Taxpayers Send $62B to “Free Money” FEMA
Taxpayers Send $62B to “Free Money” FEMA
Bush has declared that the cost of rebuilding after Katrina will “cost whatever it costs ” and has promised to “be wise about the money we spend.”
Taxpayers have already handed over an $62.3 billion to FEMA (with a possible total of $200 billion) even though the agency has badly mismanged much smaller sums of money.
The Florida Sun-Sentinel examined 20 of the 313 disasters declared by FEMA from 1999-2004 and found that 27% of the $1.2 billion in those disasters went to “areas where official reports showed only minor damage or none at all.”
The full article can be found here. It’s not hard to understand how the agency aquired the nickname “free money” FEMA:
Misallocation: $41.4 million to 28,500 Cleveland-area residents for a 2003 storm that brought less than an inch and a half of rain; city officials documented 73 homes with only minor damage. $21.6 million went to pay for “clothing losses.” $168.5 million to Detroit residents for a rainstorm in 2000 that the then-mayor doesn’t even remember.
Scams: Scamming FEMA is notoriously easy. “All you had to do was tell FEMA stuff was ruined and they’d send you a check….If you had a little water in the basement, you could throw some stuff down there and get some money for it.”
Poor Follow-up:“FEMA rarely follows up to see how the money was spent” and one resident reports being able to rent a second house with her FEMA check.
In the midst of all this waste, many victims are still waiting for FEMA to notice them; some disaster victims in Iowa are still paying taxes on worthless land, lost in flooding.
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kiss that 62 billion goodbye
September 19th, 2005 at 1:15 pmHurricane Katrina is laying bare much more than just the hidden poverty underbelly of American society.
First poverty, now corruption. What’s next?
September 19th, 2005 at 1:26 pmIt is scary that we have the Republican in charge of this money. Who knows what Republicans have plan. What happen to the money that other countries donate to America?
September 19th, 2005 at 1:29 pmLast Thursday’s speech by President Bush in New Orleans’ Jackson Square kicked off the administrations’ cynical campaign to snatch political victory from the jaws of defeat in the wake of its disastrous Katrina response. Karl Rove’s strategy for the coming 2006 mid-term elections will modeled on his 2002 GOP success with the Department of Homeland Security. With the Gulf States devastated, hundreds dead and thousands displaced, President Bush and the GOP will lace a popular recovery program featuring massive federal spending with a laundry list of conservative initiatives damned by the left and previously rejected by the American people. Putting politics before the people of the Gulf Coast, President Bush will then dare the Democrats to block them.
for the full story, see:
“Poison Pill: The Bush Prescription for Katrina.”
September 19th, 2005 at 1:48 pmThe Rise of Disaster Capitalism.
By Naomi Klein
http://www.thenation.com/docprint.mhtml?i=20050502&s=klein
September 19th, 2005 at 1:59 pmIt must be a rather strange sensation for the Liberal Left to hear themselves complaining about government give aways to a predominantly Black city. I swear you guys just get nuttier every passing day.
How about this idea. Why not start a campaign of NO TAXPAYER BAILOUT OF NEW ORLEANS!!!! How does that sound to y’all?
September 19th, 2005 at 2:44 pm“government give aways to a predominantly Black city”
That is the funniest thing I have heard in the last 10 minutes. You must of really spent some time thinking that through before you put fingers to keys. lol!
September 19th, 2005 at 3:04 pmThis is the retainer for Halliburton.
September 19th, 2005 at 3:07 pmI-Right-I, admire your bravery, and how you stand by your word.
Anonymous commenting must make you feel so good.
September 19th, 2005 at 3:34 pm“It must be a rather strange sensation for the Liberal Left to hear themselves complaining about government give aways to a predominantly Black city. I swear you guys just get nuttier every passing day.”
Nice lying smear you jackass. Unfortunately I’ve been to texas, so I know your distorted view is all too common – must be all of the toxins in the soil, and the failed education system. See we aren’t complaining about what’s going to be given to those poor black people, we’re complaining because we know that money will go to Halliburton and other scam companies and NOT to those poor people. Yet you already knew that, you just preferred to pretend that we’re the nutty ones all of the way to your padded cell…
September 19th, 2005 at 3:39 pmIf they keep pointing the finger, they don’t have time to sit and think about what their party has actually done to them. You are correct about Texas – they have the worst education system in America. Thanks Bush.
September 19th, 2005 at 3:56 pmHey I-Right-I,
We are the ones that support the poor people down in LA, MS and AL. I say people because although most are black, some are white.
We do not support giving more money to Haliburton via no-bid contracts. Get your facts straight dumbass.
