Analysis: Trump’s visit looks good, but the real work of recovery falls to others
But what effect, if any, that firepower will have in terms of expediting the government response to the disaster remains to be seen.
Add to his presence a joint tour of the region by
The county's two representatives in the
But the real value of visits from federal elected officials probably lies with the legislators, who can focus more on their constituents' problems and bring consistent pressure to bear on the bureaucrats in charge of responding.
All four of the area's elected representatives in
Trump's visit, amounting to about 30 minutes of passing out sandwiches, shaking hands and offering praise and support, is clearly more symbolic. Yes, he can sign bills authorizing expenditures and issue dictates to department heads. But he's also consumed by
In a sense, Trump was in a no-win situation, coming to the disaster area as he did.
Critics will question whether the drain on local law enforcement required to protect the president was worth it, considering the other demands they face.
The venue chosen also offers ammunition to detractors.
But
So, there he was in
Trump supporters will point to the moment as an example of leadership and inspiration. The trip in and out of
Had Trump toured the area only by air, or not visited at all, his critics were apt to paint him as callous to the region's suffering or just out of touch.
The presidential response to a disaster can pose a difficult balancing act for the president; just ask
One thing a presidential visit does is take the focus off the other elected leaders.
Earlier in the week, Rooney called the president of
Nelson and Rubio moved about the disaster zone without any reporters accompanying them.
Doing so, they could jointly assess the situation without worrying about the optics of legislators from opposing parties agreeing on fundamental questions beyond politics.
"He's a Republican and I'm a Democrat and we get along," Nelson told faculty and staff at Ave Maria on Wednesday.
Nelson described some of the impacts he'd seen touring the affected area.
"Half of the citrus crop is on the ground," he said. "That's another economic hit on the state."
Rubio talks about the impact the storm is going to have beyond the immediate aftermath.
A small business, a sandwich shop, for instance, that has to close for four or five days might not be able to survive without the cash flow, Rubio surmised.
"There's a lot of long-term pain that is going to be felt," he said.
Pain that a quick visit from the president can do only so much to ease.
___
(c)2017 the Naples Daily News (Naples, Fla.)
Visit the Naples Daily News (Naples, Fla.) at www.naplesnews.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Households With Multiple Drivers Can Bundle Auto Insurance Plans to Save Money
Congressional support for Superfund program essential to Missoula
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News