The Christian and The Gay

Both were leaders and both were hiding their true feelings about the other. The hordes of zealot Christians praised the Christian and cursed the gay. The gay afraid of retribution and retaliation never openly announced his true stripes. Instead, he closets himself in the banner of republicanism and Christian ideals of love thy neighborhood unless they are homosexual. The Christians are pacified by his spineless inaction and grant him passage on the ship they call the GOP.

The Christian now is full of pride and vigor. He now possesses what he has always coveted, power. He sits now with the whip of the majority in the house of Babel. Many will come from around the world to sit in his presence and ask favors then to lean on him for spiritual guidance. He will be a reformation papal stand-in and the people will rejoice in his name.

The gay will lurk in the shadows, a place he his all too familiar with and embrace his Christian brothers as equal and denounce his gay counterparts as heathens and animals. Even going as far as to discredit their civil rights and liberties; he will smile when appropriate and nod when needed. The gay will we tolerated but never accepted.

Thus we now have the new leadership of the House of Representatives: Roy Blunt and David Dreier.

A political IQ quiz

1. American consumers are not allowed to import which product from overseas in whatever quantity they want?

1. Beer
2. Fruit
3. Wine
4. Clothes
5. Prescription drugs

That one was easy…

2. What do all of the following have in common?

a. Former Christian Coalition head Ralph Reed

b. Marc Racicot, former chair of the Republican National committee

c. Ed Gillespie, current chair of the RNC

d. Jack Quinn, former With House counsel to President Clinton

e. U.S. Trade Rep. Robert Zoellick

f. GOP Pollster Frank Luntz

g. Former With House economic advisor Lawrence Lindsey

Not so easy …. Think slanted E

3. Which of the following statements is true?

1. The Food and Drug Administration has the power to order the recall of deadly drugs
2. Government researchers overseeing the testing of prescription drugs are not allowed to receive payments from the makers of those drugs
3. The FDA independently tests the safety and effectiveness of new drugs
4. Pharmaceutical manufactures are legally prohibited from advertising drugs for uses for which they have not been approved by the FDA
5. No congressional committee has investigated why the FDA approved 13 dangerous prescription drugs that have since been withdrawn from the market by their manufactures

If you’re a cynic then this one is a shoe in …

4. Which of the following products is not regulated by the FDA?

1. Frozen non-meat pizza
2. Condoms
3. Pacemakers
4. Cell Phones
5. Cigarettes

Have a cigar you’re going go far ….

5. Which of the following does the USDA have the authority to do?

1. Stop the unlicensed sale of dogs and cats
2. Punish circuses for mistreating elephants
3. Penalize watermelon salesmen for failing to keep appropriate records
4. Assess civil fines for unsanitary conditions in meatpacking plants

More than one answer may apply …

Lastly, for the little ones…

6. What is the leading cause of death among children among those listed below?

1. Cancer
2. Pneumonia
3. Influzena
4. HIV/AIDS
5. Gunfire

Answers in comment form only. (courtesy of Is that a Politician in your Pocket?)

Knuckle draggers of the world unite!! AKA The Monkey Dance

It is hard to understand why truth is avoided at all costs. Our primate brothers who pray to geometric figures, whether those figures are two linear lines creating four 90 degree angles or triangles or calculus slopes, spheres and crescents. Your geometric symbols must be blinding you to the fact that you are a creation of this planet. Nothing more nothing less, sorry.

A guiding hand from on high has always been the fall back for ignorant and fearful masses. In fact, throughout history, more have prayed to Golden Calves then all the three major geometric worshipers combined. Moreover, pulling the hearts out of virgins for sacrifice or bleeding the evil spirits within have all had their day in the solar sun. Now the geometry worshipers are back with intelligent design (ID). I love the name it sounds like a James Bond movie, where 007 invades the hinterland to find a wandering band of Computer Software worshipers who are now impervious to viruses and hackers. Thus 007 must reason with the group not to infect all laptops with the ID protocol and end internet gambling forever. He succeeds and gets the chieftain’s daughter: Jezebel.

