Monday, November 5, 2012

What's the Perception of FEMA These Days?

By, Chris Rossini
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Being that I live in a town that has been hit hard by Hurricane Sandy, I'm getting a boots-on-the-ground view of people's perception of FEMA.

As a libertarian, I have to say...it's not very encouraging at all.

The best analogy for FEMA that I can think of is Santa Clause riding down the street in a firetruck during the Christmas season.

Everywhere you look, you see signs telling you to "Register Online" if you want FEMA to come to your place. FEMA has a big bag of money, so you might as well stick your arms in and see how much you can take out:


Since I've returned home, I've spoken with police officers, firemen, friends and neighbors, and the talk at some point highlights how you need to register with FEMA and they'll take care of you.

I haven't heard one negative thing about FEMA...at all. Evidently what happened in New Orleans is now a distant memory....

Again, as a Rothbardian, it's quite disheartening.

There's still a ton of educational work to be done.

7 comments:

  1. In really bad situations a lot of people seem to cling to the positive, and ignore doubts and suspicions which might cause them to become depressed or pessimistic. A very mild version of the mechanism behind Stockholm Syndrome.

    The evolutionary utility of Stay Positive in Bad Situations instincts should be evident.

    Anyway, people probably take emotional comfort in the idea that FEMA is going to make everything better, but after life returns back to normal, and people have a chance to reflect, their positive attitudes of FEMA might change.

    Here's hoping the clean up and basic service restoration goes as painlessly as possible!

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  2. FEMA and the NFIP are allowing this to happen again and again by introducing a moral hazard into flood insurance coverage

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  3. Hey, the wonderful, wonderful effects of fluoride on the human brain.

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  4. Chris, I hope you are holding their feet to the fire and asking WHERE FEMA is!?!

    This is a great opportunity to educate people on why price controls make things worse.

    Hope things get better up there soon!

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  5. Online application for federal handouts? That's different. Hank Paulson's TARP money app was just one sheet of paper. Maybe the FEMA budget for Sandy is way more to keep track of. Wait, wasn't TARP $700 billion?

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  6. Have you been to the areas that have it the worst? All the volunteers I have been talking to (working with Occupy Sandy) report that people are pretty unhappy with FEMA. The Village Voice says there is a sense of abandonment in the Rockaways.

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    Replies
    1. If people are unhappy with FEMA because they feel a sense of abandonment, then that's just as bad.

      It's just the flip-side of the same coin.

      Some are happy to partake in the FEMA money giveaways, and others are upset that they can't get a piece of the loot.

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