Posted on 10/19/2009 11:39:04 AM PDT by AreaMan
Come for the Disaster Preparedness Lecture, Stay for the Totalitarianism
[Mark Hemingway]
It was in the web briefing yetserday, but my eyes nearly popped out of my head when I finally read "New Orleans mayor learns about disaster response in Cuba." So one day after President Obama is in the Big Easy, Mayor Ray Nagin heads off to Cuba to learn about disaster preparedness? What does the Cuban government possibly have to teach us? Here's the Cuban disaster preparedness plan in a nutshell: Kill off the private economy for 50 years so that when a hurricane comes you don't have to worry about jobs lost or having much in the way of infrastructure to be destroyed. Brilliant! Even CNN couldn't write up a report on the trip without seeming dubious:
Cuba is internationally applauded for exceptional disaster management, according to a news release from Nagin's office.
Then there's this:
Three powerful hurricanes hit Cuba last year, damaging half a million homes and causing $10 billion in losses, according to the Cuban government. But only seven people died, thanks to a smooth evacuation plan.
Well, I'm sure Cuban government's track record for honesty regarding disaster prepardness is beyond question. On the other hand, CNN notes that Cuba's success at responding to disasters might be because of this:
Some aspects of the communist nation's response, including mandatory evacuations, may not be possible in a democracy.
Tom Friedman must be so jealous! Also, I'm probably hitting my head against the wall here but, again, why is it acceptable for a neverending stream of Democratic politicians to make the trek to Cuba and kiss Fidel's ring? Does having free health care* excuse a lengthy history of dragooning dissidents and gay people into prisons? Just last month Juan Carlos Gonzalez Marcos got a two-year prison sentence for getting drunk and ranting to a film crew about how widespread hunger is on the island. Somehow I doubt a visit to his prison cell is on Nagin's itinerary.
*By "free health care" I mean you have to bring your own linen to the hospital and pray you don't have a serious illness requiring sophisticated equipment and advanced medical training, but don't tell that to the international community!
Our president wants us to be like Cuba. It's going to be a disaster, we better be prepared.
Someone somewhere once said that hurricanes are disasters coming at you at walking speed, meaning that we know when and where they're coming and in sufficient time to do something to minimize casualties. No excuses for not getting out of the way, people.
It’s very simple. If you don’t get out of the way and the hurricane doesn’t kill you the government will.
That certainly would cut down on those pesky post-hurricane homeowner insurance claims here in the US!
Of course when a hurricane goes through Cuban housing it does $30,000,000 of civic improvement.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.