One of the largest natural disasters ever to hit the continental United States is being blamed as the result of libertarian policies. The move to minimize the government and cut taxes to individuals has kept the government from successfully managing a situation such as Hurricane Katrina. Apparantly, Libertarians caused the most damage of this disaster.
What?
Blaming the effects of Katrina on libertarians is perhaps one of the funniest things I’ve heard in a long time. People who need the government to tell them that its a good idea to prepare for a natural disaster probably should not be living in coastal cities. And I say this as someone who lived in coastal cities for over 10 years. “Yes, yes! Bigger government is the solution! Feed me and wipe my butt, I’m lazy!”
The truth is, when people rely on our Presidents and Governors to tell us what to do, we have ceased to be citizens of this country and are now merely puppets to the beuracracy of others. Libertarianism isn’t what caused the failures of FEMA and the Dept. of Homeland Security. Tax cuts didn’t keep the school buses in the parking lots. In fact, one of the tenants of the LP is even to promote America’s heritage of freedom through “individual liberty and personal responsibility.” The results of this disaster aren’t a case against libertarianism, they are actually a strong statement in favor.
To prove my point, the massive outpouring of public support in the form of donations and humanitarian aid should show that libertarianism does work. We don’t need the government’s handouts, we can and will do the job ourselves. When the government fails us, the people will respond. Nowhere in my constitution do I see the words “I am entitled to free money from the government.” But it is the will of the people to maintain the well-being of their fellow man.
Don’t look to your government. Look to your neighbor.
And your neighbor was probably packing up his car and getting the fuck out of New Orleans.
