Financial and Political Challenges for FEMA
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-09-01/financial-and-political-challenges-fema
In the wake of Hurricane Irene, Northeasterners are dealing with record floods. Hundreds of thousands of people are still without power. And throughout the region, at least 45 people have died. Hurricane Irene's impact will be felt for months and years to come. And it has also put the Federal Emergency Management Agency back in the spotlight. Representative Ron Paul renewed demands for the agency to shut down. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor called for any future FEMA funding to be offset by spending cuts. A look at the fiscal and political challenges facing FEMA.
Guests
Ed O'Keefe
author of The Federal Eye blog and federal government reporter for The Washington Post.
Dan Mitchell
senior fellow at the Cato Institute
Jane Bullock
former chief of staff, FEMA
Sen. Bernie Sanders
Independent U. S. senator from Vermont
Comments
Please familiarize yourself with our Code of Conduct and Terms of Use before posting your comments.
Then cut our expenses from areas that make no long-term fiscal sense, like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan where a lot of the money goes to CONTRACTORS, BRIBES AND FRAUD. Our priorities have been so badly distorted by the Bushies that fine folk like Salltyms is so confused on what is the purpose of national government and who should be paying for what.
And please don't trot out your Christianity. It makes you sound like the hypocrite most religious right politicians are.
Soon we will have boarder crossings at each State Line, because the politicking, we are losing the United States, all this started with cutting taxes for the federal gov, the cuts were pushed to the state level because the state needed to help its people, so now the states can't afford the cost. So what now there no long term plan. Also ever cut is some one's job, we are suffering and no one is spending because of all they hear is about cuts why would any one spend.
Congratulations, Diane. Your program on FEMA has finally placed you up there with Rush Limbaugh. I have waited for this day so long, being tired of hearing liberal commentators talk for so long. It's about time that reason, historical fact, and human compassion took a back seat to the right, and I do mean right, views of fine spokespersons such as Dan Mitchell. Rush no longer has anything on you. Again, way to go.
Dan Mitchell simply points out that what we are doing is not sustainable. What are you whining complainers going to do when borrow, tax and spend is over? We have indeed become infantilised.
Absolutely agree with dhr75. In most flood-susceptible areas Flood Insurance is required to obtain a mortgage. Unfortunately with Irene most of those hurt did not carry such insurance. We need to factor ALL natural and weather disasters, and have a National Disaster Insurance Program available for the entire country, for floods, wind, earthquakes etc. Yes, it will add to the cost of carrying a home, but will be quickly rationalized over the @ 5 years it will take to properly have the actuaries price the underwriting risk. Then such issues do not affect the national deficit calculation.
Shame on you Diane Rehm and your program for letting that Dan Mitchell Cato fanatic rant endlessly, twist facts and outright lie. Then as soon as you got a caller who wanted to call him out, you shut the caller off. (Ad Hominem attack indeed)
People are dying, Rehm, and you just have to cater to Cato. I hope you are well paid for your so called "objectivity." You have lost one listener because of your shameful bias.
Once again a big middle finger from the Republicans to the people in need.
Please DIANE,
To behave as you did today is no way to treat a.guest.
Your choice of that guest is an insult to decency and the nation, and to me.
I no longer feel welcome to listen to your show.
love
fran
Please DIANE,
To behave as you did today is no way to treat a.guest.
Your choice of that guest is an insult to decency and the nation, and to me.
I no longer feel welcome to listen to your show.
love
fran
The federal government SHOULD continue to provide FEMA support to places like Vermont. Do you know why? Because all of the Vermont National Guard's helicopters (and a lot of their medical personnel) are in Iraq RIGHT NOW.
Vermont needs their National Guard RIGHT NOW, but the government has co-opted them into a federal mission.
You can't just look at FEMA and say, "Oh, states should be responsible for their own disasters", without acknowledging that the states can't currently respond because THE NATIONAL GUARD IS BEING OVERUTILIZED by the federal government!
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20110830/NEWS02/110830022/
Similarly, the Vermont National Guard has zero helicopters in Vermont right now, because they (and a lot of their medical Guardsmen) are deployed.
You want cuts? ME TOO! We cut the subsidies to oil companies, we cut the salaries, pensions and other perks of Congress and the Senate, we cut corporate tax deductions for entertainment and bonuses .....
I can find plenty to cut.
"dede wrote:
I notice Cantor wants hurricane funds held up.
I did not notice that he objected to funds for the earthquake in VA. Or that he & McDonnell have turned down funds for tornados.
He's a hypocrite. let him turn down money for his own state before he screws the rest of us.
