Tancredo Calls for Moratorium on Additional Federal Katrina Spending

Tancredo Press Release ^ | August 31, 2007 | Tom Tancredo

[RochesterFan]

You are correct that aid has gone to five states. NPR did a story on refugees who had elected to stay in Houston, rather than return to NO. They featured two examples. One was an industrious single mother who had worked two jobs. I applaud her hard work. Still, I was surprised to see that, after two years, she was getting a $960 per month federally-funded housing subsidy as part of the disaster relief. How long are such subsidies supposed to last? When are these refugees supposed to be self-supporting? The second group they featured was a group of 4 or five related women with 14 children between them. I did not get to hear the details of their subsidies.

I am struggling to decide on an appropriate time period for relief. If the period is too short, there is too much suffering and death because people cannot get back on their feet and self-sufficient after an event beyond their control. On the other hand, if the support period is too long, it contributes to a culture of sloth and dependency. I would be interested in thoughts on how one could determine the optimum support strategy.

[WatchOutForSnakes]

That is a thoughtful post. I don’t have an answer as to how long relief should last. But I do know that you can’t say, for example, six months and that’s it. Disasters are different. Some are worse and need more time. This one, by anyones standards, was a doozy.

[WatchOutForSnakes]

Oh no, I’ve been busted!! I’m from Louisiana, oh the horror, oh the humanity!! You got me good!!

[chit*chat]

Gov. Kathleen Blanco and other state officials noted that the $114 billion figure Tancredo referred to was an allocation spread among five states in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.

In a statement, Blanco said Louisiana's share was about $60 billion

Amazing, just amazing. They know how much went to them when the amount is mis-stated but they cannot account for millions in missing/absconded funds. The clintons taught their party well on the skill of selective memory.

Nagin's comment about a chocolate city annoyed me. Let him rebuild it with chocolate dollars.

[Ima Lurker]

Funny how only people here with Louisiana state flags on their respective FreeRepublic homepages seem to think New Orleans ain’t getting enough money.

Maybe that's because those are the people living thru this tragedy and they understand better than anyone else the scope of the devastation.

Okay, go check my flag, but I'm telling you now, you're going to be disappointed.

[eyedigress]

Why didn't they just give the residents their 400,000 and let the delta and ocean take back what they should have in the first place. The money is done and the problem is gone.

[avacado]

“At some point, state and local officials and individuals have got to step up to the plate and take some initiative,” said Tancredo,...

Won't happen! That's the Liberal Plantation down there. Just fill that rat hole with gasoline and torch it...

[RochesterFan]

This one, by anyones standards, was a doozy.

Yes, I know. We sent a couple of teams down to help rebuild housing. Some of my son's friends went down on spring break as well. The amount of work to strip mold-ridden, flood-soaked stuff off walls was Herculean. One of the young women in the spring-break team stepped on a hidden rusty nail that went through her boot, her foot, to the bone. The wound got badly infected. The entire crew came down with a respiratory ailment that they called "The Katrina Grunge." I also know that there have been construction material shortages. I do realize that these are not simple questions. I could understand a significantly longer timeline for reconstruction in NO than, for example, housing support in Houston. Sadly, federal support agencies are ill-equipped to make such situation-dependent judgment calls.

[NapkinUser]

"Maybe that's because those are the people living thru this tragedy and they understand better than anyone else the scope of the devastation."

Or maybe they just want more money.

[lowbridge]

Watch out for snakes! ;-)

[WatchOutForSnakes]

Bingo!!

[Uncle Sham]

Your area received 15.5 Billion dollars in FEMA aide in 1994. These dollars are now worth 20.86 Billion after the effects of 13 years of inflation.

[television is just wrong]

FEMA discriminates. you have to be poor miinority folk to receive help from FEMA. My house insurance THANK GOD was a bit more helpful than FEMA. They told me I could go for a SBA loan for everything else.

[Uncle Sham]

Those who had flood insurance and homeowners insurance have been totally screwed by the insurance companies down in New Orleans, and the rest of the gulf coast. You are correct. FEMA is a bastard to work with.

[CajunConservative]

Well said!

I guess we could turn off the spigot and let them whine when the gas prices sky rocket. The damage wouldn’t be so bad to our coast had other states done their fair share of allowing drilling offshore.

[Uncle Sham]

"My shoes are well fitted."

According to FEMA's website, the state with the most disaster declarations since 1953 is your home state of Texas with 80. California is next with 72, followed by Florida with 59 and New York with 56. Since it is YOUR home state that appears to be the most frequent cry-baby when it comes to begging Uncle Sam for money, perhaps you can remove that well fitted shoe from your mouth and speak with intelligence next time you post.

[Uncle Sham]

"Well I guess I guessed right. Note the Louisiana flag on Uncle Sham’s homepage."

You would do yourself a big favor and improve your intelligence level quantum fold if you read through some of those links on my home page. By the way, thanks for stopping by. I like napkins. I pick my nose with em.

[TigersEye]

What is the point in rebuilding NO? It’s smack in the middle of the Gulf Coast and is already below sea level. According to Algore sea level is going to rise one foot every decade from now on. Even without another hurricane NO is doomed.

[avacado]

That still does not address the fact that the local government has done very little in building back up the infrastructure. The place should have been declared a tax free zone and then let the capitalistic system rebuild it.

[avacado]

"she was getting a $960 per month federally-funded housing subsidy as part of the disaster relief. How long are such subsidies supposed to last?"

They got an extension all the way to March 2009. Yep, 2009. I am in Houston and there are two temporary Section 8 apartment complexes right on my way to work. The evacuees have no intention of getting jobs.