George Bush’S Great America [EN]: Chapter 293

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The hurricane had passed. It moved with relentless force, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. As it tore through southeastern Florida, voraciously consuming everything in its path, it only intensified. Upon returning to the sea, Hurricane Katrina defied expectations and grew even more powerful.

This was largely due to the unusually warm water temperature in the Gulf of Mexico. Fueled by this heat, Katrina rapidly transformed into a massive Category 5 super hurricane, a monstrous storm boasting a diameter of 1,350 km.

Highways, coastal facilities, and ports were shattered wherever Katrina’s eye passed. The scale of the destruction was so immense that it was difficult to even quantify. Furthermore, the fact that nearly all the oil refining facilities in the Gulf of Mexico were either completely destroyed or damaged beyond immediate repair caused deep concern for President Bush.

This outcome had been anticipated, but unfortunately, despite knowing the hurricane was approaching, there was no alternative but to evacuate all 30 offshore platforms and 9 refining facilities. It felt like being robbed in broad daylight, but these massive structures simply couldn’t be moved.

Reinforcing them like a levee was also impossible; these were colossal installations that defied any practical means of reinforcement. There was truly nothing that could be done. In the original timeline, the Gulf of Mexico accounted for 24% of the annual crude oil and 18% of the gas production. While the rise of shale gas had lessened the reliance on the Gulf, the region’s oil production remained substantial, making the damage incredibly significant.

‘But that doesn’t mean the U.S. economy has met a wave as massive as a tsunami.’

No matter how much humans prepare, they cannot stop a hurricane or change its course. However, it is entirely possible to construct and implement safeguards, both literally and economically, to minimize the impact. While the disaster would undoubtedly have consequences, a return to normalcy within a month was entirely feasible.

While the affected neighborhoods might not be fully restored immediately, providing quality jobs that allow people to earn a living, guaranteeing three nutritious meals a day, and offering safe shelter with electricity and running water—at least the fundamental elements needed for effective disaster relief had been perfectly implemented.

For some, life might even improve. In the slums ravaged by the typhoon, many struggled to earn enough for even a single day’s sustenance.

And thanks to 미리미리 [likely a reference to proactive planning or a specific organization], which had taken the precaution of moving critical infrastructure underground in advance, almost nothing of vital importance was lost. Of course, massive structures were inevitably damaged or completely destroyed, but that was unavoidable.

‘Considering that the projected economic impact was $150 billion and the total damage was $125 billion, this is a remarkable achievement. The administration even requested $105 billion from Congress, right?’

It was indeed like a hurricane that reshapes coastlines and destroys habitats simply by passing through. However, with comprehensive advance preparations, the outcome is dramatically different.

As always, the destroyed roads and buildings began to be rebuilt as soon as the hurricane passed. This created immediate on-site employment opportunities and became a source of renewed hope and vitality for the affected communities.

This recovery effort was more efficient than in many other countries, partly due to the government’s swift response and the motivational effect of carefully crafted propaganda. It was also attributable to the national character, which emphasized a spirit of resilience and pioneering.

Witnessing and experiencing the rapid response to the disaster instilled hope that life would soon return to normal. And that hope was not unfounded; it was rapidly becoming a reality.

The media praised the citizens’ order and high civic awareness, and even if they downplayed the government’s role, they couldn’t completely fabricate the truth. This alone was significant. Any media outlet in the world would have been tempted to exaggerate or distort the situation at this point.

Honestly, unlike what Bush remembered, natural disasters had occurred with varying frequency and timing, leading him to question whether this hurricane preparation had been unnecessary. Fortunately or unfortunately, the hurricane eventually made landfall in the United States.

This was because, even if natural disasters manifested differently at different times, they were an inevitable part of the world.

‘It’s really better. It got better. Everything is dozens of times better than before. But…….’

A makeshift stage was being erected near the reconstruction site of public housing in the lowlands of New Orleans, and cameras were strategically positioned to capture the preparations for the upcoming speech.

The public housing area, which had been directly in the path of the storm, was cleaner than expected. This was because all the debris had been swept away by the hurricane. Some say that hurricanes or typhoons are nature’s way of cleaning up, and in this case, it seemed to be true.

‘Seeing it with my own eyes like this, I realize that disaster is not something that can be dealt with simply by preparing for it. By the way, in this case, is the trash that flew away becoming human?’

In the East, although it may not be a serious statement, there were those who claimed that humans dying is true eco-friendliness. Regardless of where this statement initially came from, Bush felt a bit skeptical about eco-friendliness itself.

