Comments on: More on FEMA Fraud, Waste and Abuse

By: Tracy

Tracy — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 06:02:36 +0000

Let us not forget that debit cards were one of several means of dispersing the funds to hurricane victims. Just think of what people that received direct deposits or checks did with all that dough. I’ve seen some of the “fun stuff” purchased myself as I used to live there until about 6 months ago.

By: Scott

Scott — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 00:47:08 +0000

$400 bought “adult erotica products,” all of which auditors concluded were “not necessary to satisfy legitimate disaster needs.” Oh come on, have some sympathy....

By: Lenny Zimmermann

Lenny Zimmermann — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 19:58:34 +0000

Frankly I’m quite sure the folks who got that money view at just getting back their hard-earned tax dollars as well and feel like they’ll spend it on whatever they damned well feel like spending it on. (I know, because I know more than a few of these very people, being from the Katrina-affected area myself.)

I really do think it’s stupid to try to blame the recipents of the money for anything. Frankly tey probably know what they need the money for more then the damned government anyway. Add in the utter stupidity of the cost being wasted on contractors at the Federal level (such as the amount being paid for FEMA to put blue tarps on people’s roofs). Any homeowner I know could far more wisely spend just half of what the eventual governmental cost was for any one of their homes.

Why are we taking issue with how folks are spending it when, as SG points out, we should be taking issue with letting the government take as much of our taxes as they do and giving it out willy nilly anyway?

By: Sol

Sol — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 19:29:10 +0000

Our nanny state parents are pretty angry their children spent the money this way. I imagine the children will be sent to their rooms with no dessert and will be grounded for at the very least a couple of weeks. I think Chris would agree that our parents in FEMA love us and we couldn’t get by without them.

By: Mike G

Mike G — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 17:53:52 +0000

It’s nice to know that my hard earned tax dollars have given others vacations, booze, sex, and otherwise a good time **sarcasm**. I wish I could use what I spend in taxes and social security and give MYSELF a good time as well as a good retirement.

By: error

error — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 17:35:14 +0000

Chris, my sources within the Department of Homeland Security tell me from their experience that FEMA was this poorly run even in the Clinton era.

By: Mike Sylvester

Mike Sylvester — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 16:51:04 +0000

FEMA has been poorly run for decades.

It is an example of what is wrong with BIG government.

Kick the Dems and Reps out.

Vote Libertarian.

Mike Sylvester

By: Graham

Graham — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 16:35:37 +0000

It’s hard to expect people to spend wisely considering the great role models of fiscal restraint in power. When you show people that there is no reason to spend wisely or even “balance the checkbook” and that if you spend all the money you have you can easily get more… When you handout money, well…

it’s also another thing entirely to make judgments about what is considered a good use of money. Give the money “freely” and people will buy what they value or “want” not what you think they need. And everyone spends money on different things. Obviously not everyone needs Pampers (or Depends) and maybe sex and booze is just what some people really need for disaster “relief.”

By: Chris Bennett

Chris Bennett — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 16:33:13 +0000

Hold off on your criticisms about FEMA. When Clinton was in office it was one of the most efficient and well run agencies in the government. Bush has used FEMA as a patronage drop-off for inexperienced low-life’s like Brown and Company. I do agree that the whole debit card fiasco was a waste of money. Funds could have been concentrated elsewhere but there are WORSE government agencies than FEMA.

By: error

error — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 14:41:29 +0000

You forgot about the divorce lawyer and the New Orleans Saints season tickets. (The last I find particularly amusing, as at the time their venue had been pretty much destroyed.) As for FEMA, it should be disbanded and the responsibility for disaster response returned to whom it belongs: those who would be affected.