As the enormity and, to some extent at least, the avoidability of the tragedy in South Asia begins to come fully into focus, Chris Mooney helpfully reminds us that, less than a decade ago, so-called "conservatives" in Washington were doing their damnedest to shut down the agency that tracks earthquakes and their consequences here in the US.

MORE: Jeff Jarvis quotes an expert as saying that "most people would have been safe if only they'd walked one mile inland or gotten to higher ground . . ."