Editorial—The Winds of Change
09/17/2005
Paul Munnis
Hurricane Katrina has blown fresh air into American politics as a GOP controlled Congress begins to face some unpleasant truths. The first truth is that guns and butter are incompatible goals because in their own right each costs an awful lot of money. Taken together they are insufferable burdens on the national treasury.
Another truth is that a nation needs to maintain a certain core of social safety net to act as a shock absorber when national tragedy hits. These programs cost money.
A third hard won lesson is that taxes are needed to pay the freight for government. In order for taxes to be collected people must be employed. In order for there to be employment there has to be demand for U.S. goods and an improvement in the U.S. balance of payments. Citizens need to have spending money to stimulate the economy. It can’t be done on credit cards any longer.
In just about 10 days the G7 is also going to be on Bush’s back about the need to cut the U.S. deficit in half. At the last G7 meeting Bush had his marching orders: “go home and cut the deficit in half.” He duly put that into his plan and made the needed commitments. Katrina now has that plan in jeopardy. The deficit still needs to be cut and America is not going to be allowed to jeopardize the world economy with reckless spending. So we can thank Katrina that spending restraint is returning to the U.S. government.
The military will need to decide where to cut its budget. It need not come from operations in Iraq solely. The Air Force has huge sums lined up to spend on Star Wars and a new fighter program. The Navy needs to decide how many ships to mothball. With Afghanistan elections being held then a decision about pulling U.S. troops from Afghanistan or what the size of the remaining force must be, will be made in Washington. Base closings may need to be accelerated. Finding a way to finance the war in Iraq is also going to be needed. The obvious choice for financing an Iraqi War is selling Iraqi oil to pay for Iraq nation building. Let the cash flow begin. Let Karl Rove earn his keep by crafting strategies for unity and achieving economy-of-scale.
It is said that 398,000 workers will join the unemployed and uninsured as the effects of hurricane Katrina are felt. With so many people on welfare and in refugee camps and about to move into trailer park ghettos then effective social programs are going to be desperately needed. Funds for education will also be desperately needed. All of the things the GOP has been in denial of are now coming home to roost as need not want. Bush has pledged the Federal Government will pick up the tab. The needs are desperate and urgent. These needs now take center stage and the GOP is going to have to craft social programs so that they are highly effective. When Bush sounded like FDR the other night it was prophetic. He will have to manage his nation like FDR did. Democrats and Republicans now have an agenda that they can agree upon. It is a program aimed for the common good. It requires a vigorous middle class.
It may take a few more weeks for reality to sink in. Washington is still in denial and the anger is about to follow fast. Our good Coast Guard Admiral Allen is forcing Washington politicians to face the common sense issues of need versus want. New Orleans is not going to rise from the dust until potable water, sanitation facilities, and an infrastructure that can support life, is fully restored. That is a way off yet.
In the meantime, the biggest welfare problem since the great depression hit America has settled over our land. We must deal with these problems and this is an agenda completely different from the one that was being pursued in Washington just 30 days ago. It is an agenda that Democrats understand best and bi-partisanship governance will be needed more than ever before. Those Congressmen that don’t “get it,” will become casualties on the battlefield of recovery by the Fall of 2006. Look for neo-cons to become born again Moderate Republicans.
Americans are at our best when we all work together. Let’s get on with the job at hand.