OK. Paul, I guess that whole 1900 thingy that hit Galveston was only a rain shower that took the lives of 6 thousand.......

....and the 2008, Hurricane Ike, was another rain shower that devasted Galveston...

...but that was enough for the budding Teapublicans to delay the start of the Convention in Minneapolis and pretend they cared.

and the 2008, Hurricane Ike, was another rain shower that devasted Galveston...

How quickly they forget chilled!

That was really fun to watch ...the big Convention Hall only partially filled as they waited for Ike to come ashore......

Don't know if the RWNJ Paul was still on the Island or not.....seems like he should have been, since he thinks FEMA is unnecessary.

It was even sweeter given the fact that crazy pastor (his name escapes me but take your pick) was calling for his followers to pray for rain in Denver...

Karma really is a b!tch! ;o)

...and it's a long way til the end of Hurricane Season.....30 Oct.......

OMG, this is what the GOPTP means for this country--you're own your own.

Feisty, James Dobson was the guy who had people praying for rain in Denver.

Could FEMA be streamlined, along with the Dept. of Homeland Security (the Appropriations Act signed by Dubya in 2004)? Yes, but in the modern time in which we actually live, with telecommunications/warning systems, pooled resouces--old fashioned helping your neighbors out but on a national level:

The primary purpose of FEMA is to coordinate the response to a disaster that has occurred in the United States and that overwhelms the resources of local and state authorities. -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Emergency_Management_Agency

Why would anyone be against preparedness?

James Dobson was the guy who had people praying for rain in Denver.

Thanks Jody - it's difficult to tell the fanatical freaks apart. lol

So Ron Paul wants to take us back to 1900 along with the rest of the loony tunes charactersPerry, Santorum and Bachmann. Perhaps we should revert to candles and horse and buggy's while we're at it. No use getting the government involved in a silly little thing like the car!!! I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around the Calgon, take me away (away back) moment Republicans are having. At some point this just blows up in their faces when Americans realize the sheer stupidity of what these demagogues espouse.

He'll change his tune as soon as his major contributors with water front homes lose them and want the FEMA welfare to come their way. It is inevitable. The Republican nominees are all good at one thing this season, flip-flopping. Paul included.

That Ron Paul is just plain crazy.

I don't get it. Nobody is FORCED to apply for FEMA. It's just what it stands for a "Federal Emergency". Hell, if they can handle rebuilding Galveston on their own, just don't apply for FEMA Aid.

There are, however, some folks that just might need FEMA, and for those people who do, FEMA has been a lifesaver.

Ron Paul only speaks for Ron Paul, NOT the American People. I live in earthquake-prone California. If we had a big enough one, I just might need FEMA.

I'm guessing that Ronnie will be eating those words after the storm hits if it hits with the currently projected ferocity. I hope it doesn't hit nearly as hard as the projections indicate but...

Its sad, Paul has some really good ideas on his good days, but today isn't close to being a good day at least not for him.

Even if the sort of compacts and agreements he suggests were in place, let's say between North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia there's a mutual aid agreement and another agreement in place between say Delaware, New Jersey and New York and all six states were to get heavily and equally hammered then who is supposed to help out who??

We would do well to remember that from the time of its inception FEMA became an ever increasingly reliable and capable agency getting better and better at responding to disasters.

Then Bush came along and rolled it into the DHS and put Brownie in charge and then it became as worthless as a pile of horse crap but I guess since Brownie's only expertise was horses that put it right up his alley didn't it?

TruePatriot-445959 wrote: "Could FEMA be streamlined, along with the Dept. of Homeland Security (the Appropriations Act signed by Dubya in 2004)?"

Bush did roll FEMA into the DHS and put a guy named Brownie in charge, you know good old 'your doin' a heck of a job Brownie' who totally blew the response to Katrina.

From its very inception FEMA is one of the few government agencies that got increasingly better and better at doing its job until it got rolled into the DHS at which time it became a pale and far less effective shadow of its former self.

I guess ole Ronnie boy thinks that everything will just fix itself......now STOP WHINING and send MORE MONEY to the billionaires!

DavidWalker: Seriously? Emergency disaster relief for hurricane or natural disaster victims is "a personal responsibility" issue?? Good grief...just when you think there are one or two things any decent American could agree their 'common good' covers...along comes someone to argue there is actually nothing worth doing for each other.

RE: American Girl-724855

I don't get it. Nobody is FORCED to apply for FEMA. It's just what it stands for a "Federal Emergency". Hell, if they can handle rebuilding Galveston on their own, just don't apply for FEMA Aid.

They did NOT rebuild Galveston on their own - he took $118MILLION from FEMA to rebuild that city following Hurricane Ike. Talking out of both sides of his mouth, and holding his hand out for FEMA $. Don't believe me? Look it up.

The federal government is there to assist in the health and welfare of citizens. Why is it that when FEMA (or any other agency) is called upon Ron Paul, and many others, immediately assume it's because we're all lazy good-for-nothings who have done nothing to prepare?

When there were 50 million people scattered across our nearly 4 million square miles....it WAS easier for us to look out for each other in times of need, Also, there was much less infrastructure supporting all of us. 6 times as many people later...we can hardly have the same expectations.

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.

And there you have it, the let's take America back to the good old days BS. Hey, Ron the only good about the days is that they are over. Time to move forward.

"A state can decide. We don't need somebody in Washington."

Correction we don't need you in Washington.

Time to wake Texas, especially you in the 14th District, This is the guy you elected... repeatedly.

I'm sure his constiteunts in Galveston are over joyed with Ron's comments right about now.

This would be hilarious right now if it weren't so damned serious.

Ron Paul longs for the good old days of poor houses, old folks homes, and bread lines. If you can't afford health care insurance or are refused coverage by one of those benevolent insurance companies and you get sick or have an accident just hold a car wash or a bake sale.

In this country we have had a reasonably good balance of self-sufficiency and "we're all in this together", but people like Ron Paul don't want any such "togetherness". I don't want any Ron Paul.

I love this guy he cracks me up!

It just goes to show how out of touch Ron Paul is with America.

Hope this link works....it has pictures of Galveston Island and the aftermath of Hurricane Ike

http://www.galveston.com/photoike/

you can always count on the republican party to tell us what we really need is to turn back the clock a few hundred years.

Practical Libertarian, you don't know how bad us normal folk would love to send you, Ron Paul, and all the Teapubs back to the 1900's. That is where you belong.

AP lotsanumbers:

What's the deal? Looking for an excuse to put your faux outrage on display? Re-read my damned post. Yes, there is a time for self-reliance - that would be ALL the time. That means being prepared for a hurricane. It includes being prepared for an earthquake. It means being prepared. Period.

Can circumstances overwhelm even the best-prepared among us? You're damned right they can. Galveston, New Orleans, Joplin, and Johnstown come immediately to mind.

FEMA SHOULD be there, precisely for emergencies. You might want to take a look at an exemplar in California - OES. That's good stuff and we need it, but certainly not to the extent that we stop looking to ourselves FIRST for answers.

Go snivel elsewhere. Seriously? Yeah! Seriously!

hummm, I could be mistaken, but I think Texas is first in line for a Federal handout.

If he thinks states can do it better, let's just let states "opt-out"... I doubt any have the guts to do that. If we don't like the deficit spending, which FEMA is, then let's build a fund... we're ignoring global warming anyway... we'll need FEMA much more now.

I thought these clowns wanted to run things like a business. Businesses consolidate to centralized functions when they are common to all departments (duh). Businesses pay attention to economists (duh). Businesses pay attention to science... in fact they leverage it... they embrace it (duh). Good businesses have strong ethical standards and seldom give in to extortion (duh). In business, the customer is king (that's us).

Look at all these "people" who put numbers behind their names. This is a dead giveaway that puppet accounts are being used here. Looks like 50% of comments are from puppet accounts.

Good old reliable BS here. You have to realize what's happening around you or you will never see the manipulation.

(BTW I used numbers behind my name to highlight the issue)

What's left of this guy's brain is as dried up as a west Texas lake bed. Hey Ron! Sorry but the time machine is down for repairs. You're just going to have to live in the 21st century.

Gee Whiz Ron; ever make it into the 21st century? Not just a few summer cabins on the coast any more like the good old days, the coast is filled with a melting pot of rich and poor people and some with the common sense of a turd.(Horse turd according to Browny) Some people love to be victims, some are just victims of circumstance but in the end people need help when they need it and we as a country should never hesitate to give it.

Practical Libertarian --

Back in those good old days, cancer didn't kill you in five years but in six months, water was not sully safe to drink, technology to track hurricanes was not more sophisticated than watching your livestock get all nervous about it, and our debt was small enough that spending cuts alone could kill it off.

Today, federal aid has been INSTRUMENTAL in giving great minds the funds to figure out ways to fight cancer, federal regulations make tap water safe enough to drink, we have every instrument to evacuate when a hurricane is coming our way, and our debt is big enough that BESIDES cutting spending, we have to increase revenues, which your demigod Ron Paul refuses on purely ideological grounds (I mean, it's not like Nobel laureates disagree with him—oh, wait a minute, they do).

You libertarians think of the government as this big, bad monster who's hellbent on taking all your money and making you as miserable as humanly possible. And yes, history has proven that big governments can lead to terrible things. But in trying to avoid a vicious extreme, you fall into the almost equally vicious idea that NO government is necessary whatsoever. That would be true and correct in a perfect world, a perfect world in which EVERY family were well off, in which NO natural catastrophe ever required that a big enough entity allowed the logistics for a safe and coordinated evacuation, in which the fight against deadly diseases like cancer didn't require the coordination and funding that a government can provide, in which no terrorists existed, in which no corporation ever tried to take advantage of the consumer, and in which no disagreement ever existed between two parties of any kind.

Alas, my friend, that is not the world we live in. And yes, our government is far (far, far, far, FAAAAR) from perfect, and much of it may well be unnecessary, but a body that can come to the aid of those who have been (or will potentially be) affected by a natural catastrophe whose magnitude far exceeds the "every man can fend by himself" class of unfortunate events certainly does NOT fall under the "Bad, Wasteful, Big-Brother Government" that libertarians so readily fill up with anything that you dislike (i.e., anyone or anything that does something for society).

On the last paragraph, I meant the "Bad, Wasteful, Big-Brother Government" category of government agencies that libertarians.....

Interesting this is what they have to report on him--not about how he thinks the FED should be disbanded, or the wars should end.

How unbiased.

Japan does not have a FEMA per se. They have the national disaster management bureau. The NDM has 36 employees.

FEMA has 3,700 full-time employees and nearly 4,000 standby disaster assistance employees. The minister and the NDM provide advisory and coordinating functions.

This is what Ron Paul said - "We should be coordinated but coordinated voluntarily with the states."

You know, it might actually be more efficient that way. Each state has a National Guard already in place. Kansas could prepare for tornadoes, Colorado for forest fires and mountain rescues, Montana for bigfoot invasions.
------------------------------------
"Brownie, you're doing a heckuva job!" ~ George W. Bush

Practical Libertarian: funny how that 'make your own decisions' thing completely falls by the wayside for Ron Paul on issues Constitutional right to privacy for women (he's against) and anything else the great libertarian disagrees with.

David: Ah, I see. Only help if they pass the 'David Walker' test of who should apply to FEMA, when and precisely for what. Yes, a brilliant plan. I can see why you are so offended people aren't taking to it any more quickly than they are taking to your tin foil hat candidate.

Nunya, I live near Galveston, and I went down there in December of that year. Just a rain storm? Water was 10 feet deep on the Strand and washed over the whole island. At least five people died. All the trees were killed. When I came over the causeway, it looked like a war zone because of all the boats refrigerators parts of houses washing machines that had piled up right under the causeway. And that was three months after Ike --there had just been so much other stuff to clean up. The population of Galveston, a year after Ike, was still 9% below normal. With $3 billion worth of damages, it''s not hard to see why. $160 million dollars worth of federal aid money has helped, but it's been a long road. So spare me your libertarian revisionism.

These comments are a perfect example of why Ron Paul isn't on my short list (or any other list) of people to vote for President. While FEMA certainly botched the Katrina aftermath (that's what happens when you replace a competent military veteran director with an incompetent stooge!) they are absolutely a viable agency (unless they're really building concentration camps, in which case they need an enema) whose sole purpose is to respond to emergencies which I'm pretty sure a massive hurricane hitting the North East will qualify as !!

Just because Ron Paul remembers 1900 fondly doesn't mean the rest of us want to get on his time machine. I like refridgerated air, and cars, and computers, and, well, not dying from the flu and things. The good ol' days, back when Paul was the dashing spitting image of Montgomery Burns, were just not that good.

