From: elendil@mintir.new-orleans.la.us (Edward J. Branley)
Newsgroups: alt.politics.bush
Subject: Re: Bush/Florida/Hurricane Andrew
Date: Wed, 02 Sep 92 16:55:12 CDT
Organization: Minas Tirith BBS, New Orleans, LA

athos@apple.com (Rick Eames) writes:

> In article <J3XFqB3w164w@mintir.new-orleans.la.us>,
> elendil@mintir.new-orleans.la.us (Edward J. Branley) wrote:
>
> > Get real.  You'd make a great bureaucrat.  When people need food and water,
> > waiting around for a FORMAL request, as you put it, is only going to show h
> > out of control the bureaucracy really is.  Bush blew it.  He could have had
> > stuff staged and called a press conference while down there saying "I've go
> > all this stuff waiting for the OK."  He didn't do that, but rather let the
> > system spin its wheels.
>
> Ah I see.  So let's see what the consequences would have been in different
> circumstances.
>
> * Hurricane Hits.  Bush sends troops without waiting for Governor's
> request.
>   First, people like you would accuse him of only doing it because
>    he wants votes.
>   Second, if the Governor really didn't want troops, he'd flip out and
> protest
>    the intrusion.
>   Third, Congress would form some silly committee that would investigate
>    the president.
>   Forth, Clinton would talk about how the President has little regard for
>    states rights.

Wrong.  How about this:

Hurricane hits.  Bush sends troops to Homestead AFB, a federal installation.
He sends a MASH, field kitchens and food for a division, and a Navy
construction batallion.  The SeaBees clear the base, the MASH staff sets up a
hospital, and the food workers get ready to feed storm victims.  He tells the
Governor that there's lots of stuff just waiting for his people on this
*federal reservation*.  No violation of states' rights necessary.  Just a
little caring and quick-thinking by the Bush administration.

Nobody can complain because the government can stage whatever troops it wants
on its own base.  Of course, they just can't go roaming about in the community.
But that's not important in the first days after a storm.  The National Guard
units of a state can handle security of an area, provide protection from
looters, and can assist in physical rescue efforts.  What was needed from the
military in this case was food, water, and medical care, and *fast*.  That
didn't happen because Bush was too busy hustling photo-ops.


>
> * Hurricane Hits.  Bush waits for request before sending troops.
>   First, people like you would accuse him of not doing anything.  Then
>    when he DID do it, you'd accuse him of doing it for votes.
>   <blah, blah, blah>
>
> You see, he is really in a lose-lose situation because of people like you
> who expect the president to respond within seconds of an emergency.
> Responding quickly to everything breeds disaster.
>
> He waited for the Governor.  Blame HIM.

No, Blame Bush.  Blame his staff for not moving.  There is no such thing these
days as states' rights.  Florida certainly has none, since there's no way the
state or Dade County will be able to rebuild without federal help.  States
rights are a myth perpetuated by Republicans and racists (when the two are not
the same).



|Edward J. Branley                         elendil@mintir.New-Orleans.LA.US|
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