Collins Begins Investigation

I've heard complaints before (some of them from her own staffers) that Collins hasn't used her spot at Government Affairs the way she should be. It looks like that may change.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two key U.S. senators said on Friday they will open a bipartisan investigation into what they described as an "immense failure" of the government response to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican who heads the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, and Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, the panel's top Democrat, said they plan to begin an oversight investigation next week when the full Senate returns from a summer recess. [...]

The Bush administration's handling of the disaster that wreaked havoc in the Gulf Coast and spilled a devastating flood into New Orleans has come under sharp criticism.

If you aren't incredibly angry about the man-made disaster that has unfolded over the past few days, then you haven't been paying attention. I hope some good comes from this investigation.

In related news, despite Katrina, Republicans are planning to hold a vote on repealing the estate tax on Tuesday. Right now, we need emergency assistance to those left homeless and starving. We need to fix the terrible problems with our national infrastructure that this clusterfuck has laid bare. We don't need another tax cut for the ultra-wealthy.

I'm headed back to Halifax tomorrow. This may be the last post for a bit.

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