Cronyism Costs Lives. In the next several weeks and months, one of many things we'll learn from the Katrina debacle is that hiring your best buds or top fundraisers for key governmental positions, who obviously lack the qualifications for the job, is dangerous to human life. The current FEMA head (Brown what's his name) is not only toast but worse, should've never been appointed to begin with. He couldn't successfully navigate the "tough" going over at the International Arabian Horse Assoc. (!), where he was forced to resign. Typical GW fashion to hire / promote a f*cking incompetent flunky -- ultimately costing the lives of American citizens.

Is King George the first to abuse cronyism in government? No. But it's reached monumental proportions under his rule, and at least presidents in the past looked for some remote expertise before hiring a friend. Just look at who GW appointed as head of the FDA, another key post that could cost lives: Lester Crawford, a guy with a background in veterinary medicine (yes, pets/animals) and of course worked for lobby, the National Food Processors Association. And I've lost track of how many people from industry have been appointed to key environmental positions, many of which lobbied against the regulations they're now expected to uphold. Gail Norton is a classic hire in this regard.

Can someone tell me why Clinton ever did team up with George Sr.? Was this necessary? Of course, I'm all for the causes they're championing, but couldn't Bill just do this on his own, receiving all of the limelight? Why did he have to share his name with GW's daddy? I was ready to throw up when I saw GW Sr. standing under a sign that read "Bush / Clinton" and had a Texas flag (!) imprint on it. Why not "Clinton / Bush"? And how could Clinton agree to that Texas flag thing -- they're not underwater? Why not the American flag?? And then Bush Sr. spoke first -- why? Did they draw straws? Then when Clinton was later asked about the failure of the government to respond to Katrina, he had Bush Sr. breathing down his neck (literally) so Bill went easy and cautiously with chosen words. Ugh! Is this just another '08 favor thrown to Hillary to get her looking more centrist? Carter didn't team-up with Ford -- enough already!