9/11, Katrina, Deep Water Horizon

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Monday June 21, 2010 · 3:52 AM PDT

2010/06/21 · 03:52

9/11, Katrina and the Deep Water Horizon have one attribute in common; they are all national tragedies. Perception, not reality, determined the course for the country in 9/11. Reality determined the course of the country in Katrina. In the case of Deep Water Horizon we don't know what will determine the course of the country.

The reality of 9/11 was that President Bush and Vice President Cheney were responsible for not paying enough attention to al-Qaeda resulting in what amounted to a free pass to the terrorists on 9/11. On 9/11 President Bush was basically so beyond reality, he could not respond coherently. A megaphone and with it Bush the cheer leader gave people the perception that President Bush was responding appropriately.

Karl Rove then used 9/11 to lead republicans to victory in the mid term elections. The American people were never presented with reality.

Katrina was quite different. President Bush never found his megaphone. The news shows presented reality in all its stark and gory details. The klieg lights showed Bush as the incompetent commander he was. People saw reality.

The deep water horizon oil flow is another national tragedy. Policies and decisions made by President Bush's administration and BP are directly responsible for the oil flowing into the Gulf. President Obama is showing great competency dealing with the tragedy. Yet, the perception, like on 9/11, does not match the reality.

The problem is how to help the American people see reality, not just on the oil spill, but on the economy, health care, and republican obstructionism. Somehow President Obama needs to find his megaphone. Somehow David Plouffe needs to find his inner Karl Rove and make the election turn on patriotism.

So what can we here at DailyKos do? Right now we can work to get the best democrats nominated to run in November. Starting in August we can work to get democrats elected, all democrats. We can do this through writing letters to the editor, phone banks, door to door campaigning, lending our homes for neighborhood parties, giving money, yard signs, and on and on. Writing diaries and comments on DailyKos is a start, but not enough. We need to work hard for democratic nominees at local, state, house and senate. Okay I make an exception in the case of Alvin Greene, but even he is better than Jim DeMint.

Many talk as if losing seats in congress is a given. Just like in 2002 losing seats is not a given. Hard work can change the course. David Plouffe can change the course. President Obama can change the course. Let's do it together. Let us do the work.

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