Tim O Thompson: "Bring Us His Head on a Platter!"

September 15, 2005

"Bring Us His Head on a Platter!"

Not really, but my favorite congressman Lloyd Doggett is calling for an independent Hurricane Katrina inquiry:

Calling this partisan Republican scheme "bipartisan" reminds me of those tinhorn dictators who attempt to mask their authoritarian regimes by calling their countries "Democratic."

We need an independent citizens' commission, like the 9-11 Commission, to explore the failures of every level and every branch of government.

The Administration and its House Republican cohorts oppose this independent citizen commission just as they opposed the 9-11 Commission where the Administration erected roadblocks to that Commission's work at every turn. I say to them, "Save the stonewall for rebuilding the levees."

With thousands stranded, this Administration would not lead, but now it wants its buddies here in the Congress to lead the cover-up.

As with the formation of the 9-11 Commission, if enough informed Americans demand a genuine independent investigation, then we can end this Republican charade.

Our safety demands real accountability. What reason is there to believe that what we witnessed might not happen in our own backyard? That the fate of those we saw in New Orleans would not be the fate of others, such as poor folks in the Rio Grande Valley from hurricane flooding or other disasters – be it a human-caused, natural disasters, or both?

Without knowing, objectively, what, why, and how the rescue mission failed, there is no way to ensure that this horror would not be repeated in our communities.

There is nothing to prevent the House Republicans from having all the Congressional investigations and all the budget hearings that they want to have. What we are asking for here today is that you not have a sham "bi-partisan" commission. You should bring in citizens from around the country and have the kind of independent inquiries that led to a best-selling book exploring 9-11 -- the 9-11 Commission Report.

We owe it to the dead, to the displaced, and to all who could become the next victims of a catastrophe to support a true and genuine independent inquiry.

Sincerely,
Lloyd

U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett
201 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-4865, (956) 687-5921, (512) 916-5921
http://www.house.gov/doggett

Posted by timothompson at September 15, 2005 04:00 PM