Natural disasters bring to light the worst of Mother Nature and the best of human beings, the courage and determination of the victims and first responders remind us of the indomitability of the human spirit.
Natural disasters also reveal the character of the President of the United States. President George Bush was on vacation when Hurricane Katrina made landfall, and as the nation watched the devastation in horror, the president remained on vacation, he didn`t return back to the White House until a couple of days later.
On his way back, Bush had Air Force One fly over part of the devastated area and he glimpsed the wreckage from the plane. The photo of Bush looking out the window of his presidential plane became one of the defining images of his tenure.
A picture speaks a thousand words, and that photograph spoke of the president`s detachment from the concerns of everyday people. Since most of the victims in the hardest-hit areas were African-Americans it also spoke of his insensitivity towards people of color. In Kanye`s immortal words, “Bush doesn`t care about black people.”
The Bush presidency never recovered from Hurricane Katrina, and President Donald Trump failed to learn from Bush`s bungling of the natural disaster.
Hours before Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas, Donald Trump left the White House for a weekend getaway in Camp David.
Trump used Hurricane Harvey as a cover for announcing controversial measures, the pardon of racist Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the signing of a memo which bans transgender individuals from newly enlisting in the military.
Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005 during Bush`s second term, and the Iraq war had already severely weekend him. Hurricane Harvey struck Texas only seven months into Trump`s administration, but his countless scandals and mistakes have already crippled his administration.
Trump is ill-equipped to lead our nation during the best of times, God help us when he`s at the helm during a natural disaster or a terrorist attack.
For God`s sake, we must get rid of the bastard, one way or another, as soon as possible.
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