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Sunday, September 04, 2005

Fading Abilities

Is this satire? The older I get, it seems, the harder it is to tell:
"It took almost no time for President Bush to put his stamp on the national response to the tragedy that has befallen New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, a reminder that modern communications have reshaped the constitutional division of powers in our government in ways that the Founding Fathers never could have imagined.

Because the commander in chief is also the communicator in chief, when a crisis emerges the nation's eyes turn to him as to no other official. We cannot yet calculate the political fallout from Hurricane Katrina and its devastating human and economic consequences, but one thing seems certain: It makes the previous signs of political weakness for Bush, measured in record-low job approval ratings, instantly irrelevant and opens new opportunities for him to regain his standing with the public."

I've long had a problem distinguishing real opinions from fantasmagoria in right-wing writings, ever since I read, many years ago, an autobiography of Watergate spook G. Gordon Liddy. In his closing chapters he spoke of choosing a wife for her genes, that suitable attributes might be propagated. I remember thinking "He's so at it! He's winding us up, playing Fascist to the gallery?" They have earned a certain notoriety and I often think they're being particularly provocative or extremist just for laughs?

I have the same trouble with Talk Radio in its various guises. "They don't really mean that, do they?"

Nowadays, the older I get, the more I wonder, the more I believe they do. Not a joke, no sirree. They are every bit as malevolent and mysoginist as they appear, and their boys and their kind are in charge of this country.

Yes, it took almost no time - was it five, six days? - "for President Bush to put his stamp on the national response to the tragedy", with a staged photo-op, no less. Fake Levée repairs.

Mission Accomplished.

I've written before, somewhere, possibly not here, that those who scream loudest about the evils of Big Government invariably suck hardest at its tit. No surprise, then, that before the first school bus had been "requisitioned" or Red Cross food truck prevented from entering New Orleans in case, you know, people get the wrong idea and think the schools are all open What's the problem?, that before any of that, contracts had been awarded. I guess we'll never know for sure if this was another "no bid" deal, because anyone foolish enough to say so out loud is likely to be fired or demoted?

I promise never again to mock those who cry "Halliburton!" at every turn.

Here's the thing, from a little man sat in California: I'm not alone in my anger. People everywhere here, in stores, at work, met in the street, talking over the phone, people everywhere here are disgusted and ashamed and outraged at what has happened in New Orleans and at, to be polite, what we shall call the incompetence and negligence of Mr Bush's Federal Government. Haven't seen such uniformity or willingness of everyday folks to talk about events since 9th September 2001.

I was most surprised - and delighted - on Friday morning when my local Fox affiliate cut into the daily Morning Show to bring us the President, LIVE!, being congratulated and fawned-over by suck-up sycophants in an Alabama hangar. Standing in front of some Rescue helicopters clearly being held in reserve. Cut back to the studio and one of the presenters - Steve Edwards it was - voiced his utter disgust at what we'd just seen and heard, and said out-loud what we all were thinking. Called it as he saw it. Good for Him.

Maybe some good will come of this. None yet, though.

Oh, Thought of this after DarkoV reminded me of "Brownie"'s last job.

I love a good conspiracy as much as the next man - love the idea of conspiracy theories. But, you know, being what I am I always believe in "Cock-Up" rather than actual "Conspiracy". But honestly - nobody, not even my gormless 18 yr-old, nobody can truly be so fucking stupid as "Brownie" and "Georgie" and their fucked-up FEMA.

Nobody.

Excuse my french: but despite the rantings of so many Busholyte apologists, the French have done more for New Orleans than he has.

3 Comments:

Blogger Whisky Prajer said...

In his comments, Darko points out that even the Germans have done more for New Orleans, indeed the U.S., than those malign manure-pedlars in Washington. They dipped into their oil-reserves first. How many of these spittle-flinging radio participants are aware, do you think, of the price of gas in Germany?

4:16 AM  
Blogger DarkoV said...

Life is just too bizarre. Fcb mentioned those Haliburton contracts. Would you believe that the guy is kicking it for Haiburton and will effectively be shoving FEMA out of its way (which shouldn't be too hard as their way is so disparate) is (and I apologize for not remembering his name) the previous head of FEMA, who had quit to go into private practice with...
............
....Haliburton.

I'm teling you, Dubya, Dick C, and all the other oil boys are sitting in the White House, long neck Lone Stars in their hands and laughing their collective asses off.

That Germans dipping their oil reserves comment was made by the esteemed FCB on my spittle of a blog entry a day ago.

3:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The Great Flood of New Orleans reminds me of the Great Fire of London. Conspiracy theories are nice: perhaps the Govt wanted it that way: wipe out a lot of undesirable real estate and prepare for rebuilding.

1:42 PM  

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