Classic Theocratic Play Book - take any and every opportunity to actualy weaken, or weaken the reputation of State Ties with Federal Institutions. Over time they then State by State make Federal irrelevant from their viewpoint, but are bound together by their true loyalty literal bible translated direction and policy. These Lunatics have to go in 2012 & 2014, they are lethal.

Yea. Because fancy cars and refrigerated air are the bomb. Not dying if the flu ???No one wants to die of anything. But.. Every one of us die. i don't think that's a bad thing.

One of the reasons he and his supporters know he is not presidential material.

Keep it up long enough to drain the kitty, as your numbers drop.

No Thanks,......America has its protections and back up programs and they aren't ready for you to dismantle anything.

FEMA in and of it's self, it is ironically, a disaster. A bloated monstrosity of bureaucracy.

FEMA is nothing but a bureaucratic black hole that spends money without the
slightest accountability. Any federal aid should be distributed as directly as
possible to local communities and community organizations dedicated to clean-up
and reconstruction, rather than through wasteful middlemen like FEMA.

Ron Paul

The White House and Congress have done little to exercise oversight of these federally backed programs, much less step in to remove red tape and make sure taxpayer money gets to its intended destination. Too much corporatism, too much corruption, too much of the government playing the middle man and taking their generous cut while doing so.

When massive and bloated governments at all levels disappoint, the solution is not to give them more money. Rather, the solution lies in a government limited in scope and ambition, and focused on its essential functions. Ron Paul is right.

A bit off topic but in a similar vein, I would be more concerned about his whacky, racist tea bagger son Rand, who incomprehendsively was elected SENATOR of Kentucky, and believes that the Civil Rights Act enacted in the early 60s went too far in affording minorities, primarily blacks, equal rights.  Rand believes that business owners should be able to blatantly discriminate against blacks, as in banning them from their lunch counters or segregating their restrooms.  Normally I'd write off this crazed bigot as a.......crazed bigot, but he's a SENATOR, elected by folks who'd rather not leave the "whites only" good ol' days when blacks were pummeled with high pressure water hoses if they dared protest their treatment by ignorant racists.  Evidently those ignorant racists are alive and well in KY and elsewhere, emerging from the woodwork to form their own club called the "tea party", whose primary concern is the budget deficit....all with a straight face.  Rand made the mistake of agreeing to an interview with Rachel Maddow awhile back, which you can view at the links below. Rand's ok with laws that prevent the government from discriminating, but private businesses, on the basis of "free speech", should be allowed to ban or segregate blacks. And this clown is a senator....pretty scary. It's a somewhat long, 2 part interview, primarily because Rand did a lot of dancin', but Rachel was persistent in prying Rand's backwoods views from his cold, dead heart. This interview really sheds some light on the bagger's agenda and well worth watching, despite the ugly opinions expressed by Rand Paul.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VGdP2mNPeo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ61qYT3Pe8

So let me get this str8...you fools all think by sending your money to Washington, letting bereaucrats take a slice off the top for their salaries and benefits, and then sending it back to the States, that somehow this makes the cooridination effort MORE eddicient? Less wasteful? That this authority over local people who know how to fix problems they deal with all the time is good, and makes sense?

Fools.

Oh yeah, where in the hell is FEMA in the Constitution? Which Amendment?

Fake conservatives need to wake up, and liberals need to use common sense. Leaving that money at home where people know how to use it better is a smarter move...and if they don't have enough money themselves, then I guess it's time to stop rebuilding in Hurricane Alley, then isn't it?

The idea it's everyone elses responsibility to bailout your losses when you make a bad investment choice is nonsense. TYhe sense of entitlement must know no bounds.

FEMA is a waste of time and money, that only hinders efforts to fix the actual issue...anything else is a nanny State fairytale.

When you return to your home, your parents home and your friends homes...and you see it with trees laying through the living room, mud all over the moments of your life. When you drive (as best you can) through the streets where you grew up and see the wrecks of houses you used to visit, when for pet who you tried over and over to locate before you had to go is nowhere to be found, when you find the box of your kindergarten drawings, childhood photos, the letter from your long gone grandmother covered in filth and ruined beyond recovery...then Mr Paul you can tell me I can 'do it myself'...Since I have no electricity, clean water, food (what I had was spoiled), the stores I would go to are closed (and some will never reopen) so I cannot buy anything to clean with, and where would i put the now ruined garbage that was my life, Piled many feet high all along the road where it will sit for many weeks as pickup is not functioning, and I cannot hire any help as they have their own homes (Except the price gougers that swoop in doing substandard work and then disappearing with no recourse when the work does not hold). Yes I needed help...the bag of Ice, the jugs of clean water, the plastic tarp to cover the roof hole, the cylinder of propane I could use to cook on my gas grill with. YEs we pulled together under extreme stress, my neighbors and me. But we still needed a hand. FEMA was there for the material requirements. The hurricane that destroyed our homes was like someone taking a bat to your head, you are in shock, you feel totally helpless, overwhelmed, you cry a lot, you don't know whereto start. But the bag of ice, some clean water was a good start.

And I was a lucky one, I had solid insurance, a network of business associates who prioritized me over others in repairs and friends. Slowly we dug out, but life was never the same. The nightmares have never ended.

I remember my janitor showing up at my office on Monday to do his job, the silly man. His home was uninhabitable, his insurance non existent, his family living with a relative. And he was there to clean up my office, to help me? I paid him the next two weeks on the spot with Cash I had on hand and sent him back to his family. When he came in two weeks later, I paid him again for those two weeks, he did not want to take it-I told him to take it for me. I helped him get FEMA as he had no idea it even existed. I did it for my own guilt of being so lucky in life. Maybe Mr Paul should feel some level of compassion. Maybe he should feel at all.

It has been 22 years, I will never fault those who need my and out help after a disaster...I walked that path too. And I have donated to disaster relief organizations ever since.

God would want it that way.

Great nonsense emotional argument frankltrue.

The problem is, donations fund MOST relief of ALL relief efforts...so how is it moral or efficient to threaten others with jail (taxes) to pay for your problems, no matter how tear-jerky they are?

It isn't.

Donations are how things get done in disasters, and should be...FEMA is simply a tiny slice of the money involved, and it's just a political ploy to say "look, we're doing somethin', now vote for us".

Anything else is a delusion.

BTW, I always donate to these clean-ups...and would donate more if I wasn't extorted with threat of prison (taxes) to pay for it otherwise, so some politician can take credit for my charity. The less money I have, the less I can donate...and since for-profit business is most efficient, and charity is next, and government is least, then it reasons the money I would otherwise donate in absence of it being stolen in taxes would benefit those people in need MORE, not less.

It's easy to play "I'm moral" with other's stolen money.

If I came to you and demanded money to help disaster victims, and threatened you with kidnapping and a life in a cage if you refused, that would be immoral and theft/extortion/kidnapping, regadless of my pure motives, right?

But when you do it by proxy using a man with a fancy uniform and a tin badge all of sudden morality is irrelevant, huh?

Any consistant moral theory shows this to be wrong. Wake up.

Ron Paul:"A state can decide. We don't need somebody in Washington." why is a decentralized Govt. such a difficult concept to understand? States have resources and boots on the ground. Ron Paul believes in a Small central govt.that does not put all of us up to our eyeballs in debt, now you don't have to agree but calling him crazy for his philosophy is just closed minded and ignorant.

freedman is right . If you people could read you would see he said c-o-o-r-d-i-n-a-t-e just like any sensible country with people in it that can read, think for themselves and elect people to office that perform perfectly as stated by PeAcE lOvEr above . This makes me think of ground zero. How many volunteers came out of the surrounding area to do anything they could to help. .FEMA could be very streamlined and is very fat and unnecessary the way it is....This from 1 person who has volunteered 1,000's of hours to red cross, many after katrina, done in San Antonio. Ron Paul....His voting record IS PERFECT!. yet the mainstream media describes (Not very well) his view with nine sentences. We have been in a 30 YEAR BUBBLE, created by Alan Greenspan (THE FED) and it IS over, We lose, and we will keep losing as long as we keep electing status quo. 30 years all of our president's have worked FOR the FED. Wake up people Obama has done nothing but run the same things Bush started. . Then on the other side We surely DON'T want "Parry" . Vote RON PAUL!

FEMA did a great job with Katrina if you call general incompetence and the ridiculous response time a great job. How many deaths did we have there? Of course Cuba was far more prepared to help then the federal government with a fraction of the money. Would FEMA have pulled a miracle out their rear and stopped anything from happening in 1900? Uhmmm no.

States could certainly form their own mutual aid systems. In fact, they actually have such systems in place. And didn't the national guard and military use to help with this stuff? Oh, that's right they are all protecting other countries now and fighting ridiculous wars.

Yeah, if I was stupid I might buy that we need all these Federal agencies and programs with a defense budget bigger than the entire rest of the world combined.

Wonderful system. If we throw enough money at it one day it might work as promised. Until then let's bash anyone that speaks against it. Because the truth is too much for the public's tiny minds to take. If you want to see a real loon perhaps you should look look in the mirror while you whine about your taxpayer funded handouts.

PeAcE LoVeR,

You forgot his signing on to 25 earmarks totalling $72,143,000 in 2010. Can you say hipocrite?

I guess it's only wastefull spending when it's someone else.

Jim whats an earmark?and why do we have them?

Jim W- Let's allow Ron Paul to answer that for you. From Ron Paul on the floor of the House in 2009.

So, in many ways what we are doing here in the Congress is reneging on our responsibilities. Because it is the responsibility of the Congress to earmark. That’s our job. We’re supposed to tell the people how we’re spending the money. Not to just deliver it in the lump sum to the executive branch and let them deal with it. And then it’s dealt with behind the scenes. Actually, if you voted against all the earmarks there would be less transparency. Earmarks really allow transparency and we know exactly where the money is being spent.

You know, the big issue is the spending. If you don’t like the spending, vote against the bill. But the principle of earmarking is something that we have to think about because we’re just further undermining the responsibilities that we have here in the Congress. And if we want to get things under control it won’t be because we vote against an earmark and make a big deal of attacking earmarks because it doesn’t address the subject.

fiesty redhead...I have a question. What idiot do you think should be president? How do you even say anything about someone you obviously know nothing about. go to his site and look up "issues" and see what his views are. Then if you don't agree with him.well next time you see me on here you can say something informed about him. he is not crazy.His voting record is perfect. His way IS the change we need. I was speaking to a lady last weekend that just hated Obama. I started talking to her for a minute. I asked why? He is doing the same things Bush did, wars debt ceiling, tax "cuts..so on..then I stopped and asked her if she liked Bush. She said she loved him. I said to her well there is no use in us talking anymore. one party posing as two. Ron IS the only change.

thank you Atlaswilshrug! good stuff ..as for Jim the hypocrite...I wonder if he even knows what that word means. I hope not. he may get sad.

AP lostsanumbers:

Get a grip. What's the problem? David Walker doesn't fit your mold? He doesn't kowtow to your preconceived notions? If he agrees with Ron Paul that we should be prepared, he should wear a tin-foil hat and follow the libertarian ideology? You're as pathetic as the right-wing ideologues. President Obama will get my vote this election, just as he did in the last election.

As far as who qualifies for federal assistance, whether it meets with your approval, SOMEONE will make those decisions. You think it should be YOU. After all, you are warm-hearted, a lover of your fellow man, and you know better than I. (That's implicit in your sniveling screed.) We know it shouldn't be David Walker. Right? He thinks people should be prepared. Why take care of ourselves and our loved ones, when we can just sit around and expect someone else to take care of us?

While you're decrying the notion of personal responsibility and self-reliance, if citizens listen to their elected officials they will drastically lighten the load that FEMA AND their local emergency responders will inevitably handle. Governors - Republican and Democrat - up and down the east coast are warning their constituents of the dangers. Low-lying areas are being evacuated. People are stocking up on necessities - a bit late - but stocking up nonetheless.

That's self-reliance. That's being prepared. Tell us again why that irritates you, why that's just downright un-American, why that's just plain crazy.

They say there are no atheists in a foxhole. Well there are no conservatives in a storm shelter.

I would suggest that some of you idiots who are slamming Ron Paul actually play the tape of what he said instead of listening to what the author says he said. They are two entirely different things. This whole article is obviously written to make Ron sound bad and if you compare it with the tape of what he actually said, you would have to assume there must be another tape that contains the information in the article. Way to go Feisty: they have fooled all of you once again. You bought it hook line and sinker.

