Where Left Is Right / The Old Site

I haven't had a chance to confirm this yet, but my boss just told me that The Weasel says he takes "personal responsibility" for the federal governments recent FUBARring of New Orleans and Mississippi. Since Michael Brown lost his FEMA job for his handling of the problem, I look forward to hearing of Bush's own recall to DC, woodshedding, and subsequent departure -- for good -- to Crawford. I mean, it's only fair, right?

Yeah, I know. Sometimes I even crack myself up.

Update, 2:06pm: The "I take responsibility" line from the Weasel is featured in a story at MSNBC and, no doubt, at others. The MSNBC version, on page 2, also includes this reassurance from Michael Chertoff:

He said the federal government would look increasingly to state and local officials for guidance on rebuilding the devastated communities along the Gulf Coast.

"The federal government can't drive permanent solutions down the throats of state and local officials," Chertoff said. "I don't think anyone should envision a situation in which they're going to take a back seat. They're going to take a front seat," he said.

[...]

Chertoff said that teams of federal auditors were being dispatched to the stricken areas to make sure that billions of dollars worth of government contracts were being properly spent. "We want to get aid to people who need it quickly, but we also don't want to lose sight of the importance of preserving the integrity of the process and our responsibility as stewards of the public money," Chertoff said.

"We're going to cut through red tape," he said, "but we're not going to cut through laws and rules that govern ethics."

Let me see if I've got this straight:

• Now the federal government knows better. Now the federal government will consult with and act on the recommendations of local governments (well, at least in the Mississippi delta area). Now the federal government will no longer just tell various disaster-prone areas (well, at least in the etc. etc.) what they're going to get.
• The no-bid contracts the federal government is awarding for the reconstruction of New Orleans and environs will be managed responsibly and with an eye to the common good.
  

I don't live in the area, but if I did I'd feel better already!

Update, 6:54pm: Y'know, re-reading this post, I was struck by the title. Isn't it interesting that the right wing -- especially its mouthpieces actually in office -- can make such political hay out of abortion as an abdication of personal responsibility, a failure of pregnant women to face the consequences of nature? I mean, considering how little willing The Weasel and his minions are to take personal or even institutional responsibility -- with consequences -- for their misfeasance?