In direct contravention of my wife's explicit instructions, herewith I inaugurate my first blog. Long may it prosper.

For some reason, I think I have something to say to you. You think you have something to say to me? Email me at: gideonsblogger -at- yahoo -dot- com

 
I know I still haven't posted any of the promised reviews. I'm working on them. They'll be posted. Soon. Promise.

In the meantime, Andrew Sullivan has been calling for a general blogosphere-wide effort to pressure President Bush to fire Michael Brown, analogous to the blosophere-wide effort to pressure Trent Lott to step down (which, I will note, I joined in).

I think that the proposed analogy misses a few things.

First, Bush never appointed Lott. So he wouldn't be admitting a mistake to fire him.

Second, everyone knew Lott would be replaced by Frist, who is much closer to the President. So losing Lott would actually be a win.

Third, and most important, it was really easy to see how coming out against Lott would redound to Bush's benefit - for taking a stand against racism, etc. Whereas you know that Bush's analysis of the Katrina situation (politically, that is) is that firing Brown would be an admission that the Feds screwed up, an admission that will hurt Bush politically as long as it is still plausible for him to continue to play the blame game against the locals.

Anyhow, the people who should be coming under pressure are the plausible 2008 candidates for the GOP nomination. The blogosphere should be pressuring them to declare that Bush's mismanagement of FEMA is an unconscionable lapse that they would never allow to happen. If you want to put a scare into Bush (or at least his advisors), make it look plausible that the various candidate to succeed him from his own party are preparing to run against his record. And that they are not intimidated by White House disapproval.

There are plenty of competent people in the GOP - the governor of Mississippi, for example. Isn't it time for them to start being disloyal?
posted by Noah at 3:54 PM