Absolutely, we need FEMA
Barb ShellyAt some point in the next few hours or days, Mitt Romney may decide he has to personally answer questions about FEMA. The blanket statement issued by his campaign yesterday won’t suffice. If Romney talks, I’m betting he has a different line than he did during one of last summer’s primary debates, when he was asked if states should take over more of the duties handled by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“Absolutely,” Romney asserted. “Every time you have an occasion to take something from the federal government and send it back to the states, that’s the right direction. And if you can go even further and send it back to the private sector, that’s even better.”
Well, by nearly all accounts the federal government is doing a pretty good job this week of dealing with the havoc created by Superstorm Sandy.
The monster storm has wrecked transportation networks and left 8 million households and businesses without power in the nation’s most populous corridor. FEMA was on the ground before the storm started, it has gotten emergency help to people who need it and it will be around to help once the immediate crisis abates.
There is a reason governors appeal for federal disaster aid in the immediate aftermath of crises. Well-run states have good disaster preparedness systems. But few states have the resources that the federal government can provide in the event of wide-ranging disasters. The idea of turning disaster preparedness over to private businesses is absurd. They have a role, for sure. But keeping people safe and overseeing rebuilding is a government responsibility.
Unlike former President George W. Bush, who put FEMA in the hands of the hapless political hack Michael Brown, President Barack Obama made a great appointment in W. Craig Fugate. He’s a pro, and it shows.
FEMA has been a long-time target for Republicans. Some have called it just another entitlement. It isn’t. And disaster preparedness is something Americans should factor in to their voting decisions. Romney appears philosophically inclined to weaken FEMA. We don’t know what he would actually do in office, but it’s a concern.
Phil Cardarella
6 months, 3 weeks agoMost federal programs are useless, wasteful, bloated bureaucracies — including every branch of the military — until you need them.
Then they are lifesavers.
Steven Fetter
66223
6 months, 3 weeks agoAgreed. We all need bailouts.
People that build in floodplains, coastal shores, below sea level hurricane prone areas, and in areas subject to fires cannot count on their insurance, local/county/state government, church, family or any other entity to help out.
As Phil knows, go to where the money is for relief.
Reginald Thornton
6 months, 3 weeks agoNo governer past or present would conceive of dismantling FEMA. They would want more ability to control it from their local perspective instead of having the Feds rule from above and beyond. That’s how I have always understood Romney’s position. Barbara know that, which is why she deceptively edits out the quote about off-setting or replacing FEMA power, not simply eradicating the agency. Too bad that people like Barbara don’t use this precious opportunity of having a literate audience to discuss issues factually, instead of spinning self-serving strawmen.
Reginald Thornton
6 months, 3 weeks agoI built or bought away from natural hazards, because I can’t or don’t want to afford the consequences. Too bad for me, I don’t get to enjoy the view the 99% of the time skies are clear and not full of cows twirling around in the wind. Doubly bad for me, because I’ll be forced to help foot the bill so those who willingly and wittingly placed themselves in harm’s way can be made whole. Maybe they’ll even make money on the deal, not to mention getting back their lovely view. Yay for them!
Mark Hastert
6 months, 3 weeks ago“No governor past or present would conceive of dismantling FEMA”
…actually Reg Gov Romney stood up in a Republican primary debate and said that he would indeed He went even farther and said (here’s the exact quote from the transcript in case you haven’t checked it yourself) “Every time you have an occasion to take something from the federal government and send it back to the states, that’s the right direction. And if you can go even further and send it back to the private sector, that’s even better.”
Hmmm I’ll bet Gov Christie and the other governors in the affected areas would disagree today. Only the federal government has the resources to respond to a disaster of this proportion.
Consider this, in a state where the yearly budget must be balanced what does a governor do? Call an emergency session of the legislature and levy extra taxes? Shut down the rest of state operations? The idea is ridiculous.
Add to that Ryans repeated attempts at defunding FEMA and you have a great campaign issue……for Obama! LOL!
Reginald Thornton
6 months, 3 weeks agoSemantics. “Dismantling” has a definition, and moreso, a characterization. Sharing more of FEMA’s responsibilities with state entities does not equate to dismantling. Not by definition or by characterization.
Cut the semantics and state your point. I believe your allegation is that Romney would shut down FEMA altogether, leaving disaster victims to fend for themselves, without waiting for state agencies to take on any of the FEMA mandate.
That sounds really silly. Now I see why your posts dance around so much instead of getting to the point. Their points are so silly.
Mark Hastert
6 months, 3 weeks ago“Now I see why your posts dance around so much instead of getting to the point.”
You obfuscate…I posted Mr Romney’s words verbatim. He said what he said. Your quarrel is with him….Paul Ryan is on record cutting FEMA funding. These are your candidates and their positions.
It’s unfortunate that voters got this particular example at this particular time but Mr Romney’s Pavlovian response to the FEMA question highlights the inherent weakness in conservative philosophy. The answer isn’t black and white as they’d like us to believe. It’s not big vs small government, it’s proper scale. People don’t want too little government. They want efficient effective government. In this case big and effective is what is needed.
George Hunsucker
Northland
6 months, 3 weeks agoand of course now MY Gov. Cuomo wants the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT to pay for all costs related to the storm.
What universe do these people come from? Libs continue to amaze with their total entitlement mentality….