Should storm-damaged states get federal aid?

they choose to live there - absolutely NOT !!!!!!!

FINALLY, someone with enough cajones to answer the question and not deflect.

I felt the same way about New Orleans.

Yea, I agree. Keep it at home. But, kresspin, why are you even posing a question such as this? To drum up trouble? It is common sense. It is humanity and a tragic time. How insensitive!!! I think you should take the BC poll. Or maybe you did. Stop READNG & start EDUCATING yourself.......

are they cajones, or nads?

Sundance wrote: Yea, I agree. Keep it at home. But, kresspin, why are you even posing a question such as this?

Because cutting the federal budget demands TOUGH choices and sacrifice. I'm just wondering where people draw the line and since this is a current crisis, it seemed appropriate.

deltamrey wrote: they choose to live there - absolutely NOT !!!!!!!

Then all the id10ts who choose to live in the wildland urban interface should receive NO federal aid for a wildland fire, including but not limited to NO response from the USFS, NO federal Incident Management Teams, etc.

I wonder how far Hayman would have gone with NO federal assistance?

kresspin wrote: Since we've been talking about cutting or reducing spending to try and balance the budget, do you think states should quit asking for federal disaster declarations in order to qualify for federal aid?

Just reading about Obama touring the tornado destruction and wondered what people thought about not extending federal aid as a method to reduce spending?

Actually, I think this is a very valid question. I'd like to hear some real arguments for or against as well as some viable solutions.

I'm torn. The Federal government is not an insurance company but in providing financial aid acts like one. Furthermore, history shows, that like much bureaucracy, enormous sums of money get wasted or do not go to those in the most desperate need. Now it is easy and callous for me to sit here and say No, but we do need to begin somewhere.

Instead of sending federal funds, perhaps what our federal government ought to do is send in the military. They are far better prepared to deal with calamities and organizing movement of needed commodities. They may also skilled at putting up shelters, and repairing infrastructure. To my way of thinking, this would be a far better way to use our military than in policing the world. It would also put our investment in the military budget to better use..at home.

Experience also illustrates the private sector steps in and makes massive contributions. Again distributing such contributions may best be done by our military quarter masters.

Hard to bring in the military when it is deployed all over the world...

Screw the federal aid and let's as Americans raise money and send it to these fellow Americans. What happen during the Great Chicago Fire...did the Federal government run to their aid? Nope! In fact, foreign governments gave more to Chicago than the US government. The people of Chicago were supported by fellow Americans. The people of Chicago rebuilt Chicago not the Federal Government.

Disasters in the US reveal the socialist mindset of the libtards...they expect the government to take care of the people instead of fellow countrymen VOLUNTEERING and DONATING to help their fellow people. The LIBTARDS and SOCIALIST believe the government has all the answers....when in fact they have none...

I know we are a nation of states, but not all the states are created equal. Some are more prone to certain natural disasters, some are not, some have a larger tax base with large urban centers, some do not. It makes little sense to have 50 states all trying to have enough disaster relief funds if the worst should happen when it may happen to one state 3 times one year and then not for 50 years, but may not happen to another state for several decades. We are, after all, ONE country and it is in our best interest to help each other when the worst happens. I'm not one to usually think the federal government is efficient....but in this case having a pool of funds at the federal level makes a lot more sense than having each state try to keep a fund big enough to cover whatever may happen.....like a 100 year flood, or the once in a lifetime tornado.