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That is the title of a Dr. Ted Baehr column. Here is the introduction:People will either be self-disciplined or need the whip of tyranny, to paraphrase the famous 19th century sociologist Alexis de Tocqueville. He noted that the United States...

United States of Shame

DISCLOSURE NOTE: The above is Maureen Dowd(y)'s header on this column of tripe.

Whys do the libs make it so easy to rip their spiel to shreds? This is a primo case in point, as the Chief will humbly demonstrate:

And when you combine limited government with incompetent government, lethal stuff happens. America is once more plunged into a snake pit of anarchy, death, looting, raping, marauding thugs, suffering innocents, a shattered infrastructure, a gutted police force, insufficient troop levels and criminally negligent government planning. But this time it's happening in America.

The very first sentence - no resemblence to reality. I guess the rest is to compare New Orleans, LA to Baghdad. Not much resemblence in reality, but why should THAT be a hindrance to a good slam at the administration.

Ms. Dowdy need to be swatted with a cluebat here: FEDERAL troops are NOT sent in UNTIL REQUESTED by state and local authorities. National Guard is under the direct control of the state governor, unless they are "federalized". In both cases Maureeen, why aren't you asking your fellow-lib moonbat Gov. Blanco why she was asleep at the switch on this one? NOTE: In Mississippi, and Alabama there was no problem with getting the troops out. It seems the Governors THERE did their jobs...and while there was a major disaster there - worse in Mississippi than in Louisiana, there was no anarchy, since (GOP) GOv. Haley Barbour knew how to get his ducks in a row.

W. drove his budget-cutting Chevy to the levee, and it wasn't dry. Bye, bye, American lives. "I don't think anyone anticipated the breach of the levees," he told Diane Sawyer.... Why does this self-styled "can do" president always lapse into such lame "who could have known?" excuses.

Maybe because the excuses are just a statement of fact - which I realize is an alien and difficult concept to the denizens of the NYT.
If this was such a big problem for so long, why didn't the State of Louisiana and City of New Orleans as least make SOME attempt to beef up the flood defenses. One would think that this would be their first concern. Over the years, this issue was discussed by them, with the ultimate decision being not to bother with spending THEIR money on the situation. So why then is it a problem for the rest of the country?

Who on earth could have known that Osama bin Laden wanted to attack us by flying planes into buildings? Any official who bothered to read the trellis of pre-9/11 intelligence briefs.

...unless the Clintonista Jamie Gore-lick's "firewall of separation" prevented the relevant official from getting the word as to what was being planned. Remember that? No? Oh, that's right, THAT wasn't the President's fault, so it doesn't exist in the minds of MSM pseudo-wonks such as yourself.

Who on earth could have known that New Orleans's sinking levees were at risk from a strong hurricane? Anybody who bothered to read the endless warnings over the years about the Big Easy's uneasy fishbowl. In June 2004, Walter Maestri, emergency management chief for Jefferson Parish, fretted to The Times-Picayune in New Orleans: "It appears that the money has been moved in the president's budget to handle homeland security and the war in Iraq, and I suppose that's the price we pay. Nobody locally is happy that the levees can't be finished, and we are doing everything we can to make the case that this is a security issue for us."

"...doing anything we can..." except putting your money where your mouth is. HEY! If you have a problem - fix it! All roads don't automatically lead to Washington for taking care of local infrastructure.

It would be one thing if President Bush and his inner circle - Dick Cheney was vacationing in Wyoming; Condi Rice was shoe shopping at Ferragamo's on Fifth Avenue and attended "Spamalot" before bloggers chased her back to Washington; and Andy Card was off in Maine - lacked empathy but could get the job done.

Again Dowdy, we are a FEDERAL republic...the first responsibility is at the local and state levels. Also, the state and local emergency response plans stated in plain English which one would (apparently falsely) assume you can understand, that there was a 72-96 hour inherent delay in the application of Federal resources to a disaster situation.

Lacked empathy? Why? Because they didn't go running around like a bunch of headless chickens making a ruckus as moonbats are wont to do to exhibit the "symbolism" of "doing something" instead of giving the plans the required time to be implemented. Also...the Chief admits bafflement as to the responsibility of Secretary of State Condie Rice in this...I wasn't aware that New Orleans was in a foriegn country, at least since the 1804 Louisian Purchase. I mean the State Dept. IS tasked with FORIEGN relations, no?

When they were deaf for so long to the horrific misery and cries for help of the victims in New Orleans - most of them poor and black, like those stuck at the back of the evacuation line yesterday while 700 guests and employees of the Hyatt Hotel were bused out first - they shook the faith of all Americans in American ideals. And made us ashamed.

That bit with the hotel guests was managed by the Black mayor of NOLA. Yep, he's shameful!

But it is a chilling lack of empathy combined with a stunning lack of efficiency that could should make this administration Louisiana and New Orleans leadership implode.

IN SUMMARY: What a total load of dreck, but, all too typical for the NYT and its inimitable Maureen Dowdy.

Bob Denver, aka Gilligan, has died. He's finally off the island. Happy trails little buddy....

Mystery Bulge in Oregon Still Growing

A remote Oregon site is showing evidence of...something happening that may well result in some (sort of) new volcanic activity.

A recent survey of a bulge that covers about 100 square miles near the South Sister indicates the area is still growing, suggesting it could be another volcano in the making or a major shift of molten rock under the center of the Cascade Range.

Radar interferometry image of bulge.

This would certainly be a lot more interesting in the news cycle than Cindy Sheehan, or the latest Aruba update.

Chief Justice Rehnquist dies of cancer

This is not a major surprise, since Justice Rehnquist's health problems had been known for some time.

Now there are two open seats on the court, with the new court term opening in October, it looks like the fireworks over SCOTUS appointments will really fire up now in the Senate. Donk filibuster(s)? Could be. Attempted Borking of nominees? The Chief would count on it - Donks are Donks, all their leadership knows any more is mind-numbing DUmmie rhetoric and tactics.

Another point: according to the Donks' logic on Judge Roberts replacing Justice O'COnnor, they CLAIMED that they wanted to see someone of similar ideological bent to maintian the current alignment of the court. Now that Rehnquist, a conservative has passed on, will they be willing to cheerfully accept a conservative replacement, to maintain that same balance? Hmmmm?

The Chief is willing to quess there's as much chance of this as there was for Billy Graham to be named Pope.

From Rush Limbaugh: RUSH: This is dicey. It's like I say: law and order in New Orleans is a code word for racism. You don't talk about law and order because you'll have people like Jesse Jackson on your case....

From The Economist:A big decision for South DakotaThe air force has a future in South Dakota. Do the Democrats?IT WOULD take a direct hit from an enemy warhead to breach the 25 tons of steel and 12 inches of concrete...

Today, at 2:00 MT. (That's right during puma skinnin' time.) Replays can always be found at the Rightalk homepage. Update: He called Deepak Chopra a "New Age charlatan." That's good stuff right there....

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