President Bush wants to federalize natural disaster response. "It may require change of law," the president explained on Monday. "It's very important for us as we look at the lessons of Katrina to think about other scenarios that might require a well-planned, significant federal response--right off the bat--to provide stability." A lesson one might reasonably draw from Katrina is that federal bureaucrats are incompetent to deal with disasters that occur 1,000 miles away. Why would President Bush want to award more power to Washington, DC for it to deal with local problems when Washington, DC failed miserably during Hurricane Katrina? Because President Bush, aside from the obvious power motivation that comes from running one branch of the federal government, is a centralizer who disdains federalism.

Stupid kids? No Child Left Behind. Hijackings on 9/11? Nationalize airport security. Divorce? A $1.5 billion "healthy-marriages" program. In addition to Katrina's lesson in federalism, there is a lesson in federalism offered by George W. Bush's presidency: Don't assume that everyone with an (R) next to their name shares your beliefs. If you do, your party identification will stay constant but your beliefs likely will not.

Bush cultists don't have any beliefs. So their beliefs aren't changing.

It is up to the state governments to organize disaster relief, not the federal goverment! This is a matter of logistics. You can better asses damage if you are on the scene, instead of in a Washington, DC, office.

The federal government should provide assistance if AND ONLY IF the state governor requests it. And even then, the federal resources should be subordinated to a state agency who has a better understanding of the problem.

Unfortunately, state governments have become so dependent on federal funds that I doubt this will ever happen.

I think there are many fewer 'Bush Cultists' than you think Eric.

True Conservatives certainly can't relate to this guy and me still thinks he got elected because his 'R' affiliation indicated that he was a wee bit more in tune with the values of the majority of the voters than the other guy.

And even though he is getting further and further away from and more out of touch with conservative values, given the same choices as the last election, I for one would have voted the same.

It's sickening, I know and I would be holding my nose all the way.

And we thought that his Dad was a liberal. At the rate Bush is spending money -- I classify him and the Congress as definately fiscally leftist. I wish these idiots would stop stepnding my money on stupid things like that damn bridge in Alaska and other stupid things that no one wants except the politician to say -- hey send me back -- I can bring home the pork.

We need to rise up and shout this type of behavior down or vote the spenders out of office.

As someone who votes consistently for Conservatives and Republicans, all of these guys disappoint me.