by Ron Paul
In the wake of hurricane Irene, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is expected to come hat in hands asking for more money from Congress. Like the rest of the government, it is broke. It has been suggested that any additional funds allocated to FEMA should come from cuts elsewhere. This seems harsh and lacking in compassion to big government advocates who do not understand economics, but I would go a step further. FEMA should never have been established. It is based on misguided ideas of disaster relief.
This seems shocking to those who have never been subjected to the secondary disaster that is the arrival of FEMA on the scene of a catastrophic event. But explaining FEMA’s ineptness is not the same thing as saying no one should help people affected by disasters. Quite the opposite.
Victims of disasters should get any and all help possible, and there is virtually no limit to the generosity and compassion of good American people after devastation hits. One only need to remember the outpouring after Katrina to know this is true. FEMA, however, did more to get in the way of relief than to actually provide and facilitate it. The examples are numerous. When the call was put out for volunteer firefighters, they volunteered by the thousands. It was FEMA, for reasons of control and bureaucratic ineptitude, who made sure they were not, in fact allowed to actually help. When a group of firefighters arrived from Houston, instead of being put immediately on the job, they were told to sit around and wait. After waiting for two days doing nothing, they were simply sent home. One thousand volunteer firefighters were sent to Atlanta to undergo sexual harassment training while fires actively raged in the city. The ones that remained through this stupidity were sent to escort the president around or to distribute fliers instead of putting out fires. Computer engineer Jack Harrison was told his skills were needed to rebuild technological infrastructure. After being given the runaround for about two weeks, he was misallocated as head of security on the cruise ship FEMA had leased, when he should have been using his skills to help. All manner of help was turned away or mismanaged by FEMA while people suffered and waited. Even the Red Cross had its hands tied by FEMA.
It has only gotten worse since 9/11. Compare the stories of two flotillas – one after 9/11 and one after Katrina. Within an hour of the 9/11 attacks, the largest boatlift in history was organized spontaneously by locals who saw an immediate need and responded immediately. Over 500,000 terrified New Yorkers were taken off the island by ferries, tugboats, pleasure crafts, fishing boats and barges when all other access points had been shut down. A similar flotilla attempt was privately organized after Katrina. 500 boats caravanned to New Orleans to rescue patients from hospitals that were out of supplies and desperate. Unfortunately, FEMA had taken over by then and they were turned away, empty, while the patients languished, still stranded. Tragically, the Vermont Air National Guard helicopters were in Iraq when Irene hit, and they were desperately needed here.
The establishment of FEMA is symptomatic of a blind belief in big government’s ability to do anything and everything for anyone and everyone. FEMA is a bureaucratic organization. Bureaucracies, while staffed with well-meaning people, are notoriously slow and wasteful by their very nature. When people are starving, injured and dying they need speed and efficiency, yet FEMA comes along with forms and policies and rubber stamps. This sort of thing is bad enough at the DMV, but in matters of life and death where seconds count, this is just not acceptable.
True compassion would be to get FEMA out of the way.
Processing your request, Please wait....
The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.
RON PAUL A MAN OF TRUTH AND INTEGRITY!!
2012
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
9 
0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtube_gdata_player&v=7t51PcPD4bE
WHAT IF ?
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
3 
0
As much as they hate to hear it…”RON PAUL 2012!”
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
6 
0
1 – Google Ron Paul in 60 minutes petition
2 - Petition - CBS News 60 minutes - Get Ron Paul go to change.org
3 - sign the petition
RON PAUL
2012
VOLUNTEER!
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
5 
0
Ron Paul
my nigga
blacker than black son
ppl try to talk shit and he is like
IM SORRY WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY
OH NO
NO
HERES A REALITY SANDWHICH FOR ALL YALL MOTHERFUCKERS
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
2
WHITE POWER! RON PAUL 2012!
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
1 
5
FEMA DID MORE TO GET IN THE WAY
Empirical Trump Card
but the opposition just scoffs, the entire assault on Ron Paul on this issue amounts to snark bullshit and is wholly insubstantial.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
3 
0
Anyone who has been through a disaster and had to deal with FEMA can attest to the EMPIRICAL REALITY OF RON’s ARGUMENT
else
in complete abeyance of FEMA, its operational profile, its demonstrated inability to effectively deal with disaster relief and the obvious logic that a localized solution would be preferable – people will continue to support and fund a dead solution, even when a superior, localized methodology could replace it if the money were diverted to the state level for instance…
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
3 
0
Runs for the People
Over 3 decades
Never voting against the constitution
Pursuing life, liberty, freedom, and happiness
Always caring for the citizen
Using his experience and intelligence
Liberty will prevail
I will be voting for Ron Paul for President in 2012
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
8 
0
RP pulls no punches, saying in effect to critics of his statements on FEMA: “ill see your snarky bullshit and raise you REALITY” – continuing to elaborate on the failed policies and logistical realities of FEMA as a system, in (perhaps) the cain hope that enough Americans will take a look at the data and figure it out.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
3 
0
Oh my, Dr Paul is truly playing hardball this time! I love it! Make the people see what FEMA is doing wrong. This was a wonderful time to release this. With the debate right around the corner, I literally can not wait to watch Ron Paul mop the floor with consistency and intelligence.
