This whole 'playing politics' argument is bullshit.

[Qibing Zero]

When reality hits, political parties don't mean a goddamned thing.

We - those of us without the power to command the required forces into place at the time, and those of us who had to sit by and watch while people died, knowing all we could do was aid in the effort afterwards by donating - should be outraged at every government official out there who didn't do their absolute best to get things done, whether republican, democrat, or otherwise. We have representatives in government for a reason, and if are too busy with their lives to care when we do, what makes them worthy of their positions?

We should also be outraged at any official that spoke up and said bush was doing a good job. Were they not watching, as we were, when the president went golfing, ate cake, and played a guitar while people were dying? What will they say - they did not know bush was doing these things? I don't know about you, but I don't want anyone in the government that pays less attention to the world than even the average citizen.

While we should be outraged at any indifference, we should be just as (if not more) toward any purposeful neglect. The president, vice-president, and heads of FEMA and homeland security have no excuse for not only their incompetance, but their lies and what seems to be purposeful neglect. The coast guard has been the only beacon of light in this ordeal - they were there from day one saving people.

Please don't tell me now is not the time to say anything, or that no one wants to get labelled as just 'playing politics'. I say all of this in my utter inability to save those people that the president and others had the power to. This situation has exposed the long-existant void between the government and the people, and it's about time we erased it. I applaud the words of people like the new orleans mayor, the black caucus, and Dennis Kucinich. If even my dad, who is a fundie (albiet an intelligent one who dislikes bush), has the gall to call this racism, classism, and complete indifference to the plight of the people, why can't those who claim to represent the people say half of that?

If America ever wants to claim itself a free country again, this utter bullshit has got to go. The government is the people, and the people can't stand for anything less than that if America is going to survive.

[henslee]

1. Wow, you ought to read wolcott.... either today or yest. Said same thing.

www.Jameswolcott.com
(snip)
Over at DailyKos, Armando is cautioning liberal lefties to holster the fickle fingers of blame.

"This is not a time for politics -- not only for moral and ethical reasons, but for political ones as well. That is, politics itself mandates that these days not be political."

Stop right there. First of all, "politics" mandates nothing. It's an abstract noun. It's like beginning a sentence "Morality dictates that..." Morality dictates nothing. It's how people interpret morality, and how they apply it in certain situations which evolve over time. Politics are people, and what they make of their political situation, and when the realities of their lives demand that the political and economic circumstances of their lives change. It isn't something to put on a shelf and used only when the climate of opinion permits.

[Qibing Zero]

3. Thanks, he's exactly right

Waiting for 'next week' to make bush accountable has yet to solve anything these YEARS. All that happens is that stories slowly fall off the headlines - stories that should be prominant in everyone's mind while we're actually doing something about them. Accountability isn't coming through any 'political' means.

[Mythsaje]

2. Tell the truth...

and transcend politics.

[Qibing Zero]

4. Kicking this

And will every time someone tries to say no one should be speaking up on it until 'later', whenever that is.

[Qibing Zero]

5. Kick

All these 'civil servants', with all this coverage on tv, refuse to say anything worthwhile. It's just horrible.

[MadeinOhio]

6. Got that right....

[kentuck]

7. Interesting points...

thanks for the post!

[Media_Lies_Daily]

8. Kick. Good post!

[riderinthestorm]

9. Politicizing has been equated to criticizing

It's more framing by the right. For the short time I tuned into Sean Hannity's newscast last night, he labelled any Dem who has been critical of the relief efforts as someone who is "politicizing" - this demonizes the left and blocks our (correct) expressions of outrage.

They have completely co-opted the term politicizing so they can eliminate criticizing.

We are critical! We damn well should be critical! And this fiasco damn well DOES involve politics.

[applegrove]

10. Recommended.

[steve2470]

11. Amen !!!! nt

[ShockediSay]

12. Maybe Bush should start playing politics by ACTING LIKE THE PRESIDENT OF

LIKE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, instead of the saviour of the world.

[ShockediSay]

13. WHAT ELSE DID BUSH DO W/ 9/11 BUT PLAY POLITICS!