My two memories of FEMA were during the Great Ice Storm of 1998 and the earthquake of 2002. FEMA has visited our region several other times for flooding, but if you don't live along a waterbody you were largely unimpacted. But in those 2 instances damage was more widespread. What I recall of FEMA's value was not as a first responder, your state and local agencies still need to take the lead role there, but in the follow up which they were very good at. That is when the outside help was really needed, to get our power grid put back together and to help with overall cleanup and repairs. It was sometime after the New Orleans hurricane, when the state bungled the first response and evacuation that mission creep took over and FEMA became first responders. It is not a good look for the feds to be that. But we still need FEMA. For TACO to want to take them down is not a good thing. If he really wants to be a good president (he doesn't he just wants the title and percs) he could return FEMA to its original role instead of trying to eliminate it. But he just wants to be the emperor with no clothes from the children's fairy tales.
Saw Belle of the 5th column (Utube) this morning - someone had messaged her with an "explanation" (possibly mansplain?) of Trumps so-called plan for FEMA. She read the entire message, then responded: it sounds like his plan is what we already have - FEMA! So why change it? I paraphrased it - she said it much better and much clearer - worth a look and listen.
She's kind of repetitive isn't she. But anyway, if that is what he is up to, then what he really wants is his name on it. Where have we seen this before? Oh yeah, NAFTA!
To para-phrase James Carville ...."It's climate change stupid" and so begs the question of how effective the canceling of that conversation has Trump been? Very effective, and your piece you state "So even if the Trump administration's goals are well-intentioned to save taxpayer dollars" Trump has yet to show that he is "well intentioned" in any regard when it comes to real problems and governing in general. The entire administration is predicated on several lies, I feel no need to mention them, but the premise of everything that they have undertaken is based on things that are not true. So starting from there, what do you expect. FEMA historically has spent most of it's time and energy cleaning up after the effects of a warmer atmosphere, greater storm volume and duration and the effect of a 100º Gulf of Mexico all brought on by Climate Change. I have read many stories in the few remaining newspapers and they all seem to have gotten the memo from the administration: speaking of Climate Change is verboten, so don't do it. The Guardian being the non-complying paper. So chalk one up for the orange menace, climate change is canceled, don't have to worry about that one anymore. So who needs FEMA?
"That's the difference between a red state and a blue state."
Years ago, when considering the best location in the U.S. in which to live, I never considered the partisan politics of any state government. It just didn't matter if a state had a Republican or Democratic governor, a Republican or Democratic legislature. They just weren't all that different. There were more important considerations.
But that was then.
Today, our country is fragmenting into forward-looking states and backward looking states. And I would have to think twice (even three or four times) before considering a Republican-led state. These days, there really are significant differences among the states. Differences that have a real impact on my quality of life.
As an addendum to my comment, I’d like to acknowledge a valid and reasonable counter-argument: that one may move to a Republican-led state to be in active opposition to its governing values. To vote for candidates that represent a forward-looking agenda and, perhaps one day, change the state’s government for the better.
That would require balancing disadvantages of a reduced quality of life with the longer-term positive goal of replacing a regressive state government.
I get it they don't want to talk about this because republicans know killing children is not a good optic.... regardless of how good they think the policy is.
My area was flooded in 2006 and again in 2011. In 2006, one of our hospitals was shut down - it was situated not too far from the Susquehanna River. Since then, there have been changes made - flood wall, etc. That was in Binghamton.
The "main drag" into Binghamton was flooded.
Luckily - for me - where I live is up higher and not near the river. About 20 minutes away.
