Louisiana’s catastrophic floods have left the state reeling, and recovery will take years even with many individuals donating their time and money to help those in need. Both Donald Trump and President Obama have toured the flood damage with the former calling out the latter for not doing so sooner. However, Governor John Bel Edwards did request that Obama hold off until this week before visiting — because a president can be a big distraction to recovery and emergency efforts — still, that didn’t stop critics from tossing questioning glances towards Obama’s Martha’s Vineyard vacation.
When the floods began (and before anyone knew of Gov. Edwards’ request), Baton Rouge’s The Advocate newspaper penned an editorial that asked Obama to come help “hurting Louisiana.” There was an allusion to Hurricane Katrina and George W. Bush, and the paper wrote, “We don’t deserve a sequel.” The paper is now calling upon Hillary Clinton to act presidential when it comes to this disaster:
Hillary Clinton’s extensive resume reads like a running dress rehearsal for the highest office in the land. She should know by now that part of a president’s job is showing up quickly — in person — when a widescale tragedy leaves Americans in desperate need.
If she wants to be the next president, Hillary Clinton should act like one, and come to Louisiana.
Emotions and frustrations are running understandably high in the area, and while FEMA has been working tirelessly to help the state’s displaced residents — even placing some residents in hotels — there’s still plenty of red tape involved with helping homeowners receive long-term relief. Any bit of monetary support helps, but at this stage of the game, moral support matters almost as much (if only to spread further awareness of a dire situation). And it sounds like The Advocate is calling upon the Democratic nominee to demonstrate her leadership skills in a time of crisis.
If you’d like to help boost the recovery process, there are many organizations (some with specialized causes) to which you can contribute.
(Via The Advocate)