They Need Homes, not Homilies

There was much to admire in Bush's speech last night. He acknowledged racism and slavery as the roots of poverty in the gulf area (a no-brainer, but still an accomplishment for any Republican); he accepted responsibility for the failures of the Federal government (again, a no brainer, but an accomplishment for Bush); and he laid out an extensive program of rebuilding that sounds FDR-esque in its scope (though as always, the devil will be in the details). Frankly, it was the only one of Bush's speeches in the last three years that I could bear to listen to all the way to its conclusion. I particularly liked the "Urban Homestead" act--giving families free parcels of land to build on by lottery out of federal lands in the area (though I am skeptical of just how much federal property there is to dole out in New Orleans.)

But I must say, today's National Day of Prayer and Rememberance really is cynical. After 9/11, Bush held such an event just three days later (Friday 9/14) and at that time, with the nation still reeling, still searching for lost ones in the rubble, it was appropriate. But to hold such an event two and a half weeks after the hurricane struck is pure political theater. As a nation we are now thinking hopefully of rebuilding and asking tough questions. For Bush speak to us now as though we were still mired in grief--to belatedly offer us the sympathy and leadership he failed to give when it was truly needed--is nothing short of grotesque.

As RxR has said, Bush seems to think he can just start the whole process over again to try to have a better run at it. But the time has passed. Bush's homily from the pulpit is too little, too late.