The Red Tape

My heart goes out to the impacted people in the greater Boulder, Colorado area with regard to their suffering and loss due to the recent heavy rains and associated flooding and for that matter, anybody who has had to deal with the trauma and after affects due to Mother Nature. 

I cannot imagine having all that I own washed away in an instant and be in the need of assistance.  I also would like to get said assistance as quickly as possible and would not be thrilled about in delays “caused by government red tape”.

Every time a natural disaster occurs and God knows there has been no shortage of these, the President or Vice President tours the area, usually several days after in a show of support and reassurance.   What also is included is that they are there to “cut through the red tape” and this puzzles me.

What red tape?   Send the assistance as fast as possible is what  I think is needed and not visits from politicians.   These visits have turned into more of a public relations campaign for politicians than assistance for the needy. 

I am one to believe that the red tape is not a real obstacle and only there for Politian’s to symbolically cut through.  I guess this is where I take issue.  I understand the appearance of the President of the United States at a disaster site, at a handpicked location with prescreened (but very real) people makes good television but how do this get these poor people aid faster?  The aid should have been there ahead of the politician.

It’s not like the President has to see for himself that something really bad has happened before he can authorize aid. 

I know it has become expected for the President or in this case the Vice President make these visits and political poison not to but just go visit and do what you can and let’s not pretend that this “magnanimous” gesture has anything to do with getting through so-called red tape.