As a civilization, we deserve better. A characteristic of a civilization is the ability to muster a lot of resources when required. Now true, historically speaking, that meant building a major monument to the leader. But in American history that meant providing for the common good. Look at the canals that were built in the Northeast. Look at the railroads. The Interstates.
You really can't argue about this; sure, we deserve a government so big and powerful that no natural disaster, no matter how big, no matter how incompetent the local officials, no matter how long the problem has been ignored by the region's representatives, they can save us.
But this is fairy tale stuff. In real life, not all problems can be immediately solved.
Today, while interviewing a local official in the Rita destruction area, the remark was made, words to the effect of, "Hey, it takes a couple of days to figure out where people are; roads are blocked, there is no fuel, communications are down."
Duh. Even longer when an entire city of 1.25 million is flooded.
FEMA, along with the federal government in general, has done a fantastic job on both storms. The Media has done a great job of coloring the reporting so that a lot of people have unrealistic demands of the feds. And the American people have done a great job of being sucked in by it all. |
