Posted on 09/12/2005 2:41:12 PM PDT by aynrandy
The conventional wisdom in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is that government failed its citizens.
It did. Miserably.
So why is the near-universal solution from pundits and officials to propose more government?
Will we ever learn? When a plodding, inflexible bureaucracy breaks down on 9/11, what do we do? We react by creating an even less flexible super bureaucracy called the Department of Homeland Security.
Judging from the results of Hurricane Katrina, we'd do ourselves a favor by hiring nongovernmental entities such as Wal-Mart and the Red Cross to run homeland security.
I realize this concept will be sacrilege to some. But how could anyone who watched Hurricane Katrina unfold deny that privately run corporations operate in a more dexterous, aggressive and competent manner than the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Homeland Security?
While FEMA fumbled about, Wal-Mart - yes, that evil emporium of low prices and union-free workers - had already committed $15 million to jump-start relief. Being kept out of the city, it had water trucks waiting at the city limits and was ready to establish mini-stores - for free - to distribute necessities in needed areas.
Wal-Mart did all of this without the benefit of planning and stocking for a hurricane disaster.
On the other hand, Homeland Security, a consolidation of 22 governmental agencies, should be prepared for everything: hurricanes, earthquakes, floods and Osama bin Laden.
Colorado homeland security received almost $38 million in grant money this year from the federal government.
But wisely, our state has also established ties with private companies and charity groups.
"Our emergency operations center activated last Saturday (Sept. 3), and we had the Red Cross and the Salvation Army in here," said Polly White, spokeswoman for the state's emergency management division. "We've always had a pretty good relationship with an array of private groups. As part of our emergency people, we have primary state agencies and then outside agencies. During Y2K, we had Xcel Energy in our operation center the whole time."
She also said Coors provided bottled water to firefighters during the 2002 fire season. White explains that Colorado first stretches
its "local resources and then your state resources to their extreme limits - only after that do you call in the federal government." Federal government. Boy. That's when the real trouble starts.
We can only hope some corporate efficiency will eventually rub off on them.
Does anyone believe a Wal-Mart would hire a chief executive as incompetent and unqualified as former Colorado horse-trader and FEMA director Michael Brown?
Well, Brown was confirmed by a unanimous voice vote. Not a single Republican or Democratic senator saw any need to question his qualifications.
In Louisiana, while confusion still reigned, Wal-Mart sent 1,500 truckloads of free merchandise and 100,000 meals to victims and offered jobs to its displaced workers.
Even wicked pharmaceutical companies donated more than $25 million in cash and supplies. Exxon Mobil pledged $7 million, and almost every oil company pledged millions too.
I can see the e-mails now: Wal-Mart only involves itself in charity to enhance its image. It's all about the profit.
There have already been complaints leveled at companies such as home-
improvement giant Home Depot, which has benefited from the hurricane through a spike in its stocks.
Let us hope those investors are right about these corporations. Without profit motive, companies most equipped to help would have no incentive to arrive at the scene of a disaster.
It not fuzzy or warm. It's not compassionate. It just works.
David Harsanyi's column appears Monday and Thursday. He can be reached at 303-820-1255 or dharsanyi@denverpost.com.
WMT and all private sector companies outdid the Feds. All had plans to relocate needed supplies and personel to the area and it worked.
no matter what you think of Walmart- they did step up to the plate.
As the CEO, I would most likely would have helped out the folks in Miss., and AL.
After seeing what we all saw on TV of the looting done in one of several stores in NO., I would have chalked that up as aid rendered.
don't the libs hate Walmart?? Isn't it one of their whipping boys for evil corporations??
don't the libs hate Walmart?? Isn't it one of their whipping boys for evil corporations??
"WMT and all private sector companies outdid the Feds."
Private charities and other organizations will do that every time.
Or a Republican.
---the "invisible hand" of Adam Smith--showing itself again---
And the looters outdid Walmart for a couple of days there. They gave a new meaning to the phrase "merchandise flying off the shelfs".
***ooops***
Shelves
Yes the libs hate Walmart. I hate shopping there but not for political reasons.
I was watching the History Channel's program on Hurricane Andrew and I swear that the DNC and Blanco simply pulled the Lawton Chiles playbook out and did the exact same thing. The program mentioned how Chiles blamed the feds for taking so long even though former President Bush said that the governor had to request the need for troops before they could be sent down. He didn't sign the request for federalization until four days later.
Ohhhh...they still hate Wal-Mart...and Haliburton...and anything that smacks of capitalism, etc.
I just saw that also.
De Ja VEIW all over again! (apologies to Yogi B.)
I just saw that also.
De Ja VIEW all over again! (apologies to Yogi B.)
They have no new ideas. They really are into recycling./rolleyes
What President Bush (41) should have done was to publicly offer federalization when the storm hit. Chiles would have then been under pressure to sign the request. President Bush (43) should have done the same with Blanco.
I agree. We just can't let them get away with this because too many people died because of politics. I know that if Jindal would have been in office we would not have seen some of the stuff we have seen. He had a plan when asked during the gubernatorial debates. Blanko's answer was to contact the media.
Our local Walmart is very patriotic, not to mention it allows Bible Study on its premises.
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