Friday, August 26, 2011

Ron Paul said what in commentary on FEMA in relation to "Irene?"

"We (the federal government) aren't responsible for citizen safety that is why we have the 2nd Amendment."

Amendment 2 - Right to Bear Arms
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

The reason the Right Wing 'gets away' with this insanity is because there are enough people that are sane.  Amazing.



FRIDAY, AUG 26, 2011 18:15 ET
Ron Paul (click title to entry - thank you) on hurricane response: "We should be like 1900"
After a lunch speech today, Ron Paul slammed the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, and said that no national response to Hurricane Irene is necessary.
"We should be like 1900; we should be like 1940, 1950, 1960," Paul said. "I live on the Gulf Coast; we deal with hurricanes all the time. Galveston is in my district.
Paul doesn't support FEMA because of "moral hazard." The fact that people will receive help should a natural disaster strike encourages people to live where natural disaster happen. (Like "North America.") Paul is mostly talking about the National Flood Insurance Program, which definitely has glaring flaws as public policy, but abolishing the federal agency in charge of responding to natural disasters instead offixing the problems with one program that agency oversees seems like overkill.
  
I suppose we don't need clean water, clean air, a safe food supply or Homeland Security.  Right?  He is one of the Right Wing crackpots.  I suppose Galveston just needs to 'build 'em better.'  He should tell that to his constituents which frequently turn to FEMA for financial relief.  


Galveston County to Receive Additional Assistance for Infrastructure (click here)

Release Date: October 1, 2008
Release Number: 1791-069

AUSTIN, Texas -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has expanded disaster assistance to Galveston County to help pay for repair, restoration, reconstruction or replacement of public facilities, roads and bridges, water facilities and other infrastructure damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Ike.
After further review of damages and assessments, Galveston is now eligible for all categories of FEMA Public Assistance as well as Individual Assistance.
Under the cost-share program, FEMA Public Assistance reimburses 75 percent of the cost for eligible work by state and local governments and certain non-profit organizations that provide public services. The state manages the grants for all projects. The remaining 25 percent non-federal share comes from state and local sources.
President Bush declared a major disaster declaration for Texas on Sept. 13. Public Assistance categories A and B, for debris removal and emergency protective measures are available to Galveston and 28 additional counties: Angelina, Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Cherokee, Fort Bend, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Madison, Matagorda, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Trinity, Tyler, Walker, Waller, and Washington. 
Additionally, President Bush authorized 100 percent reimbursement of the cost of debris removal and emergency protective measures for the first 14 days after the disaster declaration....

Why didn't Ron Paul stop this?  This is October 2008 when the banking crisis was in full swing and the Nation's Debt was the highest it had been in eight years. 



and the approximate 2000 deaths elsewhere is that there was no evacuation, because this category-4 storm caught people by surprise. There was not an outside warning, and the populace did not recognize early, local indicators. Ironically, as the storm approached, many people gathered at the beach to watch the high waves....



Those statements by Ron Paul are barbaric, cruel and irresponsible.  He is a nut case.  What a stupid thing to say with the entire East Coast of the USA facing danger for its citizens.  Irresponsible is not even the word to use.  This has to be the quintessential example of the moronity of the Right Wing and their ignorance to their own history.  The history of CARING FOR CITIZENS facing disaster dates back to 1803.  I would think that would be close enough to 1776 to understand the intentions of the Founding Fathers of the USA.


Emergency Management History (click here)
The is considered the first piece of disaster legislation.  It provided one New Hampshire town with assistance after an extensive fire.  In the century that followed, ad hoc legislation was passed more than 100 times in response to hurricanes, earthquakes, floods and other disaster. 

I don't know where the Right Wing carries their brains, but, it is not in their head.  It doesn't get worse than this.  Statesmen?  They aren't statesmen, they are the electorate's idea of entertainment.  The electorate must measure their appropriateness for office by the laugh they get from their speeches.  They don't need ballot boxes, they just need laugh meters.

We are doing well so far. Past Florida and Georgia. A big thank you for all those responsible for our safety and that includes the media.

That storm is moving.  Wow.  


In High Point, NC the air feels like the beach, partly cloudy, high humidity and 'sticky.'  

August 26, 2011
1530.13z
UNISYS Water Vapor GOES East Satellite  (Click here for 12 hour loop)

I saw Mayor Bloomberg on the news yesterday evening.  He was obviously worried for everyone and doing all New York's Finest could do to safeguard all citizens.  I felt badly that he had such a huge responsibility, but, he carries out his care of his citizens with great brevity.  I am confident all the mayors are doing the same thing along the path of this hurricane.  One hundred mile per hour winds are not 110, but, they still carry concern.  


The storm surge worries me.  This is a huge storm and it is pushing storm surges for quite a distance.  Its power is distributed along a wider 'surface area' but it is still considerable when one realizes the surface area that is still sustaining 100 mph winds.


If one cannot be happy then they can be happy they are safe.


This is where it started.  The image is from the Boston Globe.