And he's right, FEMA does tend to get in the way, and we should all be prepared for disasters on our own.

Feisty- quit pontificating and read Paul's opinion on Social Security, in his own words and then come back to tell us why you disagree with his viewpoint. Or, don't read it and simply continue to spout irrelevant talking points.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul215.html

Hah! Katrina didn't prove FEMA was bad. It just proves FEMA was bad under a Republican.

Jim W -

I don't like the compromise, but I admit that it is difficult to imagine another way to deal with the distorted conflicts that arise from having the power to redistribute wealth, while still promoting liberty through legislation. I think it is important to remember that earmarks only contribute to 1% of total
spending... a drop in the bucket. Ron Paul is 100% for transparency in bills, including earmarks; 100% against self-serving earmarks; 100% for Congress "reading" bills in their entirety. Earmarks are essentially just detailed provisions in a bill, which is better than no details at all.

He didn't vote for the stimulus package, but since money was allocated to his district, he said as a representative he has an obligation to see that the money gets used for needs there, rather than going back to Washington, where it will be wasted without transparency.

You see a hypocrite and I see No bridges to nowhere...no land improvements in an area that backs up to his home to improve his property value...no paybacks for contributions. Just an honest Representative trying to see that his district gets their "fair share" until the time when States can take care of
States...communities take care of communities. I see much needed infrastructure appropriations; I see concern about health issues; I see concern about the economy in his district. I see an honest Politician/Statesman.

What if Congress actually did their job? What if instead of passing massive legislation that they don't even read or have time to read because the unConstitutional coup hoists it upon them during a so called crisis, what if instead they sat down and did their homework and earmarked every single item in the budget?

What if they turned their focus on the Federal Reserve and decided to make it transparent and responsible to the Congress of the United States?

Remember earmarks do not make a difference to the debt or the deficit. The money is destined to be spent. Earmarks are about process, but too many people think its about spending.

Is it hypocritical to decide exactly where the money goes at the request of his constituents instead of leaving it up to bureaucratic discretion?

I do have to give the Guy points for actually stating the ugly parts of the rights agenda.

That said I was working in the Tent Hospitals set up after Hurricane Andrew and there would have been 1000s more die if it were not for the Funds and the Actions of FEMA.

It is Agencies like FEMA that end up making a huge difference in the lives of working class Americans after catastrophes. The wealthy can go to a Hotel and/or leave town. The working class quite often does not have those choices.

The Insurance Industry paid 11cents on the dollar after Andrew and then cut and ran. People were left standing in a waste land with no help save the FED. Some times we need the FED.

I have nothing against Ron Paul wanting to live in the early 1900s but if he likes those conditions so well he should go to Millersburg, Ohio and live with the Amish. Leave the rest of the country out of it.

fiesty:

Time for the old goat to be put out to pasture...

Typically this is not the case for old goats....it is more along the lines of a Texican cook-out and usually the old goats are roasted in a earth pit for many hours to soften them up, since they are mostly gristle and bone and bad attitude....however this does sound appropriate.

Larry - I don't think RP wants to live in the early 1900s. I do think he has been fighting for our liberties so that we may live our lives unmolested by big government. It appears his ideals of liberty and the role of government are a bit too complex for the soundbite generation to digest.

Ron Paul does NOT have a perfect voting record. Refusing to increase revenues purely on ideological grounds when we OWE $15 trillion dollars and need to pay it off as soon as we can and use everything we've got to do so is not perfect voting record... it's the voting record of a delusional person.

Ron Paul is the perfect candidate for the perfect society that doesn't exist, hasn't existed, and probably won't exist in years. Putting it in "doctor" terms (after all, he is one), he's like a doctor who says medicine should get out of a body's way, that the immune system should always be trusted to fix problems, and that external chemicals are bad for the body, because they're disrupting nature's way. That would be a very good philosophy if we had fortress-like bodies with invincible immune systems (analogous to perfect, problem-free states like California... oh, wait) and no proneness to disease. Maybe evolution will get us there in the distant future. Maybe we're even preventing that from happening by relying so much on medicine. But as long as my body is imperfect and prone to disease, I'll trust mine in the hands of a doctor who is practical about what should and shouldn't come into it.

What's sad is that some (I'd like to say "many," but that's probably unfair) libertarians have their heads stuck so far up their butts that they don't understand that not every "intelligent" person agrees with them, or that no everyone who disagrees with them is inherently inferior in intellect. They think that they've found the perfect system for our society and that anyone who does not see things their way is just irrevocably indoctrinated by the current system or does not know better. To their credit I'll say that they disdain, not outright hate, those who disagree with them, unlike the most extreme factions of our left and our right (which includes the Tea Party, itself a quasi-libertarian group).

To more mature and understanding libertarians, I'll just say this: I don't disagree with everything you propose. I'm all for ending the Fed and for making our government more efficient and less wasteful. But look, I've said it millions of times, we HAVE to be practical and understand that we have OBLIGATIONS (read: things that we HAVE to pay for, whether we become the most libertarian country in the world or not) including a MASSIVE debt that won't be taken care of just by cutting government spending, or at least not in our lifetime. And what kind of pathetic logic is it to think that advocating revenue increases (as in, 80% of this country) while supporting spending cuts (as in, another 80% of this country) makes one a "fake conservative"? That's middle school mentality, where you either belong to a group of people OR you belong to the other. That doesn't offend—it just doesn't make sense.

Job1

That Ron Paul is just plain crazy.

Why? Because he believes the people can do things for themselves without government involvement. Maybe Fema can put you in one of thse toxic trailer homes and then you can thank them at your funeral for it.

Fema cause more harm than good for the people.

In CA during the 1994 Quake, there were two kinds of Fema programs. One for the rich that got a lot of money to rent expensive homes until their others were rebuilt, and then the ones for the poor that were given very little money and told to find a small apartment to rent.

For me Fema is a program that should be helping all people equally, and not just cater to the rich and the wealthy as they will be doing on the East coast getting hit by the hurricane Irene.

@ProIndividual...

That was some of the most inane drivel I have ever seen on Newsvine. Ever. So many words, so little sense...

And, please, do us all a favor and put a check on your "morality" and try an "ethical" approach instead. You and the planet will be better for it, I promise.

If he thinks states can do it better, let's just let states "opt-out"

This is a horrible idea. You WILL get states opting out, they will refuse to join (though half will be a Rick Perry, where they hate the idea and want to kill it, like the stimulus, but are FIRST to get in line for it), then something will happen and they will DEMAND that washington shows "common decency" and comes and bails them out. They had this in the areas where you could opt-out of paying Fire Fighters, you could pay a low fee every year or not have any help. So a guy refused to pay claiming it was "unnecessary", so guess what happens? His house burns and he gets pissed about it. THIS is what these conservatives hacks want.

Should we be surprised? Rick Perry rails against the stimulus every day yet he accepted large sums from it to sure up his own budget shortfalls (that budget he keeps advertising he balanced).

Is FEMA kind of broken? Sure, ESPECIALLY after Bush combined it with the DHS and put his dumb buddy in charge. Should FEMA be disbanded and let everyone "Fend for themselves"? HELL NO! If it saves one life its pretty worth it, especially with dumb asses in charge of towns where they defund the FD and PD in the name of "balancing" the budget.

Federal government is there to help states when they can't handle it and to promote the general good, sounds like exactly what they are doing.

Things people can't do for themselves without government interference:

Go to the moon

Invent the computer, the internet, etc.

Bring running water and electricity to every home

Build highways, bridges, parks etc.

RECOVER FROM A HURRICANES, TORNADOS, TORNADOS, WILDFIRES ETC.

If it is as conservatives say, that busines' only motive is profit, do you really want them profiting from natural disasters? I sure as h&!! don't.

Either there's not many christians on this board, or they don't understand yet the purpose of the church in helping others. The government has to TAKE from people to give them Anything, the church freely VOLUNTEERS its services, money or labor etc.. I'd be interested to hear back from someone who lives in Joplin on this. My guess is they'll tell you really quick they couldn't have done it without the support of like minded christians and patriots...

Why do we need FEMA? Why the hell do I buy insurance for? Or why do we have a Guard ? And who tell's FEMA to step in ?

Why do we need FEMA? Why the hell do I buy insurance for? Or why do we have a Guard ? And who tell's FEMA to step in ?

You have obviously never been through a disaster or had to make a claim on your homeowners or renters insurance.

The Church took that money from people as well. Or were given it. Could you convince Americans to give to the government to help and benefit us all?

ProIndividual-3906907

Great nonsense emotional argument frankltrue.

The problem is, donations fund MOST relief of ALL relief efforts...so how is it moral or efficient to threaten others with jail (taxes) to pay for your problems, no matter how tear-jerky they are?

It isn't.

Donations are how things get done in disasters, and should be...FEMA is simply a tiny slice of the money involved, and it's just a political ploy to say "look, we're doing somethin', now vote for us".

I hear what you are saying and yes, the people donating money does more so than any government program ever does. The problem with that is, a lot of that money donated by the people ends up in the wrong hands, churches filled with charlatans, and other organizations.

When Katrina hit, I gave lots of food and some money of a church, then later caught the pastor's wife shopping through the donated food for their pantry. This is a problem when it comes to any kind of donations. Who can you trust.

I have since decided to donate and help out my neighbors directly when they are in need of help vice-versa. This way I know 100% of my donations are going to the people, not to some third party charlatan dipping their hands in the tills for their cut.

The problem with government donations is that when they donate the people's tax dollars they are padding their pockets with some of that money as well. How else do you think these presidents and crooked and thieving politicians go so damn rich.

They love disasters. It gives them another opportunity to rip the people off once again.

Either there's not many christians on this board, or they don't understand yet the purpose of the church in helping others. The government has to TAKE from people to give them Anything, the church freely VOLUNTEERS its services, money or labor etc.. I'd be interested to hear back from someone who lives in Joplin on this. My guess is they'll tell you really quick they couldn't have done it without the support of like minded christians and patriots...

You understand all that money and materials doesn't come directly from God from thin air? And that most people have jobs and can't donate nearly as much time as say a National Guard member your gonna pay anyway? Also that people do volunteer to FEMA and other organizations during a crisis without the whole religious connotation or tax write off or raping little boys...

Hey Ron, one nation.

PeAcE LoVeR-2838047,

Good list of what Ron Paul "has never done" and "was against"... is there a list of anything he's done or accomplished?

Minimalism is a frame of mind... a background voice... that accountant reminding leadership of financial issues... NOT leadership (which is what Ron Paul is missing).

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL

Ron's hitting the looney juice pretty hard today... isn't he?

First Medicare now FEMA!

How about a cheap shot at Social Security while you're at it Ron!

What's even more frightening is there's idiots walking around out there who think he should be President!

Time for the old goat to be put out to pasture...

Just as ridiculous as Obama giving amnesty and work permits to illegal aliens while millions of Americans are unemployed.

"Obama giving amnesty and work permits to illegal aliens while millions of Americans are unemployed."

Except this hasn't happened.

The Obama administration's direction to the Department of Homeland Security to use 'prosecutorial discretion'" when it comes to removing those illegally in the United States, results in those whose removal cases are set aside to be eligible to apply for work permits,

Hey Daniel...

The "church" also likes to "help" others by molesting kids, cheating on their taxes, having all kinds of affairs, stealing from their parishioners, promoting bigotry and hatred and all sorts of other "christlike" behaviors...

I think many people undertand the "purpose" of the "church" just fine.

Swat that with your bible...

Glenn...

When you find the unemployed Americans who are willing to clean toilets and wash dishes for minimum wage, please let me know...

I just saw on TV last week where a resturant had a dishwasher job posted...not one...NOT ONE "American" showed up for it. Not one. So, my advice...get a clue you pea-brained bigot.

Caligula, As far as Left Wing Liberals go you must be are the biggest halfwit in the pack. Next time I want to have a debate with a mental midget I will let you know. For now, go back to watching TV, your mom will be calling you up from the basement bedroom for meatloaf soon. Tomorrow when the government check arrives, be sure to head down to the pharmacy and pick up those scripts that keep you "calm".

