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Paying close attention to the overall picture (Molly Ivins Barf-O-Rama)
Chicago Tribune (Creators Syndicate) ^ | September 29, 2005 | Molly Ivins

Posted on 09/29/2005 9:21:52 PM PDT by andie74

AUSTIN, Texas -- The Big Whew blew over Texas, leaving Port Arthur underwater and whole lot of stress across the state. It is highly stressful to be in a car with two adults, three children, the dog and the cat for a 12- to 20-hour trip from Houston to Austin, Dallas or San Antonio. It is also stressful to have two adults, three children, their dog and their cat move into your 1,200-square-foot house with you, especially if your sister-in-law thinks anyone who criticizes George W. Bush is a tool of Satan.

Stress-sensitive groups like Alcoholics Anonymous were doing land-office business in Texas last weekend, while bartenders served up the KatrinaRita. Austin, of course, was also having a music festival and offering free yoga and aromatherapy sessions to hurricane refugees.

The refugees trade tales of heroism and generosity, along with reports of the bad and the ugly. That's human nature, but there's nothing forgivable about organized government corruption.

I'm sorry, there are no exceptions: The first commandment of governing is Thou Shalt Not Steal the People's Money. Ronald Reagan came into office in 1980 on the mantra that he would rid the nation of Waste, Fraud and Abuse. He proceeded to raise the national deficit by $2 trillion with tax cuts and spending on the military in the face of a collapsing Soviet Union. This led to the peppy military procurement scandals of the late '80s and early '90s--the $435 hammer and the $640 toilet seat.

When Newt Gingrich and Company took power in 1994, they promised many "reforms" and spent millions of dollars on hearings and investigations--the endless prosecution of U.S. Housing Secretary Henry Cisneros may actually be a stronger case in point than the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.

(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Miscellaneous; Philosophy; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: austin; ivins; katrina; liberalspew; molly; rita
The rest of this spew...

Despite these splendid efforts, they never could find the Waste, Fraud and Abuse they claimed were the hallmarks of government. But this Bush administration has given us Waste, Fraud and Abuse galore. The waste of money in Iraq is already into the billions, and the lack of accountability is fed by a Republican Congress that refuses to seriously investigate anything done by the Republican administration. The sums being wasted are already staggering, and because there is no accountability, we can expect that situation not only to continue, but deteriorate.

With billions being allocated to clean up after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, you can already smell the corruption--fat contracts awarded without competitive bidding. The New York Times reports, "More than 80 percent of the $1.5 billion in contracts signed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency alone were awarded without bidding or with limited competition, government records show, provoking concerns among auditors and government officials about the potential for favoritism or abuse."

"Provoking concerns," eh? Good old Times, eternally blah--why doesn't it ever run a screaming headline that says, "You're getting ripped off!" "They are stealing your money to pay off their political pals!" The trouble with journalism in this country is that it's too damn polite.

Look, this is rank, nasty business--corruption, cronyism and competence (the lack thereof) are the issues here. And as we have so painfully been reminded, when government is run by corrupt, incompetent cronies, real people pay a real price. There is nothing abstract about swollen bodies floating in flooded streets or dozens of old people dead in nursing homes.

Frankly, it's just a mercy most of Houston didn't drown in a giant traffic jam last week. Already, the corporate vultures are moving in--contracts are arranged through people like Joe Allbaugh, the former FEMA director who brought in his old buddy Michael Brown to run the agency.

This pattern is not just one rotten agency: The arrest last week of David Safavian, who oversaw contracts for the Office of Management and Budget, ties into a whole nest of cronyism. Safavian's friend and former lobbying partner is Jack Abramoff, who in turn is big buddies with U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas).

Already, Homeland Security is flooding what's left of New Orleans with mercenaries from the same private security contractors flourishing in Iraq. The Nation reports companies like DynCorp, Intercon Security, American Security Group, Blackwater, Wackenhut and an Israeli company called Instinctive Shooting Internationalare all in New Orleans.

"Some, like Blackwater, are under federal contract. Others have been hired by the wealthy elite, like F. Patrick Quinn III, who brought in private security to guard his $3 million private estate and his luxury hotels, which are under consideration for a lucrative federal contract to house FEMA workers."

