[quote name='azel']When are people going to understand that people, government, and countries are RE-active and not PRO-active. This concerns everything from hurricane prevention to smoking to obesity to driving gas guzzling SUVs to terrorism. Many don't quit smoking or over-eating until they have serious health problems. People don't stop driving SUVs until gas prices hit $3 a gallon (geez I hope).
And as for terrorism...
If airports had suddenly cracked down on security in the 90s there would be an uproar from people who would have found it to be an over-reaction and a huge hassle to their travelling convenience. It may (and I stress
may) have stopped September 11th, but we'll never know.
The real reason is that business can't afford to be pro-active in a competitive market because they will lose money. I know from being in management myself that you will get nothing done unless it a) has proven ROI or b) has proven ROI. (ROI is return-on-investment for those of you who don't know).
Politics work the same way. In politics, ROI transfers into votes and campaign contributions. Instead of profits, politicians function on power.
And moreover for hurricanes...
The problem is that being PRO-active is often difficult and is sometimes a gamble.
In the realm of politics somebody (on booth sides) is always bitching about funds being mis-managed. If there had been tons of dough thrown at the Gulf Coast for flood prevention and hurricane crisis management, people in Wyoming would be bitching about the waste of money in LA and that they need money to keep Yosemite park open. And if nothing happens in the Gulf Coast with all the money that would be spent, the people bitching will win.
It just so happens that there was a big storm that kinda messed up things, so now people are bitching about how funds were cut and the finger pointing begins.
I say we focus on the sure things that definitely require being PRO-active. Things that all Americans need: Education, Affordable Healthcare, Jobs, and Defense. Since you can't really get an education or a job in New Orleans right now, we'll have to start from square one there. The government gambled on having to be RE-active and they lost this one. Some will say they lost with Iraq. Whatever you think, we at least have the option to vote the current batch of idiots out so a new batch of idiots can take their place
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Well, they had a program in place which they cut. That's proactively reactive I guess
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And when you have numerous warnings but don't listen, don't be suprised when you start getting blamed.