In the past week, Americans have seen something they may not be used to in a president: admitting responsibility, explaining in clear terms what went wrong and providing possible solutions. It’s a welcome change and hopefully a trend that will continue.
In times of crisis the president’s main job is to comfort the public and provide a basis for hope. Although light on policy or specifics, he succeeded in this regard.
What wasn’t addressed in President Bush’s Thursday night speech, however, is exactly what changes might take place at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security that would prevent a debacle of this scale from ever happening again. Also lacking were any specifics on how to pay for relief efforts.
Beyond hoping, we must continue holding the government accountable to make sure FEMA is restored to its former status as a responsive federal agency that can provide immediate help to states in the event of an emergency. Nothing short of this will be acceptable to make sure those who lost their lives in the storm’s aftermath did not die in vain.