Katrina: Property Killed

The conservative cult of property has been discussed exhaustively on dKos. However, its manifestation in Katrina is truly breathtaking. Never mind that it can cause degradation, humiliation and anguish - as far as I'm concerned it killed innocent people.

In the immediate aftermath of Katrina, people needed basics: food, water, air and shelter. To breathe, they ran from the flood. For the rest they went to the Superdome and Convention Center. For the rest, they depended on the government. The government let them down. Children and elderly dehydrated. Blood sugar went haywire.

But there was plenty of food and water in New Orleans. There always is. Everywhere. All the time. ... over the fold.

A modern city's food distribution system is a work of art. Cheapest food in the world. Supermarkets. Convenience Stores. Gas stations. Beverage machines in every restaurant, coffee shop, and magazine shop. Doesn't New Orleans have restaurants? I bet there's even a food distributor or two.

But its someone's property. So it must be locked up. The police must guard it.

To bring 'free' food and water, the government buys MRE's from defense contractors and flies them in - by Chinook. With National Guardsmen to guard it. Locked and Loaded. What a bargain!

They imported food that was already there. Food that insurance companies will dispose after the flood. In landfills. Food that was store-owners' property.

Gretna Sheriffs stopped people on a bridge. To keep them from looting food and water. After, all it was someone's  property.

Strange that New Orleanians knew the food was there. I guess the government missed the memo. But then, it was someone's property?

What should have happened?

Governor's can issue states of emergency that authorize police to commandeer private assets.

Police could carry a list of neighborhood stores in their pocket - with a pre-planned distribution schedule. Four cops meet at the next one on the list. Open it with the tire iron in their squad. Form people in a line. Tell them where to go and what they can take. The law-abiding will line up.

It's easy to tell the white hats from the black ones. Wander into the TV section and you are a 'looter'. Risk being arrested or shot.

When a store is empty, lock it and go to the next on the list. Tell anyone still in line that the store down the street will open in half an hour.

Meanwhile, a National Guard deuce-and-a-half cleans out a Supercenter - and rolls to the Convention Center. Next trip in an hour.

FEMA could have phoned Bentonville and bought a whole Walmart SuperCenter at 'everyday low prices'. Phone Jacksonville for a Winn-Dixie. Phone Deerfield, IL to open the Walgreens.

How long will the food and water last? No idea - but at least a day or two longer than it did.

Not just NOLA

There will be future disasters. An earthquake in California. A hurricane in Miami or Jacksonville. Those people will be stranded, hungry, thirsty and desperate.

FEMA could train police to 'officially loot'. FEMA could promise to reimburse owners for anything 'officially' taken.  Be creative. Have Congress pass a law that makes insurance companies liable for 30% of goods that the government commandeers (instead of the 100% they would pay to buy a landfill).

Owners will post detailed lists of contents on their door before they evacuate!

Only one problem - its someone's property.