The Watchdog Report

By Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom

 

 

            Even though Hurricane Katrina raged ashore a year ago, the City of New Orleans is still a long way from being restored.  Katrina revealed a city with many serious problems, and we have to face the fact that many of New Orleans’ problems existed long before Katrina.

            The hurricane blew the city into the national spotlight.  Because of this sharp focus, many of the underlying problems that already existed have become more known.  For example, New Orleans had a very high unemployment rate before the storm.  Many assume that New Orleans’ current high unemployment rate resulted from the hurricane.  Katrina certainly hurt the city, but it also revealed an already serious unemployment problem.

            Anyone who has paid even minimal attention to the news lately is aware of the partisan “blame game” being played over the government’s response to Katrina.  Should we blame the President, the head of FEMA, the Governor of Louisiana, or the City’s mayor?  Each has their critics.

            But we should remind ourselves that the residents who refused to leave when told to should accept responsibility for their poor choices.  Days before the storm hit, national and local leaders warned of looming disaster and ordered a mandatory evacuation.  Despite these warnings and orders, many thousand people ignored them and decided to ride out the storm.  Sure, not all of them had the reasonable ability to leave.  But thousands could have left, yet miscalculated the danger, and chose to stay.

            For weeks, media outlets rushed to show pictures of “victims” plodding through contaminated waters, looting stores, and stepping over dead bodies.  Many were people who wouldn’t leave when told to.  However, for these people to then criticize the government for its inadequate response is wrong.  How much can the federal government -- or anyone -- do for people who refuse to escape from a storm’s path when warned?  This situation clearly raises questions about civic responsibility.

            The price tag for Katrina is huge, and continues to climb.  The federal government already has allocated over $62 billion for federal aid and reconstruction.  But this is a recipe for taxpayer bankruptcy.

            History has shown that we can throw money at problems like the long-term problems in New Orleans, with little or no benefit.  This is because while the city is being rebuilt, bigger basic problems remain that are not being addressed.

It comes down to this.  Many of the city’s residents have refused to accept the normal responsibilities of citizenship.  They have refused to pursue or accept opportunities for public education.  They have refused to develop a normal work ethic and become self-sufficient.  They have refused to obey laws that are meant to protect them along with our society-at-large. 

We must eventually create a sense of civic responsibility in these residents.  Only then will their lives really improve and the rampant ineffective spending of our tax dollars end.  If we fail to deal with the real problem, we’re letting the hurricane blow away our money long after the wind has stopped.