Unfortunately, this situation is a bit direr. In Dover P.A. a debate is raging over whether ID should find its why into public schools. Oddly if ID was the truth then it would already be in public schools, but damn logic and all its clarity. This like all democratic movements will come down to the people of the district. And by linear lines we will have ID in P.A. Next will be the move into state testing and all students will be tested on the guiding hand theory of planetary evolution. This will increase all test scores across the board because there are no wrong answers and nothing can be proved in science. Thus America has finally found a solution to our lackluster science scores. Americans be proud we are still the most innovative group of primates on the plant. Now where is that Jezebel…

Don’t Believe the Hype…

I really should start reading some lighter stuff. Maybe, The Ya-Ya Sisterhood or Confederate Dunces would bring a smile to my face but I am not one for fiction unless it has to do with “tending ones own garden” ala Candide (it is really quite relevant today). No, I would much rather read the non-fiction. In particular, Norman Solomon’s War Made Easy. I laughed, I cried, I loaded a gun.

Basically, you can not trust anyone affiliated with the government. This includes, but is not limited to, pundits, media sources, political leaders, community activists and congressional representatives. Solomon sites copiously (on one page alone he wrote less then two sentences) the train for misinterpretations and misguided assumptions from the Vietnam War through the current debacle in Iraq. However he does have some interesting prescriptions and passages which I will site:

“When a country – particularly a democracy – goes to war, the tacit consent of the governed lubricates the machinery. Silence is a key form of cooperation, but the warmaking system does not insist on quietude or agreement. Mere self-restraint will suffice.” (236) The winter frost of apathy seems to be thawing. As seen with demonstrators in 10 major metropolitan cities throughout the world this weekend.

Solomon also quotes a Nazi (H. Goering 1946 – his equivalent would be K. Rove – not in action but in influence) with a flare for groupthink. This quote needs to be put to memory in today’s media numbing blitz:

“Why, of course, the people don’t want war … But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy (Hitler was popularly elected) or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship … [V]oice or no voice the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country.” (233-234) Please see all ideologues denouncing the war protesters.

The last quote is lengthy but it is needed to fully capture the gap between knowledge, truth, real understanding, perspective on one hand and desperate misinformation, apathy, blind allegiance on the other:

“In 2004, the U.S. public was not very knowledgeable about global views of the war. At the Program on International Policy Attitudes director Steven Kull said: “Despite polling showing the majority of world opinion is opposed to the U.S. war with Iraq, only 41 percent [of Americans] were aware that this is the case. Among those who knew that world public opinion opposed the U.S. going to war with Iraq, only 25 percent thought that going to war was the right decision.” Ignorance or unconcern about the opinions of people elsewhere in the world seemed to make it easier for Americans to support U.S. military action. And in some instances, we can assume, supporting the war was a disincentive to learn or care what others on the plant thought about it all.

A follow-up study found that most Americans who got their news from commercial TV harbored at least on of the three “misperceptions” about the Iraq war – that weapons of mass destruction had been discovered, that evidence closely linking Iraq to Al Qaeda had been found, or that world opinion approved of the US invasion. Fox news viewers were the most confused about key facts, with 80 percent embracing at least one of those misperceptions. The study found a correlation between being misinformed and being supportive of the war.” (154)

My criticism of the book is short. Do not read the book in its entirety. Just read the notes section (239-291). There you will find the truth and at your own pace, research the massive stores of information which are carefully guarded from you.

Sunday Muse VII

Sunday muse for the week that was:

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”

Matthew 19:24

Optional Rights: Kafka's World

“The US government has the power to detain a man being held as an enemy combatant without charges, a federal appeals court has ruled. The court overturned an earlier ruling that Jose Padilla, accused of planning an attack with a "dirty bomb", should either be charged or freed.” Amendment V : No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. Amendment VI: In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

If Jose Padilla is a terrorist, then he must stand trial. Why? For the two simple facts: 1^st like it or not he is a US citizen, and with that citizenry he is afforded certain alienable rights. 2^nd he was captured in the US, not on some foreign soil or war torn country actively fighting against the US. This is not a defence of Padilla it is a preemptive defence. My motives are completely selfish in this situation. I do not want to wake up one day and have two men standing at my bed repeating that “I must come with them” ala K from The Trial.

