T.R. Fehrenbach: Bureaucracy vs. Paranoia
If the United States had to fight World War II today, I believe we could not do nearly so good a job as we did in 1941-45.
Yes, we have a much larger population, are far richer and we know vastly more about weaponry and war-fighting than Americans did then. There would be sufficient commitment, drawing from the aftermath of 9-11. We are neither a nation of cowards nor heroes, but we have always found enough of the latter to win.
The problem is this: In 1940 when we began to prepare for war, the nation was not bureaucratized. We are now.
Bureaucracy is a form of human organization designed to prevent things from getting done. Of course, it is never sold to the public this way, but there it is. And every bureaucratic response to crisis proves the point. Merely look at efforts by government at all levels -- city, state and federal -- to rally 'round and take charge after Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast.
Fact was, whoever or whatever was in charge, nobody could take command or get much done until the regulations, rules and bureaucrats were shoved aside.
Let's go back to 1940-41, when the United States implemented Selective Service and began to rearm. Did you know that President Franklin Roosevelt's entire staff was smaller than the first ladies' in recent years? That congressional staff was limited to, at most, four people and the list of federal crimes could be printed on one page? Most lawyers in government were in the FBI (where a CPA or law degree was required for special agents)? And the number of agencies at all levels of government was so minuscule that presidents, governors and mayors could directly influence them?
And we fought the war just fine....
... Now, media and historians will certainly have a gay old time detailing how while people suffered in New Orleans, agencies held up rescue teams and such for sensitivity sessions; or vehicles stood idle while minor bureaucrats argued jurisdiction; or customs officers stopped relief shipments to check on mad cow disease. And how a whole progression of officials who knew better held lengthy press conferences to assure the public that all the military units called out would be under the control of the New Orleans police, one of the more incompetent in the land, one hardly in control of itself.
The problem with Katrina was that those at the top of the disaster chain got little information up through channels. But, as Fox News stated, all they had to do was watch live coverage from the scene. It takes days to process properly a through-channels report, and when multi-agencies report, confusion reigns.
To go into crisis mode, create one command center, blow the pygmy local politicians out of the way and, to save lives, require that the scope, extent and nature of the crisis be understood quickly.
If we ever have a real war crisis — I mean cities blown up, millions of refugees — I hope somebody watches TV.
Read entire article at San Antonio Express-News
Yes, we have a much larger population, are far richer and we know vastly more about weaponry and war-fighting than Americans did then. There would be sufficient commitment, drawing from the aftermath of 9-11. We are neither a nation of cowards nor heroes, but we have always found enough of the latter to win.
The problem is this: In 1940 when we began to prepare for war, the nation was not bureaucratized. We are now.
Bureaucracy is a form of human organization designed to prevent things from getting done. Of course, it is never sold to the public this way, but there it is. And every bureaucratic response to crisis proves the point. Merely look at efforts by government at all levels -- city, state and federal -- to rally 'round and take charge after Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast.
Fact was, whoever or whatever was in charge, nobody could take command or get much done until the regulations, rules and bureaucrats were shoved aside.
Let's go back to 1940-41, when the United States implemented Selective Service and began to rearm. Did you know that President Franklin Roosevelt's entire staff was smaller than the first ladies' in recent years? That congressional staff was limited to, at most, four people and the list of federal crimes could be printed on one page? Most lawyers in government were in the FBI (where a CPA or law degree was required for special agents)? And the number of agencies at all levels of government was so minuscule that presidents, governors and mayors could directly influence them?
And we fought the war just fine....
... Now, media and historians will certainly have a gay old time detailing how while people suffered in New Orleans, agencies held up rescue teams and such for sensitivity sessions; or vehicles stood idle while minor bureaucrats argued jurisdiction; or customs officers stopped relief shipments to check on mad cow disease. And how a whole progression of officials who knew better held lengthy press conferences to assure the public that all the military units called out would be under the control of the New Orleans police, one of the more incompetent in the land, one hardly in control of itself.
The problem with Katrina was that those at the top of the disaster chain got little information up through channels. But, as Fox News stated, all they had to do was watch live coverage from the scene. It takes days to process properly a through-channels report, and when multi-agencies report, confusion reigns.
To go into crisis mode, create one command center, blow the pygmy local politicians out of the way and, to save lives, require that the scope, extent and nature of the crisis be understood quickly.
If we ever have a real war crisis — I mean cities blown up, millions of refugees — I hope somebody watches TV.