Disaster Aid

Now you have all of the anti government types out there with their hands out for Federal Disaster Aid. Some of them have said that we should cut spending to balance the aid. Really, does anyone think that Eric Cantor can convince me that that projects and or aid to Wisconsin should be cut and that money should go to Virginia? I don't think so. Here's the way disasters should be covered. The states should be budgeting for disasters. The Federal Government should provide money for Federal roads that are destroyed, money for destroyed Federal facilities, logistical support (even Gov. Christie had to concede that this was beneficial), law enforcement support, and medical aid. The states should be budgeting for the number of floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and forest fires like how we budget for snowstorms except that if the money isn't spent it carries to the next year so that the fund builds up. Unfortunately this will never happen because you have low tax states like Florida that would have to raise taxes because the chances of them getting a hurricane is close to 100% and they cost a lot of money. Yes they do, so does snow plowing, which might explain why taxes in this state are higher than Florida. Not only that Florida expects us to bail them out when they have a national disaster that no one in Florida it seems could see coming but the rest of the country knew was going to happen. The states in the hurricane zones expect the rest of the country to pay for every hurricane, I say enough.

What the Federal Government should not do is allow anyone to rebuild on the outer banks. President Clinton refused to authorize Federal money be spent rebuilding and caught a lot of heat for it. Now many of those homes that were rebuilt have been destroyed again and again the owners are lining up to get Federal money. I hope that President Obama says no and then goes a step further and says that you can't rebuild. How many times should the rest of the country rebuild a house that is worth more than what the average taxpayer lives in?

Jon Stewart interview with Bill Clinton

Thursday night's interview with President Clinton once again show why the President gets it. He explained the issues in the economy, not in sound bites but in a reasoned manner. Then he explained why he is for health reform. The most astonishing number is that in 2009 (worst economic year ever) the health insurers made 29% more money. How can this be, they raised rates and dropped the sick patients. Pretty simple. When inflation was zero or negative these guys were able to make 29% more money. I'll admit that the health reform bill as passed will not solve this problem, because there is no provision to control costs, but everyone should agree that this system is screwed up and all that we hear about is a government takeover. As the President said "you can complain about a government takeover of health care but when you have the companies kicking people out who are winding up on medicaid you are getting a takeover".