Yes, it’s happening. Following Hurricane Helene, we are witnessing a total failure in the government’s response to a major disaster. Reports on NBC, as well as hundreds of others give us some insight as to some of the problems people across western North Carolina are facing. With roads, bridges, water pipes, and electrical lines washed away, FEMA is telling us they don’t have the money to “Git er done.” It seems the money has gone to aiding immigrants at the border and providing weapons for Ukraine.
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Desperate families are still waiting for word about missing loved ones, days after the flooding disaster in Tennessee, and North Carolina. Expect politicians to fill the slots in the mainstream media to spin the reality on the ground into a tale of “we are getting the job done” The fact is, they are not.
Fast-talkers, such as Pete Buttigieg, will vigorously paint a picture that the Biden /Harris team in Washington has risen to the task. Sadly, the history of people like Buttigieg, the equivalent of a modern-day snake oil salesman is to twist the truth. As one of Kamala Harris’s prime damage control go-to guys, it is his superpower to capably paint a glorious picture, over-promise, and then underperform.
Buttigieg will concede that while this is terrible, efforts are continuing to be ramped up and things are under control. He is unlikely to adequately address the issue of why many of those with feet on the ground are being told by government authorities to stand down under penalty of arrest. This includes efforts to seize aid materials flowing into the area under the idea they need to be “inventoried” and redirected to the proper agencies.
In the middle of 2022, an article on AdvancingTime cautioned on how during a major disaster nobody should count on help from the government. It has been a long time since America has had a really good leader. Sadly, the damage these “less than stellar” Presidents cause a lot of problems for society that can linger for decades. With this in mind, it should be noted that bad leaders have a habit of opening Pandora’s box for the greater good whenever a disaster strikes. It seems, to some politicians, that the only way the government can help us during a crisis is to focus on taking more control over our lives.
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At that time, some Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) documents released by the George W. Bush Presidential Library spotlighted the powers that modern presidents “claim they possess” in moments of crisis. Following 9-11, this type of expanding the President’s powers could be viewed as a pure power grab. In short, during a national crisis, governments seem more interested in control than coming to the aid of their citizens.
The “presidential emergency action documents” (PEADs), were created during the cold war. Back then, many people feared we might be attacked with nuclear weapons. These documents authorized the president to enact measures such as suspending habeas corpus, detaining “dangerous persons” within the country, censoring news media, and even preventing international travel.
The desire to extend power dovetails with today’s high-profile disasters where the media generates the feeling our government stands ready to rush to our aid in case of a national disaster. Following a tornado or hurricane in the news, we often see FEMA workers spread out and moving from door to door offering help to Americans in need. This reassuring media coverage is misleading. The truth is if you find yourself in a large area of devastation due to a crisis or disaster the government will prove largely ineffective.