What is eco-friendliness? To put it simply, it refers to things that are friendly to the environment. But what exactly does it mean to be friendly to the environment in the first place? Of course, if you put it this way, you could say what is unfriendly as much as you want.

For example, factory wastewater flowing into rivers, the sources of that wastewater, and disposable waste, including plastics that form a massive island in the Pacific Ocean. Then there are the fumes emitted from huge thermal power plants that accelerate global warming.

So what’s the point? Did all this originate on Earth or somewhere in outer space? Of course, it might gradually ruin the Earth, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the extinction of mankind.

Bush was willing to tolerate anything that didn’t immediately harm humans, and around this time, the countries that had signed the Kyoto Protocol [an international treaty aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions] were thinking similarly. It’s not like we can suddenly shut down all power plants and destroy all electronic devices, burn books, and return to a primitive way of life.

From the beginning, the Kyoto Protocol was an agreement created to reduce greenhouse gases in response to climate change. But was it really a proper agreement? It was an agreement without the United States, the largest carbon emitter, without China, and even without India. I don’t know if it had any real meaning.

At the very least, they couldn’t accomplish anything with just the vague idea of reducing greenhouse gases and preserving the Earth’s environment, so they tacked on all sorts of economic treaties, didn’t they?

It was more like environmental pollution control was a bonus, and it would be more accurate to call it an economic agreement.

‘But I’m not going to criticize the agreement itself. It’s just an agreement that doesn’t suit the United States well. It’s a huge shackle. A tremendously heavy shackle.’

Even if we were to join later, now wasn’t the time. The domestic economy is steadily revitalizing, and more factories are expected to be built in the future, so if the government steps in to suppress carbon emissions, the consequences are obvious.

There’s no need to overthink it. Everyone will simply build factories in Central and South America or Southeast Asia, excluding China, with whom relations have already soured, and the industrial projects that have been revived in the United States will be outsourced overseas. Then it’s simple: jobs are lost. There were several other problems, but for now, this was the most obvious consequence.

So what happens if jobs are lost? The government gets criticized. Approval ratings plummet, and environmentalists who were enthusiastically praising the Kyoto Protocol’s accession would find themselves under attack.

‘Come to think of it, isn’t this about the time when protests against indiscriminate industrial expansion and calls for re-accession to the Kyoto Protocol would be taking place?’

Even abroad, all of this was being ridiculed as a penalty for withdrawing from the Kyoto Protocol. On the other hand, they also praised the immediate response of local and federal governments as the most advanced disaster response system.

Even in the foreign press, the United States’ disaster response capabilities were considered unusually effective. It was as if they had anticipated that Katrina would strike at this time years in advance; otherwise, such speed would have been impossible.

Soon, everything needed for the speech report was prepared, and when the time came, the audience gathered. Most of the audience were residents of the devastated slums, but there were also plenty of middle and upper-class people from neighboring towns.

Bush stood on the podium and looked at the crowd. The gathered audience was truly diverse, but their faces were generally bright. This suggested that the hurricane had affected everyone equally, and at least it meant that they were satisfied with the relief efforts. This also gave Bush an opportunity to steel himself.

“My dear citizens.”

According to the original timeline, he should have given a speech about taking responsibility for the delayed response, but things were different now. It was obvious that he chose the slums instead of the undamaged wealthy areas as the venue for the speech, but he was confident that this blatant choice was the best strategy.

And while it wasn’t the absolute best option, it was certainly a good one. At least he wasn’t going somewhere to play the guitar during the response, like in the original timeline.

“Since the government has played its role in past disaster preparedness, I am responsible for everything that happens during the recovery.”

He twisted a little of what Bush had said when he stood on the podium. Politically incompetent and lacking an eye for talent, he was emotionally driven and felt responsible, using all means and methods, but even that resulted in nothing but poor measures.

‘But I’m not like that. I’ve been preparing calmly until today. The time has finally come to announce the results to the world.’

He had no intention of just passing by without receiving at least the minimum compensation for his efforts. If the price of labor is not paid or is too low, the value of labor will eventually be devalued, which means a decline in labor efficiency. Ordinary people are compensated for this in the form of daily or monthly wages, but Bush, who is more interested in honor than money, could not work without honor.

“Conversely, all the achievements that occur during the recovery will be seen as the result of the disaster preparedness that ‘I’ have repeatedly emphasized since before.”

He forcefully added that it was his intention. And as the approval rating naturally hit the bottom and tried to rise again over time, this was just enough.

“Within a year or so, not only New Orleans! All the scars left by the hurricane in North America will disappear, and all disaster victims will enjoy the same life as before! Or even a better life than that!”

And this speech was the first thing that deviated from the disaster response plan that Bush had anticipated.