workI caught Jon Stewart's show late last night, 09-28-05, The Daily Show. I was pleased to see some good lines with regard to Michael Brown's testimony before Congress. My favorite; when Stewart brought attention to the FEMA diagram that beautifully illustrated how FEMA's plans and improvements and implementation would lead directly to; DISASTER!
Adding insult to injury; FEMA designed and used this diagram themselves - it was not a "spoof" of their diagram - it really was their diagram! Stewart can be so level headed, sometimes it's frightening! But I wondered why he didn't take on the entire Department of Homeland Security? And that got me thinking...
Why hasn't the Department of Homeland Security been the main "blame" name in the hurricane drama of 2005? Is the nation's transportation, oil and gas industry an integral part of the American business environment? Is it not a major issue, from a strategic defense point of view, not to mention the "trickle" impact on the consumer, to ensure these areas are protected? Why wouldn't the government of the United States of America work at their very best to protect all of that; including infra-structure, including steps for prevention, including intervention when required to save life and limb?
America, the home of the free and the brave and the home of an ideal of democracy gone awry... Still the citizens show they themselves can and do step up to take the lead and solve the real problems. Not their government; elected to represent their interests, their needs, their desires. For some reason though the people still don't seem to see themselves as the real problem solvers in this. Instead many seem to wish to consume their time and their anger by simply pointing fingers and finding places to lay the blame...perhaps even taking some comfort in seeing these "figures", like Michael Brown and others maligned and berated. Unfortunately the blame game is less productive than other courses of action.
When will the people of America re-claim their government and their fine country, inherited from the likes of their insightful forefathers, and rebuild her to reflect the needs and desires of her citizens?
Personally I think the writing is on the wall! Do you not think the call is out? That the need exists? What more do the people need to see to fully comprehend that their financial and physical existence is perilously hanging in the balance, swinging like a political pendulum in the wind?
I never would have thought that the US wasn't a safe place to be. I always felt safe there, either when living there or when traveling there. (Well, all except for that Kent State thing - honestly, that frightened me, and I was just a kid!) I find myself seeing a different America today. It makes my heart heavy at times when I think about the way my friends and family currently live in the United States. I sense they do live at risk. This is based very little on the fact there are some "terroristic" individuals that wish harm to America and her people - and primarily on the shortcomings and short-sightedness of the leaders in the US. I don't just mean the leaders in government, but also the leaders in business and social and religious organizations. They are failing the people, these leaders have their own agendas to serve; rarely do their agendas include a passing thought to the interests of "The People".
Let me put it in perspective; the US relies on the transportation industy intimately. Oil and gas and jet fuel are small parts of that huge picture. Add car and car parts manufacturing, add the financing that supports the purchase of cars and that insures them, add the infra-structure needed to support all of that activity... Add food and building supplies and heating and electricity for the people needed to work in the oil and transportation industry - for the homes they will need in order to protect and support themselves adequetely so that they might then have sufficient sleep and nutrition and extra energy to go to work for the oil and transportation industry. And that's only one segment of what makes up the commercial and material aspects of business in America.
People live in places in the US they should never have inhabited, at least not permanently. (Unless the people have an efficient and fair way out of harm's way, quickly, when necessary.) This itself has become so apparent as to be become almost ludicrous. Why on earth, I ask you, would a bank manager approve a mortgage to build a house directly on the coast of Mississippi when there are no barriers to protect this home from storm surge or fierce hurricanes? And we're not talking just some little cabin to use to enjoy the water at certain times of the season - like a cottage - Some of the homes along the coastal areas were huge and impressive and obviously expensive. Someone must've wondered about the sense of building there? And still the question arises who pays for it?
When insurance companies have to pay out they pass on that cost - they do not absorb it - though perhaps they should, seeing that providing insurance payments in times of disaster is their pitch and purpose in selling insurance - is it not? If insurance companies aren't there to pay out when disaster strikes then why do we have insurance? If insurance is designed so that it is not meant to be used then it is not a useful tool for anyone! Have we been duped?
An insurance example from another perspective;
Here, in Canada, there has been an experiment ongoing for many years on health insurance. Many in the US seem to think we Canadians have it "great" because of our health insurance. It is a fairly good system, yet, what Americans don't realize is that Canadians still need to supplement that to achieve true coverage. The government plan is supplemented by company based, union based and "group" insurance plans to which most people must contribute a set amount from each paycheque for coverage. Where the problem with this system arises; people use it! (No! Really?) People take themselves and their kids to the dentist and the orthodontist and the optometrist and the massage therapist and the chiropractor... The result?
Within short order the insurance company offering the insurance "plan" will raise their rates and this cost is passed on to the "users" who regularly access their insurance benefits and the "non-users" who rarely use their benefits, alike...
Insurance, I don't care how you paint the picture, it does not appear pretty, not at all.
I don't see it getting better - new solutions are needed, I hope people have their creative juices flowing and are looking at the changes needed to create a more fair and equitable world for all. Notice I said "people" - leaders will never get this right while they operate in their world of partisan preferences - this will take the power of the people to create - and; IT IS POSSIBLE!
I've been working on a website for the enchanted garden- you can link from the Bookmarks plugin area, called other paths of interest (My Web Site) or here: http://ca.geocities.com/imcheryl@rogers.com