Honestly how can anyone not be in favor of:
Bringing the troops home, stop fighting undeclared wars
Enforced Border
No more bail outs for the rich
Sound currency
Saving the American Economy
Drilling for Oil domestically.
I’m ready Dr Paul. Let’s win this race.
Our freedom is at stake
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
9 
0
They must, because anybody can go see the wounded civilians in the hospitals in Lybia, Pakastan and elsewhere on YouTube. Everybody knows that military drone at least occasionally kill innocent civilians.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
2 
0
Liberty is an experiment that is not much older than Darwin. Like any experiment – Don’t Tread On It! Why do some people prefer autonomous drones over peace-loving, liberty-loving autonomous humans?
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
2 
0
People with true compassion would bring at least the National Guard with their equipment and dollars to spend, home
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
People with true compassion would additionally not have their children and grandchildren pick up the tab so that rich people can have beach houses without bothering to get insurance. Private phone apps can replace most of DC info for a lot less per useful data
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
youtube: cult of ron paul.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
5
“Cult” of reason which flows from the Foundational Principle of Liberty. Thomas Jefferson is not running this year, so our current best spokesperson is Ron Paul.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Logic, filled with compassion, RON PAUL
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
4 
0
I think FEMA is going to be sorry they started a fight with Ron Paul….
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
4 
0
VOTE RON PAUL 2012
VOTE IN NTHE PRIMARY SO HE CAN LEAD THE NATION OUT OF THIS MESS!
CLICK AND LISTEN TO THE
OBAMA BLUES BY HERSHEL BUTTS
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
I’m with you Mr. Ron Paul/President…
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
2 
0
Go Ron Paul 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Come on guys focus on what he is talking about. The stories of public helping out during 9/11 and Katrina are real.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Do they sell anything like an anti-eBe4IXcept filter on ebay? Something that I could install on my computer as a plugin?
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
3 
0
Ron Paul 2012
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I hope Mr Paul would also look into the CPS, another out of control government bureaucratic thing that’s doing more harm then help.. I wish America would get their old values back, where they have a small system of government and sound money.. It would be a lot safer for the world..
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
True compassion rests in letting the winners decide if they want to share their booty or keep it for themselves.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
1
1 – Google Ron Paul in 60 minutes petition
2 - Petition - CBS News 60 minutes - Get Ron Paul go to change.org
3 - sign the petition
RON PAUL 2012!
Volunteer!
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Wow the paid internet trolls are attacking him on this page.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
The United States should be looked at like a beautiful home your great grandfather built with his bare hands. If it catches fire are you going to fight it for his memory or watch it burn
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
The good doctor has already peaked. It’s a pity, really, that it isn’t a straw poll election. He might be able to get 10 or 12 percent of the straws. Then he could stick them in his nose and ears and do a jig to entertain us. As it is, though, he’ll just fade away into retirement and turn over his sheeples to Rand.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
1 
1
Turn Fema into Walmart stores lol, end all the federal bs imagine a Ron Paul in every state.
Go Ron Paul
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
3 
0
Ron Paul better start doggin on those other candidates in this upcomming debate. i mean showing where they been flip flopin around and lieing or saying 1 thing and doin another. this needs to be done
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
4 
0
RP video contest
alexaforronpaul here at youtube is having a Ron Paul video contest
watch?v=AY4maRZV-0U&list=FLpqn¬1hMPqFtMKxdy8_Ep5vQ&index=1&fe¬ature=plpp
One man can’t do it alone. It’s our future and our fight. The Founding Fathers pledged “our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor”. It will take nothing less today. It takes more than hitting a youtube like button to make you an activist.
Do something. Give something. Don’t wait.
Ron Paul 2012 and TODAY
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
4 
0
Why is it that we here in Europe see that this man is the ONLY honest man to run for President for the USA…and you Yanks can not ?
The biggest problems that most of Americans have is: they are whores who sell their “services’ to the highest bidder. Criminal minds, murderers is what a lot of you are. GOD WILL JUDGE YOU !!! You laugh now, but you won’t in the very near future. Traitors is what you lot are.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
5 
0
Romney as a Tea Party candidate. Are they fucking kidding? I’m from Mass. The largest most intrusive state government in the union that had Romney leading the charge.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
5 
0