Second Verse, Same As The First

(Posted by John.)

Ezra writes:

New Orleans is going to need a lot of rebuilding. And while I agree that it'd probably be smartest to pack up and move the city elsewhere, it's probably not going to happen. But couldn't we hire all those displaced residents to work on the rebuilding? Surely a large amount of what needs to be done is low-skill or easily learned labor. And the government could pay them a slight wage, provide housing and food, and generally give them a purpose and a hand in reconstruction while they wait for their homes to dry out. Otherwise you have an enormous mass of unemployed, bewildered refugees flooding into nearby economies that're totally unprepared for the influx. It'd be a disaster. This'd prove a much cleaner and more sustainable way to occupy them while New Orleans is resurrected.

Are you kidding? With this administration? Listen to yourself, Ezra! That's exactly the same arguments we used against Bush's Halliburton-ification of Iraq - that local labour could do the job, giving them a wage and keeping them out of the insurgency.

How'd that turn out again? Oh, right.

Atrios has been amazing today - covering all the examples of Bush's criminal incompetence. But one that made it on Kos has me seething - if it's true, this is incredible:

On tonight's news, CTV (Canadian TV) said that support was offered from Canada. Planes are ready to load with food and medical supplies and a system called “DART” which can provide fresh water and medical supplies is standing by. Department of Homeland Security as well as other U.S. agencies were contacted by the Canadian government requesting permission to provide help. Despite this contact, Canada has not been allowed to fly supplies and personnel to the areas hit by Katrina. So, everything here is grounded. Prime Minister Paul Martin is reportedly trying to speak to President Bush tonight or tomorrow to ask him why the U.S. federal government will not allow aid from Canada into Louisiana and Mississippi. That said, the Canadian Red Cross is reportedly allowed into the area.

Please God, let a Democratic congress impeach this bastard in 2007.