The Democrats have Bush by the balls on this one

[TayTay]

The Democrats have been screaming about a lack of preparedness for years. This is all documented. In many cases, it is documented in official Committeex of Congress in front of witnesses who were UNDER OATH. There mountains of documents that the Dems produced that accuse the Administration of underfunding FEMA, ignoring glaring problems in disaster preparedness and in failing to shore up vital infrastructure.

Wasn't anyone paying attention last year? This came up all the time. The Democrats don't control a single branch of the federal government. They couldn't get competent people into FEMA. They couldn't get the money put back in for domestic preparedness.

The Democrats were the ones who were screaming for funding, screaming for action and screaming for an intelligent plan of action. The time to prepare for the disaster in New Orleans was way before this weekend. The Bushies wouldn't listen and didn't care. And this is a well documented fact.

This isn't the Democrats fuckup. This belongs to Bush and the REthugs.

[Tesha]

1. Don't worry; they'll lick 'em rather than kick 'em. (NT)

[Debi]

4. Probably

:shrug:

[SledDriver]

5. They'll trample over each other to be first in line to do it too!

:grr:

[Debi]

2. I know I'm splitting hairs, but...

I haven't seen much movement from ANYONE in the Federal Government.

Although I agree that this is 99% Bush et al's fault, Democrats have to be ready to take control. Maybe I haven't been paying close enough attention, but now that the Coward in Chief has failed American we need Democrats to jump into action NOW and LEAD.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

7. Please, outline exactly what you'd like to see happen

Then tell me where Democrats have the power to do it.

But if you haven't already noticed, the DNC is offering paid leave for any of its staff that wants to go help out in New Orleans. Just about every major Democrat has made some effort to bolster fundraising for disaster relief. Nancy Pelosi, not any Republican, was the one who called for the emergency session of Congress to appropriate disaster relief. What the fuck else do you think we can do? Look beyond what the media is reporting - you should know by now they don't cover Democrats.

[Debi]

15. I'm looking at some of the wealthiest people in the country....

hoping that they are sending $$, hoping that they are trying to coordinate with the Red Cross or Salvation Army to get people out of danger and into a safe environment where they can shower, eat and sleep. I'm talking about Democratic Governors opening their professional sports arenas and state-funded rescue operations - sending busses to transport people. I'm talking about leading by example because the administration won't.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

18. Uhm, they are.

Any other plans?

[Debi]

21. The Astrodome will hold all the refugees? n/t

[John Q. Citizen]

16. Democrats could call enmasse for the impeachment of bush

based on criminal negligence, for starters.

They have no executive or legislative power but they could at least demonstrate a little moral authority and do the right thing.

This would lead very quickly to legislative power and soon after to executive power.

As long as they go along to get along we are screwed.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

19. Yes, because politicizing a national tragedy so blatantly is going to work

:sarcasm: That idea severely lacks any kind of political savvy, nor does it demonstrate any form of human compassion. People are fucking dying down there.

[laugle]

23. It's obvious this creature in the white house,

has put all of our lives at stake for his shity WAR!! FUCK IMPEACHMENT WE SHOULD ALL BE ASKING FOR HIS RESIGNATION NOW!!!! Please excuse my language, but words aren't enough.....BUSH IS INCOMPETENT, WE ALL KNOW IT!!!

[karynnj]

8. Only the executive branch is designed to have these functions

The Judicial and Legislative branches don't. The Legislature has oversight and as the OP wrote they have been demanding answers on plans and preparedness for years. The Democrats don't control that either.

[tmooses]

3. The Dems should demand an investigation (fair and open) into these

mistakes by the Bush administration. Any stonewalling by Frist or deLay would not sit well with the public on this issue. The images are powerful and cause everyone to wonder how this disaster could have happened. I don't think Bush can avoid blame for the funding cuts for flood protection like he has danced around the mess he's made in Iraq.

[Debi]

6. Except for the 'go along, get along' Dems that voted FOR those cuts

We first have to GET some balls before we can KICK some ass.

[gulliver]

9. I hope they have him by something bigger than that. n/t

[cbear70]

10. So where are they

I want to see Dems screaming and yelling on tv...I am so tired of them laying low and saying nothing...

Seriously thinking of becoming independent...I don't respect many in this party anymore... except for Wes Clark..

[TayTay]

11. Watch Nancy Pelosi on C-Span

She is saying that the Dems wanted to reconvene in congress earlier this week. They were stopped by the Rethug 'leadership.' (Gag.)

The Dems couldn't get the Rethugs to come in and do something. This will all come out.

[BikeWriter]

22. We can only fuckin' hope!

[Panda1]

12. Those are socks

[LittleClarkie]

14. Poor cat

What a fate.