Padilla is a trial balloon for this secretive and manipulative administration. The balloon worked and many more enemy combatants, defined by the state will see their rights vanish. This is not conspiracy theory or paranoid delusions; it is now a historical fact. The US government has the right to imprison, its own citizens if they find it reasonable and effective to label them enemy combatants in a war without end. To remedy this situation, charge Padilla and have a trial. Maybe if he was found with marijuana or meth then he would be rushed to trial and the facts could be brought to bear. However, this is not the case, he is a suspected terrorist and with that all the trappings of vague realities and ill-defined evidence. Once more, if he is suspected of being guilty then PUT HIM ON TRIAL. Close the hearings or keep the media at arms length but the government must protect the rights of its citizens.

Red Star Dominance: Oil, Arms and T-Shirts

China is in the driver’s seat. It has a command economic which is bolstered by the free market. It has a multitude of contractual agreements which international corporations and governments. Moreover, “Beijing sees energy shortages as one of the biggest potential threats to national security and social stability. China became a net importer of oil in 1993 and imports since then have risen sharply. Last year it imported 2.46 million barrels per day (bpd), accounting for about 40 percent of current demand.” That’s right 40% and rising. However, the key to China’s ability to dictate demand and control arrangements with other countries is the fact that America the other net importer of oil is owned by China. This is a figurative and literal truth. Our massive and grotesque deficit is largely financed by the Chinese and the export – import ratio favors China. In effect, America can not go to war economically or militarily with China.

America has become the paper tiger and vague threats such as “Deputy Secretary of State, Robert Zoellick … warn(ing) that Beijing's ties with 'troublesome' states such as Burma and Zimbabwe, were ''going to have repercussions elsewhere'' and the Chinese would have to decide if they wanted to pay the price.” What price is he talking about? Maybe he is referring to the price of Banana Republic T-Shirts coming off the sweat shop floors in Peking? Or maybe the arm deals with the Sudanese? No it must be the “Chinese companies … long-term contracts valued at 200 billion dollars,” with Iran.

The Chinese have learned from the now defunct Soviet Union. Gone are the days of 5 years plans, bureaucratic mismanagement and great purges. The Chinese have found a medium of complete control within the free market system. It has perfected the state run monopoly on a global scale. This is not to be taken lightly. Massive shortages of labor are not to be found. Economic slow down is absent. And competition is relevantly benign. The state can have its cake and eat it too. In this case, it is an American cake. Moreover, all ingredients are made in China.

150,000,000,000

Let’s stop using the word billion or million let us truly gaze at the number being thrown around Washington these days. 150 billion just doesn’t have the same gravitas as 150,000,000,000. It is a wonderful number, almost majestic in its length and bold in its necessity. It would take a person at least a decade (counting continuously) to reach such a number and this is apropos. 10 years is my estimate for the bureaucratic wrangling which will swamp the Big Easy. Mismanagement and corruption have been the hallmark of New Orleans politics, this is no secret. Thus it is fitting that a corrupt giant has emerged with contract in hand to help clean up and clean out the 150,000,000,000. For, Halliburton has already been awarded a new no-bid contract for clean-up in the region and many more international corporations will be happy to drink from the new corporate welfare trough.

Monies will be lost like 100,000 bricks of cash in Iraq. Patronage, preferential treatment and nepotism will be overwhelming and irresistible. New Orleans will finally come back to its roots of pirates, smuggling and political graft. Washington will find out what it did right and blame the rest on amorphous bodies such as ‘local levels, state agencies or community developments’. Pontius Pilot will once again wash his hands in an oval basin of the White House and slip painlessly into a portrait decorating the Green Room. After calmly pulling his shoulders back he will look himself in the mirror and pronounce that I am the truth the light and the way. Bush will be oblivious to the true human consequences of his delayed actions and misjudgment.

