San Francisco Earthquake was Worse

Was Hurricane Katrina the worst national disaster ever? According to
Donald Luskin the San Francisco earthquake was worse.

It was worse in terms of total damage, worse in terms of looting, worse in terms of violence, and
worse in terms of federal and local government miscues.

The performance of first responders in 1906 was as dubious as it was in 2005.
Half the San Francisco policemen and firemen walked off the job, leaving whole districts
virtually unprotected and unpatrolled. The U. S. Army, which had two infantry divisions
stationed right in the city, could not coordinate emergency response with the mayor.
Mayor Schmitz and Brigadier General Funston despised each other.

So that’s all right. But the behavior of the victims was just as bad.

The looting and other civil violence in New Orleans that shocked the nation was
far worse in San Francisco. Crowds looted homes and stores as the spreading fire approached
and engulfed them, ransacked hospitals for drugs, and cannibalized the few belongings of the
tens of thousands of refugees. Most shocking of all, some of the worst looting was done by
Army and California
National Guard troops, especially in San Francisco’s Chinatown.

Wow. Now let us think. What was the similarity between the United States of 1906 and 2005?
What could it be? Of course! Evil Republicans controlled the White House and Capitol Hill!