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Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop

 

[1]We can’t seem to be able to rein in unprecedented spending or come anywhere close to balancing the budget. But now watch for a huge push to expand the role (and budget) of FEMA in the weeks and months to come. FEMA still hasn’t recovered what it laid out for “Katrina”, but we’ve got fires, and twisters, and quakes, OH MY!

Remember those days before FEMA existed? Hard to do so, isn’t it? Just like trying to remember how our schools possibly functioned before the Department of Education, (and that was only as far back as Jimmy Carter).

Here are some yearly averages on FEMA and “emergency” declarations in the past 16 years. George H.W. Bush declared “emergencies” 43 times per year; Clinton – 89; George W. – 130. In the first two-and-one-half years of his term Obama has declared 360 “emergencies”. In the first half of

2011 alone (doesn’t include Irene and the Virginia quake) he had declared 144 emergencies, which puts him on track for 288 for the year! The one-year record to date is Bill Clinton with 157 in 1996. (Source: The Heritage Foundation)

Remember when relief efforts were local? Neighbor helping neighbor! Church groups providing relief? People coming together. That WAS America! It still happens in small towns and rural locales. How about a return to some more of that good old self reliance and local integrity? Or have we become so entrenched in “diversity” that we can no longer coalesce as functioning, self-sustaining neighborhoods and communities?

Joe Dion
Masonville, Colorado