I was just watching Joe Scarborough on MSNBC. He was interviewing Mary DeKuyper, Red Cross chairwoman, and asked her a question which reeked of GOP spin... a new spin that I hadn't heard before. He asked her (paraphrased), "The crisis response to Katrina of both the Federal and Local governments has come under a lot of criticism, while the private institutions have been able to respond and provide relief more easily and effectively.
Wouldn't you say that private institutions are more capable and effective in handling disaster relief?" DeKuyper gave a vague answer focusing on how well the Red Cross was able to respond, but didn't bite Joe's YES or NO question. After her response he went on to suggest that private institutions are more effective because they do not have to deal with the bureaucracy that government has to.
Please take note of the spin of this new GOP talking point.
As a strategy it can take all of the critical reaction that is being directed to Federal response (by the media, liberals, or whomever) and use it all to justify privatization of disaster relief in general. This spin is in alignment with Norquist's infamous comment and the neo-con strategy to make the government small enough to eventually drown in a bathtub.
This administration has successfully embarked on privatizing war. They are still trying to privatize Social Security. Now it looks like they want to use all of this new bubbling criticism to privatize disaster relief as well.
Please respond to this diary with counter spin talking points to combat this suspicious new GOP tactic.
P.S.: I do not have Scarborough's direct quote and don't know how people obtain all these wonderful transcripts that we see from time to time. I would like to have the direct quote for accuracy sake. If anyone can tell me how to obtain the transcript, please tell make note.
P.P.S. Sorry if this new spin has been already diared. I was away all weekend. No TV, radio or newspapers. When I got home I scanned through the TV and heard this new spin... thought it was worthy of warning.
