Posted on 10/15/2024 7:19:34 AM PDT by MtnClimber
Florida's recent back-to-back hurricanes, Helene and Milton, revealed the stark contrast between "real" and "fake" politics and jobs.
Florida has been battered by back-to-back hurricanes. First, Hurricane Helene snuck up on us just a few weeks ago. Those living on Florida’s West Coast first thought we were saved when it veered towards the less populated panhandle. But, while it avoided a direct hit upon the Tampa-Saint Petersburg area, it sent an enormous storm surge our way, which led to flooding in low-lying areas. Helene did even more damage in North Carolina, where rainfall and the local geography combined to create deadly flash floods.
With debris still stacked up on the side of the road from Helene, it looked like Hurricane Milton might be even worse for Tampa, as it was poised to be the first large direct hit on the bay area in 100 years. When it strengthened to Category 5 in the Gulf of Mexico, it was particularly menacing and everything conspired to deliver a worst-case scenario.
Tampa is on the water, and a lot of people, assets, and infrastructure are located near the shore, including the port, beach hotels and restaurants, and a number of power plants. The rest of the city is only a few feet above sea level. Evacuation maps show the extent of the problem.
Milton blessedly veered south at the last moment. If it didn’t, Milton would have been a Katrina-level disaster, likely causing long-term damage to the city’s viability. As Milton approached, people were already pretty freaked out by the surprise local flooding from the last hurricane, which was augmented by the grim disaster footage from the Carolinas. Contrary to habit, millions of Floridians evacuated as Milton churned towards landfall.
Even with the eye going closer to less-populated Sarasota, Milton was serious. Winds were significant, and thousands of trees were knocked down, which, in turn, knocked down power lines and made the roads impassable. Flooding happened in some areas due to the large volume of rain. Other than food, gas, and other necessities, commerce ground to a halt for a week.
Natural disasters really strip away a lot of the fakery of political life. Fake politics includes things like the media gaslighting about Kamala Harris’s popularity or the recent DOJ lawsuit to ensure law enforcement standards do not have a disparate impact. Real politics means dealing with dead and missing people, restoring electricity, distributing scarce supplies, providing assistance, and rebuilding what has been broken.
Florida has a lot of experience with hurricanes, and we are fortunate to have a capable, no-nonsense governor. Governor DeSantis, though an uncompelling presidential candidate, has been an effective administrator in Florida during both recent hurricanes, a skill set he first revealed during the COVID mania.
Similarly, our local governments—Tampa, Saint Petersburg, and the various counties around them—are streamlined, responsive, and very concerned with handling this issue well. I have not seen any major failures. In discussions with friends and neighbors, everyone with an ounce of maturity understands that it takes some time to deal with thousands of knocked-down trees and power lines, damaged port infrastructure, and scattered flooding, particularly after the major flooding associated with Helene just a few weeks ago.
Just as there are real and fake politics, there are real and fake jobs. If fake jobs are the ones where young women jump from getting smoothies to playing ping pong in glamorous settings while making TikTok videos about it, real jobs are visibly in abundance after a natural disaster, and they’re mostly done by men who don’t work in an office.
The local power company, TECO, got power up and running in less than 72 hours for me. This impressive pace seems typical, according to people I spoke to. All the “bucket truck” linemen, including the many thousands who have come down to help from other states, deserve a lot of credit. It is real, dangerous work and important for maintaining civilization.
Indeed, both here in Florida and for those dealing with the flash flood horror show in North Carolina, it’s plain to see that the jobs that really uphold civilization are not the “work from home” jobs of the laptop class, but traditional blue-collar jobs and their associated skills. Using heavy equipment, cutting down trees with chainsaws, and all of the dirty, dangerous, and difficult jobs are typically male jobs, where strength and physical endurance are important. No one worries about disparities and representation there, unlike the cushier and prestigious ranks of executives and politicians.
We can live without another TikTok video, but we won’t last long (or make TikTok videos for that matter) without electricity, plumbing, roads that we can drive on, trash collection, and law and order.
