<spanstyle="display:block;text-align:center;">PostHurricaneKatrina</span>ThesouthernUnitedStatesisagainbeingbatteredbyatropicalstormRita,threeweeksafterHurricaneKatrina.Thistimethewarningstoleaveseemtohavebeenheededandroadsleadingawayfromthethreatenedareashavebeenchokedwithtrafficasmorethantwomillionpeopleheadinland.FollowingthedevastationinNewOrleans,theauthoritieswerecriticizedfornotdoingenoughforthoseleastabletohelpthemselves:thepoor,thesickandthosewithouttransport.Thoughthistimemoreprovisionwasmadetoevacuatepeopleaheadofthehurricane,butinthelongterm,whethertherewillbeanyrealchangeintheUSsocialsystem?<br/><alone></alone>Astheeventofmassiveforce,Katrinasweptawayanawfullot,buttheghastlyfailureoftheauthoritiestoprepareandtorescuethoseatriskseemstohavedonemorethanthephysicaldamage.BillClintonisamongmanyeminentAmericanswhowonderwhetherKatrina’sbiggestimpactmightbepsychological,political.Therealquestion,puttingisbaldly,iswhetherthereisgoingtobearevolution.WilltheAmericansocialandeconomicsystem,whichcreatesthewealthwhichpaysforbillionaires’privatejetsandthepovertywhichdoesn’tallowforabusfareoutofNewOrleans,beaddressed?It’sbeentinkeredwithbeforeofcourse,sometimesasaresultofnaturaldisasters.Therewereforinstanceplentyofbusesonhandforthisweek’sRitaevacuation.Butthesystem’sfundamentals,nolimitonhowhighyoucanflyandlittlelimitonhowlowyoucanfall,remainasintactastheywereintheSanFranciscogoldrush.<br/><alone></alone>AsCharlesWheelerwrote,oneofthetragediesoftheVietnamWarhadbeen&quot;thedismembermentofAmerica’sinfantwelfarestate&quot;.‘Thewar,&quot;hesaid,&quot;stoppedsocialreforminitstracksandtoday,withthebudgetdeficithugeandgrowing,thereisnoprospectthatawindfallofmoneyreleasedbythewarcansuddenlybeappliedtotheneedsofthepoorinthecities.&quot;Charleswaswritingin1973.Americadidrecover.Theeconomywasrescued.Moneywasmadeinverylargeamounts.Butthepoorstilldidnotreceivethatwindfall;theywerenevergoingto.<br/><alone></alone>AmericansarecrosswiththegovernmentanddisappointedwiththeresponsefromWashington,buttheyhavenotsatontheirhandsandwaitedforthegovernmenttosortitselfout.Muchtheopposite,Americanshavegivenwithunbridledenthusiasmandgenerosity.TheygivemoneytovictimsofKatrina;dropoffteddybearstheynolongerwant;dispatchclothforwhichtheyhavegrowntoofatetc.HurricaneKatrinahasencouragedanoutpouringofcharityonascaleneverseenbefore.&quot;Isn’tthatsomethinggovernmentsdo?&quot;Americansdon’tthinksoandneverwill.Thisisunquestionablyasourceofstrengthandspineintroubledtimes,butitisjustcharitythatputsadampeneronrevolution.Charityameliorates,itsoftensblows,itpoursoilontroubledwaters.Itdoesnotleadtosocialchange.<br/><alone></alone>InequalityisapartofAmericanlifeandsoisself-reliance,nothingaltersthat.Aftertheweekend’sdevastation,Americaislittlechanged.