This is not the USSR

Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita said he thinks hurricane relief and reconstruction is the responsibility of local citizenry in New Orleans. Rokita also said he believes he can end the so-deemed era of big government by proposing the U.S. federal government not be in the business of protecting and securing its citizens in a time of crisis. What he called for, though, amounts to a de-ratification of the Constitution.\nThe U.S. Constitution was ratified in the wake of a decentralized, weakened government failing to hold together individual states as a combined government under the Articles of the Confederation. What Rokita called for is a return to that incarnation of American Government. \n"It absolutely amazed me how quick we were to say that the government was responsible for that hurricane," Rokita was quoted as having said in the Indiana Daily Student Friday. "If we continue to think that way, pretty soon we will be living in a country that looks not unlike the former USSR."\nHe then was paraphrased as having said hurricane reconstruction should be "placed upon the shoulders of citizens, churches and neighbors."\nOversimplified, government -- either federal or local -- is first and foremost in the business of security. Rokita would like to see a federal government so small or so weak it would be absurd to consider calling upon it to take control of major domestic disaster relief. He highlighted this point at an IU Republican Women lecture series called "Something to Talk About" by comparing a government whose citizens necessitate its help in disaster-stricken regions with the tyrannical government of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.\nNot only was his comparison historically inaccurate, implausible and absurd, but Rokita's words are embarrassing to his constituents. We in Indiana expect the federal government to be willing and able to help in the event of a disaster in our state -- whatever or whenever that might be necessary. That's not to say states shouldn't vigilantly watch the amount of federal tax dollars other states receive. But state officials shouldn't advance inane political agendas in the wake of a tragedy. \nTo be fair, it's abundantly clear that Louisiana state officials and New Orleans city officials are all eating from the same blame pie as the federal government -- and rightfully so. All levels of government seemed to fail in various versions of their relief efforts. But it is the federal government who should have the authority, resources and knowledge to take over failed disaster relief. You can debate which level of government is truly responsible for disaster relief but the truth is someone needs to pick up the slack. We think, with such a horrible tragedy, everyone should pitch in -- including the federal government.\nRokita's position is one of the highest elected positions in Indiana. At the Oct. 6 event, IU Republican Women President Lindsay Kerrigan said "he was able to achieve so much at a young age." Maybe he skipped a lesson or two in federalism and the U.S. Constitution to get there.