The Authentic Eccentric

It’s officially the end of my holiday weekend. I’m tired of media coverage as usual in light of life isn’t as usual, so I spent some time reconnecting with some of the lists I’m on, where by and large people are more focused on what they can do versus who is to blame.

Personally, right now I am much more interested in constructive action towards solutions than dissecting what went wrong (although I’m reading as much as I can tolerate to hear about it). I’m totally convinced the entire catastrophe was the fault of rotten leadership throughout the political spectrum - and in the lack of leadership, chaos ensued. That’s our new reality.

So instead of flinging around and spinning who said/did/didn’t/could have/should have crap, I’m borrowing a page from Hugh Hewitt and I’m wrapping up my hurricane blogathon with what I think should happen now / next / tomorrow. Now is not the time for the national energy and momentum towards relief to spin down into petty politics - but it is time for a leader to emerge.

There is a lot of fault to spread around regardless of party affiliation or layer of government. Don’t let that distract you. If, as a body politic, we contact *our* elected officials and demand the following, we might just weather this storm:

1. That every elected and appointed official in Washington agree to a truce and put politics as usual aside until the last evacuee has been returned to a home.

2. That every present elected official in all states at all levels voluntarily contribute 10% of their present balance of campaign funds towards housing and resettlement costs.

3. That a leader be hired to head the Gulf Coast restoration project. I’m not thinking of a politician, I’m thinking of an experienced, successful leader with a track record such as Jack Welch or Bill Gates. They should have a publicly posted job description and reconstruction budget sensibly funded through investment grade bonds, the millions pouring into the relief efforts and public and private partnerships.

4. That milestones be established and publicly posted for each of the reconstruction phases by January 1, 2006 so that the New Year begins the New South. As with the space endeavor Kennedy inspired, I want Bush to call for a ten year rebuilding schedule - given the scope of the devastation, it’s actually easier to start over and although 10 years is ambitious, we’re an energetic country when we have a clear goal and game plan.

5. That the government impose a special Sin Tax on luxury items over $1,000 such as plasma tvs, exotic vacations, expensive automobiles, gambling winnings etc - said tax to be used for the re-training and job placement of the thousands of un-employed survivors that are able to return to work. Exemptions would be made for people who vacation or build businesses in the areas hardest hit.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m interested in knowing the facts, too. I think it’s important to know what went wrong and make all human effort to ensure it doesn’t happen again, but I also don’t want to see our national energy pissed away on the blame game.