September 19th, 2005 at 4:10 pmAnother billion ‘missing’ in Iraq due to the mismanagement of this administration. Anyone wonder how much of the katrina money will go missing?
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/091905J.shtml
September 19th, 2005 at 4:14 pmPlease forgive me. Off point. Bushes poll’s are still dropping like a rock. Yippie! Nearly as bad as trickie dickies were way back when. War disaproval at 68%. It may be the beginning of the end for the right wing nut jobs. Hope lives..Blessings
September 19th, 2005 at 4:25 pmSharon that is good news!!!!
September 19th, 2005 at 4:28 pmSharon,
More republicans are home schooled and/or brainwashed than they were under Nixon. These guys would declare martial law before they allowed their beloved dictator to fall…
September 19th, 2005 at 4:48 pmPlease forgive me. Off point. Bushes poll’s are still dropping like a rock.
comment by S. Cox
I’ve thought a little more about this. Dumbya has outfoxed the Left so many times in the past years that this just has to be a trap. He has no intention of giving New Orleans billions with no strings attached. This is a trap for you losers. Just think how all this whining and seething and hand wringing of yours over his charity to the poor black folk is going to look in 06 and 08. This Bush guy is scary good.
He gives up a few points in meaningless polls and allows you idiots to stab each other in the back. You. Are. So. Screwed…..losers.
September 19th, 2005 at 4:53 pmWe do not support giving more money to Haliburton via no-bid contracts. Get your facts straight dumbass.
Comment by Spudge-Boy AKA Skidmark
You’re too stupid to talk to. Really, I mean it.
September 19th, 2005 at 4:54 pm-Right-I, admire your bravery, and how you stand by your word.
Anonymous commenting must make you feel so good.
Comment by Mathieu
Is your name spelled right?
Anonymous? You bet. I don’t have W bumper stickers on my huge gas guzzling 4X4 pickemup either. I know you little bastards and how sneaky and spiteful you are.
September 19th, 2005 at 4:59 pm’scary good’ lmfao!!!!
September 19th, 2005 at 5:02 pmMrWrongAsAlways,
What you always fail to recognize you clueless twit is that we would be thrilled if dumbya helped those poor people. We aren’t concerned about his charity to poor folks, despite the overt and clueless Limbaugh talking points – we’re concerned that the charity will only benefit Halliburton and similar. But then again you already knew that – you seem to just get joy over lying about everything… Compulsive immoral liars like you always seem to get glee from the horrible plights of others. Look at your words, you see this tragedy as an opportunity to achieve political gain, it’s clear you don’t care about any of those people or their losses – just how you can use them…
What an immoral anti-christian you are… You should be ashamed of your actions! But then again, you’re a psychotic freak – so I know that won’t happen…
September 19th, 2005 at 5:05 pm“I know you little bastards and how sneaky and spiteful you are.”
Wow, you described yourself so well… There’s an old adage in therapy called you can only see yourself (especially when you’re in a psychotic state), it’s clear you had a vision in the mirror finally…
September 19th, 2005 at 5:06 pmYou give your self far to much credit. Little men in big trucks are un important. To better the country and the world is the issue, not you and not me either. One big point here is, you are here, with us in the same boat. Evidently you don’t mean any more to your group or the Bush bunch than we do or you would be out spending all our money with them…..Blessings
September 19th, 2005 at 5:12 pm#23 is for mr.wrong…..
September 19th, 2005 at 5:14 pmSharon,
He’s in his mid 30s and single – clearly he has ‘issues’ that are unresolved. The big truck and his delusional belief that he’s being a ‘big man’ by coming here and trying to spar with liberals are just more attributes that show how desperate of a little tweep he is… And almost every post he writes in reference to me has a gay connotation – he has some serious homophobia and sexual repression issues that are truly clinical…
Psychiatrists treat homophobics by forcing them to deal with gay images and gay people directly.
MrWrong, if you are repressing your gayness, just go to a gay bar and suck on a cowboy for a while – you’ll feel much better for getting it out of your system – sorta speak. If you’re a pedophile (a more likely scenario), then get some help and get off the streets – it’s clear you’re a danger to yourself and society!
September 19th, 2005 at 5:51 pm#23 is for mr.wrong…..
Comment by Sharon Cox
Duh.
September 19th, 2005 at 6:16 pmDuh, wow that really sums you up MrWrong.
Are you here to lecture me on Christianity so I can continue to show you that a Hindu knows more about your faith than you do? Aren’t you tired of learning that you’re an idiot? Oh wait, idiots never learn!!!!
