Drew's Blog

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September 01, 2005

I'm just saying . . .

If the Super Dome was full of rich, white people, they'd be out by now. I understand the magnitude of the situation, but after 9-11, the President adressed both houses of Congress, the every show on television took a break from its schedule, and the Red Cross had lines around the block. President Bush's half-hearted speech yesterday only underscores the fact that the full power of the federal government has in no way been turned to this problem. America just isn't all that upset about this situation.

Of course, there isn't really much reason to be surprised. Last week the richest country in the world allowed thirteen percent of its population to exist in poverty. Why should we start worrying about it now? Poor black people on the street? What else is new?

The problems in New Orleans should not be unexpected. They are merely the latest anecdotal evidence (on a truly devestating scale) of a systemic problem. We've built a country, from George Washington on down, in which we've come to accept that poverty and inequality are part of the package. Since the end of the progressive movement at the beginning of the 20th century, the assumtion that some Americans will exist in nearly sub-human conditions has come to be accepted as gospel. Yes, it's expensive to try to lift 30 million people out of poverty, but it's shameful that we've let that argument trump every other.

When the levees in New Orleans get rebuilt, they'll be made stronger than they were before, but I wonder if that get-it-right-this-time attitude will apply to the rest of the city. I suspect that the schools will again be bare bones cinderblock boxes and the housing projects will be Soviet style complexes far away from the good grocery stores and rich people. The government will pat itself on the back for having done anything at all, when in reality, they'll have done even less: they'll have passed up an opportunity to build a better country than they found.

Democrats have been looking for some bold ideas to pitch. I have one: never let this happen again. I don't mean avoid hurricanes, I mean radically restructure America so that next time a storm hits, everyone, everyone, has the education to understand the risks and the means to take steps to protect his family.

Don't just ask for schools to suddenly fix themselves (No Child Left Behind.) Actually build excellent schools.

Too expensive? Tax the suburbs. Unconstitutional? Amend the constitution. Sound like socialism? Yeah, I guess it does. Too bad. This system is broken beyond repair. Anyone who thinks that America is so blessed as to be immune from truly foundation shaking events should get with the program. This country is in a bad way, and something needs to be done about it.

Posted by Drew at September 1, 2005 08:34 PM

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Comments

Posted by: Kristy at September 2, 2005 12:32 PM