Acknowledging that there is a difference between throwing money at a problem (BAD idea) and recognizing a problem, I must admit SEVERE disappointment last night with the paltry attention paid by Bush to the greatest natural disaster in this nation’s history. For many, many reasons, INCLUDING federal incompetence through horrible engineering by the Corps of Engineers, about two-thirds of one of the world’s great cities still lies in ruins. But all Bush could do was boast about the money already approved for hurricane relief (he needs to check on how much of it has actually made its way to victims so far — VERY very little of it) and then change the subject to how people in New Orleans and elsewhere all need good schools, etc. (Huh?) From the day Hurricane Katrina appeared in the Gulf, notwithstanding all the imbecilic moves by state and local officials in Louisiana, the Bush administration’s response has been uncaring, incompetent, and obstinately unhelpful. Any budgetary concerns he has about the brilliant “Baker bill” for a reconstruction revolving fund are made inconsequential and frankly hypocritical in light of Bush’s veto-less, budget-bloating, big-government, free-spending record.

In sum, then, in terms of how well the speech dealt with Louisiana, the speech was so utterly inadequate as to be an insult.