September 19th, 2005 at 6:19 pmwe’re concerned that the charity will only benefit Halliburton and similar. But then again you already knew that -
comment by Ryan “bobblehead”
Too bad. That’s what you get for losing the election. KBR will do a great job. They are first rate. It’s only icing on the cake that W’s and Bill’s friends will make a shit load of money in the process. That’s the way it is girls, you do business with your friends. For example, Ted Kennedy is up to his eyebrows with the mafia in the Boston Dig, Bill Clinton sucked off the Red Chinese, Al Gore and John Kerry are too stupid to be in business and Hillary has made a fortune with crooked commodities traders and unscrupulous book sellers.
Bitch all you want but KBR got the contract to do this kind of work in 2004 on open bid. Just in case your math is as bad as your breath, that was a year before Katrina.
I’m telling you right now no matter what actually goes down in New Orleans, Bush is going to come out smelling like a rose and you losers will come out smelling like something else. The fact is, y’all are to stupid to beat this administration.
September 19th, 2005 at 6:30 pm“KBR will do a great job. ”
There’s always a first time. There’s a reason KBR is known in Texas as Burn and Loot…
September 19th, 2005 at 6:32 pm“Bitch all you want but KBR got the contract to do this kind of work in 2004 on open bid.”
Would that be like the open bids that the GAO is currently investigating because they were rigged? You guys are all immoral theives and in your soul (what’s left of it) I’d hope you know that. Clearly it’s too black to see through though…
September 19th, 2005 at 6:33 pm“I’m telling you right now no matter what actually goes down in New Orleans, Bush is going to come out smelling like a rose”
You know what the fertilize roses with don’t you? I’d say that’s closer to what the smell will be..
September 19th, 2005 at 6:34 pmWould that be like the open bids that the GAO is currently investigating because they were rigged?
comment by Ryan, homosexual liar
No. You’re thinking of Ted Kennedy’s rig job with the Bostian mafia.
September 19th, 2005 at 7:47 pmMrWrongSeekingMenOrLittleBoys,
Actually I was thinking of Laura Bush when she murdered here teenage boyfriend, and George when he used to go to the Galvaston ‘Splash Days and Gay Pride’ – before Worthy Creations converted him into an ex gay like you…
September 19th, 2005 at 7:52 pmAnd lets not forget Chertoff and the NeoCon/Israeli/Mossad mafia that expunged bush’s national guard records…
September 19th, 2005 at 7:53 pmBring’em on mr unchristian immoral mark of the beast…
September 19th, 2005 at 7:53 pmGeorge when he used to go to the Galvaston ‘Splash Days”
comment by Ryan, “The Gay Avenger”
The homo’s crashed that party in the 80’s and turned it into their own little celebration. When George was a kid there were no perverts in Texas. Kind of what they did to Disney and the Girl Scouts.
September 19th, 2005 at 7:58 pm“The homo’s crashed that party in the 80’s and turned it into their own little celebration. When George was a kid there were no perverts in Texas.”
None except george ;)
One of Bush’s former boyfriends, Anthony Berusca (class of ‘70), told The Dallas Morning News that Bush was “deeply conflicted about being gay, even somewhat self-hating.” Berusca is convinced that this conflict led to Bush’s drinking problems, but describes the President as a “gentle, caring lover”.
September 19th, 2005 at 8:09 pmWhy don’t you make some jackass comment about how the bible says homosexuality is wrong so I can show you how uninformed and stupid you really are! Come on you little freeptard – make my day…
September 19th, 2005 at 8:11 pmWhat’s wrong is the perversion that occurs when folks like MrWrong are raised by stupid abusive redneck fathers that so drill it into their sons heads that gay=death, that they hate themselves to the point of insanity as MrWrong has…
While being homosexual is not a mental illness, the APA clinically treats homophobes like MrWrong for a debilitating mental illness… Get thee to a medical center you stupid sick bastard!
September 19th, 2005 at 8:13 pmAddressing religious and political leaders at the National Cathedral, Bush vowed to help rebuild the region with an eye toward wiping out the persistent poverty and racial injustice that exist there.
He has a pretty good start as over a half said they aren’t coming back.
September 20th, 2005 at 2:20 amThe sadest result of the Bush league legacy is how he, Clinton, King Bush league et al. are leading this government into a new and more dangerous Fascist Regime.
October 4th, 2005 at 4:07 pmGuard your freedom, what little you will have, and be sure this government will continue to erode that one thing we think we have as Americans. Our freedom.
Remember, the United States government is not a reflection of Americans or their values. It exists for it’s own preservation above all else. Especially, Americans!