"The Obama administration's direction to the Department of Homeland Security to use 'prosecutorial discretion'" when it comes to removing those illegally in the United States, results in those whose removal cases are set aside to be eligible to apply for work permits,"

No, sorry. The 'prosecutorial discretion' directive was about aiming resources at dangerous and high-risk illegal immigrants FIRST, rather than use lots of financial resources to round up those who are not dangerous. See here: http://www.factcheck.org/2011/07/did-obama-enact-dream-act/

Under certain circumsyances the Department of Homeland Security will consider in granting favorable exercise of prosecutorial discretion which will lead to deferred action. Deferred action is a process by which the U.S. Department of Homeland Security makes decision based on some enumerated grounds not to prosecute an immigrant at this time. Once an immigrant is granted deferred action, such an immigrant will be eligible to apply for and obtain employment authorization if he or she can provide evidence of economic need or hardship

Nunya, guess what, you aren't the only one who lives near Galveston. You are the one on here telling lies. You can still see the damage done by Ike and the strand is barely alive today. Ike was no "rainstorm" and anyone who says different is either a bold face liar or someone who lives in Montana claiming to know what happened during Ike. here are just a few photos of your little "rain storm".

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/09/the_short_but_eventful_life_of.html

Our nation is BANKRUPT! All Presidential Candidate Ron Paul wants to do is interject some competition & efficiency into government... not eliminate it! What is so crazy about that? Most on this post board would agree that a non efficient monopoly is a BAD thing... Why do many of you support a bad thing when the government does it? FEMA could easily become efficient and appreciated if instead of being an election reward system for political buddies... It was VOLUNTARILY funded by states as a national emergency insurance program! A non efficient, federal employment & vote buying agency... or a customer responsive, actual problem solving cooperative... Hmmm, which option makes the most real sense to you??? Ron Paul is right on target... that's why all the howls on this board!

Wow, there are a lot of people here bashing Ron Paul that obviously know nothing about him and many confused people that think we actually need FEMA!?!?!? Yea they have such a great track record, what would we do without another useless government agency? Can any of FEMA lovers actually offer proof of ANYTHING FEMA has done right and without ridiculous waste? Anyone here remember how well Katrina was handled and how much money was wasted?

"Under certain circumsyances the Department of Homeland Security will consider in granting favorable exercise of prosecutorial discretion which will lead to deferred action. Deferred action is a process by which the U.S. Department of Homeland Security makes decision based on some enumerated grounds not to prosecute an immigrant at this time. Once an immigrant is granted deferred action, such an immigrant will be eligible to apply for and obtain employment authorization if he or she can provide evidence of economic need or hardship"

Highlights in your quote are mine. So all these conditions, under certain circumstances, and many ifs later, it is possible that a non-violent illegal immigrant who knew about and could jump through all these hoops, MIGHT be able to get employment authorization. That's a little different than the blanket amnesty and work permits you claimed Obama was giving in your previous comment, isn't it?

Your quote: "Just as ridiculous as Obama giving amnesty and work permits to illegal aliens while millions of Americans are unemployed."

This guy needs one of those nice jackets. The wheels have officially come off. Thanks Ron.

Typical Leftist banther here, begging for the Federal Goverment to take care of them at every turn, to tell them what to think, where to go, what to eat, what to do. Ever hear of Personal Accountability? A bad storm is coming, if you can't evacuate stock up on water, food, and batteries, secure your home the best way possible. Have faith that your State Government has taken precautions to protect you in the event of an emergency. It's pretty pathetic that most on this site mirror what the liberal media has told them, instead of being pretty pissed of that the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT has its fat nose in EVERY aspect of our lives.

Why is that the rally cry of the so called Left? Socialist European Nations are falling like dominos, while U.S. taxpayers fund their bailout, and all you do is cry for the Federal Government to have MORE powers over your life??? PATHETIC.

Half of his positions I can somewhat agree with, just not to the extreme he takes it.

The other half of his positions are crazy and VERY dangerous.

This issue is one of those crazy ones. The fed is the only level of government which could orchestrate disaster relief for an event the size like we will be enjoying this weekend. I don't think your average church group is up to the task. And for those who don't hang around with "grownups with imaginary friends", are they just skrude?

Please tell me WHICH of Ron Paul's "positions" are crazy or dangerous. PLEASE.

Oh, I don't know...maybe the crazy position of Paul's that Iran really would play nice if we just would tell them we'll ignore everything they do? Or maybe it's the one about legalizing prostitution and heroin? Oh wait, I know, how about the gold dabloons we ought to be running around with? Oh, no, I know...its the one about abolishing the IRS and expecting everyone to just well, ya know, get all our neighbors to pave roads together. Oh, no, surely its that one about abolishng any thought of national standards for education because we're going to be able to handle the information age with little red school houses! Yeah....he's just a shoo in THIS time around!

I guess the East Coast needs to grow up and quit looking for other States to play Santa Claus everytime they make a bad investment and build in an area prone to natural disasters.

You mean you can't build in the whole United States?

Also, in that article that someone referred to here about pictures of destruction in Galveston, down in the article it said that they billed FEMA for 563 million dollars ... Wow, I guess Ron Paul didn't have the pocket change. WT~!

Yes what part of the US is not prone to a disaster of one kind or another? Tornado Alley?, The Floodplains of the Mississippi? The Earthquake Belts in California? The Volcanoes of Washington and Hawaii? THe Blizzard prone Northern states?

Many of the Desert areas seem to be fairy immune, of course they don't have water...except what is piped in at extreme cost...No that does not work...

Nashville had those huge floods last year...gotta think about that

Most mountainous arenas don't have that much build able land, not too stable, high cost to make accessible...no that does not work...hmmm

Seems everywhere is either prone to one or more kinds of disasters or is not hospitable. Or is full of ignorant people like you

These are strawmwn...

The point isn't whether or not areas have natural disasters...the point is paying for it through taxes is inefficient, not the bulk of the money contributed to the effort (donations are, as always), and it's IMMORAL. It's not problem, and if I choose to not help you, that's my choice (I always donate, I even donate to efforts in Japan and Haiti). If you need to be FORCED through taxes, you aren't moral, you're amoral.

From above:

The problem is, donations fund MOST relief of ALL relief efforts...so how is it moral or efficient to threaten others with jail (taxes) to pay for your problems, no matter how tear-jerky they are?

It isn't.

Donations are how things get done in disasters, and should be...FEMA is simply a tiny slice of the money involved, and it's just a political ploy to say "look, we're doing somethin', now vote for us".

Anything else is a delusion.

BTW, I always donate to these clean-ups...and would donate more if I wasn't extorted with threat of prison (taxes) to pay for it otherwise, so some politician can take credit for my charity. The less money I have, the less I can donate...and since for-profit business is most efficient, and charity is next, and government is least, then it reasons the money I would otherwise donate in absence of it being stolen in taxes would benefit those people in need MORE, not less.

It's easy to play "I'm moral" with other's stolen money.

If I came to you and demanded money to help disaster victims, and threatened you with kidnapping and a life in a cage if you refused, that would be immoral and theft/extortion/kidnapping, regadless of my pure motives, right?

But when you do it by proxy using a man with a fancy uniform and a tin badge all of sudden morality is irrelevant, huh?

Any consistant moral theory shows this to be wrong. Wake up.

Rage I serve on the board of a national health charity.

I spend every Thanksgiving week filling in at Meals On Wheels as many volunteers are out of town.

I have been a Intervention "buddy' for People with AIDs, visiting them several times a week, washing clothes, cleaning up, being beside them holding their hand as they took their last breath and even walking in to find they died alone. Try that one and se if it does not tear you up inside.

I mentor a kid who has no dad in sight, he has gone from failing classes 5 years ago to the honor roll, he starts College next week on a scholarship. He has a chance now, and he is ring to make it.

I donate over $50,000 per year to various charities from the Red Cross to A women's Health Initiative (Primarily various forms of cancer), Prevent Blindness (My brother is Blind), and of course to the Charity I am on the board of.

The company I work for (And I am in a high potion there) does Pro Bono work for several charities.

My money is there, more importantly (and more valuably) so is my time.

For all this why do I get? Invited to a bunch of parties and dinners that I won't go to. My name listed in publications as "anonymous' as I prefer..except on the Board Position. A few certificates and small thank your like umbrellas, Snowglobes and the like...I give almost all of that away...Ok I keep the Snowglobe. But my kid has it in his room.

I donate over $50,000 per year to various charities

Charity is more efficient at allocation of resources, so it reasons if you were not taxed so some politician could take credit for your funds, that not only could you give more, but it would more effectively help those in need.

You make great emotional arguments, but not any rational ones to show why Ron Paul is wrong.

comment #1.42 read it. Just try, it may be hard you may have to look for your glasses and it may be hard to comprehend something new, but try, for your children's sake ...........obviously most people here could not grasp the message ron was conveying in the nine sentences surrounding the video clip.

ProIndividual, even us left leaning Independents know that individual responsibility is important. We may lean left, but we're NOT stupid! FEMA coordinates effort. When the disasters are huge, it takes an organization with the expertise to coordinate the output of resources of time and money so that the right hand knows what the left hand is doing. It does no good in cleaning up a mess if everyone shows up with food to feed the volunteers. Then all the volunteers just sit around eating the food everyone brought. That's over-simplifying it, but it appears you need it explained VERY simply so that you can understand why coordination is necessary. I've lived through many floods and a tornado. If the efforts had not been coordinated, we'd still be wondering why a certain task never got done!

ha Iran. what CAN they do to us? ?.Hmm if I remember they were at one time the ONLY shiite controlled country. Now there is another...hmmm can you tell me which one and why? His views on Iran are correct. Unless you are a religious extremist that believes that the people of isreal are Gods chosen. In that case there is no use talking to you.

In my town many people are experts on where to find things and how to get things done It's our town, our state. I do volunteer work with many many people"experts" you could say. So what are you trying to say? 3,700 full time union benefited employees 4,000 stand by,are needed. because towns don't know were to find water ,food ,lumber, gym's for people to sleep in? WOW i am enlightened . thank you.

AP-1414066 said:

Or maybe it's the one about legalizing prostitution and heroin?

That's not what he said. What he said was he would not make it illegal at a Federal level. Most likely, heroin would be made illegal in every state. That's his purpose -- to decentralize government and let states make their own decisions. Historically, that was a very conservative idea, and federal control of everything was a dangerously radical idea. There was also a time where the idea of a "free market" was absurdly radical and thought to be very dangerous. Same with getting off the gold standard. Now it's absurdly radical to want to go back on the gold standard. My how times change.

As for prostitution, I imagine all states will make that illegal as well, but there may be one or two that permit it and regulate it. After all, prostitution is currently legal as long as there is a camera filming it.

Heroine, hookers, and unrestrained capitalism.

Stop it Ron. You're making the Chinese very horny.

Seal --

They're all being played and this is so obvious to anyone who thinks independently.

Did you notice how the recording of Ron Paul was cut and edited. The mainstream media is trying to discredit him by editing his statements to portray something different.

I am one who is sick of the one party system we have. I started doing my own research on Ron Paul. The more I learned about him the more I liked him. He is the ONLY ONE who speaks the truth and has for over 30 years.

People have to realize that most of Ron Paul's ideas will not be implemented overnight due to the gridlock. However, at least DIFFERENT ideas and approaches will be given a chance.

I implore everyone to research the truth about Ron Paul on your own and quit listening to mainstream. And please pay attention how everything that will be published in mainstream about Ron Paul will try to make him look crazy.

What an insult to those of us who know better. We are not being fooled, but I'm afraid those who don't take the time to fact check will be fooled (just look at the parroting comments above).

I hope the parrots will realize how foolish they are being.

RON PAUL 2012 - A constitutional President for a Constitutional Party.

Click on the Issues tab and you will learn where Ron Paul stands on the issues.

Again, I implore every one of you to make up your mind by yourself.

Donations are how things get done in disasters, and should be...FEMA is simply a tiny slice of the money involved, and it's just a political ploy to say "look, we're doing somethin', now vote for us".

ProIndividual is running under the giant assumption that Companies and Organizations are all knowing and don't care about themselves but the general good. FEMA isn't exactly 100% charity but you know charities have members of their boards and other portions that pay people right? Even some charities are scams and don't actually help the charity and just run off with the money... please stop acting like state governments can 100% deal with EVERYTHING (Especially in the south where the amount of money given to the fed is much lower than the amount of money taken) or that these organizations have all members who don't take a cut of the donated money and stay for the entire clean up.

Yes, if the South can go it alone, then only take as much Fed money as the South gives. Even steven. That's all the rest of us states ask. Maybe we can do better then too.

I don't know why the right wing nuts are complaining about their hard earned money going to places like FEMA, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, etc. Their tax dollars past, present, and future have already been spent on the wars they approved of by their idol Bush. I want mine to be spent on the services they disapprove of and not the needless fiasco in Iraq.

