"How can a guy like Forbes completely ignore the facts?"
When people raise government to the status of "higher power" that can and should do anything and everything, and they are suddenly faced with the bald truth that this just ain't so -- they will believe all kinds of irrational things rather than give up their "religion"...
Unfortunately, this is an endemic disease of politicians and pundits, of all political flavors.
The government (i.e. Bush) should have been able to prevent this disaster.........and the government (i.e. Bush) should have been able to snap his fingers and make all the problems go away.
I tend to agree that it is a matter of 'faith' in their government that makes them disregard facts.