Was this Bill Bennet's suggestion? He's that former RNC chairman and a big time Vegas gambler.

Hey, Bill, what are the odds of another catostrophic hurricane hitting the Gulf coast? How about a terrorist attack in a major city? How about the levies not holding if New Orleans? Don't think an major earthquake is in the cards?

CNN was running a feature today pretty much saying FEMA is in no better shape than last year, so you better plan on stocking up on supplies and planning your own family disaster plan....huddle together with neighbors; contact family in other states for assistance.

Are the voters ever going to hold these incompetent Republicans in the White House and Congress representatives accountable for their negligence?

I'm betting they have seen enough. Throw the bums out.

The Republican Party. Gambling with your security.

This is amazing considering I just watch Michael Chertof explain what a great plan they have to Jim Lear on MPBN News.It`s like every time they do a spin they bury the screws in deeper.I don`t know how they sleep at night?Amazing

The regressives think that tax cuts for Paris Hilton's children are more important than disaster relief. These guys are scumbags!

The number of wrongful deaths of Iraqis has been so high and growing, I wonder how much of it is Negroponte's death squads wiping out community leaders, politicians, educators, business people and their families/relatives. Our uniformed personnel should keep their ears and eyes open for these renegades/mercenaries/contractors so that this aspect of the Bush war crimes can be pieced together. If we don't get a handle on the death squad workings, the Bush Cabal will continue to use our young military people as scapegoats for every and all atrocities.

The Bush criminals -- remember Pointdexter's betting scheme/scam based the occurance of terrorist acts -- must be cancelling home security funds for NYC and DC because they're betting on these areas being hit, and don't want the security tight enough to stop incidents from happening. Afterall, Hayden wouldn't answer questions about the continued existence of the Pointdexter scam!

Let's face the facts,

republicans are losers...

anyone who votes republican is a sellout...

America doesn't need another republican sellout.

America would be better off without republicans because republicans hate America.

The Democrats are the only hope that America have for the future.

FreedomOfSpeechForProgressiveDemocraticMajority, You said "Republicans slashing New Orleans Grants is no suprise to me.I expect that from them.I'm not too worried because I believe the Democrats will restore those funds when they take over the Houses of Congress in November." But how much can they fix? Even in '08 if a Dem is elected how much can he/she change? The budget is in serious need of reforming as is taxes. Education is not improving and oh yeah, American soldiers are trapped in the Middle East, with little hope of a positive outcome. Something needs to be done to check the presidents power and slow the new red war machine ASAP.

Posted by KentuckyBlue on June 2, 2006 at 08:54 PM

I believe the Democrats can fix anything.

In the 90's there was unheard of economic prosperity and world peace.

When the republicans took over there is debt, war and record profits for corporate America.

The problem isn't just that republicans are incompetent.

The problem is that republicans are still technically in power.

When they are no longer in power, the Democrats will be concentrating on how to dance the Macarena while the republicans will be scheming on how to rip of America again.

That's better than the republicans abusing power and the Democrats trying to convince the American people that the republicans are swindlers and liars.

Posted by brian111 on June 2, 2006 at 01:24 PM

You should learn how to utilize the link button.

You could have linked the Newsweek article and only cut and pasted a portion of it...

instead of cutting and pasting the whole thing.

Ask anyone on the open thread how to use the link button...

...I'm sure they will be happy to help you if you say the magic word.

What's the magic word?

If "pretty please with sugar on top" doesn't work try "abracadabra".

Government by Belief, By "Gut"

One can believe anything. Some believe that they are Christ, some believe that they are Napoleon and others believe other ludicrous things that are without evidence, provable facts that support the belief of the believer.

Belief is used to supplant factual evidence that is not available. Belief and Government by "Gut" is the same. Government by "Gut" is belief that intuition will supplant factual evidence and is acceptable for Governmental rule.

The Christian Coalition that the Bush Administration supports pushes belief, connects belief with economic security and further connects econmic security with Government rule, and provides acceptance by those under the control of the Christian Coalition to believe that Government by belief, by "Gut", by the Bush Administration, is acceptable; belief that supplant facts is NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR GOVERNMENT RULE.

Government by "Gut", by belief, has got the United States into two wars, has committed every MAN, WOMAN and CHILD in the United States to THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS($30,000.) of DEBT without their individual approval, has destroyed a greater portion of the Social Safety Net of the United States and has resulted in Loss of Respect for the United States on a GLOBAL SCALE as a result of the Bush Administration's belief in torture and GLOBAL IMPERIALISM.

Are we, here in the United States, willing to be led by the belief, the "Gut" of George Bush, the Christian RIGHT, the Christian Coalition of Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, an EXTREMIST RIGHT-WING NUT who says referring to the Iraqis, "Kill Them, Kill Them ALL"; or are we going to insist that Government of the United States will be subject to factual evidence, so that we do not have Bush or someone like Bush, who believes he is Napoleon or the NEW Messiah, leading the Nation with insane belief.

