WOW!

[Dr. Shane]

I suspect President Bush's approval numbers go up 10 points overnight - unless no one watched his speech - in which case a may take a week. I would say it was a homerun. He confronted issues of security, poverty, racism and responsibility.

Now I have a number of areas of concern.

Sounds like a big advance in power and authority for the federal government. In the past local communities and states were responsible to disaster preperation and relief. Now President Bush is talking using the military as a first response.

My next concern is the big spending. I would much rather see many evacuees be absorbed into other communities which would be cheaper and, IMO better. New Orleans will never be safe from a class 3 hurricane that hits it head on traveling on a northwest course.

I did like the idea of low-income business loans and an economic zone to atract larger business. That is a good course. Let the private sector rebuild the area.

[Dr. Shane]

I Will Rebuild With You, Mr. President

Donna Brazile, the democratic political consultant that managed Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaign, supports President Bush's rebuilding plan.

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On Thursday night President Bush spoke to the nation from my city. I am not a Republican. I did not vote for George W. Bush -- in fact, I worked pretty hard against him in 2000 and 2004. But on Thursday night, after watching him speak from the heart, I could not have been prouder of the president and the plan he outlined to empower those who lost everything and to rebuild the Gulf Coast.

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[Derrell M]

I think that speech will likely bring more independents and Democrats on board, but he will lose the confidence of some of his more conservative supporters. He really walked a fine line there. But, all totalled, I have to agree that it was a home run.

[Dr. Shane]

Military May Play Bigger Relief Role

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At question, however, is how far to push the military role, which by law may not include actions that can be defined as law enforcement _ stopping traffic, searching people, seizing property or making arrests. That prohibition is spelled out in the Posse Comitatus Act of enacted after the Civil War mainly to prevent federal troops from supervising elections in former Confederate states.

Speaking on the Senate floor Thursday, Sen. John Warner, R-Va., chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said, "I believe the time has come that we reflect on the Posse Comitatus Act." He advocated giving the president and the secretary of defense "correct standby authorities" to manage disasters.

Presidents have long been reluctant to deploy U.S. troops domestically, leery of the image of federal troops patrolling in their own country or of embarrassing state and local officials.

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This was my concern when some radical Democrats were trying to make partisan hay out of FEMA's response. FEMA may not have responded as well as it could have, however that only became apparent due to the utter and complete incompetance of the state and local governments. Now we have Congress wanting to be able to send soldiers in to act as police officers whenever there is a natural disaster.

[Neil D]

MSNBC anchor Lisa Daniels touted Bush "likeability factor": "[P]eople still relate to his character

[lazarus]

Quote:

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dgrimm60 said:

Yes it does seem like The United States

the land of the free is losing more and more

freedoms.

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Please remember that the US has only really come to grips with the "freedom thing" since the the 1960's e.g voting rights act 1965 & civil rights act 1964. Its very new to the idea of everyone having freedom. The attitudes that led to the deplorable conditions before the 1960's are still prevelant.

Quote:

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that just means to me that the end is getting

nearer. So we have to stay closer to GOD AND JESUS

AND THE BIBLE.

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No doubt! There is no better course of action.