[Swiss]

FEMA didn't exist before 1979. Until the 1930's government help in disasters was limited to National Guard and Regular Army.

So how did we recover from the Chicago Fire, San Francisco Earthquake, Galveston Hurricane, etc?

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Hey, Babs, why not give all of YOUR money to the government?

[WinOne4TheGipper]

"This is what government is supposed to do."

No it's not. Taking care of your basic needs is your responsibility, short of that, it is the responsibility of your fellow man to freely help you. Government is supposed to shut up, sit back, and defend the country.

[OESY]

Yes, her songs are boring, but not as much as her repeated ranting and raging.

[Toespi]

Let's have a "BURN STREISAND RECORDING PRODUCTS" Day.

[socal_parrot]

I see she's using spell check.

[Constitutional Patriot]

She is so painfully ignorant.

[Greybird]

I take it this is not part of the publicity campaign for her new "Movie Album," due on 14 October. Why is she pushing two-thirds of her buying public away with both hands?

I've respected her art for over 30 years. I stopped respecting her in any degree when she said, in a 1998 on-line AOL interview apropos of Clinton's perjuries, "There are lies, and there are lies." Anyone who thinks integrity is a divisible commodity is being stupid, not just misinformed.

Now she (or '60s wannabe Marge Tabankin or someone else at her charitable foundation) writes insipid farragos like this, and a score of others, on her official Website. Her friends are persuaded already. It drives away those who don't know she's a political animal. Thus accomplishing nothing.

[rabidralph]

What everyday government spending programs are we really ready to do without?

Off the top of my head: Ed. Dept., PBS, C-SPAN, Endowment for the Arts, silly health studies, Planned Parenthood, aid to certain foreign countries, American military in Germany and Japan.

[jazzo]

Who could ever take this "clown" seriously????

[billbears]

Do we want to live in a country without a legal system, without a military, without free education, without safety net programs? Is this the future most Americans actually want for their country?

I don't know but it sounds like the latest RNC talking points to me. More military, more healthcare, and more government 'programs'

[Tempest]

Funny article. Poor gal just doesn't seem to understand the difference between emergency services and social welfare.

[Dan Evans]

I wonder if the U.S.government still regulates the size of holes in Swiss cheese.

[buzzyboop]

Eventually, we will be forced to have a national discussion about either repealing the cuts or asking the question: What everyday government spending programs are we really ready to do without?

A very easy answer to that... All of them! BraBra makes our point in her first paragraph, using a proper function of government, that is, providing stopgap help in times of crisis (Hurricane Isabel disaster relief). The problem is that liberals have extended the definition of crisis to include whatever they want. The only other provisions the Federal government should provide is for national security. That's all, nothing else.

[Steely Glint]

Babs is living proof that being famous doesn't make you smart.