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September 15, 2005
Bush's Second Line
This morning I thought about a situation in which some poor resident of New Orleans would return to Derbigny only to find some complete stranger getting paid 30 bucks and hour to build up what's left of his neighborhood. How could it happen that where there were no jobs, suddenly there is 60 billion dollars worth of government aided jobs? So then I hear:
And to help lower-income citizens in the hurricane region build new and better lives, I also propose that Congress pass an Urban Homesteading Act.Under this approach, we will identify property in the region owned by the federal government and provide building sites to low-income citizens free of charge, through a lottery. In return, they would pledge to build on the lot, with either a mortgage or help from a charitable organization like Habitat for Humanity.
It really doesn't get much more compassionate than that. Of course it won't satisfy the critics, but it satisfies me.
Sir, Yes Sir!
Since I'm a bit wrapped up in some partisanship here, I don't hesitate to comment about two things people have been shouting about. The first is high gasoline prices demanding price fixing and limits, and the other is a God Almighty response from the Feds. I won't belabor the first point which requires a little less snark than I am about to deliver. When the president said the following, I burst out laughing:
Many of the men and women of the Coast Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the United States military, the National Guard, Homeland Security, and state and local governments performed skillfully under the worst conditions. Yet the system, at every level of government, was not well-coordinated and was overwhelmed in the first few days.It is now clear that a challenge on this scale requires greater federal authority and a broader role for the armed forces, the institution of our government most capable of massive logistical operations on a moment's notice.
I laugh because I know very well the axis of federal dependency. Sure Honore is a hero, but it's because he's military. If you want somebody to kick ass and take names at all times, to protect the innocent at all times to "make sure that this kind of thing never happens again", it means military control. That's the only way to live free of danger. And every liberal who has whined and complained about how much they wanted Bush to be there in New Orleans, is now going to have him, in the form of the above mentioned military and paramilitary forces dictating to state and local officials how to get with the New Discipline.
So take this as a clue of turning the corner from "you're on your own" to "don't eyeball me soldier". You want Federal protection? You get Federal boots. Simple. Plain.
Bomb the Ghetto
'Bomb the Ghetto' has always been my solution since I confronted the facts as laid down by Glenn Loury. I haven't had much time to think about Loury lately, but again he is appropriate. There are only a few ways out of the ghetto, but the Bomb is the most effective. Katrina has bombed the ghetto, and there won't be another one built in its place. People don't have time for that and they shouldn't.
Doc tells me that he's waiting to hear the stories about the poor blacks who left New Orleans and discovered themselves. I'm sure many will sink back into the same swamp of poverty and despair, but many will take this second chance for real. They will experience death and rebirth in a new city among new people, finding new warmth from Americans they never knew up close and personally. It's going to turn a lot of heads around. Here's to hoping we find those stories in due time.
Haters
Meanwhile, I'd say the President struck the right chord, even though I certainly heard the most emotional part of the evening's speech. But that's fine. He can be depended upon to do the right thing, it's only too bad people hate him for it.
Speaking of which, we'll probably hear a million empty words trying to search for ways to undermine the simple truth of the President's obvious paragraphs of the night:
Within the Gulf region are some of the most beautiful and historic places in America. As all of us saw on television, there is also some deep, persistent poverty in this region as well.That poverty has roots in a history of racial discrimination, which cut off generations from the opportunity of America. We have a duty to confront this poverty with bold action.
So let us restore all that we have cherished from yesterday, and let us rise above the legacy of inequality.
I simply let those simple, honest words speak for themselves, and let those who make a career out of twisting them, twist in the wind.
Posted by mbowen at September 15, 2005 07:04 PM
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� On bombing the ghetto from Red State Rant
Cobb doses out the hard truth with "Bomb the Ghetto"
'Bomb the Ghetto' has always been my solution since I confronted the facts as laid down by down by Glenn Loury . I haven't had much time to think about Loury lately, but again he is appropriate. Ther [Read More]
Tracked on September 19, 2005 07:37 PM