« Fashion Trends We Like | Main | Death Bell Blues »
September 03, 2005
One Last Katrina Post
As horrific as the scenes are from the Gulf Coast, life must and does go on for all of us, even as we try to help in any way we can, and even as we're still flabbergasted that something like this could happen in the United States of America. So I'm going to go back to blogging about whatever strikes my little fancy from now on. But a few final thoughts about Katrina:
1) Our Katrina Relief Fund: Guys, between pledges on this site and those I was informed of via e-mail, our community has directly given at least $800 for hurricane relief. That may not sound like much in the face of the gargantuan need right now, but think of how much more it is than what any of us donated individually. Thank you all for your generosity.
2) Conspicuous Absence. Nearly every facet of American society has rolled up its sleeves and opened its hearts to the disaster happening down south. Donations to the Red Cross have topped $200 million, and it hasn't even been one week. In the story I linked to about the Red Cross, you can see that insurance companies, financial companies, technology companies, and retail companies are stepping up to help with donations. The airlines are shuttling people out of New Orleans now. I've read of electric utilities around the country sending technicians to the Gulf Coast to help restore power. The NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball have all donated $1 million -- and Deion Sanders of all people just called every professional athlete out and challenged them to step up to the table. The entertainment industry had its first telethon last night, and there are a dozen more benefits and concerts scheduled in teh next week. Everybody's jumped in.
But wouldn't it be nice if the oil companies -- who now get to gouge us for upwards of $4.00 a gallon for gas, and for whose profit we went to war in Iraq -- would make a more significant contribution? Here's an idea: between now and the end of 2005, 1 cent of every gallon of gas sold in the United States should go to hurriane relief. They're jacking us $3.41 a gallon here in New York, and it's only going get worse; why not make it $3.42, and donate that penny to relief efforts?
The average American uses 500 gallons of gasoline per year. That's an aggregate average, so it includes those who don't drive and those too young. There's about 280 million Americans. We have 1/3 of the year to go... about 167 gallons for each of us. One cent per gallon comes out to $1.67 for every man, woman and child in our country. I'm no mathemetician, but when I whip out the calculator to check this, $1.67 times 280 million comes out to more than $467 million. All from one penny per gallon more, on prices that are already artificially inflated anyway. Even if my math's off by a bit, there's no question that one cent per gallon would raise hundreds of millions of dollars to help -- and I doubt very much that for this cause, Americans would mind paying an extra 20 cents every time they fill up.
What's the holdup? ExxonMobil, BP, Shell, ChevronTexaco, ConocoPhillips... what say you?
3) Regarding the government's response and Bush trying to deflect blame by criticizing the relief efforts as inadequate, I have only two thoughts.
First, as PSoTD points out... in all of modern history, can you name any other leader of any nation who, when faced with a national crisis and disaster of a massive magnitude, took two full days to come off of vacation and either go to the site of the disaster or return to the seat of power? Anyone? Bueller?
Second... FEMA's in charge of doing homeland security evacuations as well as handling natural emergencies. Anyone out there feel as confident this week that you'd be safe and the government would have its (stuff) together if, say, a dirty bomb went off in your area? Makes you wonder what the Bush administration's been doing with all that Homeland Security funding since 2001; they clearly weren't using it for training.
Comments
Chris,
Please send your donation to the Salvation Army, not the Red Cross. The Cross spends a ton on salaries and "expenses" the Sallies give a larger percentage to needy.
The Red Cross has the audacity to go into disaster areas and charge for the coffee and do-nuts you pay for them to buy and give to needy. I've seen it numerous times, the Sallies never charge. When in the Navy and got some magazines from Red Cross while in hospital, I received a bill from them when I left. They Suk!
I think their pres or leader or whatever get 7 figures a year.
Posted by: Unca Jer at September 3, 2005 10:15 PM
That is a great idea. If only they donated a penny per gallon. *sigh*
Great to hear about Deion Sanders stepping up like that, proud FSU alumna that I am. ;)
Posted by: eden at September 4, 2005 01:37 AM
Not sure your gas idea would work. If it came from the actual gas stations themselves, it would put stations under as many are only making a .01 per gallon now. That's why they are all adding convience stores to make additional money. The oil companies themselves are raking in the dough but not your independant gas station trying to make a living.
I worked for the Total corporation at a corporate gas station back in the late 80's as a second job. Total sold all their corporate gas stations in the 90's as they weren't profitable even though they got plenty of business.
Posted by: Marine's Girl at September 5, 2005 03:43 AM
Hi Mudge. People might want to check and see if their companies will match their donations. My compnay matched the $100 donation, so you can add that to your total. Cheers, Brian
Posted by: Seadogs at September 7, 2005 08:29 AM
