentrabbit]

What's the best way to ensure, when shit goes down on your watch, that none of it sticks to you?

Run the investigation yourself.

US President George W Bush says he will lead an investigation into how the Hurricane Katrina disaster was handled. "I'm going to find out over time what went right and what went wrong," he said in reply to criticism that the authorities were too slow to respond.

This will be in addition to the two (yes, 2) Senate inquiries. Because the second best way to minimize shitfall is to ensure there's so much contradictory finger-pointing that it goes all over the place instead of at one or two big targets.

[ff00ff]

I bet you anything that Bush's investigation turns up evidence that this is just one of those things that happens and no aspect of it could have been avoided. Then he gives some people who other investigations find culpable in this disaster the medal of freedom. He dusts his hands and calls it a day.

[rasvar]

I am hopeful that there will be enough good investigations to get to the bottom of this. I have my own feelings as to where blame goes. However, I want some more info. There is more blame to go around in this one then anyone can imagine. Although, these things always end up with a political scapegoat. You can bet Mike Brown will be the sacrifice[not undeserved in my opinion either; but there should be others too].

[vashti]

I'm with the advert: everything is political. Saying "don't bring politics into this" is just another way of saying "don't make those responsible for this mess have to face up to it".