Sent to my political address book today:

[flamin lib]

I had planed to compile a "best of" quotes from the last few days. Like Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff saying: "The critical thing was to get people out of there before the disaster. Some people chose not to obey that order. That was a mistake on their part," ignoring the fact that 100,000 NOLA inhabitants have no means of transportation.

It was a good plan, but things have just become too surreal.

On Monday President Bush decided to cut his vacation short by 36 hours. After leaving Compound W he went to a fund raiser, a birthday party and Navy Station photo op.

At the time the eye of Katrina was passing over New Orleans President Bush was laughing it up with senior citizens at the Pueblo El Mirage RV Resort and Country Club in Arizona patting himself on the back for the failed Medicare Drug Benefit.

As the first levee broke and began to flood the city President Bush was playing a guitar back stage with Country Singer Mark Wills getting ready to tell the troops at the Coronado Naval Station how well things are going in Iraq.

Cindy Sheehan began dismantling Camps Casey I & II and directed her supporters to move to Houston and take the food and water they had to the refugees at the Astrodome.

After two days of flooding Governor Blanko directed the few remaining police to cease search & rescue and concentrate on looters.

Wednesday, the day after Cindy directed aid to the refugees, the President finally addressed the nation but the Secretary of State wasn't available for the speech, she went shoe shoppin' and took in a musical in New York instead.

Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert said flatly that New Orleans shouldn't be re-built.

While Democratic Representatives are offering an amendment to the new Bankruptcy Law to exempt victims of natural disasters from some of the more onerous provisions (more on that later) RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman is pushing house Republicans to make the Inheritance Tax Cuts permanent. I guess you have to get your priorities in order. Democrats trying to protect the poor from collection agencies and Republicans trying to make Paris Hilton safe from inheritance taxes.

Lake New Orleans is five days old, yet food and water are still not being distributed.

Anderson Cooper reports that rats are eating the dead.

It's been reported that 50-60% of New Orleans police have turned in their badges.

The first NG troops have arrived this morning. All 300 of them. They have orders from the Governor to shoot to kill.

The regional director of FEMA told MSNBC this morning that they are still waiting for direction from Washington.

Asked if anyone in Washington believes the disaster relief is being managed correctly Tim Russert simply said, "No," followed by five seconds of dead air.

Like Harry Chapin I feel like I'm working in a Hollywood movie or living out a good bad dream.

I said I'd tell you a bit about the amendment to the bankruptcy bill being proposed by Democratid Reps. John Conyers, Jr., Mel Watt, Jerrold Nadler, and Sheila Jackson Lee. It would exempt victims of natural disasters from being forced to declare federal relief funds as income. Beginning October 17 the refugees of Katrina would not be able to file chapter 7 if their income the previous year was above the state mean. In LA that's about $22,000. That amendment was offered to the original bill but was voted down on party lines. The big hearted Republicans would let the Credit Industry confiscate your Federal Disaster relief. We'll see if it passes this time. Probably won't, there's still a Republican majority ya' know.

I'm having a hard time dealing with this level of irony and incompetence. I think my head may explode.