The not having flood insurance was important to me.. and maybe should be you as well.. was
Of course she didn't have flood insurance.. she didn't live in an area that flooded, until we found out ignoring climate change does NOT make it go away
Well I am higher up from that area but our ditches (along the road) flooded and took out one of the sluice pipes - luckily we have another up above so we could get come and go. And I have had to have ditches up above me near the woods and around my yard. Too many springs all over this hill.
but it references the thought I had in the back of my mind
I live close to a lake, there is a hill between the lake and I the chances of the lake rising 40 feet and coming my way is small compared to it heading the other direction...
but I would be pretty sad to see the devastation on the other side of that hill
Maybe repubicans could care less about their neighbors (seems like it is their brand), but I do care about them
I spoke to someone who not only didn’t know that it took 72 hours for FEMA to respond in Texas, but when I told him that, he countered with FEMA is useless anyway, look how it took three weeks last year in North Carolina. I patiently explained that that was not true, FEMA was in NC and helping right away. Well, that’s not what he heard. I said check your sources. The governor of the state was quite satisfied with FEMA’s response and was very grateful for the help. That set him off on a tangent about the NYS government and how they mismanage money. It was like trying to talk to someone whose brain was coated in teflon. Nothing sticks. The misinformation machine is more like a mind control machine. Hearing something that doesn’t fit the narrative doesn’t make them stop and go “huh,” it makes them push it away and change the subject. It’s like critical thinking is physically painful for them.
I'm afraid you encountered the brainwashed, growing masses of MAGAts who use what I call the "MAGA playbook" that's been passed out to the rabble. It's always the same argument with the Trumpty Dumpty cult members regardless of where one lives in the country. It's as if they all attended a secret school on how to deflect, deny, doubt, argue and lie about even life's basic needs, and were given the playbook to take home. They foam at the mouth when defending their King's every word, eagerly ignoring the fact they are going to suffer in the end, too. They're more than willing to cut off their noses to spite their faces,
The part I can’t wrap my head around is this guy is also a volunteer in his community, generous with his time, and fairly easy to get along with. He ISN’T a foaming at the mouth, rabid, openly hateful and obnoxious MAGA. I’ve met those too. We had a very friendly and polite conversation, no anger or hostility. But trying to actually discuss anything in depth was like trying to hold a slippery fish. He wasn’t arguing with me, just bouncing onto a new topic as soon as new or challenging information arose. How can you reach people like that? I wish I knew!
In the aftermath of the Texas flooding CNN interviewed retired Lt. General Russel Honore who had coordinated the relief efforts after Katrina. The first two points he underscored was that to better serve the nation's future interest in situations like the Texas flooding, widespread wildfires or tornados, we needed to have a President who not only believed in the threat of global warming, but provided more not less funding in order to better understand, prepare and respond to disasters of this sort and most certainly we need to enlarge, not diminish the capabilities of FEMA to quickly and more effectively respond and assist in the short and longer term recovery of the region devastated.
Quite simply...two wrong and disastrous approaches do not afford a right and critically needed remedy!!
Someone sent this to me this morning - a very worthwhile read about someone who actually IS standing up and speaking out - unlike our "fearless" leaders (Dems)
I was NYSDEC Commissioner during tropical storms and hurricanes Irene, Lee and Superstorm Sandy. They all occurred within 18 months of one another and devastated wide swaths of New York. Although New York has a great network of local and state emergency response centers, without substantial assistance from FEMA, New York's recovery would have been severely hampered without assistance from many arms of the federal bureaucracy, including FEMA. The increasing severity and frequently of severe storms, floods, wildfires and other disaster are simply far more than states can handle alone. Trump seems hell bent on dismantling all the parts of the federal government that provide help and assistance to states, individuals in need and programs originating from prior Administrations. It's short-sighted, reckless and government by retribution. There will a reckoning, and it won't be pretty.
Just a hopefully final follow-up to the U.S. Attorney John Sarcone odyssey that was discussed last week here, the Times Union is reporting that the judges' panel deciding his permanent appointment have turned down his application. There is an excerpt below explaining the situation but I'm not attaching this guy's personalized make-believe history of MAGA behavior. Sarcone's a perfect example of a MAGAt believing everything he says or does is true, despite all evidence to the contrary. Here's the excerpt: ALBANY — A panel of federal judges on Monday announced they had declined to permanently appoint interim U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III to the position, three days after he told a television news station that they had extended his tenure.
