River of Hope

River of Hope

Dave, it is "high hopes" that once the nation sees the human suffering and the hundreds of miles of interstates filled like parking lots with distressed an dying people, that We the People will do what we do best, respond to the crisis, even though it could have been prevented, not the drought but organization of relief efforts since the scientists have made it very clear the catastrophic drought was coming.  Long term planning has always been a weakness of Democracy since one party can plan something and a few years later a change of power results in the new party in power can undo it all.  But we responded to the crisis of WWII,which wasn't even visible to our people, EVERYBODY pitched in without complaint, from the farm boys who had never been further than the county line, the Rosie the Riveters (my mom and Aunt did that when school was out during the summers and good workers they were---both farm girls---no one works better at repetitive tasks with their hands than farm girls---oh yea they picked cotton too), and even the rich, who payed 95% tax without complaint (hard to imagine isn't it!!!---FDR just told them "We loose this war and your fortunes are at great risk."---there was no public resistance to the tax rate after that.  They knew the American People would be so outraged their business would be ruined anyway as the owners would be labeled everything from "Traitor'  to "Freeloader" (a potent insult in population just recovering from the Great Depression).  So, the HOPE is that the spectacle of potentially more deaths than all the wars we have fought combined, right in our backyard will mobilize that American "Can Do" spirit, which I believe is still alive deep in the fiber of our nation.  Best of all, it would be non partisan, which we are all sick of, and what could be controversial than giving water to the millions dying of thirst when the nation has plenty of it.  This effort would even bring a great since of relief that at last we are unified and working TOGETHER---regardless of party, race color, ethnicity, social status, or education.  Just Americans carrying water and "doing the right thing" for the first time in sixty years without acrimony.  Might be a major turning point in history and  the event would revive a sense of unity and hope that we can work together to solve difficult problems.  And this effort would require creativity and imagination, because the logistics a first appear all but impossible.  So your hope theory is still alive.
Mo


March 24, 2012
Austin