What to do

I suppose I shouldn't simply berate the Bush administration for its faulty relief effort without offering a few suggestions. So, here goes.

First and foremost, I think, President Bush needs to steal a quiet moment and reflect upon what it means to lose everything. By everything I don't just mean possessions, I mean also family members, neighborhoods, places of employment, transportation systems, access to food and water, access to television and telephones, control over your own safety or that of your family's. I mean living in an environment that is unclean, unsafe, and laden with despair. I say this because I feel the President is out-of-touch with his compassion (perhaps it got lost to politics), and I feel that he needs it now so that he can rise up and be a beacon of hope, or at least stop saying incredibly stupid cold-hearted things.

Secondly, I'd say, reassign those twin disasters Michael Chertoff and Michael Brown. They have done enough damage and I'm sick of their excuse making. Marshall Whitman suggests a competent replacement would be Rudi Giuliani and I agree with him. I say this can't happen soon enough.

Thirdly, the world community is extending offers of help. Accept them with thanks. In fact accept any and all help. Refusing help at a time like this is as daft as it gets. This might even help you with your foreign policy as it will restore some old friendships the way nothing but tragedy can.

Fourthly, here is a guiding principal. If an idea decreases human suffering approve it immediately, if it increases it abandon it. So, if truckloads of water appear at a time when water is desperately needed you can approve of the idea immediately. If Canada wants to help with the rescue effort you can approve the idea immediately. If a FEMA middle-manager wants to obstruct relief efforts to show-off his authority you can fire him immediately (which upholds both principals).

Lastly, take your economic ideology and shove it. Be guided simply by what works. What works will be anything that fulfills the needs of those in trouble. If they need housing open a closed military base, bring in cruise ships, direct people to MoveOn. If they need food put New Orleans immense hospitality industry to work. If they feel abandoned give them hope. This is no time for high ideals but a time for lowly human compassion. In other words, don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Harry Reid has a host of suggestions too. You can read them here.

President Bush people are desperate for help and to let them die expecting it is about as noble as leaving the fallen on the battlefield. You were in the Guard, you know what that means don't you?

Be the uniter we're overdue.
Bring on your compassion.

A forgiving nation awaits your redemption.