Your Opportunity for Greatness, President Trump

Oh, Never Mind...

Just Wishful Thinking

(and that's the last update)

UPDATED 1:00 PM (MST) 10/15 

Look at the number of times "HURRICANE PROOF" is mentioned below in the "greatness" plan for rebuilding P.R.  I saw today Elon Musk and Governor Ricardo Rosselló are talking "all renewable" power sources. Puerto Ricans were already talking about it, but when Elon Musk weighs in, there is a much higher likelihood of something getting done. And it sure as heck could be built to be "HURRICANE PROOF!"
Think about ELIMINATING the old-school high voltage power grid with huge towers and miles of cable, replacing them with "micro grids" that just cover small areas like cities and towns, powered by solar, wind and big storage batteries.

Trump doles out vital supplies

Never mind the politics.......
A HUGE plan is needed

Puerto Rico was CRUSHED by Hurricane Maria. The more we learn, the more terrible it looks. Like an atomic attach without the radiation. The Caribbean territory with over three and a half million American Citizens is in catastrophic condition.

There is fear and desperation. As drinking water runs out, people will be driven to drink flood water which makes likely a massive health problem. But even in the midst of madness, thinking ahead is called for. The brave people of Puerto Rico would be comforted if they knew after the crisis has passed, there are ambitious plans to make their life better.

Major infrastructure destruction

From high and low...

Where ever you look...

... there is calamity

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Your Opportunity for Greatness, President Trump

Mr. President,
     It is my impression that your administration is doing as good a job as probable with the twin catastrophes of Harvey and Irma. Advance planning and the applications of lessons learned in Katrina and Sandy seem to be being applied. Your team is to be applauded.  It looks as though you have enough support on this to continue the best of federal support and planning for the medium and perhaps the long term of these recoveries. Keep it up! And apply it to the U.S. Virgin Islands and the decimated island of Puerto Rico with its 3.6 million Americans with the same zeal and generosity we see you showing in the mainland hurricane areas. You have not made a "Heck of a job Brownie" mistake, so it looks like you will dodge the bullet that hit W. Update: I'm not so sure you didn't take a self inflicted bullet on your visit to P.R. Your ongoing "counter punch" obsession with Mayor Cruz is further weakening you with all but your sycophants, alas. All the more reason to follow these suggestions:

 Puerto Rico is a special opportunity for Presidential greatness

You can break molds for disaster response with a really big plan to "Build it back better than it was. Way better."

Super recovery.  21st Century forward. Caribbean island of the future 

Slightly over-the-top illustration*

Americans love innovation; you can start innovation immediately.

Maria created essentially a Clean slate, it was so destructive. The recovery and rebuild have the tablula rasa advantage. Much less rebuilding; much more building anew.
(The Jones Act makes ANY real recovery twice as hard. REPEAL the Jones Act immediately!)

UPDATE:  The Jones act has been waived for Puerto Rico. Good work! Update:Now the waiver is almost over, and it's not certain to be removed. It was WAY TOO SHORT to have any real impact.

For the short/medium term recovery when tens of thousands are without shelter, many in almost unusable shelter, do something grand:

Buy "super tents," energy efficient, comfortable, semi-permanent, air conditioned, kitchen and bath. Reusable for future catastrophes. Mostly these are made in Canada and Ireland now.  Buy Big, quiet generators and massive PV at each tent city. Incentivize all the gear to be Made in America. Put Puerto Ricans to work on the project, and pay them decently.
Update: I still see nothing of this sort. Am I missing something?

Throw the kitchen sink with medical care. Hire every healthcare worker available; pay top wages. If necessary, hire Cuban docs. (whatever you think of their political system, you must respect their medical standards and quantity.) Build Big, temporary super-tent hospitals, plenty of latest gear, all the best pharma. Update:  The hospital ship Comfort is helping with critical folks who need to be extricated, but is inadequate to the task of actually filling in for the collapsed health system on the island.

(All this would be immediately great for your image in Latin America, with libs and moderates and might even be salable to your core supporters. You could assure them that it would certainly make America look great again in many, many eyes.)

THEN, fully involve the Puerto Ricans in a large scale way to gather their ideas and desires for what they want the revived territory to be. Give the citizens a major role in planning what the revival of the best and the repression of the worst of the unique Puerto Rican culture should be. Make multiple plans for the future of the island economy. Fully integrate these citizen inputs in all planning processes.

PUT EVERY PUERTO RICAN WHO NEEDS WORK A JOB IN THE REBUILD. PAY THEM DECENTLY, STRUCTURE TRAINING PROGRAMS WHERE NEEDED, TEACHING SKILLS THAT WILL BE MARKETABLE IN THE FUTURE ECONOMY OF THE TERRITORY. 

This will be key to giving Puerto Ricans a way to stay home... stay on the island.

   Make a comprehensive commitment to building a spectacular new Infrastructure

"Spectacular" meaning something that elicits local pride in its functions, dependability and esthetics. Those esthetics, for any of the infrastructure that is visible, should be world class, good enough to attract admiration. And tourists. The artists, architects and craftsmen should be Puerto Ricans.

ASAP, start the island-wide, major improvements.

Completely rebuild the permanent electric power grid, all completely buried, FULLY HURRICANE PROOF.

Completely modernize the public water system, FULLY HURRICANE PROOF.

Build and rebuild every hospital, school, public space, and government office FULLY HURRICANE PROOF.

Help every citizen rebuild storm-safe homes. Plan the new towns and cities for safety and efficiency. Use the ideas and philosophies developed in the citizen involvement projects guide at every point. Allow as much individuality in everything as possible. Above this, all the inherent artistic nature of Puerto Rico will shine through. Encourage it.

Rebuild and modernize the transportation system, FULLY HURRICANE PROOF.

Build renewable power systems.  Solar, wind, wave, geothermal power, FULLY HURRICANE PROOF.

These American citizens who have suffered mightily from storms, earthquakes and plagues have also suffered from neglect from mighty America. Let's right this wrong by building a new, dynamic Puerto Rico, a 21st century island for the future, capable of running smoothly, whatever the climate delivers.
and shine the bright light of hope on our Puerto Rico brothers and sisters.

President Trump, if you did this, you would be a legitimate world hero. It would do wonders for reestablishing America's world leadership. The security benefits would be vast. It would do exponentially more for the U.S.A. than another massive weapons program, and would probably cost a lot less.

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Progress has been reported. The military is present in large and growing numbers. Some of the massive pile up of aid supplies is finally being moved out of San Juan. Most of the media reporters who go into the heart of the island are still reporting "No aid received or seen yet." on this the 3rd of October.

So far, no indications the President is giving the "Build It Back Way Better" idea consideration. So far.
HA! (Last update)

THIS POST HAS BEEN UP FOR ABOUT 4 WEEKS, UPDATED SEVERAL TIMES.

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Addendum (removed during the update of Oct 8) Still good idea: If you succeed, you could be credited with leading the way out of the problems of massive destruction altogether, anywhere, whether it's from storm, earthquake or war. The world is deeply concerned about how recovery will ever be possible from so much destruction and tragedy as we see today.
     From the moment you make the decision you will have set the planet on a more positive course. You will put yourself and your country in the leadership seat of a "high-morals" movement.
    I should file this in the "fat chance" file, but I think it is true.