Tsunami Politics

In a moment's time everything changed. A strong earthquake strikes Indonesia and a wave of tsunamis wreak havoc for much of southern Asia. We all have seen the destruction and are hearing stories of life and death. And we all seem to understand how fragile life really is and how fast our environment can change without as much as a simple warning.

There is much more to be learned from this event. There were three distinct international responses to the tragedy. The "old Europe" and UN adherents responded by talking. The United States responded by taking action. And Asian nations responded by accumulating funding to begin rescue missions. What is clear is that the slow-growth and small-economic-activity enviro crowd looked to each other for comfort. They are the slow the economy to save the environment warriors. They see all in terms of egalitarian existence. Let the rabble get by while the bureaucrats live the life.

On the third or fourth day after the event, the Asians joined the United States and Australia to take control of the rescue and reconstruction. Indonesia and Malaysia and other Asian nations have been kept from experiencing American energy and economic impact. But now self determination is sparking hope and opportunity for these devastated communities. Few if any of the survivors will ever be the same. They now see American entrepreneurial spirit and personally experience the power and might of our reach around the globe.

As the world's first and only conservative nation, America is now stepping forward to allow the world's people to compare and contrast slow growth political movements from fast growth and self determination. Where the UN and old Europe see this disaster as a chore, America sees it as an opporunity for real political and economic change in one of the world's more backward regions.