Made in the USA: An Iraqi Constitution

"It is a matter of public record that in the final weeks of the process the newly arrived U.S. ambassador (Zalmay Khalizad) took an extremely hands-on role," Justin Alexander, legal affairs officer for the office of constitutional support with the United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) told IPS. "Even going so far as to circulate at least one U.S. draft."

Have we lost are minds? Do we think that a foreign written and produced constitution will actually be legitimate? Has the White House completely lost touch with political, geographical and legal realities? Does the White House's belief in true democracy end at the Rose Garden? This blatant attempt to create an artificial course for Iraq has gone too far. The occupation is one thing, the massive killings of civilians are another but circulating a foreign constitution may be beyond stupidity and teetering on abject hubris.

Without sounding tautological, a democractic process must be made by the indigenous people. I can not begin to understand the motives behind such massive ignorance of government and liberal democratic theory. Forgive them Aristotle they know nothing. With Mr. Khalizad hand feeding the Iraqi council a US version of an Iraqi constitution we see that democracy was never a goal of this war. Democracy was an afterthought, an excuse, a drunk driver’s notion of only having ‘two drinks’. We are slowly solidifying an Islamic republic in the Middle East, we reap what we sow. Moreover, we can not, in the future re-invade this country. It is our Frankenstein and it will not rest until the good doctor is dead.

Detachment: The Bush Clan

A total disconnect can be seen from Bush II. He has no clear understanding, or real concern for the Gulf Coast. This president can not be blamed for his apathy. How can you ask someone to understand a situation, in which they have no real world experience? He is equivalent to a primary school child trying to contemplate the sufferings of ‘witches’ during the Salem trials. In turn, they are more horrified by the acts themselves than having true empathy during dialogue. In other words, they ask ‘how could we burn people?’ not ‘what does it feel like to get burned’?

The ‘burning’ of people in the wake of Katrina has revealed a president absent of any empathy for his follow man. He is only aware of these people because he must, for political reasons. The force of such a storm has unearthed the true character of Bush II. You are right, I am pointing fingers and laying blame. Bush is a miserable example of leadership, strength, attentiveness and character. This is so apparent and unrelenting in its truth that all people, from all walks of life, must seek out Bush’s explanation for faltering in such an appalling manner. Defending Bush in this situation is equivalent to supporting his actions during this crisis. This would mean supporting dilapidated instructions and misguided inactionwhich lead to deaths.

Moreover, Mrs. Barbara Bush, the matriarch of the Bush clan, underscores this callous nature which pulsates through the Bush family. With her guidance as a mother and wife she has displayed most of the characteristics of a latter day Marie Antoinette. First, in 2003 she uttered this response in reference to Iraqi deaths, "Why should we hear about body bags and deaths? It's not relevant. So why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?" Then her eloquence continued Monday (9-5-05) with a remark concerning the refugees in Texas. “While the federal government has been widely criticized for its slow response, former First Lady Barbara Bush told the radio show Marketplace that the relocation is "working very well" for some of those forced out of New Orleans since they were "underprivileged anyway." This is Barbara Bush speaking at the Astrodome in Houston. "And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this--this working very well for them," Bush said.” This woman is responsible for the early formation of social values and morals in the Bush household. Thus, the Bush clan reeks of stubborn ignorance and societal naivety. Consequently, Bush II is a product of white wealth and political patronage, what else do you expect from him?

Long gone are the days of Eleanor Roosevelt and her ability to move past her prior determinants of wealth, class and race and to become a lightning rod for change, societal equality and true leadership.

“I’ll see your threat and raise you some raw uranium.”

The poker table is set. On the button is Tehran. Little blind is occupied by the EU. Big blind is held by the UN and the US is first to call. Everyone has a small pair, but no one has any idea about the two hold cards of Iran. Bluffing in this game will only lead to deaths and invasion. Calling a bet must be thought of in a wider perspective. Iran’s chances of winning are closer to 10% in this high stakes game of international poker. Winning amounts to a caliphate and dominance over Iraq. Thus, Iran will lead the way for extreme politics and religious ideology in the Middle East. It will be the standard bearer for countries wanting to thwart the US behemoth. The stand off between the UN, EU and the US can only lead to action. Iran will have sanctions placed on it by the end of the year. Iran will use this situation as a prop. Lamenting the days of Islamic superiority until the bomb is created. Sanctions did not deter North Korea and sanctions will not deter Iran. Let the chips land where they may.

