Sunday Morning

Time for reflection. The Gulf Coast slowly digs itself out from under the worst disaster of a lifetime. It is unclear if New Orleans will return to being a functional city. All this because a two hundred yards of a levee didn't hold. The Liberal Avenger sends us to this link which gives a street level before and after. It is pretty clear that this is a failure of our government to live up to its most basic responsibility, the safety of all its citizens. It is shameful that those who suffered most were, as usual, poor and black. It is my hope that this will be a catalyst for change. We cannot go back to pre NOLA.

Today we will have a parade on the Mall commemorating the victims of the 9/11 disaster. Once again the Cheney administration (to use Billmon's terminology) will try to establish its bona fides with respect to this tragedy. Sorry Dick, that dog don't hunt. The world has changed in the last two weeks, and you had better get on the last boat out of the pre-Katrina world. And, by the way, go f**k yourself.

Message for Karl Rove: I hope you have been getting some pointers from Judy, I think your turn is next, there are only 19 days left in September and Mr. Fitzgerald is getting mighty hungry.

Finally, how badly will the children of Katrina (and I would expect that there are at least 200,000) be affected by the horror they have seen? It is hoped that the outpouring of good will be the people of the United States, as opposed to its government, will mitigate the post traumatic stress. Only time will tell.