The Federal Emergency Management Agency faces a daunting task dealing with all of the natural disasters that have hit America in 2011!
Hurricane Irene was the TENTH natural disaster of this year costing at least $1 billion, and there are four months to go!
The total natural disaster cost is reaching into the 40s and 50s in billions, with Irene estimated to be one of top ten all time natural disasters!
And this is on top of the tornadoes, floods, droughts, wildfires that have plagued us this year, and not including the Atlantic Earthquake or the new menace of Tropical Storm Lee menacing Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the panhandle of Florida!
The hurricane season is in full swing, and it looks as if there will be more tropical storms or hurricanes named than any year since 2005!
In the midst of this series of natural disasters, we are seeing Congressional Republicans playing politics with human suffering, protesting that FEMA is reaching its budget limit, and there is debate about whether they will gain additional needed funds to match the problems at hand.
Congressman Ron Paul has said FEMA is not necessary at all, and others are acting as if it is another financial boondoggle, when it is performing far better under Barack Obama than it did under George W. Bush.
Will there have to be a battle between President Obama and John Boehner, Eric Cantor, and Tea Party Republicans over such a basic need as government coming to the aid of victims of nature?
Is there any common decency left in the opposition party, or shall many unfortunate Americans become the victims of their narrow mindedness and pettiness?
We will see next week when Congress comes back from its month long vacation to deal with the many problems they just dropped, so as to go on vacation for a month, while many Americans could not afford a vacation!
The author asks, “Is there any common decency left in the opposition party, or shall many unfortunate Americans become the victims of their narrow mindedness and pettiness’?
Answer: No there is no common decency left in the opposition party.
Yes, more unfortunate Americans will become victims of the narrow mindedness and pettiness of the republican party.
The republican agenda is simple: sink the economy, blame Obama, and hope they then can grab power back so that they can rule over this country. The people they destroy matter not. The only ones that matter are the people who can fill their reelection coffers and or hand them plum, high paying positions in private industry.
Actually, a true believer in states rights would insist the state could take care of itself and does not need that pesky federal government interfering with them. However, reality is that states know the government will bail them out and they therefore don’t have to put aside significant portions of the state’s budget for emergency. All states have an “emergency” fund but no one anticipates using it because they plan on tapping federal disaster relief.
I say states rights states should put their money where their mouth is. Turn down all federal disaster relief and fund the cleanup and recovery themselves. Have their state government be in charge of their recovery and quit depending on that money-wasting agency FEMA. Humm! Wonder what that would do the state income taxes and state revenues?
Your last sentence answers your question. There are about 10 states that suffer more disasters than others.
http://www.wlox.com/story/14334147/louisiana-tops-list-of-states-most-at-risk-of-disaster-ms-is-5
Some of these states have large populations of poor and lower middle income. It’s this population which suffers the most in a disaster. Additionally, insurance companies are trying to their best not to have to cover some disasters…and many cannot affor the coverage anyway! That being said Fred, if these states suffer much more than other states, why would the rest of the states not be willing to help out with our tax dollars to assist them? We send billions over to Iraq and dozens of other countries to rebuild their countries. Are our own citizens less deserving? If these states have to cover every cent of their repair and rebuilding, and the losses of tax revenue when so many are put out of work, then don’t you suppose other programs will suffer, like education, building schools, state roads, paying police, teachers, firemen, and other essential services needed in every state? Do you think all the big corporations are going to swarm to help out these states and their citizens?
Sorry Fred, I don’t want to live in a country that decides to “Pledge Alliegence to Selfishness” which the right wing seems to be encouraging.
Maggie, I was being sarcastic.
OOPS! Sorry Fred…. I do tend to get a bit zealous when I’m passionate about a subject as the Professor can attest to. Sometimes I don’t recognize the forest for the trees. I don’t know you so didn’t pick up on sarcasm. I’m so used to these debates coming from the right wing and boy do they get under my skin! Need to work on that, I know. I do apologize and hope you will forgive me.
Friends?
BTW-I’m the president of Ron’s Fan club : )
Of course!