Hurricane of Incompetence

First, I want to say that my heart goes out to all of the survivors and victims of Hurricane Katrina. Their suffering really makes mine seem insignificant and petty.

Second, I want to say that I am extremely - EXTREMELY - concerned for the state of this great nation. I've been reading reports of obvious media censorship that the government is beginning to impose in the hurricane's wake. Like their response to the deadly storm, the governments attempts at censorship are far too late.

I take very seriously blatant attempts to censor our media - whether it's mainstream media (MSM) or bloggers. No one should have their first amendment rights violated. I don't think the government will ultimately be successful in hiding the truth about their lackadaisical response (the truth is already out), but the mere fact that they are trying to censor the press is extremely disturbing.

Let me just say that I have never felt shame to be an American before. But when I saw our people suffering and dying down in New Orleans, while the government sat and watched - and actually prevented people from helping by some accounts - and when the other nations of the world recoiled in horror at the scene, and the incompetence, I felt something like shame for me and my country. I'm not a big nationalist, and it's not like I'm obsessed with America, but this is my home, and I love the liberty - the ideals - behind the promise of freedom....

But that was a long time ago. And now we have a lying, hateful president in power who is doing his best to destroy this country for which so many fought so hard and died so young (but they died free). It seems that we have forgotten what our forefathers taught. We have strayed from the path they set for us when we elected (if we really did) this simpleton called Bush.

I can honestly say that Bush is the worst president ever, not only because of his stunning incompetence, but also because of his sheer contempt for the rights and ideals upon which this country was founded. And if he had one iota of conscience or compassion he would have called his vacation short on August 27th, when a national emergency was declared. Instead, he only called it short on August 31st, after the media (finally) started hounding him. Not that he did much to start with, though. It took several more days before a coherant response was planned. That reponse was to spin like crazy and get Rove's best damage control in action (read: slander opponents).

Bush should be impeached immediately. His crimes are many, but for this moment let us concentrate on his stunning absolute negligence and tardiness in his response to the national crisis we are still facing. It's so obvious that he doesn't give a shit.

I think it goes without saying that Cheney should be impeached as well. Isn't there a law stating the both the president and vice president can't go on vacation at the same time? If not, shouldn't there be? What were they thinking? Who was in charge? Why didn't whoever they left in charge (Rove? Libby? Waldo?) call them up and say, "Hey, there's a FUCKING HUGE HURRICANE coming and it's probably going to destroy most of New Orleans!!!!" 'Cause that's what they knew BEFORE the hurricane hit. Hell, it already hit Florida - we knew it was there. It wasn't like some sort of invisible hurricane, or one that was so small it was really hard to see. No, it took up a really big portion of the gulf - it was kind of hard to miss, I reckon. I hear they have these satellites now that actually monitor weather patterns here on Earth and beam them back to something called the National Weather Service. They then give information to the press, which goes on TV and reports these things. Surely the Bushes have a TV. Surely, they have enough money to afford one. Surely they monitor weather systems that are predicted to make landfall right next door. Ya know, we Minnesotans may make fun of Wisconsinites, but we'd still be concerned if a tornado tore through Milwaukee. And - amazing fact, this - Louisiana is right next door to Texas, the state in which Bush lives and was vacationing at the time. Now, Bush may not know all this, but I'm sure one of his family members does and they probably told him. So what does he do? Why, the same damn thing he always does - nothing, until Karl Rove tells him what to do.

This is unbelievable. I can't believe the man is still in office. My God, he should be committed or something. He's so mentally retarded and so far from reality that he can't technically "represent" any of us, except the criminally insane (and Lord knows they're already well represented in Washington). So, can we fire him yet? Incompetence on this scale is unforgivable. I don't know what the death toll is, but I do know that it's going to be bad. Very bad.

Lastly, I just want to castigate the mainstream media once again. They utterly suck. They seem be recovering some spine, but not near enough. Maybe it's too soon, but they should be calling for Bush's head on a pike. Every decent American should be. His performance so was so disgraceful that his citizenship should be stripped. Let me be the first to say, "Deport Bush!"