BLAME GAME... POLITICS NOT HUMANITY THE FOCUS OF KATRINA

The loud noise coming from the left is a bit distracting as our nation tries to help out those in need. But can I blame them? As a party, Democrats have to hit every opportunity they have to try to knock down President Bush and the Republican Party's credibility and favor with the general public in preparation for 2008. Naturally, The New York Times jumped into the anti-Bush wagon along with CNN (Roger Simon chimes in about this).

Power Line has an informative post on debunking the "underfunded levee construction" theory that the Left has been spreading around:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Thursday that a lack of funding for hurricane-protection projects around New Orleans did not contribute to the disastrous flooding that followed Hurricane Katrina.
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However, they noted that the levees were designed for a Category 3 hurricane and couldn't handle the ferocious winds and raging waters from Hurricane Katrina, which was a Category 4 storm when it hit the coastline. The decision to build levees for a Category 3 hurricane was made decades ago based on a cost-benefit analysis. (full post)

Regarding the last point though I heard one criticism from the Right on the New Orleans Levee Board that they have been busy with various questionable projects, such as casinos and other projects outside of their domain, over the past decade but have not tended to the actual maintenance of the levee. Is this a surprise from one of the most corrupt municipalities of our modern nation? I would actually be very cautious and structure carefully how to provide financial support to these local government and nonprofit organizations in New Orleans. Now some of these local government officials are trying to blame the federal goverment for their past incompetence.

Anyway, here's a good commentary from The American Thinker:

It certainly didn’t take long for the race baiters, class warriors, and economic determinists to heave themselves up from the flood waters that have inundated New Orleans to inform us all of the real tragedy being played out in that tortured city. Most of us think it bad enough that tens of thousands of human beings are suffering untold hardships and indignities as a result of being stranded in the nightmare of barbarism and perditious mayhem to which a once beautiful city has descended.

But for the professional victimhood groups, opportunity has come knocking. Why let an unimaginable tragedy like Katrina spoil a chance to link the tried and true canards of race and class with both the evocation of white guilt and a little Bush bashing for good measure?

This quotation from the Reverend Jesse Jackson manages the trifecta – race, class, and Bush bashing – quite nicely:

"Many black people feel that their race, their property conditions and their voting patterns have been a factor in the response,” Mr. Jackson said, after meeting with Louisiana officials yesterday. "I’m not saying that myself, but what’s self-evident is that you have many poor people without a way out." (full post)

Michelle Malkin has a great overview of "The Blame Game" here:

Unfortunately, while Americans from all walks of life have been busy raising money, the unhinged Left keeps slinging bull.

Brian Maloney at The Radio Equalizer, my indefatigable blog investigative partner, spotlights the hurricane-induced insanity of Air America Radio hosts Rachel Maddow and Randi Rhodes, who really have bigger things to worry about. (Audio of Rhodes here.) Jim Hoft comments.

This nutball refuses to support Katrina victims because of his anti-conservative hang-ups. (Hat tip: Erick at Red State.)

This group is totally bonkers.

Arthur Chrenkoff compiles a list of left-wingers using the disaster to stoke Bush hatred and eco-zealotry.

Patrick Ruffini documents a "hurricane of hatred." Alenda Lux has a reality check.
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Naturally, Bush's critics want to make this into a major issue in the run-up to the 2006 mid-term elections next fall. But the reality is more complex than the Bush Blamers will admit. They want you to believe that inadequate flood-control protections became a problem only after Bush took office. However, the New Orleans Times-Picayune has written numerous articles over the years describing the threat posed by inadequate funding for flood-control measures. Many of these articles, such as the one authored by Pam Louwagie on June 1, 1999 (see extended entry), appeared well before President Bush took office. (full post)