People, people! Stop trying to educate the clueless. If you take the philosophy of folks like "proindividual" and "rageagainstthem" (who is "them" anyway...us lefties and darkies?) you wind up with a country where everyone is on their own and there is no federal government. There is already a place just like that...it's called SOMALIA. So, I suggest that all of the right-wing, so-called libertarian and tea baggin' nut bags go there...it's their dream world come true! That way the rest of us can get on with the business of advancing civilization instead of taking it back to the stone age...where knuckle-dragging was the norm...

you wind up with a country where everyone is on their own and there is no federal government. There is already a place just like that...it's called SOMALIA.

Actually there is a place like this in the U. S. It's called the Amish country where they pay no taxes and are on their own ability. I just wish these TEA party nuts would try it for a year or two to see how "great" it is before trying to force it on everyone else.

Larry...the amish benefit from the existence of the federal government just like the rest of us...however indirectly...but they still benefit. They don't benefit as much as some of the tea-baggin liars who have their own hands out for every dime the can get but want to deny those same benefits to everyone else...

And to the RP supporters, before you get your knickers in a knot...did RP fight against the use of FEMA money for hurricane Ike? Did he stand up at the time and say NO, we don't want your dirty federal dollars? Did he? Because if he did, I'd love to see the video clips...

Well I stand corrected...Ron Paul DID vote against sending FEMA money into Texas after Ike. So he has personal principles and integrity...I'll give him that.

But in my opinion, he also has a blatant disregard for the welfare and safety of his constituents...

OK...since I corrected myself, and even gave the guy some points, how many on the other side of this argument are willing to do the same and agree to his flaws?

If people who vote for Ron Paul go by online monikers like "Seal Team Six Got Owned", is it any wonder why Ron Paul is a fringe candidate?

And I LIKE a lot of Ron Paul's positions...

Ron Paul does not care, he's retiring from the House, probably to AZ.. LOL... :)

$3 million per minute.

Just keep that in mind my libbie friends. See, the bitch of it is, we are all out of magic fairy money dust and we all ready sold all the unicorns off to pay for the Stimulus, and Cash for clunkers.

But I do enjoy your sentiment - Save us big government, save us as we cannot possible save ourselves.

So dirp101, you got so issue with Arizona?

Spanky: no, No problem with him baking in the AZ sun. I just thought that since his brain is already fried and he's old, he'd fit right in there with McCain.

Ron Paul is an interesting individual. But, thank God there is only one of him. A society of Ron Pauls wouldn't survive evolution.

Here we go again, government is bad for you people but good me. Ron, how about you quitting your job since government pay you with borrowed money? Deranged elements.

dirp101

Ron Paul does not care, he's retiring from the House, probably to AZ.. LOL... :)

He must be on a rock somewhere that tells him to just say no.

Amy B. : Ron Paul's son, Sen. Rand Paul is also a suit or two short of a full deck as well.

"Just keep that in mind my libbie friends. See, the bitch of it is, we are all out of magic fairy money dust and we all ready sold all the unicorns off to pay for the Stimulus, and Cash for clunkers."

Neat post, Spank. Kekep 'em coming.

Wonder if Ron Paul is willing to give up his evil Government pension when he retires in 2012--NOT.

Does anybody know if Galveston has rebuilt since it was wiped out in 2008? I would imagine FEMA had a lot to do with that. I watched that Hurricane on TV and Ike left next to nothing standing in Galveston.

I tried to Google recent pix of Galveston. They should have a lot re-built by now. Anybody know?

Galveston got $118 MILLION to rebuild after Ike.

spanky: You keep holding onto your magic fairy money, whatever that is. However, I actually work and pay taxes and despite your silliness, know the US is not "broke". I am very pleased that a tiny portion of those taxes I pay goes to provide emergency relief for those hard hit by natural disasters. Interesting planet you live on, but I don't think I'd really want to live there.

TO: What a crock! who wrote:

"Galveston got $118 MILLION to rebuild after Ike."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

From FEMA? Hold on now, Ron Paul says he's from the Galveston area, they got $118 million, NOW they don't need FEMA anymore? What a crock! First he gets the money, now he doesn't need them anymore. LOL. If Ron Paul was serious, and if all these America-haters were serious, all they had to do was say "no thank you" and then did it all on their own, like in 1900.

I'm not a Ron Paul supporter. His supporters are twice as crazy he is.

However Amy B. Portland's comment is ignorant beyond belief. A liberal welfare state allows the weakest, most inept citizens to not only survive but propagate. Ron Paul's views would actually be better for "evolution" than your standard liberal democrat.

Survival of the fittest = Survival of people who can take care of themselves.

Attack Paul all you want, but don't say stupid things!!!!

Good post Bill. A liberal state cannot stand for long because of that.

The Balinese room is gone and for awhile it looked like UTMB would never reopen, but it has. Murdoch's has been rebuilt. The Strand's all cleaned up, the Tremont Hotel's reopened, Moody Gardens has restocked its fish. Galveston is looking pretty good, so come on down!

Seriously, though, Nunya, Galveston looked awful for quite awhile after that storm. People died. It was not just a rainstorm. They needed help, and they got it. And I'm glad.

Jody in Iowa...

"Wonder if Ron Paul is willing to give up his evil Government pension when he retires in 2012--NOT"

Ron Paul is the only Congressman who DOES NOT participate in the House of Lords-esque pension fund actually...you might want to look up the facts slanderer.

He also donates a significant portion of his Congressional salary back to the treasury every year.

BillJenkins: Survival of the fittest? Really!!?? Tell that to Sarah Palin about her handicapped son. And say goodbye to old people who can't take care of themselves anymore. How about all the other disabled? Well, according to you, if they can't board up their home by themselves, then to h**l with them. The hurricane will take care of them and help evolution!

Do you even have a heart? Much less, a soul? I'm glad you don't live next door to me. You wouldn't make a very good neighbor. And given your attitude, you don't make a very good human being!According to you, I'm dispensable!

Have any of you actually researched Ron Paul or have you simply received all your information from snippets in the media. If you actually research him and read his books, you may just find yourself agreeing with most of his positions.

Jody, Iowa

Wonder if Ron Paul is willing to give up his evil Government pension when he retires in 2012--NOT.

Um he's already opted out of it, he's not going to get a Government pension you should try looking things up instead of spewing crap, He's also already returned 400 thousand dollars of his congressional office budget for the year. Google is a beautiful thing.

I think you have that backwards love it, I gather from what you're saying is if FEMA didn't show up to help the little old lady next door she'd be screwed since YOU wouldn't help her, I would love for Bill to be my neighbor because I'd help him board up his house and in turn I'm quite sure he'd help me board up mine, survival of the fittest would mean neighbor helping neighbor not sitting around waiting for someone from the government to come "save" us.

"Love it or Leave it" I was responding to someone ELSE'S comment about "evolution".

What is wrong with people like you and the OP of that trash?

You try to claim you know all about evolution, and then proceed to say things that are the exact opposite.

There is no compassion in evolution. Jesus Christ...Liberals really can't think with their heads, can they?

BillJenkins,

Why so hostile?

Your enraged response more likely confused and turned away more people willing to side with your explanation had you demonstrated a cooler demeanor.

I think you need to explain yourself more clearly when criticizing what you believe is someone's literal use of a word, versus the intended figurative use of a word, in this case, to explain the consequence of the decisions based on someone's selfish act of denying help (versus an altruistic process of giving and receiving help), especially when you use that as proof to justify an attack to denigrate an entire population of people. I see a disconnect here, in what you seem to be interpreting what she is meaning to say about Ron Paul and "evolution," versus your response that implies your support of Social Darwinism.

Were you being cynical or sarcastic when you stated,

"Survival of the fittest = Survival of people who can take care of themselves."

...or do you actually believe in that?

-------------------------------

Amy B. Portland, ME

Ron Paul is an interesting individual. But, thank God there is only one of him. A society of Ron Pauls wouldn't survive evolution.

#3.4 - Fri Aug 26, 2011 12:38 PM PDT

------------------------------------

BillJenkins

I'm not a Ron Paul supporter. His supporters are twice as crazy he is.

However Amy B. Portland's comment is ignorant beyond belief. A liberal welfare state allows the weakest, most inept citizens to not only survive but propagate. Ron Paul's views would actually be better for "evolution" than your standard liberal democrat.

Survival of the fittest = Survival of people who can take care of themselves.

Attack Paul all you want, but don't say stupid things!!!!

#3.14 - Fri Aug 26, 2011 5:37 PM PDT

Survival of the largest cooperative group = survival of as many as you can bring together.

No Government = anarchy.

States Rights busted by Civil War. The states just wanted to perpetuate slavery. They're doing it again.

Aynn Rand used social security, medicaid and medicare. Sorry AtlasWillShrug

Aynn Rand used social security, medicaid and medicare. Sorry AtlasWillShrug

And your point is what? It's not inconsistent with her views. Can you voluntarily withdraw from paying into SS and Medicare? No. You are forced to pay and have every right to the money that was confiscated from you. SS is a scam and should be dismantled, leaving the 6.2% to the individuals who earn the money. Same with medicare. However, since we now have people depending on the money that was promised them, it must be paid. But, the programs should be eliminated for anyone under the age of 45, their money transferred to a private account, and the remaining entitlements for those 46 or over should be paid out of the general fund.

SS and medicare will collapse as our country continues to decline in population. For this ponzi scheme to work, you need to increase poplulation and stop aborting babies. But again, that's contrary to common theory. Increased poor population = more deficit spending through entitlements. So justify SS and medicare, you'd better start populating the country...if not, you had better eliminate the program to save us from ourselves.

jody-iowa....pro individual.... is RIGHT. WHY don't you people learn to use the keyboard in front of you for something useful. you do realize it can be a tool for good. rather than using it to make yourself look like a tool. CLASSIC liberal or neo-con view you have , not even realizing that they are both NOW one party posing as two working for Alan Greenspans federal reserve. thanks btw you people are really helping the future of the USA sooo much,with your computer skills and american idol politicians. thanks again......DA ...him or not.

saddest part of your uninformed idiotic post jody iowa is that 29 other uninformed idiots,as of now, that don't know how to google gave you a check..THAT is why the U.S. is screwed. "idiocracy"

Ron is not part of the tea party. The tea party is being taken over by a bunch of religious right fanatics that are ruining the idea of non career politicians becoming elected. Its just like "parry" saying what he said about the federal reserve, he won't do a dam thing about the fed. He and these other right wing religious stooges know why Ron Paul is becoming more popular everyday. Ron has been yelling about this change for 20 YEARS . THING IS HE MEANS IT.

Look at government spending/tax rates in the 1940's; 1950's and again in the 1960's and the unemployment, GDP growth rates.......

Then talk to me about spending, taxes, growth and job killing.

The current TeaPublican philosphy is to kill the US economy, ship the jobs overseas, take what is left and give it to the rich, allow anyone who is not wealthy to just suffer and die on their own; all in an effort to be elected.

Oh, for God's sake, give it a REST!!!!!!!!! GOVERNMENT IS NOT BUSINESS. Let me repeat that. GOVERNMENT IS NOT BUSINESS. Businesses are there to make money, period. Government is there to govern and contribute to the health and welfare of its citizens, not to make a profit. So, just in case you didn't read it the first two times, let me repeat - GOVERNMENT IS NOT BUSINESS!!!!!!!!

Thank you! This government shuold be run like a company is the most ridiculous argument I EVER heard. They are actually diametrically opposed to one another. The last thing we need is a " bottom-line" bean counter CEO making decisions that affect actual people.

Amen Dixie.

Jake in Chicago

TO: dixie-3977127 who wrote:

"Oh, for God's sake, give it a REST!!!!!!!!! GOVERNMENT IS NOT BUSINESS..."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

And yet they take in billions and billions of our American Taxpayer dollars.

Since Government is NOT in business, why do Republicans always want to vote for a "business man" rather than an "economist"?

I think since our economy is such an important part of our lives, anybody running for POTUS ought to have some knowledge of economics, and NOT campaign like Republicans do saying the American Economy is nothing but a bunch of "fuzzy numbers."

It amazes me how the RWNJ's just can't understand government finances. They want to equate it to their household budget. They think if we cut spending (put even more people on unemployment), that it will help the economy. And any deficit spending is absolutely unacceptable. Obviously not business people.

Have you ever taken out a business loan? That's right. Business deficit spending? If you could barrow money @ 2% interest (like our gov does), and the bank agreed with your business plan which indicates you would bring in 20% profits, they would give you the loan. That's basically how business loans work.