Insane belief is alright for the asylum, under close supervision, but insane belief as demonstrated by the Bush Administration will cause great difficulty with regard to Government of the United States.

It is time to put down the insane belief, the "Gut", of the Bush Administration and go back to what made the United States great, the use of facts and evidence to guide the United States' Ship of State through the rough waters of stormy seas, both Foreign and Domestic, that have rocky shoals that will scuttle our Ship of State, the United States, if we choose to believe that the rocky shoals are not there.

Government by Belief, By "Gut"

One can believe anything. Some believe that they are Christ, some believe that they are Napoleon and others believe other ludicrous things that are without evidence, provable facts that support the belief of the believer.

Belief is used to supplant factual evidence that is not available. Belief and Government by "Gut" is the same. Government by "Gut" is belief that intuition will supplant factual evidence and is acceptable for Governmental rule.

The Christian Coalition that the Bush Administration supports pushes belief, connects belief with economic security and further connects econmic security with Government rule, and provides acceptance by those under the control of the Christian Coalition to believe that Government by belief, by "Gut", by the Bush Administration, is acceptable; belief that supplant facts is NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR GOVERNMENT RULE.

Government by "Gut", by belief, has got the United States into two wars, has committed every MAN, WOMAN and CHILD in the United States to THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS($30,000.) of DEBT without their individual approval, has destroyed a greater portion of the Social Safety Net of the United States and has resulted in Loss of Respect for the United States on a GLOBAL SCALE as a result of the Bush Administration's belief in torture and GLOBAL IMPERIALISM.

Are we, here in the United States, willing to be led by the belief, the "Gut" of George Bush, the Christian RIGHT, the Christian Coalition of Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, an EXTREMIST RIGHT-WING NUT who says referring to the Iraqis, "Kill Them, Kill Them ALL"; or are we going to insist that Government of the United States will be subject to factual evidence, so that we do not have Bush or someone like Bush, who believes he is Napoleon or the NEW Messiah, leading the Nation with insane belief.

Insane belief is alright for the asylum, under close supervision, but insane belief as demonstrated by the Bush Administration will cause great difficulty with regard to Government of the United States.

It is time to put down the insane belief, the "Gut", of the Bush Administration and go back to what made the United States great, the use of facts and evidence to guide the United States' Ship of State through the rough waters of stormy seas, both Foreign and Domestic, that have rocky shoals that will scuttle our Ship of State, the United States, if we choose to believe that the rocky shoals are not there.

Control of Entitlement

Entitlement is NOT one-sided, entitlement is like a teeter-totter, balanced in the center. On one side of the teeter-totter Benefits of the WORKING AND POOR CLASS AND CULTURE reside and on the other side of the teeter-totter Benefits of the ELITE CAPITALIST CLASS AND CULTURE of Business, Industry, and Commercial Interests, reside.

When Government; i.e., the Bush Administration, and other RIGHT-WING EXTREMIST predecessors, such as Reagan and Bush I, build up a DEFICIT DEBT OWED BY THE PEOPLE THAT AMOUNTS TO AT LEAST Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000.) at the present time, and a potentially unlimited amount given the proclivity of the Bush Administration for "Borrowing and Spending"; for every man, woman and child in the United States, to give TAX CUTS to the ELITE CAPITALIST CLASS; it is disingenuous to say that this type of "Borrow and Spend" Government must be paid for by Control of Entitlements to the WORKING AND POOR CLASS AND CULTURE.

Entitlement on both sides of the teeter-totter MUST be evaluated along with who benefitted from the "RIGHT-WING" "Borrow and Spend" Government Policy that has existed from Reagan to Bush I and now Bush II. Also, it is necessary to evaluate whether or not it is in the best interest of the greater part of the people of the United States to reclaim the TAX GIFTS made to the Wealthy by Bush I and his RIGHT-WING predecessors, to evaluate raising TAXES for the ELITE CAPITALIST CLASS, to evaluate Control of Welfare for the Wealthy, and to evaluate forcing the ELITE CAPITALIST CLASS to pay for ORIGIN and MAINTENANCE of the National Infrastructure when the National Infrastructure is used in pursuit of PRIVATE ENTERPRISE.

OPPRESSING and TYRANNIZING the WORKING AND POOR CLASS AND CULTURE by passing unjust laws and using Law Enforcement to remove their meager resources for the Benefit of Commercial Enterprise and TAX BREAKS for the ELITE CAPITALIST CLASS is not a proper solution, and this solution that has been implemented by Reagan, Bush I and now Bush II MUST
be discontinued before it results in unfortunate results for both the ELITE CAPITALIST CLASS and the WORKING AND POOR CLASS AND CULTURE.

