I have been saying for years now that if the terrorists ever wanted to shut down Washington DC, all they would have to do is make it snow. 2in. or so oughta do it. The people in and around Washington DC are incapable of dealing with what mother nature dishes out, or even identify it, if the environmental legislation Washington has been offering lately in the name of “protecting the environment ” is of any indication. And of course the way the place shuts down whenever nature kicks up her heels a bit as in this case.
There’s a history to this point of view, too. I remember being pulled over in DC some years ago during a snowstorm. There was about 2in of snow on the ground. The cop ,after looking briefly at my info, wanted to know if I understood the roads had all been closed. Actually, I didn’t know, and I asked innocently about why that was. He responded by pointing at the ground. “All the snow” he said, all serious -like. At which I broke out l;laughing. I simply couldn’t help myself.
He got a bit put out by that… and seeing this I shook my head and I told him, in a somewhat more soothing voice….”Look officer, no disrespect intended, but look closely at that driver’s license in your hand. The address on it is Rochester NY, which is east and slightly north of Buffalo, and on a latitude further north than a largish chunk of Canada. ”
[1]Blizzard of 77 snow
Seeing I had his interest, I continued…” You may have heard of the blizzard of 77, [2]where in the city of Buffalo started shipping its snow out of town by railroad cars. I”ve lived in that area all my life. I took my driver’s test on a day where there was a fresh half a foot of snow on the ground. I’ve driven under those conditions many many times. Snow and I have met. I know how to drive safely in it.” I smiled up at him. He handed me back my license and said, I thought rather meekly, “Have a nice day” , got in his car and drove off with the air of someone completely out of his element.
The most recent example of DC snow, comes in the form of what is being called the largest DC snowstorm since 1922. [3]We have there a situation I can only chuckle at… this storm is better than 10 times what’s needed to shut down the federal government. To which I can only celebrate.
There’s another aspect, here. As it stands right now, there are some 200,000 people without power within the DC area . [4] There are multiple roof collapses [5] around the neighborhood, parts of Philadelphia are recording up to 30in. of snow [6]. And, I wonder; will we have a long line of people complaining about the emergency response of the federal government in this crisis? How long until the Democrat Party Faithful start complaining the way the Denizens of NOLA did, about the federal government’s lack of response to Katrina? My guess is that if such complaints ever surface, you can bet your snowplow the mainstream media won’t report it.
Personally, I blame global warming. (Yeah, right) Should I point out that the people underneath all that snow are more than a little skeptical about the concept of global warming? [7] it’s amazing, how 30in. of reality in your driveway trumps an equal amount of crap coming from politicians looking to ride “climate change” into even greater power for themselves.
All that said, I have to suggest that what Washington is buried under right now, is probably beneficial to the nation as a whole, because it prevents any attempts to exert governmental power to spend our money on whatever they want. I suppose it’s a futile hope that the storm will continue until the next election. But at this point, I will take any victory I can.