Bush Acknowledges Responsibility
President Bush showed a new approach yesterday when he acknowledged that he must take responsibility for the federal government's incompetence in responding to the disasters in the wake of Katrina. While his admission is, on the face of it, a welcomed turn of attitude, many observers willl rightly hold onto the cynical and political spirit behind most of Bush's moves of the past.
He has never admitted any mistakes, despite a failure to discover weapons of mass destruction and overwhelming evidence of systemic torture in U.S. prisons in Iraq and Gitmo. He has not fired Karl Rove, even though Rove exposed a covert CIA operative.
Therefore, it remains to be seen how this admission will play out as Bush proceeds with further political behavior. His speech Thursday from LA will represent a significant view into his current understandings of his failures in responding to Katrina -- and how those failures exposed an ignorance of the plight of poor and Black Americans.
I would be very happy to see a new part of Bush open up to the public. I would welcome a humble attitude that is backed up by concrete proposals to make the system work right.
Somehow I do no expect much. I expect some predictable references to doing a better job in the future and working together. I expect some implicit or explicit reference to getting beyond partisanship. I expect him to praise the people who went in and did their jobs at the time, but I do not expect him to show an understanding of how those jobs work and how the federal government can change in order to support the people who do respond effectively to disaster. I don't expect him to understand that people who sacrifice cannot do it alone, and that a U.S. President has the power to lift that spirit up and inspire others -- if the timing is right and the support is wisely spent.
No, I do not expect Bush to demonstrate a clear-headed, rational understanding of how to deal with catastrophe. I somehow get the creepy feeling that the thrust of his remarks will be about having faith and working with faith-based organizations to help out the people affected by Katrina.
Many people understand the practical, realistic ways that sacrifice works and why it is important to help out whenever you have a chance. While it does take a lot of faith, it is not the role of the President to exploit that faith in the wake of his own failures.
Well, let's see what he says tomorrow.
In the meantime, chew the fat; speak out about what you know.
He has never admitted any mistakes, despite a failure to discover weapons of mass destruction and overwhelming evidence of systemic torture in U.S. prisons in Iraq and Gitmo. He has not fired Karl Rove, even though Rove exposed a covert CIA operative.
Therefore, it remains to be seen how this admission will play out as Bush proceeds with further political behavior. His speech Thursday from LA will represent a significant view into his current understandings of his failures in responding to Katrina -- and how those failures exposed an ignorance of the plight of poor and Black Americans.
I would be very happy to see a new part of Bush open up to the public. I would welcome a humble attitude that is backed up by concrete proposals to make the system work right.
Somehow I do no expect much. I expect some predictable references to doing a better job in the future and working together. I expect some implicit or explicit reference to getting beyond partisanship. I expect him to praise the people who went in and did their jobs at the time, but I do not expect him to show an understanding of how those jobs work and how the federal government can change in order to support the people who do respond effectively to disaster. I don't expect him to understand that people who sacrifice cannot do it alone, and that a U.S. President has the power to lift that spirit up and inspire others -- if the timing is right and the support is wisely spent.
No, I do not expect Bush to demonstrate a clear-headed, rational understanding of how to deal with catastrophe. I somehow get the creepy feeling that the thrust of his remarks will be about having faith and working with faith-based organizations to help out the people affected by Katrina.
Many people understand the practical, realistic ways that sacrifice works and why it is important to help out whenever you have a chance. While it does take a lot of faith, it is not the role of the President to exploit that faith in the wake of his own failures.
Well, let's see what he says tomorrow.
In the meantime, chew the fat; speak out about what you know.
posted by August at 3:10 PM
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