Now I need to take a bath.

- K

The Feds of the current administration are guilty of a gross abandonment of the basic social contract. They hung us out to dry (odd metaphor, but appropriate here). The thing that is really at the root of the issues is that we were NOT devastated by Katrina. We were devasated by the failure of the levees, courtesy of the Army Corps of Engineers. Since then we have watched the federally based nepotism far outsrip even the professional grafters of our local government. Halliburton and Shaw Group employees stopped wearing and badges or uniforms that would associate them with their employers several months back. That should tell you something.

I myself have seen the federally deployed mercenaries, yes mercenaries, toting automatic rifles standing guard over FEMA employees. Mercs who have never been permitted to operate on American soil. Blackwater, look ‘em up.

At least the local grafters have much more harsh and active critics seeking to curtail their stupidity. They also have a basic survival imperative tied to rebuilding. The feds…not so much.

In the meantime we sit here in the active part of Hurricane Season with levees (the Corps promised would be ready by June 1st) which are not only unready, but still in the mid stages of reconstruction.

The American people have been incredible to all of us, the government on all levels has betrayed us. My father is a veteran, this is not the America he fought for.

So, now big federal government is good? Please don’t tell me you think giving no-bid contracts for “reconstruction” to Halliburton equals supporting small government.

Has anyone else noticed that the “small government” talking point has been quietly dropped from the GOP’s platform? Ever hear about small government anymore? Nope.

The defenders of states’ rights have apparently all left the GOP in favor of cushy jobs at Halliburton.

However, I can see how it can be misunderstood so I’ll change it.

How is he wrong here? He is asking for Federal oversight into the spending and for the Federal Government to handle the money themselves instead of allowing the incompetents to get their hands on the money…. I agree with them.

After watching this train wreck, the total incompetence of the local and state government I wouldn’t trust them to wipe their own asses!!

http://tancredo.house.gov/press/pressers/0907TancredoBlockAidToLouisiana.htm

The opening paragraphs:

Given the abysmal failure of state and local officials in Louisiana to plan adequately for or respond to the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the city of New Orleans, and given the long history of public corruption in Louisiana, I hope the House will refrain from directly appropriating any funds from the public treasury to either the state of Louisiana or the city of New Orleans. Instead, reconstruction and relief funds dedicated to the people of New Orleans should be administered by a private organization or a select committee similar to the historic Truman Commission.

Public corruption is a well known problem in Louisiana. The head of the FBI in New Orleans just this past year described the state’s public corruption as “epidemic, endemic, and entrenched. No branch of government is exempt.� Over the last thirty years, a long list of Louisiana politicians have been convicted of crimes; the list includes a governor, an attorney general, an elections commissioner, an agriculture commissioner, three successive insurance commissioners, a congressman, a federal judge, a State Senate president, six other state legislators, and a host of appointed officials, local sheriffs, city councilmen, and parish police jurors. Given the documented public corruption in the state, I am not confident that Louisiana officials can be trusted to administer federal relief aid.

Nothing too egregious, besides the idea that Congress will automatically be better….

I am amused by the fact that he thinks that a ‘ “bipartisan select committeeâ€Â? of members of Congress ‘ could do a better job! Stories are starting to appear about Congress’s role in this disasater, beyond the obvious one of putting FEMA in the DHS.