This used to be what the news media was for, before Reagan revoked the Fairness Doctrine and the corporate interests started snapping up everything and cooking the news.
Because we’ve already seen what these Republican-led “independent” investigations will lead to, if given half a chance. We got snowballed on the 9/11 investigation; why get snowballed again?
I have to strongly agree with those who are saying that this is simply stupid of the Republicans. The committee SHOULD be bi-partisan IMHO…and its political stupidity of the highest order to attempt to make this a Republican controlled investigation.
The political ineptitude of this government astounds me sometimes. Stupid stupid stupid. Ah well. Whenever I start hearing how the Republicans are some kind of evil political genius’s I have to laugh.
-XT
If they’re so stupid, why is it that the Republicans seem to get away with everything of how stupid, incompetent, or ethically questionable it is? If there was any justice in the world, they should’ve been turned out of office by now. Yet, somehow people keep forgetting all the crap they’ve spread over the last few years and the Republicans keep winning elections.
Anyway, with regard to the topic, although he should’ve been canned the second after saying it wasn’t forseeable that the levees in New Orleans would fail after a category 4 hurricane, I get the sick feeling that, when all is said and done, Michael Brown will still be in charge of FEMA. With the Republicans, nobody ever seems to pay for their mistakes or transgressions.
:smack: Sorry, while revising the first sentence, I left out a word. It should read:
Agreed. This investigation will be worthless. It won’t matter what they find because it has already become political. They may as well post their results on a blog for all the believability they will have.
I have a feeling that even if it was bi-partisan, after the heat of the moment subsides somewhat over the next few months, those in power would receive a stern talking to and not much more than that.
Instead, it’s up to the voters to remember this when we choose who we put and keep in office over the next few years. I’m not suggesting that anyone vote democrat, only that we keep a long memory and consider carefully what our choices mean for our communities and for our country going forward.
Eh, who the fuck am I kidding. Best haircut wins it.
They usually rely on their legion of unquestioning apologists to accept whatever boneheaded stunts they pull. Temporary moments of insight such as yours don’t factor into their plans.
From what I’m reading in the right wing editorials, the victims are already being blamed for the problems. The spin seems to be to focus on the fact that NO and LA gov’ts have been corrupt for decades and have misspent FEMA money and blahblahblah; the reason for this rhetoric is to attempt to divert the hot spotlight away from the inept federal response to this disaster. Regardless of badly spent funds and porkbarrel spending, FEMA fucked up and so did most levels of the federal government. And they’re continuing to fuck things up today.
Wow! The more things are different, the more they are the same, ehe? 
I’m glad this was only a temporary moment of insight for me though…its always uncomfortable when I find myself in agreement with you. 
-XT
I hope you’re not implying that state and local governments in Louisiana were blameless here.
Even at this early date, it is obvious that this is hardly the case.
Not at all. It appears to be a colossal fuckup from the local police on up. FEMA response, however, is supposed to be the one thing any city in the US can rely upon to be prompt and efficient. Hasn’t happened. Still isn’t happening. Witness the trained disaster medical teams that have yet to help a single soul and the hundreds of trailers still sitting in a parking lot three states away.
No, and if Mayor Nagin says he’s going to appoint a special commission to determine whether the New Orleans metropolitan government made any errors, he’ll receive similar treatment to what’s happening here.
Neither, it will be composed of all the losing third party presidental candidates.
To be fair, this was a much bigger clusterfuck than FEMA had planned for. When the local governments blew it, it started a ball of shit rolling. By the time FEMA was able to get in, it was a crapvalance. That’s not to say that they didn’t blow it as well, but if things had been done properly initially, FEMA wouldn’t have had as much to fuck up.
No, they’re not stupid, they just aim at the uninformed, non-political masses.
Most people in the US aren’t going to take much notice of how the committee is formed. It’s just not that big a news item. They will (maybe) hear the committee’s ultimate findings. As long those findings are or can be spun to be “it wasn’t Bush’s fault”, Bush will come off untouched. The only real danger to Bush would be if the findings were heavily against him to an extent that even Rove couldn’t spin in his favour.
The miniscule political capital Bush loses over stacking the committee (small story) is well worth spending in order to ensure that the findings are not strongly negative (which would be a big story).
A Dem making the argument he’s more patriotic? I thought that was reserved to the red-neck, hillbilly, trailer-dwelling, moonshine-swilling, knuckle-dragging, nose-picking, wimmin-hating, lynch mob all us Conservatives are. Learn something new everyday.
Bi-partisan isn’t the same as non-partisan, mmkay? There is a reson a party wants a majority, young one. Care to look into when Move On started up? After 40 years of Democrats controlling Congress, the Republicans picked up a few of the tricks. Couple that with a shift in gasp American opinion and you get what you hate now. You’re in the minority. At least for now.
Because Bush will hand-pick the committee, correct? And Schumer, Kennedy and Feinstein will sit idly by allowing that? :rolleyes:
No, you’re the side that talks about patriotism. It’s like those hellfire-and-damnation preachers who go on and on about the agonies of hell and don’t bring up Jesus at all, except within the context of things He hates.
Quick tip: when every political issue is a matter of we and they, of my side and their side, of the good Americans and bad Americans, you’re probably not an American first and a member of your party second.
I see no reason why an equal number of Democrats and Republicans cannot be on the Committee. I would prefer that to having a majority of either party.
Some of us are sick to the death of politics as usual.
Were any of you around in 1974 when the parties worked together for the good of the country?
I’m waiting to see which Republicans are involved. Any word?