Stark Differences in the Responses

[Walt Starr]

This is the text of a LTTE I just sent to the Chicago Tribune:

Stark Differences in the Responses

In looking at the response to the greatest natural disaster in United States History as compared to the response to four separate major hurricanes last year, I am struck by the stark differences.

Last year, the responses by the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA were nearly immediate, well coordinated, and strikingly organized. Compared to the current debacle in the Gulf Coast, and especially New Orleans, the differences are like night and day.

Perhaps the most striking differences are the four major hurricanes last year struck fairly affluent, mostly white, and mostly Republican areas of a swing state where the president's brother is the governor during an elections year. Katrina destroyed a city with a very poor, African American population that voted 77% in favor of Kerry last year, and did it in a year where the only elections will be on a local level.

I shudder to think of how inept the response would have been had (Blue) Chicago suffered a terrorist WMD attack.

[Walt Starr]

1. .

[bj2110]

2. Scary how good a point that is....