This is a repost of an article from Pensito Review’s coverage of the Hurricane Katrina disaster. It originally appeared one year ago today, Sept. 1, 2005.

Now is the time for the Democratic Party to mobilize its significant resources and come to the aid of the Gulf region devastated by Hurricane Katrina. As chairman, Howard Dean should activate the party’s communications and fund-raising apparatus to get money flowing from Democrats and liberals nationwide to the party, which could then direct the funds to relief organizations.

Bush and the Repugs diverted money that could have averted death and disaster in New Orleans, now let the Dems step up and mobilize their resources and provide needed aid in a hurry.

What? You say this is no time for partisan politics? Let’s wake up and take a lesson from the Republicans and the neocons and the God-knobs and the whacko wingnuts — it’s always partisan politics, all the time.

Let’s take the opportunity of this horrendous natural (and manmade) disaster and Bush’s high disapproval rating to energize the Democratic Party and accomplish something positive for the first time in five years.

Revisited: Here we are a year later and, needless to say, the Democratic Party did not step up to the plate following Katrina. Yeah, they criticized the administration and pointed out shortcomings in Bushco’s response and raised money for aid, but I don’t think they took the political advantage the situation offered. Sure, it might have appeared unseemly to “use” the nation’s worst natural and manmade disaster for political ends, but don’t you think if the Dems had been in charge and botched it as badly, the GOP would have shown restraint? Don’t think so.