Sunday Muse VI

Sunday muse for the week that was:

Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him passed by the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But the Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these, do you think, proved neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed mercy on him,” And Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Luke 10: 30-37

Misplaced Preemption

For at least five days the storm turned and grew to massive proportions. For five days warnings and calls for evacuation were sent out. For five days lives were disrupted and alternative plans were implemented. For five days the president and federal government did nothing. Apparently, speeches and cheerleading sessions were of greater importance than the eminent threat lurking in the Gulf. If there was ever a time for preemption this was the time. The threat was clear and unavoidable. Massive cargo trucks would have saved countless lives and the president could have used the moment to shore up some much needed domestic support. This did not happen, preemption, according to the Bush Doctrine, (and Katrina can be viewed as a foreign invader) so that ‘we will strike at the enemy so we don’t have to fight them here’. Show me a better situation than the one in the Gulf Coast. Prevention and preemption in this matter would have healed wounds faster than draining the basin we now call New Orleans.

New Orleans: 1984

In 1984, my memories of the Crescent City are clear and full of sweet smells and vibrant colors. My Brazilian grandmother had the most youthful hugs and warm greetings. I recall the right turn off of Veterans, near the barn red grocery, to where she and my granddad lived; a modest home on Wabash street. The French doors were closed and the inner door ajar, waiting for new arrivals. Upon reaching the house I could always smell the hint of French bread and chocolate. On the glass sheathed dinning room table, a deck of Bicycle cards and a sorted broad game would be displaced only by the occasional 500 piece puzzle. This was a home of imagination and wonder, a reflection of the city I grew to love throughout my youth and into my more seminal years.

Time was always made for the Quarter. It was a ritual of sorts, almost a routine, to make our way down to Canal and move towards the Riverwalk, a convenient space for the Buick. It was hot, Mummy, as my Dad would call her, always complained about the heat. “Boy, it is so hot!” with a cosmopolitan air which lead you to believe that she could repeat that phrase in nine different languages. However, neither the heat, nor the ‘crime’ ever kept us away from the Beignets or the French bread of Jackson Square.

At certain times during the year, probably during Carnival, the statue of Jackson would rupture from its stone shell and re-defend the city from foreign intruders; making his way through the back streets of the Quarter, reassuring all residents that he was back, a savior, a hero and a warrior. Of coarse no one admited that they witnessed the resurrection of Jackson, but like many stories of New Orleans it was best kept close to the vest. This vision was fueled by numerous stories of ghosts, phantoms, ghouls and goblins that lined the streets at night and made havoc for visitors and locals alike. I believed them all, why not? We were always made to believe things that could not be proven; so I thought that this fantasy was as good as any psalm or parable.

After the passing of my grandmother, New Orleans moved from a childhood playground to a young man’s candy store. Vice and intrigue could be found around every corner. Easily captured rum or whiskey was poured without reguard to time. Fine wine and decadent eateries called out to you from a bellowing kitchen, wafting its aroma, silently pressuring you to “come in and try abit a Chicken Margaux, Shrimp Remoulade or Crepes Soufflé Praline.” I rarely, if ever declined the offer. Friends from college and new acquaintances from St. Charles would always be gathered late under a half lit lamp post near Decatur, screaming about the Saints and wondering about the absence of taxi service. The night always ended on a plush consignment store Victorian styled couch, complete with ass worn springs and stolen hotel blankets. A cigarette in tow would be the last vice of the evening, before the slight smell of Irish coffee in a late afternoon haze; which brought the knowledge of a Monday night well spent in the Big Easy.

Department of Homeland Security: Katrina's Final Victim

It wasn’t a subway bomb. It wasn’t a dirty bomb. It wasn’t a hijacked plane. It wasn’t illegal immigration. It wasn’t a hostage situation in downtown Manhattan. It was a natural disaster. Katrina will underscore the incompetence of a bloated and ill defined bureaucracy. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will sink faster than Royal Street during this rescue operation.

