Katrina, Real People and the Consequences of Important Decisions.


Part 1— Tracinski’s explanation

A dear friend of mine forwarded me an article exposing the real people to blame in New Orleans—the poor. It seems Katrina rolled back a rock and unearthed these creatures, posing as Americans, who had the nerve to not own transportation and embarrass our country by starving in full view of the world. It was written by Robert Tracinski who I’m guessing is one of the conservative pundits who will say whatever is necessary to shield our president from bearing any responsibility for his decisions. It seems the Republicans have returned to their favorite refrain of divisiveness.

My theory on the people of New Orleans is radical and liberal—here goes: These are real people, just like me. They can be selfless and selfish. They worry about their families and they’ll do anything to survive.

Tracinski blames “the welfare state” for the disgrace of Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath. He implies that the proper people who work for a living would have been orderly and resourceful. “We are an enterprising people, used to relying on our own initiative rather than waiting around for the government to take care of us.” (Tracinski, 2005)

Given cash and a car, I’m as resourceful and independent and anybody, however, I can’t imagine being in 4 feet of sewer water, with my baby and the clothes on my back. Have you ever gone an entire day without water? A week without food? You cannot say what would do unless you have. The people looting food, water and clothing weren’t waiting for the government. Police officers stood at the door of Winn Dixie and allowed it; they had nothing else to offer. If there is a justification for a public safety net, a disaster like this is it.

The non essential looting and criminal behavior is inexcusable. Like any other tantalizing story, however, the press coverage has given the rest of the country an unrealistic idea of its extent. The vast majority of the people who remain in the Gulf Coast have been grateful, law abiding and patient. If you watch closely, you’ll hear the real people being interviewed reiterate that, even if the reporters gloss it over. These are real people, just like me.

Part 2—My Theory

We have comparable disasters to contrast with Katrina; Hurricane Andrew for example. Homestead, mostly migrant farm laborers and yard workers, was no richer than New Orleans. The biggest difference I see with this storm is the current management of FEMA, not the income of the victims.

It seems some have forgotten what FEMA stands for: The Federal Emergency Management Agency. Let’s talk about what Bush has done to FEMA. Since FEMA’s demotion from a cabinet position (subordinated to Homeland Security), it has been under funded and mismanaged. We don’t expect Bush to personally oversee each American city’s emergency plans—we expect him to delegate that task to qualified appointees.

Michael Brown does not have the credentials to run FEMA. His only EM experience was assisting a city manager thirty years ago in Edmond, Oklahoma. His last real job was the chief rules enforcer of the Arabian Horse Association—no shit—which he left on “rocky” terms. (Marshall, 2005) He would never been considered for the job if he weren’t a buddy of Bush’s. These decisions have consequences.

Robert Brown now reports to Michael Chertoff, Head of the Department of Homeland Security. Chertoff, a lawyer by trade, isn’t qualified to oversee FEMA either. This week’s Time magazine quotes Dennis Mileti, who used to run the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado in Boulder. "We put natural hazards on the back burner," says Mileti, "We diverted our attention to terrorism. I'm not saying that shift was bad. We had no plans in place for terrorism. But the laws of nature were not repealed on Sept. 11." (Ripley, 2005) These decisions have consequences.

It is a fact that spending approved by congress in the late 90’s for the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to maintain the levees was cut by subsequent Republican-lead Congresses. These decisions have consequences.

I commend the National Guard for mobilizing in 3 days. Imagine if the commander and chief had mobilized them the Saturday before the storm made landfall – when it was a category 4, filling the entire Gulf of Mexico. And don’t give me that bullshit about “no one thought the levees would burst.” I heard a weatherman predict that on Saturday, to paraphrase, he said the real danger will not be the winds, but the storm surge because the levees were made for rain run-off—not a hurricane. Canadian Mounties were there helping on day 2. Relief was possible—all we needed was the will and the ability to execute plans. These decisions have consequences.

Let’s return to the welfare state argument for a moment. The largest welfare problem in America is that we are subsidizing oil companies. They were making windfall profits before the hurricane hit, yet the latest energy bill subsidized them (you’re doing a great job! Go rape the American people some more!) These decisions have consequences.

The GDP is now being reported with the caveat that it excludes energy pricing. How can you comment on our economy and exclude the price of gas? It affects everything! This administration doesn’t have to perform—it just has to make sure the information is tailored to seem like they are performing.

Bush does not have compassion for the average American. He continued vacationing for days after the hurricane hit. One of his early lamentations was for Trent Lott’s destroyed house. (Poor Trent is stranded in his second home in Jackson... or his third in DC) . When Bush is called on his apathy, Rove shows up to crank up the spin machine and imply that no one should empathize with these types-- these real people just like me.

The final bunch of crap they’re flinging is to denounce “the Blame Game” (sometimes referred to as accountability). The media and the country have a short attention span. If we don’t ask “why?” now, we’ll forget and it will happen again. People should be held responsible at the local, state and NATIONAL level. Just once, ONCE, I’d like to see Bush step up and say “the buck stops here. I understand these decisions have consequences.”

I’d like to end this tirade with a great quote I heard on The Daily Show…

“When people do not want to play the blame game…they’re to blame.”—Jon Stewart, 2005


References

MARSHALL, J., 2005. Talking Points Memo [Online] Available from http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2005_08_28.php
[Accessed September 9, 2005.]

Meet the F**ckers, 2005. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, TV, Comedy
Central. September 7, 2005.

RIPLEY, A., 2005. How did this happen? Time, Vol 166, No 11.

TRACINSKI,R., 2005. An Unnatural Disaster: A Hurricane Exposes the
Man-Made Disaster of the Welfare State, REAL Clear Politics [Online]
Available at http://realclearpolitics.com/Commentary/com-9_4_05_RT.html
[Accessed September 9, 2005.]


Further Reading (and Viewing)

The Detroit Free Press, (2005). DISASTROUS DIRECTOR: Get Experts,
Not Cronies, to Lead FEMA, [Online] Available from http://www.freep.com/voices/editorials/ekatrina9e_20050909.htm
The Detroit Free Press, [Accessed date of publication, September 9, 2005.]

Time, Vol 166, No 11.

The Weather Channel