“The Board of Judges of the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York declines to exercise the authority granted pursuant to (U.S. Code) to appoint a United States attorney for the Northern District of New York,” the panel said in a one-sentence statement released Monday.
Sarcone had been appointed as interim U.S. attorney on March 4 by U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, and he was sworn in on March 17. His position is considered interim because he was appointed by the U.S. attorney general and not by the president, whose U.S. attorney appointees must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Since the federal judges did not appoint Sarcone or anyone else to the position, it means that the administration of President Donald J. Trump could reappoint him.
The U.S. attorney general is empowered to appoint an interim U.S. attorney in the event of a vacancy, which occurred in February when former U.S. Attorney Carla Freedman, appointed by President Joe Biden, stepped down from the position. Since Trump has not appointed a permanent U.S. attorney in New York’s Northern District, it was left to the district court judges to do so.
The Trump administration had supported Sarcone’s interim appointment, but the president has not sought to have him confirmed by the Senate. The interim appointment expires after 120 days unless the federal judges in the district have decided to extend his term, or appoint someone else to the position.
"…the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to move forward on its plan to end birthright citizenships without ruling on the merits…."
In other news today, this from satire publication "The Onion’ —
"WASHINGTON—In the latest of a series of escalations in President Donald Trump’s highly publicized war on “woke,” the U.S. Department of Justice reportedly removed all mentions of justice from its website Friday. The purge follows a directive from the DOJ last week to roll back pro-justice programs and delete thousands of webpages that contained banned words, including “fairness,” “integrity,” “due process,” and “honor.” Citing an executive order from the president, Attorney General Pam Bondi directed her department to comb through all its articles, images, videos, and social media posts to remove any “un-American, leftist propaganda” related to upholding the rule of law, keeping the nation safe, or protecting citizen’s rights."
In today’s world, it’s hard to distinguish satire from incisive reporting….
Forty five years ago a man said "Government doesn't solve problems; Government IS the problem." And the parents of these people bought it. Their children and grandchildren and great grand children are are suffering and dying. They need to have a talk. (Opening line: What were you thinking?)
Pretty telling stats LA/NY. The irrational cutting of FEMA without planning ahead, taking time to train and have "the states take over" in an efficient manner, is mind blowing & reckless.
My two memories of FEMA were during the Great Ice Storm of 1998 and the earthquake of 2002. FEMA has visited our region several other times for flooding, but if you don't live along a waterbody you were largely unimpacted. But in those 2 instances damage was more widespread. What I recall of FEMA's value was not as a first responder, your state and local agencies still need to take the lead role there, but in the follow up which they were very good at. That is when the outside help was really needed, to get our power grid put back together and to help with overall cleanup and repairs. It was sometime after the New Orleans hurricane, when the state bungled the first response and evacuation that mission creep took over and FEMA became first responders. It is not a good look for the feds to be that. But we still need FEMA. For TACO to want to take them down is not a good thing. If he really wants to be a good president (he doesn't he just wants the title and percs) he could return FEMA to its original role instead of trying to eliminate it. But he just wants to be the emperor with no clothes from the children's fairy tales.
Saw Belle of the 5th column (Utube) this morning - someone had messaged her with an "explanation" (possibly mansplain?) of Trumps so-called plan for FEMA. She read the entire message, then responded: it sounds like his plan is what we already have - FEMA! So why change it? I paraphrased it - she said it much better and much clearer - worth a look and listen.
Sorry - should have looked for it first!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zes50eh27R8
She's kind of repetitive isn't she. But anyway, if that is what he is up to, then what he really wants is his name on it. Where have we seen this before? Oh yeah, NAFTA!
