Eschacon was great, and I was really disappointed that I had to leave earlier than expected. During the morning session, a question came to mind. I really wanted to ask it in a room filled with such great minds - especially great economists such as Mr. Black and Mr. Krugman. Unfortunately, there were a lot of great posters ahead of me.
Am I the only one who is concerned that Katrina will save the legacy of the Bush Presidency?
His first term, and his re-election, were saved by 9/11. His handling of that disaster was also completely inept. Yet our nation's short memory, plus Rovian manipulation, altered that fact. In N.Y. Giuliani was overwhelmingly held in contempt shortly before 9/11. Now he's "The Nation's Mayor." And of course, a prior flooding of the Mississippi brought Herbert Hoover to national prominence.
Within the next several months, Bush, and insurance companies, will spend tens of billions of dollars along the coast. Public opinion, again manipulated by the Rove team, will have forgotten the first six days after this flood. Those days, where we learned the true depths of Bush's hatred of the poor and the black, will fade in the public consciousness. From today forward, we will be getting daily demonstrations of the great accomplishments of the restoration.
In a few weeks, New Orleans will be a boom town. The government will rush to open the port. Tent cities will pop up in the West Bank in New Orleans. Next, the demand for plywood will be huge. (Think of Atlanta, and Scarlett's lumber business in GWTW.) Even today, shuttered shops in Baton Rouge are being reopened - rented to banks. All of those forced out of New Orleans, will need new housing, new furniture, new clothes, and the government will pay for them. There will be huge fortunes made in the wake of the storm.
Finally, the day of reckoning that was coming because of Bush's reckless economic policies will be delayed.
Please tell me I'm wrong, but I'm afraid that Katrina will turn out to be the angel that saves George W. Bush.
Hi bustard! Nice post.
I pray you're wrong, however.
I see this as more of a clusterfuck of astronical proportions for Bush. The federal government has been woefully inept.
Posted by: Vicki | September 15, 2005 at 12:47 PM