How the free market killed new orleans .Interesting article

[rhino47]

http://www.zmag.org/sustainers/content/2005-09/03parenti.cfm


September 03, 2005

How the Free Market Killed New Orleans

By Michael Parenti

The free market played a crucial role in the destruction of New Orleans and the death of thousands of its residents. Armed with advanced warning that a momentous (force 5) hurricane was going to hit that city and surrounding areas, what did officials do? They played the free market.

They announced that everyone should evacuate. Everyone was expected to devise their own way out of the disaster area by private means, just as the free market dictates, just like people do when disaster hits free-market Third World countries.

It is a beautiful thing this free market in which every individual pursues his or her own personal interests and thereby effects an optimal outcome for the entire society. This is the way the invisible hand works its wonders.

There would be none of the collectivistic regimented evacuation as occurred in Cuba. When an especially powerful hurricane hit that island last year, the Castro government, abetted by neighborhood citizen committees and local Communist party cadres, evacuated 1.3 million people, more than 10 percent of the country's population, with not a single life lost, a heartening feat that went largely unmentioned in the U.S. press.

[annabanana]

1. free market = empty market

conscience free
heart free
soul free
conscienceless
heartless
soulless

[Kagemusha]

2. I do have to note something...

The people of New Orleans did not 'refuse to evacuate' and were not 'stubborn' until around Wednesday. Before this no mention of this refusal to evacuate was made and the stubbornness was not referred to; when the stubbornness was, it was mentioned in the context of wanting to rebuild New Orleans at all.

Sorry but, I resent the first draft of history having mistakes about things I can easily recall by memory that were not even four days ago.

[rfkrfk]

7. the Mayor could have offered rides on these busses...

but chose not to.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050901/480/flpc21109012015

[Lindsay]

3. Wonderful article.

Thanks for posting it.

[mirandaod]

4. That's it, in a nutshell.

It's more than just *. He's just the natural out-working of this political philosophy. Things started deteriorating back in the 80's under Reagan, and it's steadily worsened as the cons have gained power.
I don't know if the country has learned enough to put a stop to it. What's blatently obvious to DU and like-minded people, may not yet be accepted by enough of America.

[fasttense]

5. Laze Fare government, it didn't work in the 1800's and it still doesn't

[rhino47]

6. It doesnt work but * sure does want to shove it down our throats.

n/t