Editorial: Hope amid year of disasters

Sunday, Jan. 1, 2006 | 8:06 a.m.

In many respects, 2005 was a tough year for this country and many parts of the world. But this country has had more than two centuries of persevering over hardships that were even worse.

Nevada, with its strong economy, was spared the grief and hardship that struck much of the world in 2005. Times have actually been good here.

For the 19th consecutive year, Nevada has led the nation in population growth. Unemployment is incredibly low. Las Vegas continues its march onward as the nation's premier destination for tourists, as the resorts, restaurants, entertainers and retail shops here are some of the finest in the world.

If there was a downside to the economy this past year, it was the skyrocketing real estate market. Higher costs for new and existing homes started to price some Las Vegans out of the market. In addition, the higher home values meant higher property taxes, but the Legislature passed a reasonable cap that should be enough to forestall a property tax revolt. Thankfully, that was about the worst problem we faced all year.

Elsewhere in the world, however, things were bleak. As the year got under way, the devastation from the Southeast Asia tsunami, which struck the day after Christmas 2004, was becoming clearer. While accurate numbers are hard to come by, a year later it is estimated that more than 200,000 people lost their lives and 1 million were left homeless. An earthquake in Pakistan in October left 87,000 dead and about 3.5 million homeless.

The United States saw its share of tragedy from natural disasters, too, as Hurricane Katrina produced the worst recorded natural disaster in this country. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, now under the Homeland Security Department, failed miserably in dealing with Katrina. More than 1,100 residents along the Gulf Coast were killed and more than a million residents of southeastern Louisiana evacuated the area.

Particularly in the tragedies involving the tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, Americans and people from around the globe once again showed their abundant generosity in helping those in need, whether it was donating their time as volunteers or sending donations.

Meanwhile in Iraq, the insurgency against U.S. forces and Iraqi troops continued, with suicide bombings exacting a heavy toll. More than 2,170 U.S. troops have been killed since the war began in 2003, and it's believed that tens of thousands of Iraqis have died as well.

President Bush points to the adoption of a constitution in Iraq and successful elections there in December, but American support for Bush's handling of the war has fallen during the past year, with increasing calls to bring our troops home. Overall, in fact, Bush's job-approval ratings have fallen considerably this past year.

The president, despite all of the talk about his ability to connect with the American public as being a regular guy, demonstrated he was capable of being tone deaf. After the enormity of the catastrophic hurricane that hit the Gulf Coast became clearly evident, he didn't take control of the disaster recovery. FEMA's director, Mike Brown, didn't show that he comprehended the devastation that had occurred, either, and seemed utterly unprepared. Of course, that shouldn't be a surprise since he had no real experience in disaster preparedness and response before joining FEMA.

In many respects, 2005 was a tough year for this country and many parts of the world. But this country has had more than two centuries of persevering over hardships that were even worse. The indomitable spirit that exists in man -- even at the bleakest of times -- can't be discounted. The disasters of the past year showed that America and the world, despite their year-to-year differences, can work together, especially in times of tragedy.

In Nevada we look forward to continued prosperity, and we hope for a less tumultuous world during 2006. And, on a personal note, we wish everyone a happy new year.