Baghdad on the Bayou for real.

1 posted on 09/29/2005 9:21:55 PM PDT by andie74
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To: andie74

Few things are as dependable as Molly. If you want the truth just reverse what she says.


2 posted on 09/29/2005 9:27:58 PM PDT by Mind-numbed Robot (Not all that needs to be done needs to be done by the government.)
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To: andie74

I think her stress comes from being a butt-ugly troll-like monster with mush in her head and an open sewer for a mouth.


3 posted on 09/29/2005 9:28:28 PM PDT by mrexitement
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To: mrexitement
I think her stress comes from being a butt-ugly troll-like monster with mush in her head and an open sewer for a mouth.

C'mon! She ain't half as nice as you are trying to portray her.

4 posted on 09/29/2005 9:40:22 PM PDT by badgerlandjim (Hillary Clinton is to politics as Helen Thomas is to beauty)
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To: mrexitement
she's typical....ugly fat chick, got p#ssed that she never got any when she was semi not so ugly and fat in college and is taking out on men by busting our balls and non stop yapping....

I give you Hillary, Pelosi, Streisand, the fat Dixie Chick, Reno, the other man Senator from Cali..Feinstein, Helen Thomas, Mrs. Gore

Image hosted by TinyPic.com

5 posted on 09/29/2005 9:44:55 PM PDT by Dick Vomer (liberals suck......... but it depends on what your definition of the word "suck" is.)
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To: mrexitement

I believe you have it right.


6 posted on 09/29/2005 10:03:52 PM PDT by packrat35 (The America hating bastards at the NYT must spend their entire life with their heads in the toilet)
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To: andie74
Molly Ivins always leaves me speechless and this is no exception.
7 posted on 09/29/2005 10:07:53 PM PDT by ncountylee (Dead terrorists smell like victory)
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To: Mind-numbed Robot
"Few things are as dependable as Molly. If you want the truth just reverse what she says."

In times past, before this nation had been polluted so thoroughly with the constant drumbeat of liberal distortion and hate, people like Miss Molly would have had to get a real job or starve to death, as no one would have been interested in her biased drivel.

8 posted on 09/29/2005 10:12:35 PM PDT by TheClintons-STILLAnti-American
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To: Dick Vomer
Good GAWD!!!

The difference between a grain truck taking a gravel road instead of a 4 lane freeway...A freight train jumping the tracks or staying on track...Listening to a sermon or smelling a f@rt in church!

Were any of "theirs" on the Titanic by chance?

9 posted on 09/29/2005 10:31:25 PM PDT by EGPWS
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To: EGPWS
Were any of "theirs" on the Titanic by chance?

I am pretty sure that most of theirs were brought up from the Titanic ;)
10 posted on 09/29/2005 11:05:52 PM PDT by GeorgeBerryman
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To: GeorgeBerryman
I am pretty sure that most of theirs were brought up from the Titanic ;)

Now I understand the cry of many to allow the Titanic to be left in peace and scientific exploration of the Titanic to be found inappropriate.by some. ; )

11 posted on 09/29/2005 11:12:32 PM PDT by EGPWS (Tell that to a politician.)
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To: andie74
I am interested in seeing Molly "I lie because I can" Irvin's proof that "mercenaries" are working in New Orleans...

I mean come on Molly if you are going to spew lies make it believable....

I guess though that would break with years of Liberal/socialist tradition...

I see that Molly has gone to Goebbels school of propaganda too!
12 posted on 09/30/2005 1:06:44 AM PDT by Americanwolf ("You are stuck on Stupid" --- Army Lt. Gen. Russell Honore)
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To: andie74

Last night Sean Hannity jumped on the Molly wagon complaining about the cruise ships on stand by for temporary housing. He made the assertion that for what was paid the evacs could have been moved to NY, CA etc.

Wonder how they could have done that from a closed airport, AMtrack turned away and busses under water?

Expedited purchasing is authorized by LAW in an emergency. See http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/editorial/editorial_0718.xml

Suppliers are pre-registered in many cases.


13 posted on 09/30/2005 4:57:08 AM PDT by Smartaleck
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