Just sent this to my Congressman, and Dennis Kucinich

[brazil]

Today, I'm writing about the tragedy in New Orleans, and it makes me very sad to see how pathetic the situation is. The Bush administration is guilty of the following acts:

* Cutting funding for the levee system in New Orleans, over the objections of experts, local officials, and the Army Corps of Engineers.

* Appointing Michael Brown as head of FEMA. His prior job was head of the International Arabian Horse Association, and he had to be "asked to resign". No disaster management experience at all.

* Waiting days to respond with federal aid. Hundreds, maybe thousands died with each day of delay.

This is not 20/20 hindsight. These are clearly foreseeable actions of incompetence at best and malice at worst. And we've seen the results. Ten thousand dead, and probably more. Our country looks worse than a Third World nation. Unfortunately, our system of government doesn't provide a good way to remove this administration at this time, unlike most other representative democracies.

However, the administration most not be allowed to loot the treasury any further. I understand that the Republicans are still going to try to push through estate tax cuts, further capital gains and dividend tax cuts, and further reduce funding to the social programs that keep many people alive in this country. It's obvious that emergency preparedness funding is lacking, and a lot of money is going to be needed to recover from Katrina alone. In addition, with two Supreme Court vacancies, Bush is likely to try to roll back many of the civil rights that people in most First World countries take for granted.

None of this must be allowed to pass.

If any tax cut is passed, it should be a cut in the federal gasoline tax. And a Democrat should be the one to propose this. This would be a hugely popular piece of legislation, and could help the Democratic Party start the long process of reclaiming its role as defenders of everyday Americans, not just the richest 1% of the population. It would help to define what Democrats stand for in the minds of potential voters. If Democrats start introducing bill after bill, each designed to ease the real problems that Americans face, a Democratic majority in 2006 is all but guaranteed. Even if the bills don't pass, it's good publicity.

Thank you for your time.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. I will add this to the letter writing activist alert so folks can see

what they should write.

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Save New Orleans, then save the nation!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/electionreform.htm

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. good letter!

I hope they act on it!

[Greeby]

3. Kucinich knows this

He brought up the basics in a speech on the House floor friday