If ever a hurricane should strike another major city, such as New York, as it did New Orleans, never fear. “Uncle Sugar” (i.e., the Federal Government) will come and rescue us whether we want to be rescued or not.

As a matter of fact, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg made an announcement last week that he not only had a plan for evacuation, he plans to enforce it. As reported by the NEW YORK SUN "Officials...would knock on doors”, and, in Bloomberg's words, "'get a court order, if we have to.'"

This so-called "Court order" is Mayor Bloomberg’s euphemism for having NYPD Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams drag unwilling people out of their homes and subsequently interning them at Madison Square Garden. And that is exactly what it would require, if the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMAs) response to the disaster in the “Big Easy” is any kind of example.

Ironically (or tragically), after having witnessed their fellow citizens being gassed and burned alive at Waco and a mother being murdered at Ruby Ridge, these Americans entrusted themselves into believing that the “feds” would actually take care of them. They really expected that local, state and federal politicians would protect them not only from the storm, but would feed, clothe and shelter them as well. Sadly, there is a huge, strong, and absolutely incomprehensible faith in government out there.

One example is a woman who was one of thousands detained at New Orleans' convention center, where, as a guest of the state of Louisiana, she went hungry for a number of days. Her reaction to the arrival of a U.S. Army detachment which soon set up a kitchen and began doling out food was typical of many: "I feel great to see the military here. Now I know I'm saved."

A leading official of Jefferson Parish, Aaron Broussard, summed it up even better during an interview on the CBS "Early Show" program when he said, "Take whatever idiot they have at the top of whatever agency and give me a better idiot. Give me a caring idiot. Give me a sensitive idiot. Just don't give me the same idiot."

After watching the catastrophe in both Louisiana and Mississippi, I think that most Americans are probably thinking to themselves: No thank you. If there’s an emergency, I'll look after myself. In fact, many are also thinking that the last thing they would do is trust the police, FEMA, or the National Guard to come to their aid.

And there are nearly 10,000 people in the city of New Orleans who might agree with this. These are the hardy, self-reliant people who knew that they alone know the person most concerned with their welfare and best able to judge it are themselves. These are the ones who rode out the hurricane and, afterwards, have survived everything the state dumped on them afterwards.

However, their only ambition isn’t just survival. One individual told the Associated Press that, "You've got to protect your property, that's the main thing." This same fellow declined to be rescued because he felt his store of food was a lot more substantial than promises made by the government.

And this is the crux of the matter: if there is anything that government hates the most, it’s the virtue of self-reliance. Government generally doesn’t like nor trust independent types.

In New Orleans, the politicians were too busy at first to fret about such people. What was more important to them was coping with the adults they've turned into children.

These are people such as the ones crowding outside the Convention Center droning, "We want help!" These are the ones such as a man who bewailed that 3000 people inside the Center "don't have any food. We was told two-and-a-half days ago to make our way to the Superdome or the Convention Center by our mayor. And when we got here, was no one to tell us what to do, no one to direct us, no authority figure."

And that statement sums up the worst about government and its intrusive behavior into nearly every aspect in our lives: it’s turned many Americans into nothing more then dependent children. Worse still, even though government has ruined the lives of many of the hurricane victims, it's searching for still more to feed on.

Last week, when New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin authorized the police and U.S. military to force evacuating all residents of the city (under threat of arrest) one resident told AP, "They're going to have to drag me out." He had a working generator, and enough food and water for a month. He felt that he’d provide for his family far better than any bureaucrat could.

However, Mayor Nagin disagreed. "This is not a safe environment," he said. Nagin further added, "Leave for a little while. Let us get you to a better place."

Senator Joe Lieberman further pushed what he believes to be a need for government to take care of us with this statement: "We need to rebuild the confidence of the American people ... in our government's ability to protect them from attack, whether it comes from nature or from terrorists."

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