It hasn't escaped my notice that many people who pride themselves on their rational and atheistic views of the universe have smoothly plugged the State into the same psychological niche that gods used to occupy.

Certain political groups have made it their life's work to convince Americans that all that is good or bad comes forth from our lords in Washington. Is it surprising now that people on rooftops in the flood would cry not to their police, or neighbors, or National Guard?

"George W. Bush! Why have you forsaken us?" Did anyone else find this scary? Did anyone else see the ultimate result of an Entitlement Culture?

And what has been the government response afterward? The usual. Massive loads of taxpayer money (certain political groups have also made it their life's work to equate compassion and forced wealth redistribution), and the almost certain increase in the centralized power of the Federal government over states and localities, including the use of armed services. Marvelous.

Make it easier for the Federal government to drop the military into our cities to keep order? Where the HELL is everyone who was bitching about the Patriot Act, and declaring that our nation was doomed because they could look at library records? Where the HELL are the leftists who remember Kent State?

In a free society, shit happens. People deal with it on an increasing level from individual, to private organizations, to city, to region, to state, and finally, to Federal government. When you scream out that only the Federal government could have done it, what are you saying? Make a list of what had to be done. Are you sure? Why?

On other boards I heard people touting Cuba's effective approach during hurricanes. Of course, when evacuation is mandatory down there, the national military show up first.

When you want to give the state enough power to make hurricanes impotent to harm us, remember some day that you asked for it.