The KatrinaRita - Molly Ivins

[cornermouse]

The Big Whew blew over Texas, leaving Port Arthur underwater and whole lot of stress across the state. It is highly stressful to be in a car with two adults, three children, the dog and the cat for a 12-to-20 hour trip from Houston to Austin, Dallas or San Antonio. It is also stressful to have two adults, three children, their dog and their cat move into your 1,200-square-foot house with you, especially if your sister-in-law thinks anyone who criticizes George W. Bush is a tool of Satan.

Stress-sensitive groups like Alcoholics Anonymous were doing land-office business in Texas this weekend, while bartenders served up the KatrinaRita. Austin, of course, was also having a music festival and offering free yoga and aromatherapy sessions to hurricane refugees. Austin musicians have adopted New Orleans musicians en masse: You're practically no one if you haven't got a Neville in your guest room.

The refugees trade tales of heroism and generosity, along with reports of the bad and the ugly. That's human nature, but there's nothing forgivable about organized government corruption.

I'm sorry, there are no exceptions: The first commandment of governing is Thou Shalt Not Steal the People's Money. Ronald Reagan came into office in 1980 on the mantra that he would rid the nation of Waste, Fraud and Abuse. He proceeded to raise the national deficit by $2 trillion with tax cuts and spending on the military in the face of a collapsing Soviet Union. This led to the peppy military procurement scandals of the late '80s and early '90s -- the $435 hammer and the $640 toilet seat....

:blush:

http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/1/2005/1218

[aquart]

1. LINK?????

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Corruption like this

needs to be broadcast far and wide. What we need is some creative person to make a DVD documentary detailing the no-bid contracts, the money wasted, the political connections. Then the DVDs need to be distributed far and wide for people to see. Usually I'd say to print out flyers with this information, but I've decided that few of the masses read any more, and have to have their information spoon fed to them.

[izzie]

3. The 1880's and 1920's are going to be chicken feed to this

When you get men in at the top who have already done most of this stuff and got away with it, it is like a green light to all those who have moved in the last 4 years. Why would the SEC now do any thing to Sen. leader when Bush did the same and got away with it? What times we live in.