Blame the Republican

In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina smashed into Louisiana and left a path of devastation, the media piled on President Bush - a Republican - for his failure to respond in a timely fashion.  His poor leadership made a bad situation worse.  Governor Blanco - a Democrat - was hardly mentioned.  Mayor Ray Nagin - a Democrat - did receive some criticism for not evacuating New Orleans, but that was overshadowed by Spike Lee's claims that the levees were intentionally destroyed to flood black neighborhoods.

In 2022, when Hurricane Ian smashed into Florida, the media press Governor DeSantis - a Republican - regarding deaths and short-notice evacuations orders.  President Biden - a Democrat - is hardly mentioned in relation to the hurricane.

Regardless of the situation, somehow it is always the Republican's fault.  Threat of a government shutdown when the president is a Republican and the congress is Democratic?  The president is to blame.  Threat of shutdown when president is a Democrat, and the congress is Republican?  The congress is to blame.  Gridlock in congress when the house is Democrat, and the senate is Republican?  Senate at fault.  Gridlock when house is Republican, and senate is Democrat?  Clearly, the house is in error.  When a Republican does something wrong, the story is how the Republican did something wrong.  When a Democrat does something wrong, the story is how Republicans are making political hay over Democrat missteps.

A Democrat calls a Republican a Nazi or a fascist, he's speaking truth to power.  A Republican says anything negative toward a Democrat and he is accused of being uncivil and perhaps even encouraging violence.

It's a one-way street in most of the media.  Republicans bad, Democrats good.  It's a miracle Republicans ever win an election with the non-stop negative press.

Comforter in Chief

President Trump has made a second trip to Texas in order to address criticisms leveled in the wake of his first visit.  Much of the media reported that he didn't show enough empathy.  Why is that the job of a president?  In 1871, Chicago suffered the its great fire.  President Grant was not involved in the aftermath.  In 1874, Chicago had another fire.  President Grant still didn't get involved.  When Galveston was flatted by a hurricane in 1900, it was up to the state and local government to deal with the 6,000 to 12,000 dead.  President McKinley may have offered condolences but that's about it.  When San Francisco was flatten by an earthquake in 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt didn't jump on the first train to California.  For most of American history, local disasters were a local problem.  It wasn't that these presidents were unfeeling monsters, it was not part of their job to deal with such problems.  Trump may or may not agree with me on that subject but he has learned from the treatment President Bush got in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.  Bush's failure to be on the ground in the immediate aftermath was used as a cudgel against him for the remainder of his presidency and some suggest it led to the loss of the House of Representatives in 2006.  Though there is no Constitutional requirement for the federal government to be involved in such disasters - indeed, one can easily argue that they are barred from doing so - the PR disaster of not getting involved feeds into the centralizing of power in Washington, DC.

 

Much as I want government to shrink to its Constitutional limits, it would be nigh impossible to reverse calls for national involvement in local disasters.  State governments used to be able to handle far more devastating disasters with little or no federal help but now the federal government must be involved if Timmy stubs his toe on the way to school.  On this, there is probably no going back.

Katrina Redux

Like New Orleans in the run up to Katrina, the city of Houston was not evacuated.  This should be blamed on the mayor but it will almost certainly find its way to being Trump's fault in much the way that Bush was to blame for problems related to Katrina.  Also look for Trump's ascribed indifference to the fact that the city is more than 40% Hispanic.  If some newsreader on MSNBC hasn't already made that claim, it is coming.  This is the new Katrina and even if Trump does all he can and does it perfectly, he will have been wrong at every step and a cruel villain as well.  Go up the chain of authority until a Republican is found and there is where the blame lies.  Perhaps Governor Abbot will shoulder some of the blame but the Democratic Mayor, Sylvester Turner, will be blameless.