Prometheus 6

Let's pretend George Bush is serious. Do you think that's reason to become a Republican?

Oh. Sorry, let me back up a step. Do you think George Bush's campaign reconstruction promises were made in all seriousness? That depends on how well you think he knows his constituency.

At the moment it seems they're not happy with him. It seems some have other priorities. 

One indicator many Republicans are watching to gauge whether Bush is becoming a liability for the party is in Pennsylvania, where Rick Santorum, the No. 3 Republican in the Senate, is trailing state treasurer Bob Casey Jr. by double digits.

"My caucus would do anything for Senator Santorum," Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee (R-R.I.) said of his colleague. Chafee, who himself faces a tough reelection battle next year, predicted Republicans will increasingly be faced with the choice of propping up Bush or protecting their own. "I think they're going to collide," Chafee said of the two options.

Asked whether Bush's problems were a factor in his slump, Santorum responded, "That may be."

 

The loss of Senator Santorum means man-on-dog sex can flourish as only his watchful eye kept it at bay. A devastating blow to the entire nation. Devastating, I say.

Sorry. I need to try being serious here. Let's look at what the DLC's favorite Republican says:

"Very entertaining," Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said sarcastically as he left the session. "I haven't heard any specifics from the administration."

And you won't, not serious specifics. He will leave it to you to demonstrate the limits of your compassion.

Treasury Secretary John W. Snow, in a speech yesterday, said the White House will be forced to put several plans on the "back burner," including changes to the estate tax and permanently extending first-term tax cuts. "It's taken over the national agenda, and I think it will for a while," he said.

This prompted protests from one of the White House's closest allies, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), who said waiting on taxes was unacceptable.

Given that there's no fat left in the budget...

(roughly five minute later...I was laughing too hard to type there. Must. Resist. Absurdity...)

Actually repairing the region is against Bush's marching orders, which are to turn the tragedy into a partisan triumph using the classic Republican strategy:

1. Identify a threat to your electoral prospects
2. Find something you wanted to do anyway
3. Spin that something as a solution

And we have a new code word on the political scene: New Orleans.

New Orleans also has emerged as the chief target of angst. "The question is do we really want to flood New Orleans with money," said Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.).

Kingston said he has detected a building hostility toward New Orleans among his constituents, based on reports that local officials mismanaged the crisis, along with federal dollars that had previously flowed the region's way. "What we are hearing from constituents is: 'Wait a minute, slow down on this,' " Kingston said.

I say this is code talk because if every living soul had been relocated safely two days before Hurrican Katrina made landfall, the infrastructure damage would have been the same. The only thing that would be different is we wouldn't be missing some 6000 adults and 2000 children. 

Thats all. 

These are major obstacles to implenting George's promises in a way that actually helps the people of the region. And in the disciplined, unified in all other ways Republican Party it is not possible that President Rove...

President Ch Bush was unaware that this would be rejected by those face reelection.

So.

Let's pretend George Bush is serious. Do you think that's reason to become a Republican?