Misc. Ramblings

JHR left a comment on yesterday's post. I decided to respond. My comments are interleaved with his (JHR's are in italics).

How convenient to have a Republican Gummint to blame for all the ills of the world!

Yes, very. Just like the Republicans blamed Democrats for everything from flouridated water to the loose morals of women. All I can say is if the Republicans can't stand a little of their own medicine they shouldn't be in Washington.

1. It was not the Feddle Gummint who failed to mobilize the National Guard.

Perhaps. Although the Federal government has the power to do so (which is how the Federal government sends these very same troops to "guard" Iraq).

That said, the Federal government does control FEMA, Homeland Security, and the Coast Guard. How is it that the Coast Guard was up and rescuing people the *_day after_* the hurricane but the rest of the government was vacationing in Texas and campaigning in California?

2. It was not the Feddle Gummint who refused the offer of National Guard from nearby states.

Nope. But would that be Republican held Texas?

3. It was not the Feddle Gummint who refused the offers of EMR teams from nearby states because they were not licensed in New Orleans.

Don't know about this one but an EMS group of four from Hawaii who, I assume, are not licensed in New Orleans, were welcomed and put to good use providing emergency care the *_day after_* the hurricane hit. These EMS personnel are returning today as they have been working essentially 24-hours a day since then and are totally burned out.

You might find Bill Whittle's essay on Tribes enlightening: http://www.ejectejecteject.com/archives/000129.html

I'm not sure what his point is. Is he saying, because his tribe doesn't, supposedly, behave a certain way he doesn't have to provide any help?

I've said it before and I'll say it again, what we call civilization is a very thin veneer that can and is stripped away very easily. We know this. And yet we do not plan for it and seem to be completely surprised every time it happens. We saw it in Iraq when authority, albeit a very despotic one, was removed. We've seen it in the Sudan and many other places.

The point is, lawlessness will occur where authority is not established. We know this. We can prevent it by planning ahead and then executing the plan. The Federal government did neither. You cannot blame the local police for this because they were the ones doing their job, even as they were fired upon by gangs of thugs.

End of mail

[Insert disclaimer] As I said, if the Republicans can't stand the heat, then they shouldn't be in Washington. But I find it amusing when, and I'm not referring here to JHR, they sequel like the stuck, tax spending, pork barrel pigs they seem to be.