Nothing changes?

At least, in the Bush administration. We've got Halliburton on the receiving end of more lucrative no competitive bidding contracts. But this time it's in Louisiana, not Iraq. Salon's War Room takes this one on. We need Congress to insist that the areas most impacted by the hurricane benefit most from the hurricane clean up efforts.

Of all the corporations that could benefit, these slimey administrative lackey corps should be the last to do so. Halliburton has already earned $9 billion for its work in Iraq. Hasn't the area decimated by Katrina paid enough for cronyism?

Speaking of cronyism, what about the Environmental Protection Agency? The NY Times reported that the EPA has suffered similar problems to FEMA. Even a current member of the EPA says, "The budget has been cut and inept political hacks have been put in key positions." Good timing, what with Katrina causing not only a human disaster but an environmental disaster. Who is going to manage THAT disaster?

Not only has New Orleans been ravaged by the waters and winds of Katrina, but the aftermath has the potential for far worse long-term damage. Literally tons of oil may have leaked into the area. No one will know for sure how much oil until the floods completely recede. But all water in the area is described by a geographer quoted on Salon.com as being covered with a sheen of oil.

But that's not all, folks. Of course, there's voluminous amounts of raw sewage. And then there's the pesticide plant in town that left massive amounts of land covered with DDT and other pesticides. Superfund did a shitty and cursory job of cleaning it. Now it's covered in the floodwaters.

The list goes on and on. Superfund has run dry, due to the massive Republican eradication of "Big Government". And the EPA, too, has undergone cuts. So good to know we have people running it who will know how to best manage the puny funds to the most effective use.

The more things change . . . yet they don't, in the Bush administration. Could this be the event that turns the tide, that causes us to stand up and force this administration to act responsibly? Will we finally hold him accountable? Or are we going to simply eat up "Brownie" and declare a truce?

Until tomorrow,
Liz