Bureaucratic Failure

To understand Katrina's problems, read the 9/11 report.

Daniel Henninger argues that if we depend on big government bureaucracies for our survival we won't last long. And indeed in the case of the hurricane disaster we have seen plenty of evidence of government being slow to respond and disorganized at best. This has been particularly true at the state and local level. On the other hand we are seeing self-motivated efforts coming from the private sector which are helping to fill the gap. Both charity organization as well as businesses and individuals are making a big effort to get goods and services where they need to go as quickly as possible. And in general these efforts are more efficient than those that government can provide.

The history of markets shows that they are almost always more nimble and quicker off the mark than government agencies. We need government in order to restore law and order in New Orleans. And the military is doing an admirable job of plucking people off roofs and getting them to dry land. But much of the background work thereafter will be done by the private sector. And we owe all of those people a big "thank you" as well.