My electricity was restored in two days, Cable/Internet in three days and cell service in three days. I am getting started on an estimate for a new roof today.
I’ve been happy with the metal roof I put on 13 years ago, after storm damage made me replace the 10-year shingle roof that needed to be replaced anyway. But I don’t live in a hurricane-prone area.
“The local power company, TECO, got power up and running in less than 72 hours for me.”
170,000 TECO connection still without power yesterday.
Vance / DeSantis 2028
Well written and long overdue praise and recognition for those who keep our society worth living in.
I am considering a metal roof too.
I lost all my trees when Ian visited us but for Helene and Milton they all stayed put, thank goodness because they were expensive to replace and insurance doesn’t cover trees.
Down here in Florida the houses, most of them anyway are built to withstand a hurricane. I’m in Cape Coral, just below Sarasota, nine feet above the river on a canal, the predicted 12 foot storm surge didn’t happen, here anyway. My power was off only two days then came on for a few hours.
Those few hours were enough to bring my refrigerator and freezer back down to normal temperatures. After those few hours it was off again for most of a day but on now. That the power came on so quickly with about 80% of residents in the area without power was amazing.
Governor DeSantis is great. I think some day he will make a great president but I do not look forward to loosing him in Florida.
If I ever build a new house, I will definitely put in a metal roof, it’s a lot cheaper and just as durable a shingled roof and easier to repair.
You can get them in different colors which may not sound like a big deal but a colored roof that fits into the color of the house if attractive and has curb appeal.
bkmk
Two things stand out:
1. If fake jobs are the ones where young women jump from getting smoothies to playing ping pong in glamorous settings while making TikTok videos about it, real jobs are visibly in abundance after a natural disaster, and they’re mostly done by men who don’t work in an office.
The fakers tell us how important they are. The real heroes are the people who do the rescuing, repairing and maintenance which helps the fakers to go on living their fake lives.
2. All the “bucket truck” linemen, including the many thousands who have come down to help from other states, deserve a lot of credit. It is real, dangerous work and important for maintaining civilization.
Years ago when electricians from out of state tried to help New Yorkers and New Jersey residents, they were threatened by Union thugs. The thugs kept the suffering going for a long time.
What happened to the media coverage about North Carolina?
It was negative for Harris's failure to respond in a timely fashion.
It made the democRATs look incompetent so it was memory holed.
Our Governor DeSantis shows the rest of the world what leadership and management is.
He deserves much credit for taking the bull by the horns, and getting things done, in an orderly and timely fashion.
I am constantly impressed with how he operates, in this capacity.
(snd then there’s that guy up north who drinks horse semen)
Yes, I did hear that, but I wonder why there is no further coverage on the cleanup?
I guess that is as good an explanation as any.
METAL ROOF IS NOT CHEAPER-—IT is actually FAR MORE expensive-—
BUT it will last as much as 50 years.
WHOEVER told you it was cheaper needs to explain themselves.
Those few hours were enough to bring my refrigerator and freezer back down to normal temperatures. After those few hours it was off again for most of a day but on now. That the power came on so quickly with about 80% of residents in the area without power was amazing.
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I’m seeing this in several different posts after the hurricanes. Makes me wonder....
Power in urban and suburban areas is gridded, as in if one section of the grid goes down power can be routed around the defect by switching in power from other grid sections adjacent to the problem area. Power can be restored to the majority in a short amount of time, leaving those immediately adjacent to the problem area down until the proper repairs can be done.
When repairs are completed the grid would be switched back to its normal state, although that may take a bit. I expect the grid would be a bit of a mess after a major storm and may require a little “creativity” to get the most people up, hence power up and then back down then back up.
I used to work out in God’s Country - middle-of-nowhere. One day He’ll remember He left it there.
The power was not gridded; we were at the end of a long high-tension power line. When it went down we went dark for anywhere from a few hours to a day. There was no rerouting power.
Wasn’t all bad. The building with the dining facility and bar was on a half-megawatt generator. We’d just repair to the bar to wait it out.
Also made the DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR look TOTALLY INCOMPETENT!!
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