Iowa Floats

I watched Senator John Cornyn on C-SPAN, from the floor of the Senate, this afternoon. He brought up the shameful performance of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on a bill like the one on global climate change that was brought before the Senate last week for a vote. Reid, as is his pattern of operation, denied the minority a chance to offer amendments for a vote. The election promise during the last election cycle made by Democrats like Reid that Democrats, once in control, would be generous with respect for the minority. They promised to allow amendments for votes, while complaining that they were denied such respect while in the minority themselves. So much for the popular nonsensical motto of 'change'.

Cornyn referred to Reid's shameful execution of his Majority Leader duties. I agree. He's been a complete failure and the American people have noticed. He and Nancy Pelosi have brought the congressional poll numbers to all time historical lows. How's that for 'change'?

I fully support the re-election of Senator Cornyn. I am proud that Texas has two strong, principled Senators representing our state.

I hope the two Senators from Iowa do a competent job for their people. I am so proud of the people of Iowa. That state has been devastated by flooding in recent days and the people are a model for the rest of the country on how to handle a natural disaster. I have yet to hear any person who has lost a home, lost a crop, lost animals, lost everything, complain that 'the government' isn't taking care of them. No one is on a roof screaming for help. No one is blaming President Bush.

And, when they were told to evacuate, they did.

Much like the people of Mississippi who were struck just as heavily as those in New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina, they talk of re-building, of putting their life back together. And, they are well on their way. Much like the people of western coastal Louisiana and east Texas who were devastated by Hurricane Rita on the same scale as those of Katrina, they carry on. Many still working and waiting for their community to be brought back, for their final settlements to come from insurance companies. Unlike those in New Orleans, they too refrain from pointing fingers and blaming everyone else with no thoughts to personal responsibility.

I think the people in Iowa will benefit from the improvements made in the execution of the work done by FEMA. Though the agency was overwhelmed during Hurricane Katrina's aftermath, as was local, state and federal government, it was promptly forgotten the very competent jobs the agency performed in the State of Florida during past years of hurricane damage. Even with the management of former agency head Michael Brown. True, during Katrina Brown was in over his head but hardly the scapegoat he was made out to be.

There are no mayors on nightly news broadcasts screaming at the President. There are no press conferences with the Governor of Iowa crying and bemoaning all the decisions that must be made. And then not making them, mostly out of political spite.

Thank goodness these people living in Iowa have the common sense of Midwesterners. And the personal strength, character and sturdy backbones. They act with the true American spirit, the can do spirit, the weary optimism of people who are resolved to get through it all.

"It will certainly take a long time" to rebuild, Governor Chet Culver said. "We will rebuild Iowa, and we will be stronger at the end of the day." He has little patience for those looking, like the ever present media, to place blame. "While people are looking to place blame and to point fingers, the fact is we are dealing with a raging wave of water that we have never seen before."

Kudos to the politicians at the local, state and federal level who have put the needs of the people above political ego and are doing what needs to be done.