First you’ll need to read this New York Times piece for background, Political Issues Snarled Plans for Troop Aid. I’ve excerpted a critical section below.
To seize control of the mission, Mr. Bush would have had to invoke the Insurrection Act, which allows the president in times of unrest to command active-duty forces into the states to perform law enforcement duties. But decision makers in Washington felt certain that Ms. Blanco would have resisted surrendering control, as Bush administration officials believe would have been required to deploy active-duty combat forces before law and order had been re-established.
While combat troops can conduct relief missions without the legal authority of the Insurrection Act, Pentagon and military officials say that no active-duty forces could have been sent into the chaos of New Orleans on Wednesday or Thursday without confronting law-and-order challenges.
But just as important to the administration were worries about the message that would have been sent by a president ousting a Southern governor of another party from command of her National Guard, according to administration, Pentagon and Justice Department officials.
“Can you imagine how it would have been perceived if a president of the United States of one party had pre-emptively taken from the female governor of another party the command and control of her forces, unless the security situation made it completely clear that she was unable to effectively execute her command authority and that lawlessness was the inevitable result?” asked one senior administration official, who spoke anonymously because the talks were confidential.
Officials in Louisiana agree that the governor would not have given up control over National Guard troops in her state as would have been required to send large numbers of active-duty soldiers into the area.As they say, read the whole thing…
With that information in hand you’re now ready to write your Daily Kos or Atrios post that answers the “Can you imagine how it would have been perceived..” portion of the article.
For the sake of your post assume that Bush did invoke the Insurrection Act and seized control of the Louisiana National Guard. Your assignment is to describe that historic takeover in the style of either Kos or Atrios.
Go ahead, unleash your inner moonbat in the comment section. The winning entry will be rewarded semi-handsomely ($50).
Here’s my parody:
Bush couldn’t have handled the disaster in New Orleans worse, even if he’d deliberated attempted to bungle it. As we look over the long list of White House missteps, perhaps we should ask ourselves, “Just how much worse of a job could he possibly have done?”
The question dazzles the mind. One supposes that if Bush were truly an imbecile, he would have cut FEMA funding and staffed the agency with a bunch of clowns who knew absolutely nothing about disaster relief.
Then he’d demote the agency to a mere division of the bloated and bureaucracy gridlocked Department of Homeland Security. These two steps would ensure that any Federal response would be pathetic – at best.
Never one to rest on his laurels, George “Genius Boy” Bush would get a report on the impending Katrina hit on NOLA and go to sleep. On the day when the floodwaters were rising, he’d gather some pals and eat cake. As thousands were baking in the convention center, he’d play a guitar and mug for the cameras.
Lastly, if the press were ever to get wind of his failings in regard to leadership and action at a time when they were most needed, he’d assign Condi Rice to, oh… maybe go shopping for shoes, and later swing by Louisiana during rescue efforts. Remember folks, when the President is on the scene, choppers don’t fly. More lives lost to stupidity and photo ops.
Whew! Parody sure is hard work.
Raven, As parody it really doesn’t work. Even a rabid moonbat wouldn’t believe Condi Rice was responsible for Disaster relief.
My goodness…these are so good, I’m not even going to submit mine. My vote goes to Laguna Dave.
Rush Limbaugh says nobody reads Kos or Atrios anyhow. Nobody but other bloggers.