I know if I could get a 2% loan, I could make myself rich in no time. And once I'm rich, I could make myself filthy rich using loopholes so as not to pay taxes. Sure, I might have to buy a senator or two, but that is a tax write-off. (ok... I digress)

I think since our economy is such an important part of our lives, anybody running for POTUS ought to have some knowledge of economics, and NOT campaign like Republicans do saying the American Economy is nothing but a bunch of "fuzzy numbers."

And who was it that predicted the collapse of the economy while every other candidate in the election last time laughed him off?

Oh yeah, it was Ron Paul.

So if you want someone who understands economics, you might want to vote for Ron Paul.

You want FEMA and other government run programs to be run by a private business? Like our health care, where someone off the street, behind a desk, who works for one of these "non-profit" HMO's determines if I get the treatment my doctor ordered? It's common knowledge that in MANY of the non-profit organizations, the top directors get paid handsomely BEFORE money is used on the programs they designed to get their "non-profit" status. The the people who actually help the people for whom the program is designed earned pittances for wages. And then when the fund-raising efforts haven't raised enough funds, the first thing that gets cut is the out-reach to the people for whom the program is designed.

A private business or non-profit running something like FEMA would have a huge salary expense for their top dogs BEFORE they actually helped someone. You have to be joking, right??!!

@ProIndividual:

The only reason there was concern for the economy failing was because of an artificially created debt ceiling, not because the economy itself was unsound. Ron Paul didn't correctly predict the economy tanking. At best, he correctly predicted a political game of chicken that had nothing to do with the actual stability of the economy.

Who cares what this doddering old fool thinks.

That might be what Paul is saying but he's wrong. FEMA should mobilize, get things there before regardless of what some Governor thinks whenever there is a threat like Irene.

That might be what Paul is saying but he's wrong. FEMA should mobilize, get things there before regardless of what some Governor thinks whenever there is a threat like Irene.

In particular, if said Governor withholds aid for [imminent disaster here] because he's convinced that they'll be saved by [religious deity here], then it is FEMA's duty as people to overrule the Governor, bring sanity back to the Executive branch, and save the state from both disasters (natural and Governor-contrived).

TO: w bush who wrote:

"I believe Mr. Paul was stating that FEMA should mobilize only if the state requests it..."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Now isn't that ironic! A poster who doesn't know how FEMA works and also happens to call themself (G) W Bush. What a tickle!

What causes FEMA to mobilize is when the Governor of a State asks the POTUS to make a "disaster" declaration, and when the POTUS does so, FEMA steps in, but NOT to force any money on anybody.

The thing is, Republicans' reason behind them not wanting anybody (except them) to accept any payout, is so that Republicans can have more for themselves. You're not fooling anybody Republicans, we know where a lot of that "waste, fraud and abuse" is going, and we know Tea Begger Welfare Queen Michelle Bachmann gets 23 welfare checks a month, one for each of her foster kids, food stamps, and as much money as anybody wants to give away.

Ha!

Most of the people commenting probably didn't even watch the video. He talks about how FEMA doesn't let people get into their homes and how they don't let volunteers help. And they are broke! The media picks and chooses what people hear and it's clear that they are trying to paint Ron Paul as a loon. I think people who WANT to pay more taxes to these corrupt agencies are loons. I can't imagine the waste going on. Actually I can...a recent 60 minutes story talked about the millions of dollars being wasted with Medicare in fraudulent claims being filed. There was a recent story about how billions of dollars went missing to contractors in Iraq! Seriously, people need to get their heads out of the sand and understand we are being RIPPED OFF and our government is letting it happen.

Americangirl- you got it wrong. The governor of a state declares a state of emergency not the president.

game kid said, "then it is FEMA's duty as people to overrule the Governor, bring sanity back to the Executive branch, and save the state from both disasters (natural and Governor-contrived)."

It is scary that you could make such a statement without batting an eye. There is a reason our government is set up with checks and balances.

One more time for all those people who are fake liberals, fake conservatives, and fake patriots...

What Amendment to the Constitution authorizes FEMA? Because it certainly isn't in the enumerated powers of the Constitution.

But who cares right?

Then quit compalining about the PATRIOT Act then, quit complaining about torture, quit complaining Social Security and Medicare aren't Constitutional, stop complaining about everything! Just shred the damn document and declare a dictator...

...because that's the direction we've been headed for over a hundred years.

Wow Pro, your a constitutional lawyer too. You are hermaphrodite.

Wonder if Ron Paul is willing to give up his evil Government pension when he retires in 2012--NOT.

Just to keep you well informed of the facts Jody, Ron Paul just so happens did not take the government pension plan because he feels it rips off the people. Also he returns a portion of his congressional budget back to the treasury each year.

THANK YOU LISAfrequency...jody iowa is obviously google/keyboard challenged..as with anyone that gave her a check..lmao..oh wait no it's actually sad. I laughed at the first ten minutes of idiocracy. then realized how sad and true it was. maybe Clevon is her boyfriend.

Wrong Joe , it's takes a FEDERAL declaration to use FEMA. You are aware that FEMA is a federal agency right? Governors can declare disasters all damn day long but until there is a FEDERAL declaration, no FEMA,.

Government is not business. Government brings in no money with its work. It depends on the money generated by the small independant American business owner. If you were contributing the money to run the government as opposed to taking money from the government, you would understand. Yes, we need certain services, but there is too much spent on things we don't need. How many times should a home be rebuilt on the coast with federal monies/ I say once and then you are on your own.

And this is why I will never support Ron Paul, no matter how much principle and integrity he might have compared to the rest of Congress.

Ron Paul isn't against people who need help, he's against the Gov't providing the help. When was the last time the government did anything right with efficiency???? People need to be self-sufficient, think and do for themselves, and not depend on the gov't to help and tell them what to do. Why should we let any group of citizens, including the elderly, bankrupt this country????

There are dozens of non-profit organizations that receive federal funding that do what FEMA does, the Salvation Army being one of the larger ones. I know first hand because I've been on grant committees before. I don't have a problem with people being helped with federal funding, it's the duplication, fraud and waste that gets me. Remember the trailers from Katrina that were found to have formaldehyde?

Hey Jack, Your statement"Why should we let any group of citizens, including the elderly, bankrupt this this country?" this statemnt is inane!

Do you have a family? Or were you sprung full grown from the head of Zeus?

I think it is the first. So go talk to your grandparents, elderly uncle or aunt. Ask them not to bankrupt the country. After they stop laughing, they will give you a short course in the real history of the US in the last 70-90 years.

Jack, it might be a great way to spend your weekend.

He has said REPEATEDLY hew wouldn't take a single welfare check or SS check, or their med care, away from any dependent person...he has also said over and over there is no reason to have welfare for the rich (corporate welfare) and SS/med care for the rich who can afford it (means testing).

But you keep spewing nonsense.

Let the young OPT-OUT if they want, stop the wars to pay for the loss of revenue from them (it's PONZI SCHEME which relies on the young being stole from, cough cough, taxed), and phase out these programs VOLUNTARILY, or not at all.

Anything else is a fantasy of sustainability that simply doesn't exist in any pyramid scheme, PERIOD.

Pat, Boston, MA

Ron is one of I believe two congressmen who refuse to sign up for the government pension.

History's most efficient Government: Nazi Germany.

pat bostonMA you are sadly ignorant I am so sorry to be one of the ones to tell you. Maybe you should look up his paycheck healthcare and pension and see what he does with it. Get your tongue out of barney franks ball bag DA!

Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps doesn't work when your boots, house, clothes, and dog have been taken 50 miles out to sea.

You just couldn't be more wrong about Galveston, Nunya. In 1900, Galveston was the one of the biggest towns in Texas with about 37,000 people, (Galveston claimed 42,000, because many people were on vacation when the census was taken), because of its great position for shipping. At the time, Dallas's population was about 42,000 and Houston's was about 44,000.

http://physics.bu.edu/~redner/projects/population/cities/dallas.html

http://physics.bu.edu/~redner/projects/population/cities/houston.html

http://www.gthcenter.org/exhibits/storms/1900/victims/stormfaq.htm

The 1900 hurricane was such a blow Galveston was never able to regain its position, which is one of the reasons Houston was able to take off the way it did. Somewhere between 6,000 and 12,000 people died in that storm. Ron Paul may want to go back to that time, but most people would not.

In 1900 we didn't have weather forecaster's and radio's, TV, cellphones and the internet. Maybe if people knew a hurricane was coming they would have got out.

Stop living in 1900 or pull your head out of your .....

DRK -118 - Thanks for the backup and your citations.

Nunya - Yes Galveston was a metropolis and was a vibrant coastal import and export point for Texas in 1900 due to its cotton trading. Despite its lack of area on the island there is no telling how it could have expanded on the mainland as the years progressed. After the storm Galveston certainly diminished and became Houston's port. With the advent and broadening of the ship channel to Houston Galveston lost more relevance.

Check out Interesting information from DRK's links about the government built and paid for seawall.

________

From 1902-10 Galveston experienced one of the greatest engineering feats of the century. From 1902-04 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed a large seawall to protect Galveston from "overflows" of the Gulf. Reaching 17 feet high, it surrounded the city from 6th Street to 39th Street. The federal government paid to have the wall extended to 45th Street so it would also protect Fort Crockett. In later years the seawall was lengthened to 61st Street and then to its present ending at 103rd Street.
After completion of the seawall, engineers then raised the entire city. This involved raising each home on jacks or stilts and then pumping wet sand underneath until the ground was level with the raised structure. Some homes were raised as much as 17 feet, the same height as the seawall. The grade sloped towards Galveston Bay at a 2 percent decline, so that the businesses on the Strand and the piers were not raised.

The seawall and grade raising were tested in 1915 when another hurricane, equal to or more powerful than the 1900 Storm struck Galveston. While the seawall was battered and damaged, the loss of life and loss of property was minimal compared with the devastation caused in 1900.

Nunya is gull of it. He/she lives no where near Galveston. Probably not even in the state.

Best line of the day, Da Noid!

Hope everyone in the path of the hurricane (or who has family/friends in the path) stays safe.

More like: "evacuate and quit stealing from others to pay for your bad investments in a hurricane prone area"

Your morality is based on extortion...not very moral.

i HOPE A veery long time if your waiting for FEMA. nieghbors will prolly help 1st, thank God. for neighbors in ninth with boats!

Big difference in who is talking: President Bush with his "your doing a heck of a job Brownie" or

President Obama, "I cannot stress this highly enough, if you are in the projected path of this hurricane you have to take precautions now."

Who do you believe you should be listening to about hurricanes ?

It's really not fair to compare G.W. Bush to Barrack Obama or any other individual who can form a cohesive thought and, further, make a cohesive statement. Moreover, one would have to assume that G.W. Bush has or had a clue which, quite apparently, he doesn't. Go easy and always remember, he can't help it if he doesn't know anything! ;-)

dirp askn...lmao!

Luckily, the same people aren't in charge of FEMA anymore.

Look at all the amazing work that FEMA has done, like for instance in southern Florida when a hurricane wiped out Homestead AFB, and all the other times? I find it amazing that the time you guys bring up, Katrina, was on GWBush'es watch and his cataclysmic mess!

luckily someone different IS APPOINTING THEM.

Why does one part of the nation helping the other include threatening the helpers with prison if they don't pay? Seems to me donations should fund these efforts, and our taxes should be lowered to reflect it. Anyone crying about "they need help" should look in the mrirror. I don't require threats of prison to pony up a few bucks to help others, but then again charities are MORE efficient than government...

...the faux morality of stealing from others to help is AMORAL, not moral.

Besides, donations will far exceed the total allocated by the federal government, it always does.

If you need to be FORCED to pony up money to help your neighbors, you aren't a good person.

Forrest, Well then your employees were crooks, and you should have turned them in! You do know that you have to apply for that money don't you? That you have to fill out paperwork, stating that you are in need? That is worse than welfare fraud, and shame on them, and shame on you for not turning them in! Got yourself some real good employees there! NOT

hummbird, they went to the winds. That was more money than they had ever seen. They went to Chicago, California, Tennessee, you name it. I had no forwarding addresses. People don't even need a w-2 when they file. You've apparently never owned a business, just like the president. Try to make payroll for dozens of employees, week after week. Then I'll take that righteous indignation of yours more seriously. Always several different people at fault. You're an American alright.

Forrest- They went to the winds? Righteous indignation look in the mirror! They were your employees, you brought up the story. Why are you a business owner, if you find it so hard? Hire some people like accountants to help. Your the one gripping about your grandchildrens heritage, why are you on this vine? Turn off the faux noise it's rotting your brain. Can't see the Forrest through the tree's!

Hey Forrest, your last name wouldn't be Gump, would it?