This is the first true test of a bureaucracy which can not afford to be slow in action or hesitant in response. Before the arrival of Katrina, FEMA directors and operational analysts KNEW (see Michael Brown – Bush was in Crawford for two more days) that this storm would bring havoc and destruction to the region. Unfortunately, FEMA was placed on idle during the final stages of the Hurricane preparation. Why? Because as Bush announced (8/31) in the Rose garden that Michael Chertoff is in charge. This came days after Katrina’s landfall. Consequently, orders from on high had to arrive before action could take place, action which could have saved lives.

It is important to realize that FEMA has worked well in the past. For example, Hurricane Ivan (2004) ripped through Pensacola and FEMA was, and is still, there within hours of landfall. This is just one example which I have personally witnessed. Now FEMA is handcuffed by DHS. Saving lives is dependent on fast action not bureaucratic inaction. Moreover, the agenda of DHS is wide in scope - terrorism, cargo inspection, citizen surveillance, propaganda, colored alerts, travel and transportation, tracking foreign sex offenders, levying taxes on goods, immigrant location and relocation, espionage, development and research and the occasional natural disaster - with a disjointed system of operational procedures.

Granted, security from terrorism, domestic as well as foreign, is a national priority, however more than one central and cumbersome department must be implemented. In effect, this administration has done what it always does; one step forward and two step back, and unfortunately a Texas Two Step will not bring rapid relief to the Gulf Coast.

Concurrently, DHS was slow to respond (National Guard is just NOW arriving to the areas) and this will cost countless lives. This is not a blame game by any stretch of the imagination; it is a situation of importance for regions that experience natural disasters. Thus, this disaster and the aftermath of DHS's slow moving bureaucracy will effect the entire country. For, the US is the only country in the world which is effected by every sort of natural disaster. Whether that disaster is Volcano, Hurricane, Earthquake, Tornado, Flooding, Mudslides, Tsunami, Avalanches, or Blizzard the DHS is now in charge of all operational procedures.

However, the priority of this department is terrorism. I understand that terrorism is a critical security issue; yet having one central agency responsible for the entire gambit of disasters is erroneous. Unless there is another motive involved. Could the DHS amalgamation be the first steps in erasing federal disaster relief? This is not as far fetched as it may seem, some have urged for such a course of action. (see Saying No to Federal Disaster Relief by William B. Irvine) Stating that it is not the federal governments responsibility- according to the Constitution- to use any federal funds for disaster relief.

Conversely, quoting from the Constitution, “We the people of the United States in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote for the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” Just from this small introduction we find at least three references to national relief:

1. General Welfare
2. Secure blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity
3. Insure domestic tranquility

A remedy to this situation comes straight from the OLD GOP, the dwindling Goldwater faction of the Republican Party: state funds and first responders, i.e. states rights bolstered when absolutely necessary by the federal government. The best way to insure domestic tranquility, liberty and welfare are to give citizens of the region autonomy; pure and unadulterated autonomy, during times of crisis.

This autonomy comes in the form of first responders and preventative measures which have not been given the appropriate funds during this administration. As the, “New Orleans CityBusiness detailed the funding shortfalls faced by the Corps of Engineers in efforts to build $114 million worth of hurricane protection projects. With federal funding down by more than 44 percent from 2001 levels, Stan Green, project manager for the Corps’s Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project, told CityBusiness that no new contracts for construction had been awarded since early in fiscal year 2004. Even before that, reported CityBusiness, work had slowed and fewer projects had been taken on because of funding shortfalls.” Additionally, “The Bush administration also has made significant changes to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), shifting funds away from pre-disaster preparation and implementing policies to promote outsourcing of relief efforts to private companies.” Moreover, according to Michael Brzezinski, author of Fortress America, first responders –firefighters, ambulance drivers, EMS, and police- are facing budget cuts. It is imperative that policies change or the next, “12 more tropical storms … expected to follow Hurricane Katrina, the most destructive storm to ever strike the United States, and four may be major hurricanes, according to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),” will be even more disparaging.