September 1, 2011 - 10:21 am"
How is he on funds for Israeli Jew supplies of Phosphorus and Cluster Munitions for the Palestinian Children?
Monte Haun mchaun@hotmail.com
Monte Haun mchaun@hotmail.com
I am continually amazed at the ability of AU to find an endless supply of Right-Wing Think Tank Troglodytes, with built-in Dole Snarl, that leave even the Mighty Diane speechless.
Boy, would I love to debate that little Runt. Take away the Snarl and there is nothing left but a very, very small pile of Cows__t.
Please tell him that Katrina was the result of the failure of the Corp of Engineers seawalls, seawalls built by the Nation for purposes to benefit the whole Nation. Ditto, channelizing the River which punishes some States to protect others.
They may be covering it up, but I believe it was Cato that, by looking at commodity prices, particularly copper, the Earth could support 3 times its present population. Just before commodoty prices exploded!
Monte Haun mchaun@hotmail.com
I found it interesting that Diane stopped the last caller for tearing in to one of her guest but had no problem with that same guest talking to an earlier caller with an attitude that was nothing more than condescending and pompous. Yes I think that the caller was going a bit overboard but level the playing field... geez.
I must say that I was taken aback by the lack of a strong defense provided by her other guests in response to Dan Mitchell. They clearly had the facts on their side, yet they refused to directly engage Mr. Mitchell.
This unfortunate imbalance had the effect of attracting angry callers. Only one of these callers truly acted in an inappropriate manner, yet Mr. Mitchell was allowed to make condescending remarks in response to all of them.
Ms. Rehm, your audience should be very important to you. You do an extraordinary job of providing an atmosphere in which ideas can be discussed intelligently. As part of that atmosphere, you try to maintain a level of decorum. I am afraid that while one caller may have breached that level of decorum, one of your guests had been doing it for the full hour and you had not adequately moderated the situation.
Diane, I am glad that I stopped listening to today’s show after Bernie Sanders spoke. When you have guests from Cato or the Heritage Foundation, I generally make it a point not to listen to the program.
Eva Sollberger from the Seven Days video series put together this footage on the floodwaters a couple of days ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeIWLCsSphI&feature=player_embedded
Eva’s message in the video: “So listen up, Vermonters. I know times are tough right now, but we’re going to make it through this. We’re going to get out of all this mud and muck and dirty rain water. Brick by brick, day by day, we’re going to rebuild our state and it’s going to be just as beautiful and just as scenic as it’s always been.”
On a separate note, Vermonters are fortunate to have Bernie Sanders as their senator. He is the only senator that is standing up for the middle class and for a brighter future for our country.
Diane, I am glad that I stopped listening to today’s show after Bernie Sanders spoke. When you have guests from Cato or the Heritage Foundation, I generally make it a point not to listen to the program.
Eva Sollberger from the Seven Days video series put together this footage on the floodwaters a couple of days ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeIWLCsSphI&feature=player_embedded
Eva’s message in the video: “So listen up, Vermonters. I know times are tough right now, but we’re going to make it through this. We’re going to get out of all this mud and muck and dirty rain water. Brick by brick, day by day, we’re going to rebuild our state and it’s going to be just as beautiful and just as scenic as it’s always been.”
On a separate note, Vermonters are fortunate to have Bernie Sanders as their senator. He is the only senator that is standing up for the middle class and for a brighter future for our country.
Yea, my wife and I may stop listening too. If I want to know what CATO and the Koch brothers are thinking I can just listen to Rush.
Dear Ms. Rehm
Re: show about FEMA
Mr. Mitchell stated that FDR financed disaster response by taking monies from other parts of the federal budget. I can find no direct evidence to back up that statement. Even though FDR was fiscally conservative, he did conceive of many generous programs to help the poor and unemployed. He did what had to be done. Contemporary conservatives might not like what FDR accomplished, but I believe there is very little controversy about the benefits of his administration, except perhaps amongst the Neandethals on the extreme right in this country.
