What??? FEMA may have to wait for money until the Politicians settle spending issues

[DDD]

Just when I think I've heard the most insane political budget issues up this pops. I can't believe with the whole East coast in chaos that funds will run out "unless" our Politicians can decide it's appropriate to get support to those in Irene's wake. They say that old people get cantankerous...guess it's true! DDD

 

[DammitJanet]

Ummm..isnt there some political races in a few short months? I would think some folks in a certain town that has some pretty white buildings need to remember that pretty darned quickly.

 

[muttmeister]

This is just one reason the balanced budget amendment they're trying to ram through is a bad idea. If we had had that in the 1940s we'd all be speaking Japanese or German now. Some things need to be able to be handled immediately no matter what. I sometimes think that to run for office there must be something that says if your IQ is above 80 you're disqualified.

 

[keista]

Maybe, just maybe, if Wall Street had gotten flooded, and had no power, and had blown out windows, there'd be a faster response.

 

[DammitJanet]

LOL Mutt. Honestly, the people most qualified for the jobs wouldnt touch them with a ten foot pole. I hate to say this about my oldest son but he spent way too much time living with my mother who was the most annoyingly staunch conservative republican in the world. She took it to such an extreme it wasnt funny. I think she made Rush look like he was a liberal. Yeah...that bad. In fact, she worshiped Rush. Now Billy does and all those other talk radio folks. I grew up the same way but I learned to think for myself too. I tend to have my own views and am somewhat strange in my opinions. I dont quite fit in any one place. No one makes me happy. Im a financial conservative and a social liberal. Billy thinks I just wont listen!!!! I think he is brainwashed...lol. His aspie stuff really goes into overdrive on politics. Ugh. I just walk away and nod a whole lot.

 

[KTMom91]

If Irene had wiped out the Difficult Child area, the powers that be would be moving considerably faster. I was working for the IRS during Katrina, and they called us all back to work ASAP because so many employees were affected.

Janet, I hear you on the politics thing...Hubby spends way too much time listening to what Miss KT and I call "Republican Radio." It would be fine if he didn't take the views expressed as the complete truth. It does get pretty funny sometimes...yet another mark for the theory that ADD is on the autism spectrum.

 

[Hound dog]

I figured as much.

I tend to lean republican, but I still vote for the person I think can best do the job.....or at least the least amount of damage while doing the job (far too often it's the latter). Although it irritates husband, I've voted for many a democrat I felt had their head on straight over the years. Sadly though, I think politicians as a whole are a worthless lot of the population. The way the system is set up, it's just too easy for them to line their own pockets during their terms in office.....and in the process they've lost sight of what their jobs are supposed to be. Their thoughts seem to be focused on how much money can I make from this, how much power do I get, will this raise campaign funds, will this please the lobbyist I have on my back, and will this get me re-elected. You noticed the welfare of the country and the people who populate it weren't part of that list. I'd laugh but it's just not funny. And now that the country is in such financial troubles.......these folks who only focus on these areas have no clue how to actually do their jobs and the guts to do it for the right reasons....because it might cost them the next election.

To not give FEMA funds needed would just make the economy take another nosedive and exacerbate the problems. Yet on the other hand, where are they going to pull the funds from? Certainly they're not going to volunteer to donate their salaries. pht.

Janet is right, the folks who would do the best job, wouldn't touch politics for anything.

So far I'm seeing that my votes in the near future will be mainly damage control. It disgusts me. ugh

 

[BusynMember]

I'm an Independent and there's a whole lot of people I'd like to throw out of office (and will try to) at the very first opportunity! You better BELIEVE that if THEY were affected, the money would be no object. I have never been THIS disgusted with our politicians...not in my entire lifetime of voting (and I'm not spring chicken...lol).

Those poor, poor people!

 

[witzend]

I just can't understand how anyone would think that withholding funds in an emergency is the right thing to do - morally OR politically. I hope people are paying attention to who it is that is suggesting this, and will vote those people and the parties that support them out of office. Maybe the hurricane didn't hit your street this year. Maybe you're never going to be hit by a hurricane. But I know it rains where you live and sometimes it floods. I know some of you have earthquakes, and some of you have droughts.

