The Party's Over

Definitely over for the big spending, big government faction of the Republican party.

I was going to post today about the idiotic notion being thrown out that this disaster is George Bushes fault for not signing onto the Kyoto protocol (would have cost more than the Iraq war). Or that this is karma asserting itself (a member of the Kennedy family shouldn't talk of bad karma). If that were true, wouldn't the hurricane have destroy the ranch in Crawford? I wonder if the press would have covered the evacuation of Cindy Sheehan? Or better yet, the return of the prophet , Michael Marcavage, who I never heard of... and for that I thank God! But then I came across this, and in an instant recognized that we have crossed a line, pulled a trigger of termultuous change on the political scene. The last straw has just snapped. Here's why.

For the last two years I have been suggesting that the political landscape is ripe for emergence of a strong third party, and not just a flash in the pan like the Perot reform party (political parties based on a strong personality generally don't work - ask Teddy Roosevelt). In the American experience, this means the splitting or break-up of an existing political party, which can siphon off members of the stronger party as well. This has often been due to dissatisfaction with immigration policy and / or economic policy. In case no one has noticed, we have that now. Many republicans are appalled at Bush's resistance to control the borders. The libertarian and fiscal conservatives has been watching with disbelief the spending binge of congress and the president. Take that, and add the spitting contest going on between the Howard Dean DNC and the Clinton / Lieberman led DLC. No, I take that back. If you read the Daily Kos, it's not a spitting contest - - It's War!!!

The last few budgets from the Bush administration pulled money directly from the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project, or SELA, which was in charge of buttressing the levee that contains Lake Pontchartrain, and carried out by the Army Corps of Engineers. This article states:

"after 2003, the flow of federal dollars toward SELA dropped to a trickle. The Corps never tried to hide the fact that the spending pressures of the war in Iraq, as well as homeland security -- coming at the same time as federal tax cuts -- was the reason for the strain. At least nine articles in the Times-Picayune from 2004 and 2005 specifically cite the cost of Iraq as a reason for the lack of hurricane- and flood-control dollars."

The Democrats are going to have a field day with this - and rightly so.

I had in the past defended some of the spending that started after the 9/11 attacks. What ever actions are taken to try and secure the nation from terrorist attacks, be it by a democratic or republican administration, will cost money. I supported the tax cuts as a method of helping bolster the economy, thus getting us out of the recession, which, in turn, provides more revenue to the government. I support the ideals that, even without the WMD issue, more than justify removing Saddam, and breaking the tyrannical dictator / islamo-fascist grip on the whole Middle East region. And there seems to be progress, though the cost is so very high. But the pork barrel spending!!! My god. Look at the recently passed Energy and Transportation bills! Can you justify the destruction of a city for that?

OK. Maybe that is a little hysterical. After all, there is no way to know if the same horrors would not be playing out if the funding of SELA remained in tact. But it's VERY, VERY easy to know that not funding the project sealed New Orleans fate. I mean, unlike the 9/11 attacks, no one in their right mind can say they couldn't see this coming. At least once every hurricane season, for as long as I can remember, it was always... "Uh oh! Is this storm going to destroy New Orleans??? They probably had been taking bets each year in Vegas!

Now Democrats are not exactly known for their spend-thrift tendencies. Kerry's proposed budget was even more massive than Bush's. This is one of the main reasons why I didn't vote for either one. But, if the reporting on this pans out, this disaster is going to settle squarely on George Bush's shoulders.

The Republican party is surely, and deservedly, going to pay dearly for their fiscal mismanagement.

I don't need to go into any details about Katrina. Sleepybomb, a blog / music friend who visits my blog a lot (actually he is about the only one who does - but that's not important now) lives and makes music in the bog that was once New Orleans. I have tried to contact him through his blog, but it won't load at the moment. I hope that he and family and friends managed to get out and are safe.

Take care my friend.

Instapundit has a good collection of links to rescue and relief agencies to donate to. Please give if you can.

Album Title

"My Other Guitar is a Syringe"



Hat Tip: Caption This

New Addition to the Family

This is Judy.







She adopted us just over a month ago. She planted herself on our front porch and lived there for a few days. We were hoping she would move on in a few days but there she stayed. We put ads in the "Lost and Found" section of the paper, but the few calls we got were dead ends. So now she is part of the family. She chose us, so what can you do. She is likely part chow with something else mixed in. She is so sweet and calm and well behaved. Now I wonder if we should get another dog to keep her company. The due claws on her back feet are way too long and need to be trimmed. But we will let the vet do that when we bring her in for her first vet check-up under our care.

Some Friends...

... having fun in Europe.

PS. This is Brian and Sarah's blog. If you look at the Chris Plays Guitar website you will find a striking resemblance to the drummer and his wife, who are, coincidently named Brian and Sarah.

PPS. Though he is not our drummer anymore, we still love him.

Strange Things...

...you didn't likely know.

Hat Tip: digg

School Power Point

This post is for those in my National University 611 class. So if you're not in the class, and you download these files and they are meaningless to you, well, I'm sorry. If your in the class, and you download these files, and they are meaningless to you, well then I'm still sorry:-) Anyway, the files are HERE. To download click on the appropriate chapter. If you have problems, you can e-mail me or just leave a comment.

PS. Feel free to browse the blog. Check out the "Hear Ye!, Hear Ye!" section for free and legal music downloads.

PPS. While you are here, you might as well download gobs of free and legal music compliments of Chris Plays Guitar. I hear the bass player is really, really cool; and needs dinner, and a beer. Mmmmmmmmmmmm Beeeeeeeeer!!!!

PPPPS. This "little favor" will cost each of you a dinner, and a beer. Mmmmmmm. Beer!

Why I Love Arubus's!

This analysis from NorthWet Pat reveals all:

"That's no redneck, that is one of the most respected Alternative-Fuel Engineers in the world. His Subaru contains an advanced destructive-distillation cell that can turn that 1/2 cord of wood into enough energy to power a 2000-lb vehicle 350 miles. Pretty soon YOU will be seen driving down the road in a beauty just like that".

Hat Tip: Ultimate Subaru Message Board