Bevan Davies
Kennebunk, ME
In disaster management, all disasters are local events. When the resources of the local jurisdiction are stressed and used up, the county can step in to assist. If it beyond the capabilities of the county, the state steps in, and in an event that goes beyond the state, the feds are there to assist. The arrogance of your one guests thinking that Wyoming, deserves no federal assistance for preparedness and response, as it will not be a target of terrorism. Only NY, Boston, Baltimore, and LA will? HORSE APPLES
There is a caldera the size of Connecticut, in the NE corner of that State. If it blows its top. Mother Nature can be a lot worse than a terrorist. Make a Plan, Get a 96-hour Kit at home and your car. There is a big difference between what is right and what is easy. Do the right thing
. UTAH
folks like dan mitchell reduce everything to a political equation that ends in =$$. i happen to know a thing or two about this topic and when i hear people like mitchell and eric cantor speaking of disaster relief strictly in terms of federal money, i.e. tax dollars, i can't help but laugh at their ignorance.
when a state such as vermont -- or texas or california or utah -- is overwhelmed by a natural disaster, the request to the federal agencies for assistance is not about receiving a check. it is specifically about needed and anticipated resources and capabilities. for instance, does vermont need a highly specialized wilderness search and rescue team? are the state's own resources tapped out? where is the nearest team? virginia? the rocky mountain region?
in addition, the federal system -- while far from perfect -- offers a unified training platform under the aegis of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS). this ongoing project helps to ensure that when resources arrive from a non-affected jurisdiction, the players understand how they plug-in to the evolving and chaotic situation. this apparatus also helps to ensure that affected persons can avail themselves of the same resources and aid no matter where they end up.
So many liberals having temper tantrums on these boards today, Diane did something right for a change. Thanks Diane!
Diane is so clearly liberal, but when she allows a single contrary voice on her show her liberal audience is willing to cut her throat and throw her in a ditch.
Come over to our side Diane were not so fickle and we truly want the best for everyone!
As far as I know one of the reasons that we formed the United States was to share the costs of the nation; defense, disaster relief, interstate transportation etc. If each state were to try to pay for the cost of it's own natural disasters you'd have Florida reeling financially from lots of hurricanes, Texas, the Gulf Coast states would be like a third world country as a result of Katrina and Rita. Likewise California and Alaska would be dealing with billions for earthquakes. And States like Oregon and Maine would be doing pretty well. But, as in insurance it's partly the shared experiences and costs that helps to bind us together and it's knowing that other states will help us if our state gets in trouble. It's common decency to help out your fellow countrymen.
Shawn,
Please give me an organization or place to send money or do you need the supplies more. Most people want to help, if they can do it locally and easily. I can help with that.
I need more data then I am getting and people need to think about emergency instead of financial problems. We all have financial problems, so think about something healthier. Help these people, please.
Thanks, MtnWoman
Midpines, CA
In response to Thursday's show with Dan from the Kato Institute. Diane you should play fair when it comes to comments from you live guests. When Dan from the Kato Institute spoke in response to caller's comments, he addressed their concerns with "Since your complaining" and went on to spew a host of non-factual comments about the the callers comments. When the gentleman from Florida commented on Dan's non-fact based retortsd, he was cut off by you by stating the facts about Dan and the Kato Institute. This is the first time I have written on your blog, and it appears to be the last time as well. The Kato Institute is a right wing faith based organization funded by businessess that would like to see our president fail and the middle class fail.The next time you cut off a caller, you should consider cutting off your guest and asking for the scientific facts he is basing his outlandish comments on. The Kato Institute is partially funded by the Koch Brother's and is instrumental in ALEC a far right organization that delivers "Model Legistalion" to State legistlaters. The facts prove that these organizations have hurt individual freedom and Liberty for the middle class. The benifit of Kato is for Business interests only. The reason this Country has regulations is precisely because of the business communities failure to police themselves.
Glenn Phillips
Fema Certified Floodplain Manager
Citizens Policy Foundation
Tucson, Arizona
Platitudes "were not so fickle and we truly want the best for everyone" boulderdash. Clearly you mean coming over to your side makes you right. Where are the facts. Our side, Is this the patriot side, the Great American side or the Dark Side.
"kthompson wrote:
The gentleman who wants to eliminate FEMA should read the preamble to the Constitution. One of the reason the United States was created was to "...promote the general Welfare...." Doesn't that mean that the federation should help the individual states?
Kathleen"
Yea Kathleen and according to your definition "to promote the general welfare" also means that everybody is ENTITLED to a house, car,job, and let not forget a vacation.
"Flood manager wrote:
Platitudes "were not so fickle and we truly want the best for everyone" boulderdash. Clearly you mean coming over to your side makes you right. Where are the facts. Our side, Is this the patriot side, the Great American side or the Dark Side"
First of all Flood manager, it is Cato and second of all we have been heading to the Dark Side for some time with all this spending, borrowing, and enabling people with all these government programs. It has become an additction where people supported by individual with your beliefs replying on government has resulted in major financial deficits that is strangling the middle class.
meangreen
"roland wrote:
Once again a big middle finger from the Republicans to the people in need."
roland:
Shame on you for being so uncivil. Perhaps you need to take your middle finger comment and look inwardly.
Meangreen