Joe wrote earlier about how there aren't enough National Guard troops and equipment in Kansas to deal with the recent tornado disaster. It's not just Kansas: Kansas, Oklahoma, Michigan, Oregon, New Mexico, Arksansas.
When I was a kid, my mom used to read me Aesop's fables (growing up Greek had its quirks). One of my favorites was the story of the Grasshopper and the Ant. From Bartleby:
IN a field one summer’s day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart’s content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest.Bush and the Republicans want to pretend that there is no cost to the war, not cost to their incompetence. Go ask Kansas.
“Why not come and chat with me,” said the Grasshopper, “instead of toiling and moiling in that way?"
“I am helping to lay up food for the winter,” said the Ant, “and recommend you to do the same.”
“Why bother about winter?” said the Grasshopper; “we have got plenty of food at present.” But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food, and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew:
“IT IS BEST TO PREPARE FOR THE DAYS OF NECESSITY.”
