Cruel, Cruel Capitalism

It must drive the hard-left nuts to read stuff like this:

The straightforward generosity of the corporate sector has been well reported. By last count, donations had exceeded $200 million. Besides cash, companies have handed out free drugs, suspended finance payments on cars and mortgages and helped emergency personnel with equipment. As interesting, though, has been the application of corporate best practices--from supply-chain management to logistics--to a natural disaster.

The private-sector planning began before Katrina hit. Home Depot's "war room" had transferred high-demand items--generators, flashlights, batteries and lumber--to distribution areas surrounding the strike area. Phone companies readied mobile cell towers and sent in generators and fuel. Insurers flew in special teams and set up hotlines to process claims.

This planning allowed the firms to resume serving customers in record time. Katrina shut down 126 Wal-Mart facilities; all but 15 are now open. Entergy, the power company for 1.1 million households and businesses that lost electricity, had restored electricity by yesterday to 749,000 customers, including areas of flooded New Orleans.

Businesses offered near-instant support to their own employee-victims. Staff set up hotlines and began tracking down missing workers. Thousands of workplace victims were provided with places to stay, promises of continued pay and even offers of replacement jobs elsewhere in the country. (Opinion Journal)

My, my, my -- capitalism as efficient and compassionate. Makes you wonder ... what are the radicals doing for their members in the hurricane impact zone?

Over at The Militant, the organ (appropriate word!) of the American Socialist Workers Party, there's no fundraising or caregiving going on; only this lead story:

Gulf social disaster: twin capitalist parties at fault,
workers need labor party based on fighting unions

And there's a link to give to the Militant Fighting Fund. Sounds good; let's all fight some militants today.