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HappySqurriel on 30 August 2011
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richardhutnik said:
HappySqurriel said:
richardhutnik said:

On top of this, things have developed a certain way in societies, and it is hard to suddenly just throw in a new approach and expect it to stick.  Like, outside of foreign corporations buying up road networks, it is hard now to suddenly then decide to privatize local road systems in towns, or other things those on the wings want to do.  You have a FUD factor that is also hard to overcome to.  This FUD factor can undermine someone attempting to affect change.  Like, in the news is how Ron Paul now says FEMA is not needed, and other things along the lines of that.  Because of this, he ends up hitting a wall going mainstream, even if he may have points.  Some of Rick Perry's comments will also likely get him in trouble.  Start to say make any change to social security or medicare, and you hit a lot of political opposition.  Of course, because not as many are affected by medicaid, toying with that could be proposed as an option.


What makes you believe that there is not significant redundancy and waste in the alphabet soup agencies like FEMA? What does FEMA do that could not be adequately handled by the National Guard?

Doesn't matter what I believe in this context.  I am not saying whether or not FEMA is or is not needed.  I can say, done properly, it is good to have an organization on the federal level like FEMA.  I would say that it being rolled into Homeland Security was stupid though.  What I was trying to say is that Ron Paul now coming out saying FEMA is needed, and also saying that people who live in disaster areas have themselves to blame, gets subjected to a FUD factor by those who believe in a stronger role of the federal government.  It is just, while it may have truth to it, the average person finds it nuts.

I did mention Perry.  I could, in running counter to how it has been responded to, say Perry has a point by saying the Fed's monetary policy can be seen as treasonous.  However, start saying anything about the Fed, and you get spun up by the mainstream, and the opinions of the majority, as being a nut.  Again, what I said before, a FUD factor kicks in.  Also, to even hint you will touch social security and medicare, also gets you in trouble.


Actually, people who live in disaster areas (and their local governments) tend to be at fault for the severity of natural disasters. There really is no excuse for building in regions without considering the "1 in 100 year" disasters because, realistically, most buildings’ expected lifetime would have it facing several of these disasters. Beyond that, people completely ignore warnings and get them into trouble; this last weekend there was several news stories about how few people evacuated hurricane Irene’s path even though there was many days full of warnings. Had Irene turned out to be the class 3 hurricane that was initially predicted there would probably be millions of people in trouble because they can’t get it through their heads that they are not a special snowflake that is free from the consequences of their actions.

Seriously, if simple guidelines like "Don't build on 100 year flood plains" and people evacuated when an evacuation warning was given there would be no need for an organization like FEMA at all.