McCain

According to Michael Barone, you should keep an eye on John McCain as 2008 approaches...

Old Europe

Mark Steyn has an astute take on the recent German elections. His column begins by demonstrating how a story from southern France typifies the social welfare problem facing Europe as a whole:

If you want the state of Europe in a nutshell, skip the German election coverage and consider this news item from the south of France: a fellow in Marseilles is being charged with fraud because he lived with the dead body of his mother for five years in order to continue receiving her pension of 700 euros a month.

She was 94 when she croaked, so she'd presumably been enjoying the old government cheque for a good three decades or so, but her son figured he might as well keep the money rolling in until her second century and, with her corpse tucked away under a pile of rubbish in the living room, the female telephone voice he put on for the benefit of the social services office was apparently convincing enough. As the Reuters headline put it: "Frenchman lived with dead mother to keep pension."

That's the perfect summation of Europe: welfare addiction over demographic reality.

Think of Germany as that flat in Marseilles, and Mr Schröder's government as the stiff, and the country's many state benefits as that French bloke's dead mum's benefits.

A shadow of hope

I'm usually a harsh critic of the New York Times (and for good reason). But, when they avoid indulging their political leanings, they tend to have really good articles. Here's a prime example: Coastal Cities of Mississippi in the Shadows.

Humor for the day

This is hilarious: Bush Causes Hurricane!

Reid knows best

Harry Reid, the Democratic Majority Leader in the Senate, had this to say today:

"An investigation of the Republican Administration by a Republican-controlled Congress is like having a pitcher call his own balls and strikes," the Democrat said, making an analogy to baseball.

"Katrina makes it clear this government has failed," Reid said. "We must find out why immediately to make sure the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina never happens again."

I would love to know what Sen. Reid thinks the Bush administration could actually do to prevent destruction next time something like this comes our way:

The great divide

I normally don't pay much attention to polls unless a campaign is in full swing. But ABC News has released a poll which suggests two things that really aren't that suprising. In the first place, public anger at Bush over his response to Katrina isn't nearly as great as the media furor would suggest. Secondly, the public's opinion of Bush's response is split right down the political divide. Republicans are pleased with Bush and Democrats are not. The poll notes:

Partisanship, as noted, plays a huge role: Nearly three-quarters of Republicans approve of the president's performance, and two-thirds rate the government's overall response positively. About seven in 10 Democrats take the opposite view on both scores.

The media's constant coverage of how allegedly poor Bush's response was isn't surprising given the media's pleasure in Bush-bashing and the fact that most of the victims in New Orleans who were/are stranded in the city are more likely than not to be opposed to Bush in the first place. Most of the victims were minorities who by overwhelming majorities were already convinced that Bush didn't care about them. Their traumatic experiences after Katrina (an act of God, not government) only reinforces this misguided perception.

Gas Gouging

The Clarion-Ledger reports of price gouging in the Jackson area. Click this link to read the article and see the photographic proof.

Media Mess

The media's coverage of the Gulf's destruction has provided some dramatic images. But it has also proven to be the absolute most disgraceful display of mindless Bush-bashing. The Democrats have long since crossed the line of decency and respectful restraint. John Hinderaker at Powerline writes the following:

The mainstream media's handling of Hurricane Katrina and the disasters in New Orleans is a disgrace, possibly the worst instance yet of media bias. Insane claims by left-wing nuts that President Bush botched the recovery effort on purpose so as to kill black people are repeated by the MSM in a chin-stroking mode, as if to say, "It's an interesting question--they might be on to something." Meanwhile, no one points out that it was President Bush who implored Governor Blanco to issue a first-ever mandatory evacuation order for the city, an action by the President that probably saved tens of thousands of lives.

Similarly, the media yammmer on and on about the allegedly slow federal response to the hurricane, without noting that the Governor of Louisiana has the power to call out the National Guard. Accusations that lawlessness and looting in New Orleans are somehow the federal government's fault are repeated endlessly; hardly anyone bothers to criticize the looters and other criminals themselves. And where is the outrage that should be directed toward the New Orleans Police Department? They were the authorities on the scene, and they, under the direction of the city's Mayor--who had an emergency plan in place, but apparently made no attempt to implement it--had the responsibility to maintain law and order. Yet some policemen reportedly joined in the looting, while a great many others turned tail and abandoned their responsibilities.

I couldn't agree more.

He goes on to argue that the Bush adminstration needs to begin passionately refuting all the baseless attacks being leveled at it before they become irrepairably mired in a public relations nightmare from which they won't ever awake. Again, I couldn't agree more.

Finally, Mr. Hinderaker's post linked to this article in which Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu (a Democrat) physically threatened President Bush:

"If one person criticizes our sheriffs, or says one more thing, including the President of the United States, he will hear from me - one more word about it after this show airs and I - I might likely have to punch him - literally," says Landrieu.

"The President came here yesterday for a photo-op, he got his photo-op but we are never going to get this fixed if he does not send us help now."

The people of the Gulf need action and cooperation. Not hysteria. Any reasonable person would expect those still stranded and suffering to be hysterical--and for good reason. But our society can't afford for our leaders to respond as such.

Sage Advice

Hugh Hewitt has some great suggestions about what the White House should do in the next few days. After clicking the link, scroll down a bit to read his ideas.

The President in Biloxi

You can read the President's remarks in Biloxi here.

Today...

Apart from 9/11, no event has induced in me so many intense emotions as has the aftermath of Katrina. I awoke this morning, turned on the TV and was greeted by the Congressional Black Caucus blasting the Bush administration. My heart despaired and my mood descended into a sour state. How dare they conspire to orchestrate a political--yes, political--attack on their most hated enemy when there's still far too much action that's needed on the ground in the Gulf? How dare they turn this into a racial issue? How dare they insunuate that all of the federal government (elected by a majority of Americans) would be quicker to help these victims had they been predominantly white?

The attacks didn't stop there. The floodgates (if I dare use that word) had opened. The media was in attack-Bush mode all day. People at school were blasting Bush. But people in New Orleans were dying. I think, why can't we see this situation stabalized before we look to point fingers? But then I realize that I hope for too much.

America's moral and civil fabric has been rendered as desolate as the Gulf is now. Years of dialogue and public discourse fueled by hatred, spite, and sheer contempt has brought America to a point that shames me. For the first time in my life I'm wondering if the strength of the American people is being overwhelmed by hatred, needless confusion, and mindless passion. I pray not. Now, if ever, we must trust the sincerity of our leaders. We must be compassionate and understanding. There's plenty of time ahead to critique the government's response, but let's wait until the stranded have been rescued and the dead have been counted.

Apart from the Bush-bashing I've seen from, quite frankly, all fronts, I've also witnessed the continued human tragedy as it unfolds before my eyes on live TV. I go from anger to sorrow. I can't imagine what so many of these people I see are going through. The tears I see on my wife's face tell me that she's thinking the same thing. Lord, comfort these people. Grant them grace and cause the rest of us to see that there are callings in our daily life that transcend malicious political opportunism.

Psalm 46

Words fail. Pray for the South.

Chaos reigns
The President Speaks
Mississippi Mourning
Urban Warfare...In the United States
Rebuild New Orleans?
Could More Have Been Done?

Angry about high gas prices? Remember next time you go to the pump that we're blessed to have a car to gas up.