Bush struggles to save his political life - the Constitution is dead

As White House Anxiety Grows, Bush Tries to Quell Political Crisis - New York Times:

"And Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker, urged Mr. Bush to quickly propose a rebuilding plan for New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast, arguing that an ambitious gesture could restore his power in Congress."

The mechanisms for loans and grants to individuals, businesses and local governments to rebuild after the rubble is cleared already exist. For the federal government to step in with a plan to tell them what to do with their properties is highly improper under our constitutional system. It is also doomed to failure. How is any "bunch of pointy-headed bureaucrats" (to borrow a phrase from the late Gov. George C. Wallace, D-AL) supposed to know what the future New Orleans, or Biloxi, or Mobile ought to look like? Why should such an assemblage of brain power have more to say on such subjects than the people who actually live in those communities?

I fear it will be a long time before any politician will dare to speak of restraint of federal power in the aftermath of Katrina. And Bush, in his zeal to save himself from taking the rap for the incompetence of Gov. Blanco, will be trampling the constitution in ways even his enemies would not have dreamed two weeks ago.