Contemplating the epochal tragedy in Texas, we are blessed
that a highly functioning public agency provided a detailed warning. Further, the
existence of an agency standing by to help the victims of the tragedy provides
an additional blessing. It bolsters my belief that good government can be a
force for good in our country.
Imagine a “libertarian dream” in which there is no National
Weather Service (NWS) nor its parent agency National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA). Also imagine there is no Federal Emergency Management
Administration (FEMA) waiting to provide help during and after such terrible
weather events.
I’ve always wondered how Ronald Reagan would have been able
to sleep at night watching the aftermath of a 9-11, or scenes of a storm such
as the one in Texas. Among other things, he immortalized the phrase, so popular
with the greedy and uneducated, “the nine most terrifying words in the English
language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help.”
Hogwash. Someday we might discuss the perceived injustice of
regulations that discourage or prevent people from making catastrophic
settlement decisions. For now, though, let us praise the women and men of the
agencies standing by to provide some measure of help to our brothers and
sisters in the Lone Star State.
The workers in these agencies are highly skilled in areas
such as science, mathematics, physics, computer technology, meteorology, statistics,
public administration, and planning. They stand among us as some of the best
and brightest. Their service to us, as I say, provides a blessing. Their skill
and education form a solid first defense against natural disasters. Their
agencies, along with an educational system that creates the expertise, remain
national treasures.
Pity future generations when these same agencies are managed
and operated solely by individuals who believe the Earth is 6,000 years old,
climate science is a hoax, and that it could rain for 40 days straight across
the entire planet, but a man and his sons could build a boat that would preserve
two members of every species on earth, even, according to some, a pair of the
species Tyrannosaurus rex.
That’s why, in my opinion and mine alone, I think we need
to, for future generations, elect better people to run our government,
including people who believe in education and facts.
As for our national ship of state, again I recommend the
immortal call, at end of day, from my beloved United States Navy: “Sweepers,
Sweepers, man your brooms. Give the ship a good clean sweep down both fore and
aft! Sweep down all decks, ladders and passageways! Dump all garbage clear of
the fantail!”
No comments:
Post a Comment