Forest, you made the statement that the president didn't ever run a business .... You are talking about Katrina, and who was the President during Katrina? BUSH .....BUSH ...BUSH. Sorry, I know you badly want to blame EVERYTHING on Obama, even the extinction of the dinosaurs and the cruxifiction of Jesus, but it doesn't work that way.

Lucene - Forest did not blame anything on Obama. Try rereading his post. I, however do blame Obama, not for Katrina, but for helping to expanding George W Bush's warped, insane, destructive policies. Obama told us all how horrible the Patriot act was ... right before he voted FOR it. We are still in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have been bombing Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Pakistan. We have shadow warriors in over 75 countries that assassinate suspected terrorists. Gitmo is still open. We have built the largest and most expensive embassy ever built in Iraq. It is about the size of eighty football fields and employs close to twenty thousand personnel. We plan on staying there for years to come, just like we have been in Germany since WWII.

If we are paying attention, we see far more continuity with past administrations than we do change. There have been no fundamental changes, despite candidate-Obama’s mantra about “change you can believe in.”

Republicans, Democrats, call them whatever name you please. They are one and the same. Both parties are Big Government, Big Business, Warmongers.

Hey, this is about the other Ronney. R. Paul that is and his crazy fanatic libertarian views. Katrina was a disaster in more ways than one. Hope New Orleans is ready for the next Hurricane.

sincerus IS RIGHT WAKE UP PEOPLE!

, however do blame Obama, not for Katrina, but for helping to expanding George W Bush's warped, insane, destructive policies. Obama told us all how horrible the Patriot act was ... right before he voted FOR it. We are still in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have been bombing Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Pakistan. We have shadow warriors in over 75 countries that assassinate suspected terrorists. Gitmo is still open. We have built the largest and most expensive embassy ever built in Iraq. It is about the size of eighty football fields and employs close to twenty thousand personnel. We plan on staying there for years to come, just like we have been in Germany since WWII.

If we are paying attention, we see far more continuity with past administrations than we do change. There have been no fundamental changes, despite candidate-Obama’s mantra about “change you can believe in.”

Republicans, Democrats, call them whatever name you please. They are one and the same. Both parties are Big Government, Big Business, Warmongers.

I am so glad there are people like you standing up and saying what needs to be said. I see people getting what Ron is saying every day because of people like you thanks! I think it is amazing when I get to see a person get it it is like the light finally come on it is good. I wonder where the anti war left went?

Absolutely Alex,

Why if that earth quake had flattened Manhattan, we just pitch together, build a big tent for one or two million dispossessed and make corn fritters over a broken steam pipe. It's like the movies - with a story that never happened. All of the good citizens can do it themselves - nobody steals - and it's all for one and one for all. Senior citizens would die by the thousands the first day, but "IN THE LONG RUN" we rebuild the skyscrapers with some scrap lumber. Yeah, that's the ticket. Friends and Neighbors and Walmart too!!

He is right only in tea land where up is down and wrong is right. I know he trying to sound presidential, but don't you think it would be smarter to wait and see what the damage is before making noise on how tough and independent you are.

He is just another lets kill social security and medicare so the rich can have more tax cuts kinda of guy.

absolutely BEYOND...if manhattan was flattenend FEMA could fix it sooo much better

True

[Canada doesnt have a FEMA...]

Canada also doesn't have 89,000 miles of shoreline, and just how many hurricanes per year hit Oh Canada...eh?

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001801.html

FYI - FEMA responds to all sorts of natural disasters; floods, snow storms, tornadoes, etc. Seems FEMA saved DC when the city was ENTIRELY shut down, no? (PA, MD, NJ too)

www.hstoday.us/focused-topics/emergency-managementdisaster-preparedness/single-article-page/fema-approves-23-million-for-dc-snow-storm-costs/bfe66e61599fb969d6235ddbed1503b1.html

Mickey, NY

You're right, Canada doesn't have 89,000 miles of shoreline, it has about 120,000 miles, compared to only 13,000 in the U.S. In fact Mickey, Canada has 4 times the shoreline of the next closest country which is Indonesia. If you want to talk "tidal" coastline like your link does, instead of actual coastline, it would stand to reason that Canada actually has about 700,000 miles of "tidal" coastline.

We don't have a "FEMA" in Canada because no, we don't get hurricanes except along the EAST COAST, just like the U.S. We do however have tornado's, earthquakes, ice storms etc. Do you really think the U.S. is the only country to suffer from natural disasters?

wouldn't post my link, so: look on wiki for "list of countries by length of coastline"

Mickey, NY

I just did a more in depth search and found your own link will show you that Canada's shoreline "is by far the longest" at 152,100 miles.

You'll have to excuse Micky, NY. He's my fellow American who still believes the entire ionosphere revolves around us and only us. Not every American is that self-centered and, dare I say, abjectly ignorant. For the record, I had NO idea as to how the substantial size of Canada's coastline. Thanks for an informative post!

you would think being from NY this mentally challenged individual would at least know how dangerous snow and ice are.thank you sillyson and askn....

saddest part is 14 other "challenged" ppl agreed with NY. wh-owwwww

Thomas,

I hope you have that lovely quote ready for that National Guardsman who asks your homeless children standing next to you in 100 degree heat if they want a case of water bottles and some food rations.

LOL! Poor Thomas thinks Jefferson was arguing AGAINST democracy...

Actually, it was:

"If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretence of taking care of
them, they must become happy."

Nobody is saying that's FEMA's labors are wasted or only a pretence, so old Tom's probably all right with FEMA. It's the libertarians that are all pretence and no labor.

LOL! Poor Thomas thinks Jefferson was arguing AGAINST democracy...

All the founders were against democracy twit...you might want to bone up on your history and stop listening to Chomsky.

They wrote extensively against democracy, as it is mob rule, tyranny of the majority...hence why they set up a Republic.

This is what public schools do to peoples brains...fill them with nonsense.

Nobody is saying that's FEMA's labors are wasted or only a pretence

By labors he meant our money...way to lose the context of the quote.

They are wasting our money, and charity is much more efficient...AND ALWAYS TAKES INMORE MONEY TO HELP. FEMA is simply a political ploy to show "look, we're doing something, now vote for us".

AP-1414066

LOL! Poor Thomas thinks Jefferson was arguing AGAINST democracy

Ignorance is bliss for some. We have never been a pure democracy! I believe it was Washington who described democracy as two wolves and one lamb voting on what to have for lunch.

Our founding fathers viewed democracies as pure evil, that is why we were given a Constitutional Republic that works with in a framework of democracy. The majority was never to trump the rights of an Individual. Please read or reread the Federalist Papers, the Constitution, and the writings of Jefferson, Adams etc. The more you know .....

I've got to hand it to the advocates of big government. They're never embarrassed by the failures of government. On the contrary, the state's every malfunction is declared a reason to give government more money and more power.

Take Hurricane Katrina, a colossal failure of government at every level--federal, state, and local.

Government failed to plan. Government spent $50 billion a year on homeland security without, apparently, preparing itself to deal with a widely predicted natural disaster. Government was sluggish in responding to the disaster. Government kept individuals, businesses, and charities from responding as quickly as they wanted. And at the deepest level, government so destroyed wealth and self-reliance in the people of New Orleans that they were unable to fend for themselves in a crisis.

And some people conclude that we have too little government?

Who were the people who suffered most from Hurricane Katrina? The poorest residents of New Orleans, many of them on welfare--the very people the government has lured into decades of dependency. The welfare state has taught generations of poor people to look to government for everything--housing, food,
money. Their sense of responsibility and self-reliance had atrophied. When government failed, they had few resources to fall back on. People had become trapped in dependency, with neither financial nor moral assets to rely on.

Thank goodness for human compassion from churches, businesses and charities.

After Hurricane Katrina, businesses and charities responded effectively. Government failed at even its most basic task of protecting lives and property from criminals.

FEMA, in and of itself, is ironically a disaster.

“You marvel at the goodness of people and that American spirit that says: When things are really bad, we will band together and take care of each other,” http://www.insidecolumbia.net/5354/2011/06/columbians-help-after-joplin-tornado/

Seal Team - Keep talking to your friends and those around you. It is up to us to carry his message since both political parties and the corporate owned mainstream media are scared to death of him. He would not maintain the status quo and the powers that be hate the very thought of it.

Hey Ron, one nation!

NunyaF'inBusiness

How much do YOU think it takes to repair a city of 50,000? Even if only 20,000 buildings were damaged, at an average cost of only $10,000, it would cost $200,000,000, so obviously $189,000,000 is not a very big number. So what are you so angry about when someone points out that Galveston recieved that money? I haven't seen anyone saying it wasn't needed.

Local, state, feds were sure out of touch during Katrina. I would much prefer seeing a quick response team nationwide than some local whodoo that is a political hack. Yes, yes and before you tell me that FEMA has political hacks, I know. I wish it weren't so but that's what we deserve for who we hold accountable. (DEMS/REPS)

"Shore up". UGH, aren't we all tired of that Palin line? And he will do WHAT with all of the soldiers returning home to no jobs, no homes?

Ron Paul's district is solvent because of government aid, not because he is some economic genius. Galveston would be a ghost town had FEMA not stepped in to save it. This is NOT 1900, 1940, or 1950, it's 2011. Time to step up or get off the bus. It needs to move forward and adapt to modern day changes, not backward.

If we continue on this path, their will not be any jobs, no entitlement programs. Our debt is 25% of GDP, when we hit 40% of GDP, China will stop buying our debt. At this point, once we default, we will enter hyper inflation. If you get a paycheck you will have to spend it immediately because next week that paycheck will be worthless. Do a search to see what happened to the Soviet Union.

Phil - I understand that Japan's debt is 110% of their GDP.

Well then, we should get our Debt to GDP ratio down to something rational like maybe 18%...like Haiti and Laos. You betcha.

US corporations are sitting on 53 Trillion Dollars. Our Government has a 14 Trillion Dollar Debt. Our nation is not bankrupt. Our Government is. Maybe we should all share the pain. Just sayin.

Hey Ron, one nation.

You already said that in your post 2 lines above. Anything else?

"He would take the saving from the military to shore up the entitlement programs. The people dependent on the government would still get their checks."

Huh? I thought he was a Libertarian. Are there two Ron Pauls?

He is a Republican.

He identifies as Republican now because the Libertarian party is not politically viable on a national level. That doesn't change his ideology. Where did you ever get the idea that he would support entitlement programs?

Again, crazy Ron Paul and his crazy fanatical libertarian dogma.

Hey Ron! one nation!

no "status quo" will be better right IMHO? and all the other drinkers liberal and RINO/... hey koolaid!

If you think Libertarianism in action would be BETTER than the status quo, you obviously understand nothing about Libertarianism.

If you could just go ahead and tell me the last time New York City was hit by a Category 1 storm... Go ahead, look it up. I'll wait.

What's that? It's a once-per-century event?

I've got news for you. In some form or another, every part of this country is subject to disasters. Hurricanes in the South, tornadoes in the Midwest, earthquakes on the west coast, blizzards in New England, wildfires in the Southwest...I could go on and on.

Weather happens. Everywhere. And I don't think we are "entitled" to anything, but I do know that we as a nation have agreed to pay taxes in exchange for services from the government, including helping out areas that have recently been devastated by natural disasters, which can only be protected against so much. Some of my taxes went to help the poor folks of Galveston after their town was practically wiped off the map. Some more went to the people who are still living in trailers in New Orleans. And I am damn proud of every dime of mine they've used to help others when they needed it most.

We're not 310 million individuals. We are one country consisting of 310 million people, who, whether you realize it or not, constantly and totally depend on each other. It's 2011, not 1900. Get with the program.

Jason, what are you talking about? "I don't need FEMA if there is an earthquake in CA" You can take care of yourself...have you personally ever been in a natural disaster of any kind? Sure neighbors can help for about five days, then the food runs out....

Did you pay any attention to the earthquake and its aftermath in Japan. If that happens in Cali. everyone will need more than FEMA , you will need other countries to help out too.

@Adam88

"but I do know that we as a nation have agreed to pay taxes in exchange for services from the government"

I fundamentally disagree with paying for federal programs that are not constitutional. I DO NOT agree that we have all agreed to pay for all services from the government. Please quit trying to turn everyone into socialists. I want to be a Republican because we were given a Republic by the founding fathers.

"I DO NOT agree that we have all agreed to pay for all services from the government."

Really? Then feel free to do your own drug trials, inspect your own food, and pave your own highways. We don't get to pick and choose whichever services are important to us and only pay for them.

"Please quit trying to turn everyone into socialists."

