After World War II, the US pledged over $13 billion (nearly $130 billion in today’s dollars) to rebuild war-ravaged Europe. The money was used to revitalize agriculture, which had ground to a stand still and to rebuild industry destroyed in war. With millions of dead, the Marshall Plan served as a vital instrument in the rebirth of Europe, though Eastern Europe refused US aid.
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina the president vowed to rebuild new Orleans, pledging nearly $90 billion. That’s $90 billion for one America city, no millions of dead, no massive starvation and no rapid spread of disease. In fact the city’s most productive regions and job centers escaped the hurricane virtually unscathed. If anything the president’s pledge was too great and disproportionate to the damage suffered. By most estimates Katrina caused $75 billion in damages, so why is the government handing out nearly $90billion? What ever happened to private insurance? Is the government now the default insurance provider? Is the government now in the business of compensating people for every single natural disaster? By such measure, would it be out of line to your my car? Are these not acts of nature beyond our control?
Residents across New Orleans complain that the President issued no new promises to New Orleans in his State of the Union speech, and why should he? The federal government’s commitment is excessive to say the least and absolves private citizens of any responsibility for their own destiny. Yes the government should bare the burden for repairing infrastructure and other public services, but private businesses and homes? The fact of the matter is New Orleans doesn’t need new recovery plans or promises of lofty aid packages, what New Orleans needs are residents willing to work hard for what they believe in. What New Orleans needs are individuals willing to take responsibility for their own actions rather than milling at the public trough.
Yes the government has a role to play in fomenting economic growth and recovery by providing incentives for businesses to rebuild and incentives for private citizens to embrace the entrepreneurial spirit, but this should not extend to the realm of multi-billion dollar giveaways.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-02-01-hurricanes-bush_x.htm
