General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums"Sending money back to 'the states'.."
M'kay..
CA , NY, PA, and other blue states send in a LOT more money, so naturally, THEY will be getting a LOT of that money sent "back" to them...right?? right??? right???
Well then , why not have the states just stop sending ANY money to the "govt", and just eliminate it altogether..?
States that are "broke" can just bootstrap themselves through their issues..
and richer states can ....well....just stay rich..
Drunken Irishman
(34,857 posts)peacebird
(14,195 posts)Let's hope the low information voters see Sandy and finally *get* what a disaster Romney (get rid of fema) & Ryan (give the poor & sick the freedom to take care of themselves) would be for this country.
quaker bill
(8,224 posts)For the most part the ones I have met arrived in fully self sufficient motorhomes (food, power, sat phones) and set themselves up to meet with local elected officials and managers, take requests, and start cutting checks. I tend to prepare the environmental assessments and emergency authorizations that allow the work to proceed, and get federal funds under National Environmental Policy Act. They do coordinate with the National Guard when it is mobilized. That is how they bring boots, shovels, and pumps to the action, when they do. If the locals have the resources but just need funds, FEMA provides. I once tried to get a few miles of 30" pipe from them, they said they would do it, but it did not happen directly, local gov't stepped up got and installed the pipe and FEMA reimbursed.
FEMA sends money to the states and communities directly, but where the money goes each year depends on where the disasters occur. This is actually fairly sensible. You cannot budget disasters in advance because no one knows when or where they will be, so you fill a pot full of money and then spend it where the disasters actually happen.
Romney probably does not get that "turning money over to the states" is how the current program actually works. What is good about it is that it empowers the local folks with boots on the ground to get things done where they need to be done and when they need to be done.