Glenn Reynolds: Let's outsource critical government functions to Walmart!

Talk about a stale take.

A LOOK AT WAL-MART VS. FEMA in response to Katrina. So which approach will the Obama Administration emulate?

Several months ago, I saw Newt Gingrich on some talking heads show babbling about how he'd rather have Walmart take care of federal emergencies than the stupid, inefficient government.

What's missing here, obviously, is any mention that FEMA is part of something called "the Bush administration" and is led, staffed and funded by that entity. It's not some natural, pristine element that exists in nature and never changes.

You wouldn't know this if you had "gubmint bad, private sector good" blinders on, but you get good government by having good, competent people in charge and you get really shitty government when you have sycophants and career hacks in charge.

It's not complicated.