Originally Posted by
BigBadWolf Wow, what a state of mind we have developed!
First of all, New Orleans was originally French. That should be enough said right there.
Considering the way the local and state governments handled the lead up to Katrina, and the politics that created the disaster of a levee system, I'd say the Feds did a pretty good job handling a massive aftermath evacuation. The fact that President Bush respected the Constitution and didn't just drop the military into a state before the Governor approved should be commended, or would you prefer a President to be able to take over your town on a wim. Habeas Corpus is critical to keeping our freedoms, at least those few we have left.
I'd go into the politics of New Orleans, but why bother. Lets just say there were a lot of people, about 40% who were content to take fish instead of learning to fish, and continually vote in the politician who would give them the most fish. This has been the case there for many decades. Heck, "school bus" Nagin was re-elected after Katrina, though they finally got a lick of sense and elected Bobby Jindal as Governor.
There was a time in our country, a better time, when the Federal Government was expected to only be responsible for the enumerated powers listed in the Constitution. Cities like Galveston and San Francisco dealt with disasters themselves, with the volunteered effort of many others. Never thinking the rest of the country was responsible for them. There shouldn't even be a FEMA to complain about.
This economic "crisis" we're in is a perfect example of how wrong we've gone. I hear people saying the Federal Government has to help these people, because they can't handle the shame of asking their families for support. Would they knock on their neighbors door and tell them they have to give them money? No, but find it perfectly fine for the Feds to pick their neighbors pocket for them. I have no problem with them asking their neighbor for help, and we have always been a generous country. It's when we turn to the nanny state, that it always turns into either saying it's not enough, or thanking Mother D.C., without any regard to where the help actually came from. Americans do a much better job at helping each other than the Feds ever will.
Until we return to our origin, a country based on personal responsibility and individual liberty, we will continue to sink into the abyss.