Can we be done with this imbecility of let's not politicize tragedy? It is utterly political. In fact, nothing is more political than this man-made tragedy.

Who gets to make policy decisions regarding essential infrastructure (such as work on levees in the country's largest port vs. bridges to empty islands in Alaska), who gets to make policy and funding decisions for disaster preparation, and who gets to make the decisions when disaster strikes -- all of this is a consequence of politics.

Politics is not an empty game of words that's played independently of policy and events. This is when we need politics the most. Policy and decision-making must change. We can't have blithering idiots with no relevant experience running critical agencies just because they are Republican political cronies -- part and parcel of the Republican culture of corruption.

Policy will only change if power changes, and power will only change as a consequence of politics.

Until Democrats go on the attack, as ruthlessly as imaginable, people will not trust them as leaders who can fight. And the media, in the sad state it currently is, will not respect them either. If Democrats can't fight for themselves, and be willing to take a few hits in the process if need be, no one will trust them to fight for the country.

Democrats must call for Bush's resignation, now.

Not that he will, but it's the only decent thing to do and, at this point, it's also good politics. And get over the politicization-phobia. The GOP has a long time ago. It's how they gained their current hold on absolute power in spite of staggering incompetence on policy and decision-making.

Democrats must fight and hurt the GOP for the consequences of their policies and budget decisions. It's good politics and, right now, good politics is the only way to get the good policy and good decision-making that the country desperately needs.

(Finally, here's a suggested link for the Trolls to go do something more useful instead of coming here to repeat GOP talking points.)

From the diaries--Chris

I'm getting annoyed with all this talk of not rebuilding New Orleans, and how it's economically unsound (which is wrong) and untennable engineering-wise (which is false) to have a city there. This meme is being pushed hard by Bush supporters. It's a great way to deflect blame and to avoid accountability. It's also, in effect, an exercise in blaming the victim.