Hurricane Harvey

A natural disaster can really test a president's mettle. Especially when that catastrophe seems to be a result of climate change, and you're a president who doesn't believe in it.

Hurricane Katrina was a major fuck-up for George W. Bush, whose most famous quote may end up being, "Heck of a job, Brownie!" His administration was too late to recognize the seriousness of the storm, and the tepid response and tin-eared comments (by, among others, his mother) led to a direct hit on his already shitty presidency.

On the other hand, Barack Obama may have had Hurricane Sandy to thank for being re-elected in 2012. He was on the ground quickly, got effusive praise from Republican blowhard Chris Christie, and seemed empathetic.

As for Hurricane Harvey, which is now the third "storm of the century" in the last twelve years, the Trump administration is showing it's true colors. Donald Trump did visit the storm, wearing one of his Chinese-made baseball caps (which he mentioned are for sale on his Web site) and wished the storm victims good luck. But, unlike even Bush, he did not meet with any storm victims. Perhaps there isn't enough hand sanitizer for him to do that.

Trump is a very strange person, beyond being a bad president. He seems to lack any empathy at all, which I believe classifies someone as a psychopath (I looked up the difference between psychopath and sociopath--a psychopath has no conscience while a sociopath does, but it's weak). His obtuseness is quite amazing, given that he has a staff and you would think of them would point out his lack of grace. But no, he comes to Texas, brags about the size of the crowd, and then moves on to Missouri, which he reminds us, he won big.

If that weren't enough, there is still no head of FEMA or the NAOO, and he has proposed cuts in FEMA so that a tax cut for billionaires can be funded. He still talks about the stupid and completely impractical wall, while infrastructure crumbles. Then he pardons the sadistic villain Joe Arpaio, and talks of eliminating DACA. The guy is truly the Grinch. When will his heart grow by three sizes?

The severity of Harvey took some off guard. It has produced more rainfall than other storm since they've been recording these things. It is obvious to anyone paying attention that global warming may not cause more hurricanes, but they increase their destruction. Hurricanes feed off of warm water, which we have more of, making them more powerful.

Like mass shootings, which prompt anyone with a conscience that we should do something about gun control, Republicans turn a blind eye to this kind of rhetoric. They are like children who cover their ears and start shouting gibberish when there is something they don't want to hear. It is a disgrace that this ignorance (which is, of course, funded by oil companies) will lead to a permanently damaged planet.