A First
The president of the United States, George W. Bush, admits responsibility for the failure of the federal government to adequately respond to the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. Remember, this is the first time this has ever happened. Of course, such an admission could only have come after the prolonged and unavoidable criticism that was heaped upon the administration after one too many corpses were seen floating down the new canals of New Orleans on cable television. The administration simply had no choice but to bite the bullet. It won't sink them at all; it is simply a necessary catharsis for the country. Little will change after this admission in reality, but it is the first time Bush has been held accountable to the public, albeit only after tremendous ctitical pressure.
I plan to discuss at length the concept of federalism next time, particularly in light of the now-proceeding Roberts confirmation hearings. It is certainly not coincidental that the party in power who dropped the ball for Katrina also happens to believe in an unrealistic ideology of limited government. And since ideology is interpretation, Roberts now represents the GOP's chief interpreter.