Reply #61: Excellent commentary [View All]

It is galling when Bush says, "We are not satisfied with the results." Someone needs to explain to him that it is well within his purview to get the results he expects -- that's one of the perks of being president. It is the most damning admission of failure that Bush (or any president, for that matter) can make.

Over 90 years ago, my town was nearly wiped off the map by a flood of massive proportions. Poor levee structure, and no dam systems upstream, were largely culpable for that disaster. After the water subsided, the community banded together and raised enough money for a series of dams, plus reinforced levees. We have not had a problem with flooding since. My point? The year of that flood -- 1913 -- is still a rallying cry around here because we remember the devastation, and what was accomplished afterward to make sure nothing like this ever happened here again. In a similar vein, I see the words "New Orleans" as a rallying cry that could doom the GOP for many years to come. The Republicans in power showed their true agendas and colors during the past two weeks, and it is very, very unlikely that most of the American public will forget this travesty anytime soon. And they shouldn't. Our government failed us. All of us.