How We Got Here: The History and Future of Disaster in America | David Alexander

Author David Alexander dives into the provocative ideas from his new book, "Disaster Nation," challenging our entire approach to disaster management, from FEMA's role to the perverse incentives that encourage risk. Learn why our current system creates "disaster inflation," how smarter public-private partnerships can lead to real resilience, and why the future of safety isn't about bigger government, but a fundamental shift in local responsibility and investment.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• The "Disaster Nation" Thesis: Why decades of policy have led to more spending but less local capacity.
• Structural Contradiction: The conflict between calling 911 for local emergencies and "calling Washington" for disasters.
• The Role of Insurance: How insurance can be a powerful tool for resilience, but is currently distorted by subsidies.
• 6-to-1 ROI of Mitigation: The economic case for pre-mitigation and the political hurdles that prevent it.
• Smarter Federalism: Moving FEMA from the primary "cavalry" to a strategic backstop for catastrophic events.
• A "Resilience Credit Score": An innovative idea to incentivize states for proactive preparedness.
• Public-Private Partnerships: Why industries like waste management and tech are key to effective response.
• International Models: What the U.S. can learn from countries like the Netherlands and Japan.
• National "Moonshot Goals": Creating social cohesion around clear, ambitious resilience targets.