Priorities

Some GOP'ers have decided to draw the line when it comes to spending--and, as you've guessed the line is both color and black and white:

Congressional Republicans from across the ideological spectrum yesterday rejected the White House's open-wallet approach to rebuilding the Gulf Coast, a sign that the lockstep GOP discipline that George W. Bush has enjoyed for most of his presidency is eroding on Capitol Hill...

The pushback on Katrina aid, which the White House is also confronting among House Republicans, represents the loudest and most widespread dissent Bush has faced from his own party since it took full control of Congress in 2002. As polls show the president's approval numbers falling, there is growing concern among lawmakers that GOP margins in Congress could shrink next year, and even rank-and-file Republicans are complaining that Bush is shirking the difficult budget decisions that must accompany the rebuilding bonanza.

Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla.) said he and other fiscal conservatives are feeling "genuine concern [which] could easily turn into frustration and anger."

Congressional Republicans are not arguing with Bush's pledge that the federal government will lead the Louisiana and Mississippi recovery. But they are insisting that the massive cost -- as much as $200 billion -- be paid for...

New Orleans also has emerged as the chief target of angst. "The question is do we really want to flood New Orleans with money," said Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.).

Kingston said he has detected a building hostility toward New Orleans among his constituents, based on reports that local officials mismanaged the crisis, along with federal dollars that had previously flowed the region's way. "What we are hearing from constituents is: 'Wait a minute, slow down on this,' " Kingston said.

Meanwhile, the amount of borrowed money flowing into Mesopotamia is rapidly approaching...$200 billion dollars. And I'm still waiting for someone, anyone, of the deficit-hawk persuasion to so much as raise an eyebrow over the missing $1 TRILLION dollars at the Pentagon.

No, those examples of waste, greed, corruption, and plain old-fashioned stupidity don't make it to the conservative radar screen. But putting federal dollars to work in a city that's predominantly black raises hackles.

Here's MY solution: take all the assclowns who think spending money hand over fist in the Middle East is just dandy--like a drunk on someone else's tab in the Quarter--and SEND them to Iraq. Let them experience first-hand their massive investment (on borrowed money) in the latest Islamic theocracy, which is what $200 billion plus gets you in the region these days. When they're ready to return, put them in New Orleans--not uptown, not in the Quarter or the Warehouse District, or even in Algiers--we'll put them near the 17th Street or Industrial Canal. THEN let them decide how much money to spend, and where.

I mean, goddamn, what a bunch of pig-fuckers (apologies to pigs). Selling out their own citizens while throwing money elsewhere. Sometimes, I really wish/hope there is an afterlife, because if there is, every last one of them will experience an eternity that makes NOLA, post-Katrina, look like paradise in comparison.