[whiskeytown]

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But I am disturbed how ingrained the idea that the federal government is the place for individuals to turn for immediate relief from their plight.

I can't relate to these emotions at all. Certainly I have never been through anything approaching this tragedy. And there are individuals - elderly, hadicapped, infants, etc. - who need immediate assistance from someone.

That said, it is a sad comment on the collective character of our citizens that they immediately seek out government solutions to their problems. I can't imagine myself sitting around for days on end waiting for someone to bring me food and water and then complaining that it was not getting done.

Individuals need to recognize that they are responsible for where they choose to live, whether they choose to leave when there are orders to evacuate, and how they obtain food and water for themselves. You are not a child and the federal government is not your mother.

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ok....first off - let me give you a little Constitutional 101

first paragraph - We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America

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Even the most hands off libertarian HAS to admit that the federal government DOES have a responsibility to protect it's citizens, at least from external threats

(for practical reasons, it's best to have a military force for external and police for internal - keep them seperate)

First off, the defense of New Orleans is a defense for the United States - don't think for a second New Orleans is a party town where poor black people live, so they deserve it - It is one of our busiest ports - so busy, there's no doubt it'll be rebuilt, probably even in the same flood plain - why, because the COUNTRY needs it... It is vital to the security/prosperity of the United States that our national ports are open and safe from harm by intruders foreign and natural - in this spot at least, the government totally dropped the ball - way too focused on phantom terrorists and they dropped the Natural Disaster part of the planning/funding -

so, now, our government's job is to promote the General Welfare - letting people die because they didn't have transportation out of the city - nah.... even the Red Cross admitted recently that although they gave evacuation orders, they couldn't actually evacuate anyone - if you didn't have a car, money for tkts, etc, you were not gonna be able to get out easy.

We pay taxes so the government will provide these emergency services - all those choppers? - troops? - supplies? - news flash - we pay taxes so they're there when we NEED them. Everyone in this country pretty much pays some taxes to the federal government to ensure that it can do the job proscribed in the constitution - and that includes emergency rescues, disaster planning, etc, etc...

and just so you know, I consider natural disasters to fall under FEDERAL jurisdiction - and should be coordinated as such.

I think you're living in a bit of a fantasyland - it's easy to say people want the government to babysit them, but this isn't welfare we're talking here - this is a situation that the Federal Government is specifically ORDERED to deal with as prescribed in the Constitution, and has been for over 200 years - Armies protect civilians, and national governments spearhead relief operations. At least ours did until about 4 years ago when we diverted the funding for it.

SO, it is a mutually beneficial situation that they live there and do their job for the country, and that we do our job for them when they are threatened - got a problem with that? - I suggest you move or try to get an amendment to the constitution.

RB