Please. You wouldn't know a socialist if one bit you.

"I want to be a Republican because we were given a Republic by the founding fathers."

Today's Republicans would make the founding fathers gag.

Jason: how do you even enter the debate when you so clearly don't even understand what the federal government does?

Whatever state you live in, its receiving federal government dollars. Your highways, your roads, your food and air inspections, your FAA controllers, your military, your business loans, your college loans... All are constitutional. (and no, the definition of constitutional is not what you in particular don't want to pay for.)

Jason: how do you even enter the debate when you so clearly don't even understand what the federal government does?

Clearly you don't understand what it does...it creates an oligarchy and wastes money doing it...for political gain.

Most of the relief effort will be funded through charitries, as always...this is FEMA dog and pony show to say "look we care, we are doing something, now vote for us"...and you buy it hook, line, and sinker.

The naive just keep on talking though...

How does Ron Paul think there would be any coordination by each state with the other states affected by a massive storm of the size of Irene? In 1900, Galveston, TX population was around 37,000 whereas recent 2010 census indicates the population stands at 291,000 people.

Additionally, the power companies are affected by weather events particularly those that have the potential to knock out the power to the largest populated areas of the US like those super computers in NY, NJ, District of Columbia, RI, VA and much of the east coast. Does he think that every person and individual states are going to would coordinate with individual customers to rebuild/repair the cable, fiber optic lines while also cutting dangerous trees that may have fallen on power lines? Does Paul understand that damage to an aging infrastructure and real estate are way beyond what they cost in 1900?

The man is showing his age on issues and matters of breadth and scale affecting society that require a broader/wider type of thinking He seems to be recalling the "good old days', days of yesteryear. We are not talking just about one seawall in one city in one state.

Storms seem to be bigger and more intense with ability to affect more populated areas. I think citizens in general will take precautions for their own safety and help out when there is a need.

Ron Paul's case of altzheimers. Remembers the 1900-1920 era but today, eh not so good.

Its so sad that not many even watched the video.FEMA THE WAY IT IS is a fat cow and can be streamlined. to have a small percentage of employees that get together with people on the state level to deal with disasters AS THEY HAPPEN. NOT have 3,700 full time employees sitting around and 4,000 other back ups on call waiting for a disaster to happen, then ship them to it! Can you not see that that is ridiculous? That Ron is RIGHT. MY GOD PEOPLE complaining about Ron...Learn to read and or watch and COMPREHEND!

@Jason:

What clause of the Constitution says FEMA is unconstitutional? It provides for the general welfare and goes to supporting interstate commerce (as you know, those are two federal powers explicitly granted by Article I, Section 8, so the 9th and 10th Amendments don't apply).

I DO NOT agree that we have all agreed to pay for all services from the government.

You agree every time you drive on a public road, send your kids to public school, purchase gas that is federally subsidizes, use public electricity and water, purchase FDA inspected food at the grocery story, take prescription drugs that were developed using federal R&D dollars and approved by the FDA and the list goes on an on an on. So, looks like you and your "I do not agree" have a couple choices. 1. Move out of the country so as not to use any of the advantages the federal government provides you but you seem to think you should get for free (the ultimate free-loader). 2. Shut your pie hole and pay your fair share of the services you use regularly but want everyone else to pay for.

It's not about being selfish, it's about personal responsibility, which liberals don't exhibit. Why don't we follow the constitution and keep these programs at the state level where they belong at a minimum, and then let the states weed out the inefficiency?

Why don't liberals want to follow the Constitution, the supreme law of the land?

I don't think Jesus had anything to do with politics.

That's a pretty narrow view of at least half our population. I'm responsible, own a home, 2 cars that are paid for, saving for college for 2 kids, and have no debt. Have not claimed insurance or filed for government assistance, I give to charities every year, and do service work locally.

I do see a larger problem with not helping the poor, but DO see a problem with MANY inefficiencies in government. Doing away with the programs is not the answer.

The programs you want are not constitutional...again, I ask, why don't you want to follow the constitution?

Jason: What on earth are you talking about? What programs are uncconstitutional? Providing disaster relief? Roads? Schools? LOL!! A constitutional scholar you are not.

I'm with AP-1414066. The Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation, which were a miserable failure. Why were they a miserable failure? Because they provided for an extremely weak federal government. Go ahead, read them and see. I would provide a link, but the comment system automatically deletes them. They can be found easily on Google.

The Founding Fathers recommended that we needed a STRONGER federal government, so after a short period, the Articles of Confederation were replaced with a Constitution.

Despite what you seem to have been told by whichever talking head pundit you listen to, the Constitution is not black and white when it comes to limiting or granting powers to the federal government. For example, it provides that the federal government may regulate commerce among the states. It's not exactly clear what that means - some might argue it's a very weak, narrow power, whereas others would define "commerce" extremely broadly to include anything with any effect of any kind on the economy in aggregate.

That's why the Supreme Court has a specific role: to figure out when Congress has overstepped the bounds of its authority.

Long story short: FEMA has never been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, which is the body with the power to do so, as part of the brilliant system of checks and balances in the Constitution. You know, the Constitution that you so strongly support.

Then you guys show me in the constitution where it says FEMA is allowed.

Nobody up to the challenge to show me in the constitution where it talks about federal programs like FEMA? Guess not.

Just because the Supreme Court doesn't declare something unconstitutional does not mean that it is constitutional. That is really poor logic to think that way.

Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution clearly states the enumerated powers given to congress, and nowhere does is say anything about federal emergency funding.

Sorry Jason, but you're in a very small minority thinking that anything not explicitly authorized by the Constitution is unconstitutional. It works the other way around: the Constitution explicitly FORBIDS the things that are unconstitutional.

Jesus didn't vote because he lived under a Roman dictatorship. So, calling him a liberal is a little far-fetched. I can hardly imagine he'd have agreed with many of the so-called "liberal" ideologies of today's world.

@Ash: The Constitution really doesn't prohibit very many things at all. The 18th Amendment prohibited alcohol - but we all know about how well that worked and how long it lasted. (Hint: The 21st Amendment overturned the 18th.) The Constitution grants two specific powers to the federal government and explicitly grants all other powers to the individual States. Instead of relying on your memories of high school physics and the incorrect statements you get on comments boards, try reading it some time. It's fascinating.

"Then you guys show me in the constitution where it says FEMA is allowed."

It's in the Preamble: "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

Jason: you can't possibly have passed high school. I'm sorry if that's harsh. Really. Do pick up a 5th grade history book and then fill in some of the blanks with a 9th grade social studies primer. Either you just never learned the basics of your own country's system of democracy, or you just never learned the basics period.

Jason- you actually want every Gov agency, spelled out at the signing of the Constitution? OK everyone turn in your internet and cable TV. See how stupid that sounds? OK nuff said!

Would you rather see every road made a toll road and all education be paid out of pocket?

Yes. Not only would it cost you less (you pay taxes to pay for those things, they aren't free now doofus), but what you pay would be far more efficient, as government is least efficient at allocation of resources, charity is better, and the best and most efficient method is profit driven business.

Hence why private schools are 2-3 grade levels ahead of public school counterparts....DUH!

And if you can't pay, progressive pricing (by income) already exist in many private schools, and could easily be added to the EZ Pass system of tolls...and smaller roads (like side streets) can simply be deeded with your house, making it's maintenance you issue directly, and again, saving you money because you already pay for it through taxes. Progressive pricing of services is far better and cheaper to the public at large than progressive THEFT (I mean taxes, lol).

Look up the Cleveland Clinic and how they do universal healthcare in a free market model using progressive pricing...it's one of the largest and best hospitals in the world, and it treats everyone regardless of income, and YET it prices progressively, doesn't require the "go ahead" from insurance companies. They self insure.

Amazing how free market solutions work when you let them....but you'd rather whine than look for real solutions.

Jason- you actually want every Gov agency, spelled out at the signing of the Constitution?

That's sort of the purpose of the damn document. If you want more, pass Amendments...amazing how that works!

If you can't get an amemdment through, then stfu.

Also, the Supreme Court of Cowards upheld slavery and fugitive slave laws, it doesn't suprise me they do what is politically correct and say things not in the Constitution are Constitutional.

Read "The unConstitutionality of Slavery", it clearly shows that any court with any balls would of outlawed it upon it's first legal challenge...it's a document meant to regulate and limit the federal government, NOT individual rights. NEGATIVE RIGHTS, liberals...the only real rights that exist, and that were acknowledged by our Founders.

@Adam88

You said: "Despite what you seem to have been told by whichever talking head pundit you listen to, the Constitution is not black and white when it comes to limiting or granting powers to the federal government."

It is black and white. Congress is not granted any powers beyond Article 1 Section 8. The list is finite which is supported by the existence of the 9th and 10th Amendments of the Constitution. Politicians and their followers have perverted this over the years to the point where our country is broke. Hello...14+ trillion dollar debt. Congress needs to follow the original intent of the constitution.

@AP-1414066

You said: "Jason: you can't possibly have passed high school. I'm sorry if that's harsh. Really. Do pick up a 5th grade history book and then fill in some of the blanks with a 9th grade social studies primer. Either you just never learned the basics of your own country's system of democracy, or you just never learned the basics period."

Valedictorian graduating from HS, Bachelors and Masters degrees in engineering at one of the top engineering schools in the world. Sorry, but I might just possibly be as educated, or more educated than you and I don't have to resort to making insults like you either.

@Ash Plissken

You said: "Sorry Jason, but you're in a very small minority thinking that anything not explicitly authorized by the Constitution is unconstitutional. It works the other way around: the Constitution explicitly FORBIDS the things that are unconstitutional."

Then why is there an explicit list of congressional powers? Congress is allowed to make law related only to that list of powers. Have you even read the Constitution? Article 1 Section 8 is not a "blank check" as many think it is. This section of the Constitution has been perverted over the years. The original intent was to regulate congress in what they were allowed to do. Why do the 9th and 10 amendments exist? All of you people who think government is allowed to do everything under the sun have been misguided by mob rule and power hungry elitists. If you want further proof of original intent, you need to read Federalist 41.

@DrDrGimmetheNews

You said: It's in the Preamble: "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

General Welfare is not a blank check as you think it is. If it was, there would be no need for Article 1 Section 8, nor the 9th and 10th Amendments. It is a fallacy that has been growing over the years. The original intent was clearly explained in Federalist 41. If we had followed the original intent, we wouldn't be in the situation we are in now.

"General Welfare is not a blank check as you think it is."

I did not say it was a blank check. Learn to read. Yes, in Federalist 41, Madison explains HIS perspective of the original intent of the preamble. The very fact that the founders gave us an amendment process and a system of checks and balances should tell you that they understood well that they could not predict what needs the country would face and what advances would come in the future, and wanted us to be able to respond to those. Not all of us are dying to live in the US circa colonial times.

It deeply saddens me that people believe the media an don't understand that Ron Paul is the biggest threat to the status quo. No candidate in my life time has ever challenged the system the way he does and it is really going to be a bummer if he does not get elected. Mark my words all hell will break loose if he does not get elected. Because he is the only one who has a clue on how to fix what is wrong. Every other candidate is just saying what they think people want to hear. We need to hear what Ron says even if we o not like it because we will be more prepared. Believe me this system is going to crash do you want a good hair do or someone who will really do something to make it right?

Let's see, Jason the constitutional lawyer. Yeah, like I'll follow his advice, NOT!

Lisa, the cassandra of catastrophy if crazy Ron doesn't get elected. I think I'll pass on that one.

Corporations are still sitting on 53 Trillion Dollars. And the Teapublicans want to eliminate all corporate taxes.

But wait corporations are people, shouldn't they pay their share? And when their products kill people shouldn't they be on the hook for murder too....

Plain and simple, this guy is a nut job and a disaster waiting to happen. I think he and Lisa have been sipping some bad tea.

I agree that the Federal Government's powers are limited by Article I, Section 8 (or more specifically, I agree that Congress's powers are limited by that section, as Article I covers the Legislature, but let's just keep it simple).

However, clearly you did not read the next paragraph that I wrote, where I gave just one of many, many examples showing that Article I, Section 8 is itself not clear: the commerce clause.

Can you really stand here and argue that a major natural disaster taking out most of the east coast, including two of the country's largest cities, in addition to the capitol, will have absolutely no effect on interstate commerce? Because if it has any effect (and I'll spare you the suspense...it does!), it could easily (and has been successfully) argued that the efforts to return those cities to normal, whether it be through an agency such as FEMA or any other federal response, falls well within the federal government's authority to regulate commerce among the States.