Mistakes were made

I don't think you have to be a Republican or a Democrat to recognize the stark reality that when Katrina hit, mistakes were made at all levels of government, especially the federal level. A recent article in that liberal mouthpiece, the New York Times, reports that video shows that President Bush was repeatedly and fully warned of the danger of Katrina, the high likelihood of levee failure, and the insufficient preparation of the federal government for the disaster. There was no "fog of war", and he knew beforehand that the levees might collapse. Bush failed to listen to his advisors, he failed to respond quickly to an expected disaster, and he lied to the public to hide the gross incompetence of his administration's response to Katrina.

I don't care what party you vote for: you have to believe in accountability. Republican or Democrat, accountability is what keeps our government free of corruption. I hated it when Bill Clinton was impeached, but I could understand why. He lied under oath about an intensely personal, life-destroying matter. He broke the law. He was publicly dishonored, almost convicted, and he should have paid a fine and done community service. But when Bill lied, the only thing that got hurt was America's sense of trust in the Presidency. Katrina killed more than a thousand people. Bush is not responsible for Katrina, but his four-day delay in sending in troops and unwillingness to evacuate preemptively cost human lives. In legal terms, that is criminal negligence. We don't tolerate it in our citizens: I don't know why we tolerate it in our leaders.

There must be an accounting. You know, some people would scream, "Impeachment!" For me, a simple apology would be a good start, followed by action to make sure this never happens again.