The federal government, under the Bush administration, joyfully has shrunk the role of government, downplayed the excellent status of FEMA which was achieved under Clinton and its administrator, Jamie Witt. It seeks to convince us that government is not even designed for people’s use.

No situation better displays their indifference than their tawdry, tardy and incompetent response to the New Orleans disaster. Quick to claim “mission accomplished” in Iraq and attempt to spread democracy there, this government had no battle plan for its born and bred citizens.

The United Nations just volunteered help with disaster planning. I can see the smiles on the faces of officials there, used to the cocky Bush administration and their kick butt attitude.

The media criticism of their failure is welcome, but belated, given their constant and slavish rosy coverage of the war in Iraq. The New York Times columnist, Frank Rich, wrote a column recently, “Someone tell the President that the war is over.”

There is a lesson here. Government exists to protect its citizens. Not a new idea, but one that we should remind ourselves of in this present disaster.

Individuals make a contract with their government and pledge their allegiance. Protection of their well-being should be expected and extended.

That is what the Preamble to the Constitution says, “provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare.”

The Bush administration failed disastrously and people are dying. If they even watched television, they knew that they had three precious days to get some of the people out of the city. Did they expect the poor to drive out in their SUVS and stay at $1,000 a night hotels?

They don’t believe in government, instead they increasingly want individuals to be left on their own.

Anarchy is what government is instituted to avoid. Anarchy is what we have. This situation is no comfort to liberals who have tirelessly campaigned for the promise of this society to be extended to all its citizens. We have been proven right once again. But the price of our vindication is much too high, and we share the pain and sorrow of citizens denied the protection of their government.

Katherine B. Fromm

Lecturer

English

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