Desecration of the Flag of the United States

The Flag of the United States represents the Government of the United States and the Government of the United States represents the People of the United States.

When the Government of the United States does not represent the People of the United States, the Flag of the United States does not represent the People of the United States.

When the Government of the United States does not represent the people of the United States, the Flag of the United States is not sacrosanct. The respect shown for the Flag of the United States is the respect given to the Government of the United States.

It is the responsibility of the Government of the United States to respect and not dishonor the Flag of the United States by dishonorable Government and dishonorable Representation of the People of the United States.

When the Government of the United States dishonors the Flag of the United States and the People of the United States by dishonorable Government of the United States, the People of the United States reflect the dishonor of the Government for the Flag and the People by dishonoring the Symbol of the Government of the United States, the Flag of the United States.

If laws are needed with regard to proper respect that will not dishonor the Flag of the United States, the laws should be to prevent the Government of the United States from dishonoring the Flag, the People, the Constitution and the Laws of the United States, rather than against the People of the United States for reflecting dishonor demonstrated by the Government of the United States.

The Death Tax

Are you ignorant or just plain stupid?

If you initially supported and believed the RIGHT-WING EXTREMIST FRAMING of the Death Tax as affecting the WORKING AND POOR CLASS AND CULTURE, you were ignorant, which can be forgiven.

But, if you still support the so called Death Tax that benefits ONLY the top 1% to 2% of the Population of the United States, and allows the ELITE CAPITALIST CLASS to consolidate their wealth at the expense of the WORKING AND POOR CLASS AND CULTURE, you are just plain stupid, and sufficiently retarded to have your right to
VOTE revoked.

Vote for and support the 70% Majority, the WORKING AND POOR CLASS AND CULTURE, and don't go for the Death Tax Scam. We, the WORKING AND POOR CLASS AND CULTURE do not make enough money to be subject to the so called "Death Tax". This tax applies to the TOP 1% to 2% of the Population of the United States and prevents the consolidation of wealth by the top 1% to 2% of the Population of the United States and resultant OPPRESSION and TYRANNY by an opulent minority, the ELITE CAPITALIST CLASS, over the WORKING AND POOR CLASS AND CULTURE.

Hillary Clinton for President? NOT!!!!!!

I do not support Hillary Clinton for President of the United States because Hillary Clinton is Representative of the Democratic Leadership Council, DLC, and the DLC joined in duopoly with the RIGHT-WING EXTREMISTS of the REPUBLICAN PARTY to exclude the 70% Majority Population of the WORKING AND POOR CLASS AND CULTURE from representation in the Government of the United States to benefit the Professional Class, Hillary Clinton's Class.

Hillary Clinton is representative of the DLC, the Professional Class, the DLC Professional Class Duopoly with the REPUBLICAN PARTY that is representative of the ELITE CAPITALIST CLASS and excludes representation of the WORKING AND POOR CLASS.

The WORKING AND POOR CLASS AND CULTURE is a 70% MAJORITY POPULATION of the United States and we, the WORKING AND POOR CLASS AND CULTURE, DO NOT SUPPORT Hillary Clinton because Hillary Clinton DOES NOT support the WORKING AND POOR CLASS AND CULTURE.

Here are the links for facts of Hillary Clinton's involvement in the DLC and also links to the solution at Reform Democratic Party and political definitions at Stand UP FOR LIBERALS IN THE USA:

http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile1463

http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/1534

http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/1295

http://reformdemocraticparty.blogspot.com

http://standupforliberalsintheusa.blogspot.com

http://democracyintheusa.blogspot.com

I'll try one more time for the DLC Right-Wing WEB link and the democracy link:

http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/1463

http://democracy-for-usa.blogspot.com/

Death TAX is RIGHT-WING JARGON for Equal Opportunity TAX

I am for what is "Equal Opportunity TAX" that was once known as an "Estate TAX" and is now called "Death TAX" by the RIGHT-WINGERS.

I am for the "Equal Opportunity TAX", Estate TAX, or "Death TAX" in RIGHT-WINGER jargon, because the "Estate TAX" is an "Equal Opportunity TAX" that is intended to MAINTAIN A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD between the ELITE CAPITALIST CLASS and the WORKING AND POOR CLASS by denying the cultural advantage of unearned wealth from being handed down from generation to generation to members of the ELITE CAPITALIST CLASS AND CULTURE that forces the WORKING AND POOR CLASS AND CULTURE to have to compete for survival against culturally accumulated wealth passed down from generation to generation by the ELITE CAPITALIST CLASS.

Why was the 50 State Strategy - Talking with Voters forum CLOSED with only 17 posts???????????

