The Biggest Jerk On Earth

[JeffW]

.........instead of complaining, why doesn't anyone do something to help out? WE are the nation, not the politicians in washington. WE have just as much responsibility if not more to help out than the government does..........

First off, I'd be surprised if many aren't helping out. Most can't help on-site, but have donated supplies and money.

Disaster relief is most certainly NOT the citizens' responsibility. We should help because it's the right thing to do. However, we also pay BILLIONS in taxes. The gov't is obligated to handle the situation in an equitable and organized manner, with or without the help of private citizens.

We don't need the police if there's no crime. We don't need the Army if there's no war. We don't need FEMA if there's no emergencies.

A perfect world needs no government. The government is there SPECIFICALLY to help citizens when they are unable to help themselves. It's ironic that you folks liken disaster victims to welfare recipients. 90% of these victims are working people with residences and jobs that are currently underwater. Anybody who thinks that working Americans want to drag this thing out and ride the guv'ment cheese train any longer than they have to is plain ignorant. These people just want to get back to some semblance of "normal" life.

Back on topic:

DeLay is a big a$$hole for making light of people's hardship.

[Chris_R]

Back on topic:

DeLay is a big a$$hole for making light of people's hardship.

I'll agree that, in the given context, he made a complete a$$ of himself.

[Devil's Advocate] But what if he was simply trying to suggest a way for the kids to better cope with the situation? The power of suggestion is VERY powerful and suffering is objective. [/Devil's Advocate]

[Che'_Moderator]

It's ironic that you folks liken disaster victims to welfare recipients. 90% of these victims are working people with residences and jobs that are currently underwater. Anybody who thinks that working Americans want to drag this thing out and ride the guv'ment cheese train any longer than they have to is plain ignorant.

DeLay is a big a$$hole for making light of people's hardship.

I ask again have you actually been there? The people that have nothing now had nothing before. Most of these people did not have jobs before this. They were not part of thr tax base I promise. Mr. West thinks is about race. Thats just plain wrong. But it is everything about class. I am not saying its right, but we live in a socity that still has a cast system

[JeffW]

..........The people that have nothing now had nothing before. Most of these people did not have jobs before this.

So let me get this straight. The flood only hit the buildings housing the homeless?

Wait. If they lived in buildings how could they be homeless?

They were not part of thr tax base I promise. Mr. West thinks is about race. Thats just plain wrong. But it is everything about class. I am not saying its right, but we live in a socity that still has a cast system

Let me fix this for you:

.......we live in a society that still has a caste system........

????

Why are you so confused? This isn't about society. It's about disaster relief.

It shouldn't matter if somebody's residence was penthouse #11 or the city park. Until we can repair the city so that people may return, they need accommodations.

.........It's ironic that you folks liken disaster victims to welfare recipients. 90% of these victims are working people with residences and jobs that are currently underwater. Anybody who thinks that working Americans want to drag this thing out and ride the guv'ment cheese train any longer than they have to is plain ignorant.........

[Che'_Moderator]

So let me get this straight. The flood only hit the buildings housing the homeless?

Wait. dry.gif If they lived in buildings how could they be homeless? blink.gif

No flood hit eveywhere. But you know how it would impact me if I still lived there? I would move back to DC or FL and buy all new cooler toys. And all my cools toys there would have left with me. You really should become communist. All your ideas are great in theory. You got heart kid, but a lot of growing up to do.

[ontheheel]

FEMA is paying market price +10% to hotels. So not free, just free for the refugees. They actually tried to break Kendalls lease because FEMA would pay more. Great logic. Gready people everywhere

there are people who are gouging, but there are actually hotels in my area at home where the managers have taken a hit at least in the first two weeks, to help people get settled. same thing with an apartment complex...

[Che'_Moderator]

there are people who are gouging, but there are actually hotels in my area at home where the managers have taken a hit at least in the first two weeks, to help people get settled. same thing with an apartment complex...

They can submit a bill even if there was no agreement. I am sure some will not though. This caused both good and bad to surface no doubt

[JeffW]

.......You really should become communist. All your ideas are great in theory. You got heart kid, but a lot of growing up to do.

Ha!

So having compassion and wanting to do the right thing in a disaster make me communist?

Once again, you're confused.

