Reader Comments

Editor: Just read your Battleline piece on Big Government conservatism in the aftermath of Katrina. Right on target! I’ve about given up totally on Bush and the GOP. What are we to do? We should break with the GOP leadership. No one from Senate or House leadership, RNC, or Bush administration should be invited or allowed to conservative events. Conservatives only. What think? We’re facing a nearly total debacle. RL

Editor: In regards your “Katrina Proves Big Government,” George W. Bush emulates Lyndon B. Johnson--no amount of deficit spending is too much or too irresponsible if it raises poll numbers. In the process, Bush is trashing conservatism (the Reagan legacy: http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/09/15/D8CKSTT80.html). Conservatives who continue to support Bush will lose credibility and experience rapid erosion of their donor bases. Brian Lynch

Editor: Couldn't we count on Bush to find the maximum outlay that could possibly be spent on New Orleans recovery? George is undaunted in his inexorable sprint to become history's most spendthrift president--and he has yet to veto any bill! It's only money. In the meantime he's completely laundered the Clintons. In statement after statement Washington's version of Bonnie & Clyde have been at the pinnacle of Bush's admiring proclamations, thus insuring that Republicans will have great difficulty beating Hillary. Al, Lemon Grove

Editor: In regard to your editorial on Katrina, I have a close friend who estimates damages for insurance companies. He just arrived on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. He emailed me concerning contacting a woman whose house was under water. He informed her over her cell phone in Texas that she had no flood insurance but there was a provision of $1,500.00 if she could tell him where to send it. She explained to him that she had four children living in her car but, being a home owner, is not considered to be the poor and eligible for government assistance. FEMA has been no help to her, only people she had met in Texas had done anything for her. She is going to be one of thousands from this area and her story should be told and told loud enough so the government can hear it. I hope you can publish this for people to understand what is going on in La. CB

Editor: I was glad to read your editorial on Katrina in Conservative Battleline but I think this plan for Louisiana and New Orleans is preferable. Tim Sullivan http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?dist=¶m=
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Editor: Your editorial said “President George W. Bush declared a national disaster the day the hurricane hit the coast on Monday August 29, promised Federal help and cut short his vacation the following day.” Help me out on this. I thought the President declared LA., MS., and AL. disasters on Saturday August 27 so they could have access to Federal help. Thank you. Al Davis, St. Petersburg FL. (Editor: The president did make the help available earlier but could not declare an actual emergency until the storm actually caused one.)

Editor: I am very concerned with the apparent Bush Administration's march toward martial law, led by General Rumsfeld and his fellow neocon civilians (see William Arkin’s blog in the Washington Post, http://blogs.washingtonpost.com/earlywarning/. I remember during the Bill Clinton years when conservatives were screaming at the top of their lungs about Posse Comitatus, Waco, the Imperial Presidency, executive orders, etc. etc. Now, silence. Oh well, they'll get another chance to scream. Bush is just ensuring the return of the Clintons to the White House in 2008. And Hillary won't be as gentle about wielding power as Bill. David Franke (Editor: See the president’s explanation, “Katrina Spending and Controls” in this issue).

Editor: I am writing about the article "America Not Among Top Ten Freest", by Chuck Baldwin. While I agree with his assertion, I would be interested to know if anyone has done a similar study on "personal freedom" not just "economic freedom". While I realize that the two are closely inter-twined, China's economic freedom, does not lead to personal freedom. For example, many people are still imprisoned and even killed for their choice of religion in China. Their economic freedom is essentially useless unless they accept the state defined politics, social policy, and religious intolerance.

Another key point is that security is necessary for liberty. If a government cannot be provide a basic frame work for law enforcement, real liberty fails because criminals can terrorize the innocent. Uganda may theoretically provide more freedom (polygamy, drug trade, etc.) the lack of security effectively eliminates property rights and personal rights with rape, robbery, murder, and looting going undeterred.

While viewing only one aspect of the situation, I believe Chuck Baldwin has created a false impression of American Liberty. While certainly much more statist, and I believe effectively Communist, than America of the 19th and early 20th century; I believe America is still more free than any country on the earth once the personal liberty and security aspects are considered. I would be interested in resources that either confirm or deny my conclusion, such as a study of personal liberty along with a generic assessment of "lawlessness" etc. Thank you, Thomas Rutherford (Editor: You might consult the ratings Freedom House does on freedom scores around the world.)

Editor: The recent legislation to register sex offenders also included an added provision to include gay and lesbians in hate crimes legislation. The news said that 30 Republicans in a shocking move sided with Democrats on this bill. This legislation will enable government to muffle those opposed to the homosexual agenda. Who are these Republicans and what happened to their supposed conservative agenda? Why do I bother voting? We need to expose these turncoats and vote them out next year. Thanks for listening. My e-mail may not be functioning now but I hope you will expose this sham! GOB

Editor: When the he-- are we going to start taking some action against the ultra liberals in this country. How can we allow the likes of Jesse Jackson, Ted Kennedy, Charles Schummer, Barbara Boxer, Senator Reid, Nancy Pelosi and the main media both printed and visual, to continue to get away with their lies and attempts to make this country a socialistic society? EB

Editor: On Sunday. September 18th former President Bill Clinton appeared on both “Meet the Press” and “This Week With George Stephanopoulos,” and launched his “wife’s” campaign for President. The two interviews were incredible in terms of softball questions and Clinton’s board brush criticism of Bush and what’s wrong in Iraq, New Orleans, taxes, foreign relations, etc. etc. If you missed the programs, the transcripts are worth reading and dissecting for developing an understanding of the major themes of her campaign messages. Bill Lauderback