Natural disasters draw visiting politicians like - well, you know the metaphor.
The Greensburg, Kans., tornado has been no different. The debris had hardly settled before Sen. Pat Roberts shuffled through the town, with Rep. Todd Tiahrt in tow (even though Greensburg is not in his district!). They were soon followed by the town’s actual congressional representative, then by the governor of the great state of Kansas (whose remarks set off a minor political foofah). Finally, yesterday, the Bigfoot of political slummers, the President of the United States, choppered into town (his veep, ever the second-hand rose, had to settle for a jaunt to the less important disaster known as Iraq).
Anyway. The question here is: is anything of value accomplished by politicians visiting disaster areas? Some would say that it provides a morale boost to the victims. Perhaps to some; but I have to note that some of the folks clawing through the rubble of their lives ignored yesterday’s presidential motorcade.
I see nothing useful in the custom. And should Greensburgers apprehend the next politician to wander into town and toss him down Greensburg’s World’s Largest Hand-Dug Well, I shall look the other way.
It is entirely PR. Actually assessing the magnitude of the problem requires a lot more digging than a bigwig can do walking around for an hour or so. I don’t put the blame so much on the politician as on the voting public that eats this stuff up.
Oh, I don’t know…I think its GOOD for our ruling class to occationally go out and get a reality check. Certainly I think the President of the US should go to such things to get a feel for him- (or maybe in furture her)-self instead of relying on others to do the viewing/thinking for them.
Sure, its PR…but I still think its a good thing for these folks to get off their fat fannies sometimes and do their fucking jobs.
You may have something there. Otherwise they might be vacationing on the ranch, schmoozing with lobbyists, or doing photo-ops. How likely is it that they’d be intensely studying legislation to see how it would affect the public good?
You do have a point there. It’d be great if politicians were required to spend half of their time checking in with the real world. Alas, it seems that gawking at storm damage is the only reason they leave the cocoon. And, of course, all they learn from such trips is that life sucks for victims of violent storms, which they should already know.
They really don’t need to eyeball storm damage in order to know whether to send aid. They can read the papers like the rest of us.
Basically, it would be supremely insensitive for the politician not to go. Up here, MPs show up at the likes of high school graduations, street fairs, community events, etc. In the case of a major crisis, it would be practically offensive if the local representatives didn’t put in an appearance – as if they didn’t think this major event was as important as the local country fair.
Likewise, since politicians regularly show up at happy events where they’re likely to be able to gladhand and get people when they’re in a good frame of mind, showing up at moments of crisis helps to give the impression of being there “in good times and bad.”
Finally, as mentioned, it gives the politician the opportunity to return to the legislature and say, “I’ve seen the damage first-hand, and…” etc., etc.
I look at these visits as ceremonial actions. A “The Nation Cares” type of thing. While certainly no substitute for sending lawyers, guns, and money, neither are they a complete waste. They’re a reminder to the victims that they are not alone.
I personally think the practice is dumb. But can’t fault any of the politicians that do it, it’s considered part of the job that you show up a crises. If you’re governor, you have a responsibility to show up at any major crisis in your state. As President you don’t have to make a stop at every natural disaster, minor or small, across the country but you’re expected to hit the big ones.
Same for congressmen and their constituencies.
If I was a political handler I’d never be so foolish as to advise my charge against coptering in when it’s obvious he’s expected to be there.
Because every candidate makes mistakes, some more than others. Put a microphone under your mouth 24/7 and have 200 million people constantly ready to widely disseminate even the slightest misstatement you make, for around a year and see how many dumb quotes we get from you.