Communism refers to a societal ideology. Taking care of one's people in the face of a disaster has zero to do with that. Being against welfare, social security, affirmative action, subsidized housing, capital gains taxes, etc. are unrelated to how someone feels a "first world" country needs to handle a disaster such as this. Not enough money to do it right? Now I REALLY feel a big hole in my wallet! Where the f#$%! have all our tax dollars gone?

My career has plenty of mobility. However, I also have $3/4M in real estate here. In the event of disaster, I would have no way of simply "grabbing my toys" and moving on without leaving MAJOR loose ends here.

[Che'_Moderator]

Ha!

So having compassion and wanting to do the right thing in a disaster make me communist?

Once again, you're confused.

Communism refers to a societal ideology. Taking care of one's people in the face of a disaster has zero to do with that. Being against welfare, social security, affirmative action, subsidized housing, capital gains taxes, etc. are unrelated to how someone feels a "first world" country needs to handle a disaster such as this. Not enough money to do it right? Now I REALLY feel a big hole in my wallet! Where the f#$%! have all our tax dollars gone?

My career has plenty of mobility. However, I also have $3/4M in real estate here. In the event of disaster, I would have no way of simply "grabbing my toys" and moving on without leaving MAJOR loose ends here.

I meant your make believe world is like communism. Only good on paper. If your important toys are real estate I feel kinda bad for you unless they are the homes you grew up in. None of my property I would miss that much... well unless they were not insured for replacement cost.

[BtownVolvo]

Where the crud have all our tax dollars gone?

war isn't cheap bud!

[EricF]

Nothing is cheap! Billions is *nothing* and we certainly pay a lot more in taxes than that... And it takes a crapload of money to keep the United States running even when everything is going great, much less when we have two very significant military involvements overseas.

The idea of the government shouldering the financial burdens of this disaster by itself is just foolish. Sure, they will dedicate a ton of money and assets, and probably an enormously significant amount when viewed in the grand scheme of things... But the cost of this disaster is far beyond the level at which the government can just draft a check and say "Here, now it is all fixed."

We don't live in a socialist or communist state, that's why the government doesn't do everything for us. Sure, they have responsibility, but they can't just magically fix everything.

[Chris_R]

Saw a cool news article today (well, saw some of it, I was on a treadmill at the gym - reading subtitles) but the Fed Gov't is asking State Gov'ts to drop some of their 'pork' projects and divert those funds to relief.

There are over 13,000 of these pork projects being Federally funded right now. They mentioned just one of these projects receives over 50,000,000 dollars a year.

At last count none of the States Reps had replied. Big shock. :rolleyes:

[JeffW]

Nothing is cheap! Billions is *nothing* ...........The idea of the government shouldering the financial burdens of this disaster by itself is just foolish.......

Wrong. The gov't WASTES billions on porkbarrel contracts. It's time to tighten the belt and do the right thing.

This isn't a money issue anyway. Bush has already committed more than enough $$$. It's about holding the people in control accountable for what happens to the ca$h.

Saw a cool news article today (well, saw some of it, I was on a treadmill at the gym - reading subtitles) but the Fed Gov't is asking State Gov'ts to drop some of their 'pork' projects and divert those funds to relief.

There are over 13,000 of these pork projects being Federally funded right now. They mentioned just one of these projects receives over 50,000,000 dollars a year.

At last count none of the States Reps had replied. Big shock.

Geez our budget is so screwed up......

[Che'_Moderator]

Saw a cool news article today (well, saw some of it, I was on a treadmill at the gym - reading subtitles) but the Fed Gov't is asking State Gov'ts to drop some of their 'pork' projects and divert those funds to relief.

There are over 13,000 of these pork projects being Federally funded right now. They mentioned just one of these projects receives over 50,000,000 dollars a year.

At last count none of the States Reps had replied. Big shock.

I agree there is a lot of fluff in the budget. But thats not all fluff. Where do you think the money for some of the governements black projects come from.

[JeffW]

.......You really should become communist...........

......We don't live in a socialist or communist state, that's why the government doesn't do everything for us. Sure, they have responsibility, but they can't just magically fix everything.

Magic? Who said anything about magic or witchcraft?

Communism? irrevelant.

Apparently the President agrees that it IS our government's responsibility:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/16/bush.main/index.html

It probably wouldn't hurt for you guys to take some political theory classes before characterizing disaster relief as communism.

Call people "son" if ya want. Tell people to "grow up". If you are unable to put together a coherent retort, no amount of condescension will make it for you...........