Carol Platt Liebau: Katrina Roundup

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Katrina Roundup

Thoughts and prayers go out to all the people and pets whose lives were destroyed by what was the worst natural disaster in American history. But it's going to be a long day, as the MSM (and the Democrats) try one more time to establish its own "compassion credentials" and sneak in a little more Bush bashing through its Katrina retrospective coverage.

For a little something different, check out Wizbang, which makes a compelling case that the tragedy was caused, not even by the storm itself or the government response, but by Corps of Engineers malfeasance in constructing and maintaining the levees. Over at City Journal, Nicole Gelinas appears to agree.

The greatest lesson of Katrina had nothing to do with the "power of nature" or even racism. What everyone should now understand is this: However well-meaning, the federal government is simply not equipped to do everything for everyone, especially in an emergency. So take note and prepare.

Although government inefficiency is certainly distressing at times of sharp need like Katrina, it's also worth remembering what Thomas Jefferson said: "A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have." And, as Bobby Jindal has reason to know better than most, big government most often is wasteful government, too.

1 Comments:

Blogger Cavalor Epthith said...

While those who live comfortably through the accrual of unearned privilege stood by the poorest people both white and black young and old suffered and died in New Orleans. Those with the means, by and large fled the city. The federal government I posit had your little corner of the left coast Carol been devastated in a similar manner and those well heeled people like yourself had found themselves awash in flood waters and trapped in a sports stadium would have had a federal response within hours not within days.

Blacks and poor whites in American society are seen by the ruling elite (Bush, Brown, Blanco) as valueless, though I must amend Gove Blanco could see their voting value. And by the corporate elite (that is people like you carol who serve the ruling elite) as a burden to be ignored and an embarassing measure of the cost of American materialism.

So save your analysis for cocktail parties at country clubs what the poor among the New Orleans diaspora need are certainties that there will be a Lower Ninth Ward to come back to and that their places will not be replaced by condos for those who know nothing of the death sting of racism.

C.E.

2:36 AM  

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