Let's get a grip, people. Taxing and spending is what all governments have done throughout history. Benevolent governments tax fairly and spend for the good of all. Are there bad seeds and is there waste? Yes. The answer to that is to get rid of the waste and the bad sees, not stop collecting taxes and stop building infrastructure after a disaster.

Bad governments give tax breaks to those who can afford to build their own streets and their own electrical generators and their own water purification/delivery plants and spend nothing on the rest. I'm a Democrat because if I registered as an Independent I couldn't vote in the primaries. I used to vote for Republicans when there were Republicans to vote for. I don't know who those people are, but they are not the "fiscal conservative" Republicans that I grew up with. Fiscally responsible people don't refuse income, and refusing to ask the wealthiest among us to give up some of their unearned tax breaks is refusing income. Income that as a UNITED nation we share in times of trouble. We don't hold people in Virginia hostage because some fat cat in California wants a bigger yacht that he can list as his primary residence and write off his taxes.

 

[HaoZi]

Katrina 2.0. Heck, back then they had the funding and were still useless! Red Cross was first one on the scene, followed by the National Guard. Both were of more help than FEMA.

 

[DDD]

Based on everything I have heard and read FEMA has it's act together following the disatrous handling of Katrina. I have no idea what party dominates NC, Va, Difficult Child, NY, CN, RI etc. In a really sick way I'm hoping the elected officials are people who have stunned the government in recent months. Support your constituents or support your party line. Should be interesting. I'm hoping the humanitarians will dominate. Geez, who could deny aid to the suffering. DDD

 

[BusynMember]

I chat live on a couple of political sites. There are A LOT of people who absolutely don't want the government to spend ONE penny on aid to other people. They don't believe a child born with Downs Syndrome should get disability...they think that the family should take care of their own and that, if there is no family, well, go to a church or use charity or it's just too bad. This is probably the majority of people on my chat channels. They also don't believe in taxing rich people a little bit more even to save the country.
I sometimes wonder how we can survive with so much of this sort of thinking. Some people who think this way are needy themselves, which to me makes no sense.
These same people also think Hurricane Irene was over-hyped and not that bad. I'm not sure of the connection. They sure don't think FEMA should get involved :/

 

[HaoZi]

I bet they have no problem shipping billions in aid to foreign countries.

 

[muttmeister]

Actually, aid to foreign countries is only 1% of the total budget but that still doesn't mean we shouldn't help our own first.

 

[flutterby]

This actually came up the first time this year after Joplin, MO was leveled by a tornado. Eric Cantor is behind the charge, by the way, if there is anyone you want to send a letter to.

 

[DammitJanet]

Midwest....those are the ideals I dont support. I also support getting the government out of my bedroom. I have no idea why anyone thinks Big Brother feels the need to tell anyone what they can do in there.

 

[flutterby]

FEMA Head Craig Fugate said on CBS this morning "that whatever happens in Congress 'will not change anything that FEMA is doing. These are issues that need to be worked out, but our focus is on response.'"

 

[DDD]

I may be wrong but I think that is the same gentleman who spoke yesterday to make the population aware. I'm sure it was not a FEMA underling. Actually I was a little shocked by his directness (how refreshing!) and the impression I got from his short speech was exactly that. FEMA is going to do what it needs to do and the funding better come along to support their actions. It made me wonder what will happen if expenses are based on need with-o available funds. As a small business owner my first thought was "eh gads" will those hired to do the necessary work be left waiting for politicians to decide whether or not to pay them retroactively. With the impact of today's economy on small business I can picture a domino effect of business closures if payment is delayed..or worse..defaulted. DDD

 

[BusynMember]

They don't like us sending ANY aid to foreign countries. At least they are consistent

Janet, I agree with you! The government is everywhere it doesn't need to be and often not where it SHOULD be. I don't want the government in anyone's bedroom either!