Here is a link that helps people remember the corruption. It's called The Memory Hole:

http://www.thememoryhole.com

Here is another wonderful web site for Liberty:

http://www.libertynewstv.com

AND, here is a wonderful site with information on the oil factor:

http://www.theoilfactor.com

The Oil Factor site takes a little while to load, but you won't be sorry you waited.

AND, one more. This site clues you in to the how the media that says it's "fair and balanced" is running a scam on the public:

http://www.robertgreenwald.org

Here is another wonderful information site for learning the difference between what you are told in the RIGHT-WING Media and what really is:

http://www.documentingdissent-east.org/

Here is another wonderful site that helps one to understand the difference between what one is told in the RIGHT-WING Media and what really is:

http://www.documentingdissent-east.org/

Apparently my fellow Americans in San Diego haven't had enough of the Republican theivery, assault on the middle class, war profiteering, and criminal activities, they elected another republican shmock to continue the status quo, and in the middle of all of that, a decent democratic candidate lost her bid to replace the republican thug now in jail. What an awful shame that we let this happen, what a disgrace for us democrates that was. There's something very wrong with this picture Mr. Dean, and I lay it out all at your feet.

Good Day Sir.
Robert Remington

this makes me wanna puke,this sickens me,i cant believe what lowlife pieces of trash the republican scumbags ready and willing to slash in the needed for funds for disaster relief in new orleans and surrounding areas.but thats bush and cheney and republican scumbags for you,they will screw over the american people to the point they are dirt poor,while constantly making the rich richer and constantly givng them over 4.6 trillion in tax cuts the past 5 years and supposively these huge tax cut windfalls for the rich and powerfull helps out the american people and creates jobs while it keeps robbing the social security trust funds,medicare and medicaid trust funds,pension fund trust funds and others.but hey what the hell do the republican care about the american people,they only care about them during election and then givem a real good screwing after election while making the rich and powerfull 10 times more rich and powerfull than they ever been before

this makes me wanna puke,this sickens me,i cant believe what lowlife pieces of trash the republican scumbags ready and willing to slash in the needed for funds for disaster relief in new orleans and surrounding areas.but thats bush and cheney and republican scumbags for you,they will screw over the american people to the point they are dirt poor,while constantly making the rich richer and constantly givng them over 4.6 trillion in tax cuts the past 5 years and supposively these huge tax cut windfalls for the rich and powerfull helps out the american people and creates jobs while it keeps robbing the social security trust funds,medicare and medicaid trust funds,pension fund trust funds and others.but hey what the hell do the republican care about the american people,they only care about them during election and then givem a real good screwing after election while making the rich and powerfull 10 times more rich and powerfull than they ever been before

I understand there were some voting irregularities and the California Election may need to be held again.

New Orleans is a lost cause. Corruption has been a way a of life for over 200 years. Let the city die because sometimes blights on the economy system should be allowed to die rather than drag the country through the mud. The lake is 28 feet above the city, doesn’t anyone else see the problem trying to live below water level. If we spent money like the amount with Katrina on every natural disaster, then we might as well give up. Florida and Texas don't come running to the government every time there is a hurricane and New Orleans shouldn't either. Everybody acts if the storm was a category 5, but Mississippi took a much worse pounding and no one in the media focused on them. New Orleans wasted so much money for a project they were suppose to fix, that to blame the government is nuts. Every time there is a tornado in my neck of the woods, I don't expect the government to swoop in and clean it up. My neighbors and I are able to fend for ourselves.
Moreover, as far as money being pulled from NY, it should. Both senators and even some of their representatives voted to cut funding. If we spend all money of NY and Washington then other cities like Chicago, St. Louis, Dallas, or Phoenix will be left holding an empty bag of money. The money is designed to sure up each city’s defenses not a cash cow for the rest of time for Washington and NY. There are other cities in need of support not to mention all the water works, food plants, or any other industries that we as Americans rely on as part of our everyday livelihood. I know Bush has screwed some things up, but the mayor of New Orleans did not act to save his own citizens. So where is the outcry to replace an ineffective pompous putz that froze when voters looked to him for leadership? Maybe we should elect him as President then he could freeze when a real disaster hit like the World Trade Center.

Why should New Orleans receive anything different than any other city or locations that got hit by a hurricane? Or is this the same thing everybody got?

Several other major cities got cut back too. NYC was one of them.
I saw some video clips from the Gulf coast, it's not just New Orleans. It's the whole coast. It still looks like Katrina was a few weeks ago and not several months.
New Orleans was a major port. You can't just write it off. You also have shrimping, and fishing, and oil coming in from the Gulf Coast oil platforms there.
It's hard to find information about what's going on with such a large, and economically important area of the country. You'd think the Bushies would be doing something about that, even if they obviously don't care what happens to the people.
Are they doing the government down the drain thing again? Or are they just being their usual incompetent selves?