Monday, August 28, 2006

Ray Nagin, Stolen Elections, and Hurricanes, Oh My.

I just finished reading my friend Robert's newest entry and I feel compelled to say a few words, or in this case, type out a mini-discourse. I'm fairly certain that this entry will tend more toward a rant than anything, but, like Robert, I've had it.

I'm tired.
I'm sick of the nonsense.
I'm literally nauseous from the party lines, everytime I see the news I want to kick my TV. I actually watched part of Hannity and Colmes the other night and Sean Hannity wouldn't shut up long enough for the Democrat guest to speak and the liberal columnist filling in for Alan Colmes was so loud that you couldn't hear Ann Coulter, which I think is a first.

Ray Nagin, the man that waited until 24 hours before Katrina hit to start evacuating his city, kept school buses that could've aided the evacuation on closed lots, and then blamed George Bush for the devastation and loss of life, has said that Bush still hasn't done enough. Obviously Clinton didn't think the levees a big problem during his administration, nor did Bush 41, Reagan, Carter, Ford, LBJ, Nixon, etc. Yet, when disaster strikes, it's that pesky conservative (and I use that term loosely) Texan who stole the elections in 2000 and 2004 who is to blame.

And Democrats, please find a new excuse. The whole "They stole the election" thing isn't working anymore. When Bush won in 2000, he stole the election. When he won the '04 campaign, he stole the election. In fact, it's gotten so bad on your side of the aisle that when relative newcomer Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) defeated incumbent Cynthia McKinney for a house seat, she said that he stole the election, and he's in her party. Jeez.....

The problem with every party is something that I aid out in one of my latest posts. Both parties find it more important to stay in power than to accomplish anything with the power they have.

Of course, the voters are really no better off. Let's revisit Mr. Nagin. Like I stated, he essentially shut down the city of New Orleans, thereby causing a higher percentage of damage to human life than necessary, he locked up buses, didn't order timely evacuations and otherwise bungled the entire thing. But we can't blame Nagin, after all, he's a Democrat, and we all know that in times of national crisis or disaster that only Republicans can shoulder any blame. Same thing goes for Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco. But Nagin has a bright glaring moment of ineptitude, and the voters re-elected him. Now I know the liberal answer to that is the President Bush is inept, and maybe that has shown more clearly in term two, but in his first term, what exactly was so hugely inept about him? I ask that inviting honest debate. I don't want to hear that it was Bush's ineptness that caused 9/11 or any of that.

Does anyone else recall after Hurricane Season '05 how the enviro-whackos kept telling us that Global Warming would cause '06 to be an ever worse Hurricane Season? Well, guess what, we've got a Hurricane that may (or may not) actually hit the US. I could be wrong, but this would be the first Hurricane to hit the US this year. One projection has it bearing down on New Orleans, another has it turning north to hit Florida, another has it going straight west to the Texas/Mexico border, and yet another has it stopping of Cuba and fizzling out. Still, this "worst year ever for Hurricanes" is kinda been a letdown. I was expecting to have been stalked and killed by a gang of Hurricanes trying to take over my town.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Great post Blake! Especially like the gang of Hurricanes comment.

It has been a let down - and proves yet again that nobody knows nothing... but we still have to make it till Thanksgiving - remember, it's only half-time, those damn storms could still churn something up...

Agree with you on how polarized politics in this country has become. Just trying to have an honest conversation about issues will make you look like a whacko these days. Also agree that the levees weren't Bush's fault - there are plenty of other presidents who could have fixed the situation and did nothing to improve things.

That's not to say Bush isn't inept, ill-informed, and completely naive about the workings of the Middle East - but we'll leave that for another day.

Happy Labor Day!