[paineinthearse]

13. What do you mean? * has no balls! nt

[killbotfactory]

17. Message for the elections is simple: REPUBLICANS CAN'T PROTECT YOU

Republicans have failed. Bigtime.

[lateo]

20. And they will rub his balls lovingly...

[bamademo]

24. Be Patient, Grasshoppers. Wait until the 2006 elections.

I think Dems should wait until things normalize in NOLA before they say anything so Repugs can't accuse Dems of politicizing tragedies. The damage has been done to the GOP. They have jumped the shark.

[OregonBlue]

25. Hey, we have them all by the balls, they all screwed up

Repugs because they devised all of this and Dems because they went along. I sent this letter to my good old "moderate Dem from Oregon" Ron Wyden today! I'm sorry but we have to MAKE these moderates stand up and do the right thing.

I am writing to ask you - WHERE DID ALL THE MONEY IN THE HOMELAND SECURITY BUDGET GO? We have heard repeatedly that the government could not divulge the details of the Homeland Security budget because of "national security" concerns. You didn't want the "terrorists" to know where we were concentrating our money. It's time the people of this country knew where that money is being spent, and what your priorities are.

It appears that the money was not spent on disaster planning but, on tracking and surveillance of U.S. citizens like members of Code Pink, tracking people's library records, etc.

We were told that the major problem on 9/11 was the lack of communications. You were supposed to create a satellite network so that would never happen again. Well, guess what, the worst problem we are facing in New Orleans is that rescuers cannot communicate. There is NO satellite communications system. There is nada.

I WANT TO KNOW HOW THAT MONEY WAS SPENT AND HOW BADLY WE WERE RIPPED OFF. President Bush is only partly responsible for this debacle. Our Congress, that went along with this amazing rip-off, is also responsible.

I guarantee you that I will not quit asking this question. I will not rest until I get some honest answers. I will do everything I can to see that you or any other Democrat that tries to cover up this HUGE RIP-OFF OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE is brought down. I will write to every paper in this country. I will talk with everyone in my community and on every message board, right or left, until I get an answer.

As you have seen, per Cindy Sheehan, one really devoted person can do a lot it in this country and, I am going to make getting an answer my personal crusade.

I am so sick of cronyism and backslapping and Democrats that go on voting for CAFTA and NAFTA and a transportation bill that is loaded with pork and, and, and!!!

If Democrats are not willing to stand up, we will see to it that you will stand down and out.

I am a lifelong Democrat, my mother was the leader of the Young Democrats in Hood River County in the 50's. My aunt was the assistant to that wonderful, true Democrat Edith Green. I used to love my party but I have had enough.

If you and your Democratic colleagues do not finally stand up and say enough is enough and help us take back this country, WE WILL DO IT WITHOUT YOU AND YOU WILL NOT SURVIVE WITHOUT US!

[TayTay]

26. So, what are you going to do?

Exactly and without bullshit. Tell me, cuz I wanna know.

Are you gonna spend the time and effort getting correct information about which parts of the country are vulnerable and how to shore them up or are you going to sit at a keyboard and mouth embarrassing platitudes about how 'the revolution is coming' and you are going to kick out people who have spent a lifetime doing good work.

Are you going to demand that expensive research that indicates exactly what needs to get done in other parts of the country gets funded? You know, this stuff is boring and not flashy and rarely gets on TV cuz there are no visuals to pure research. Are you going to demand this or are you going to demand one flashy little demo from a person that will accomplish nothing, aid no one and become just another mindless piece of blather.

The reason for this fuckup is because the Rethugs and Bush ignored what the intelligent people have been telling them needs to get done. Your idioitic rants about getting talking heads on TV are not going to help.

You have an agenda to get the Democrats and get the people who have been fighting this fight for years, and not just as the fighting keyboardists, out of the picture so that more damage can be done.

Not gonna happen. Not now, not ever.

[OregonBlue]

27. I'm going to do exactly what I said.

I'm going to start writing to everyone I know and asking the question over and over. If I need to, I'll go to D.C. and camp out on Wyden's doorstep. I know that if we saw the details of the FEMA budget we'd all be stunned. Where did that money go? Into who's pockets? It sure didn't go into disaster preparedness.

I'm sorry if my fellow DUers don't agree with me. These Moderate Dems have been just as bad for us as the Repugs (actually Wyden's not bad but what about the Liebermans and Breaux's). They are not stepping up to the plate. There are many many great dems out there, they are articulate, bright and they're not afraid to call bullshit on this whole administration. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of these guys who have been in office a long time and think they can go on rubber stamping what Shrub proposes and we'll just keep voting for them.

I'm frustrated. We need Leadership, not cronyism!!

[DarkmoonIkonoklast]

28. Sounds good to me!

Think I'll ask Murray, Cantwell and Inslee the same questions...