Suddenly, the news was filled with expressions of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’s concern, along with a drumbeat of coverage from their media allies complaining that conservatives were “politicizing” these catastrophes. Did they now get it? Were they prepared to energize the federal government’s resources in the cause of disaster relief? Did they really care?

Last week’s news brought the answer to these questions. Joe Biden, or first lady Jill, or whoever is in charge at the White House these days, announced Thursday that he was canceling another $4.5 billion in student loan debt, this on top of over $150 billion he has already “forgiven.” Under any circumstances, this news would be infuriating. It’s likely illegal; it represents a blatant handout to a favored Democrat constituency. It’s vote-buying at its most outrageous. This so-called “forgiveness” is simply an exercise in picking the pockets of hard-working taxpayers. 

But in the aftermath of Helene and Milton, the announcement borders on the obscene. Inch by inch, and largely through the efforts of a legion of volunteers, relief efforts are bringing succor to the many thousand victims, but, particularly in the Appalachian region savaged by Helene, each day brings fresh images of devastation and fresh reports of unspeakable suffering.

The most effective responses have come from the initiative of thousands of private citizens. One reads of mule trains delivering supplies to those cut off by the collapse of bridges and roads, and one sees pictures of clever improvisation. For example, a temporary bridge constructed, pontoon-like, over the roofs of a row of trucks.

Meaningful governmental response, however, seems mostly confined to state and local resources. Many of the heavy-lift aviation assets, the Chinooks and Black Hawks, have come thus far from the several state National Guards. One can’t help wondering where the active duty military is in all this. For example, repairing roads and bridges is urgently needed to assure sustained delivery of even the most basic necessities, something that a few battalions of Army combat engineers could readily address. Where are these vital assets?

Moreover, even after the most critical emergency needs are met, the need will remain for long-term assistance. Thousands of homes have been seriously damaged, hundreds at least have been completely destroyed, livelihoods have been cast into shadow, and entire communities have been wrecked. Where’s the commitment to help people rebuild their lives? It will likely take years to rebuild, and one can only wonder at the resources that will ultimately be required.

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That $4.5 billion would come in very handy in enabling hurricane victims to “build back better.” And one can’t help but think that most people would call this money well spent, at least better spent than rewarding improvident students (or, really, greedy universities and equally greedy bankers). Harris has repeatedly insisted, in the context of student loan “forgiveness,” that she wants to bring “much-needed economic relief.” But these students took on the obligation to pay back their loans — that, after all, inheres in the very definition of “loan.” 

Obviously, the legacy media has wanted to move on from this story, but many conservative outlets, which should be more sensitive, have also moved on. We shouldn’t let this story die, not while the need is so great, not when it reveals so much about the likely values of a prospective Harris administration. The message of last week’s student loan forgiveness announcement is that neither Biden nor Harris cares one whit for these hurricane victims. 

James H. McGee served in government for more than three decades as a national security professional. He has published numerous articles in conservative journals and an action-adventure novel, Letter of Reprisal.