To para-phrase James Carville ...."It's climate change stupid" and so begs the question of how effective the canceling of that conversation has Trump been? Very effective, and your piece you state "So even if the Trump administration's goals are well-intentioned to save taxpayer dollars" Trump has yet to show that he is "well intentioned" in any regard when it comes to real problems and governing in general. The entire administration is predicated on several lies, I feel no need to mention them, but the premise of everything that they have undertaken is based on things that are not true. So starting from there, what do you expect. FEMA historically has spent most of it's time and energy cleaning up after the effects of a warmer atmosphere, greater storm volume and duration and the effect of a 100º Gulf of Mexico all brought on by Climate Change. I have read many stories in the few remaining newspapers and they all seem to have gotten the memo from the administration: speaking of Climate Change is verboten, so don't do it. The Guardian being the non-complying paper. So chalk one up for the orange menace, climate change is canceled, don't have to worry about that one anymore. So who needs FEMA?
...yes: this president does not have a single well-intentioned bone in his body / [not a one]...
While I agree that Trump has not been "well-intentioned" about anything, saving money always should be the goal when it comes to taxpayer money.
there is a belief that we have a kind and thoughtful world where we will 'pay it forward'
but with republicans.. it is all about: "get rich now, while destroying forward."
"That's the difference between a red state and a blue state."
Years ago, when considering the best location in the U.S. in which to live, I never considered the partisan politics of any state government. It just didn't matter if a state had a Republican or Democratic governor, a Republican or Democratic legislature. They just weren't all that different. There were more important considerations.
But that was then.
Today, our country is fragmenting into forward-looking states and backward looking states. And I would have to think twice (even three or four times) before considering a Republican-led state. These days, there really are significant differences among the states. Differences that have a real impact on my quality of life.
It's tragic that our country is regressing.
As a woman and a mother of a woman, this rings extra true.
As an addendum to my comment, I’d like to acknowledge a valid and reasonable counter-argument: that one may move to a Republican-led state to be in active opposition to its governing values. To vote for candidates that represent a forward-looking agenda and, perhaps one day, change the state’s government for the better.
That would require balancing disadvantages of a reduced quality of life with the longer-term positive goal of replacing a regressive state government.
A highly personal and difficult choice.
they want to kill children
https://abcnews.go.com/US/texas-flooding-victims-young-campers-dad-saving-family/story?id=123531643
What is lost in underfunding and cutting FEMA (or medicaid or USAID) is often the those most affected are kids. and those kids die horrendous deaths.
sure FEMA cost money ( https://www.cbo.gov/publication/58840#:~:text=The%20smallest%20annual%20amount%20FEMA,and%20severity%20of%20individual%20disasters.) and it is in the billions as in $190 billion(https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/proposed-cuts-federal-disaster-assistance-will-hit-states-just-hurricane-season-ramps#:~:text=In%20total%2C%20these%20disasters%20led,by%20state%20and%20local%20governments. )
Remember when this is the cost of doing business when you ignore climate change.. and we are still ignoring climate change so it will GET WORST.
Sure USAID cost money ( $21.7 Billion in 2024 https://usafacts.org/explainers/what-does-the-us-government-do/agency/us-agency-for-international-development/ )
maybe what Tesla SHOULD pay in taxes (https://americansfortaxfairness.org/big-corporations-paid-shockingly-little-taxes-last-year/ )
But I get it the richest man in the world shouldn't pay taxes (https://americansfortaxfairness.org/musks-11-billion-tax-bill-big-news-just-10-wealth-increase-far-year/), nor should his companies. please not the sarcasm
because why should he, children need to die
I get it they don't want to talk about this because republicans know killing children is not a good optic.... regardless of how good they think the policy is.
Marriage rate?
I am olde enough to remember Hurricane Irene
follow this to the end - - - > to "she did not have flood insurance"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW32CTM2NsA
My area was flooded in 2006 and again in 2011. In 2006, one of our hospitals was shut down - it was situated not too far from the Susquehanna River. Since then, there have been changes made - flood wall, etc. That was in Binghamton.
The "main drag" into Binghamton was flooded.
Luckily - for me - where I live is up higher and not near the river. About 20 minutes away.
The not having flood insurance was important to me.. and maybe should be you as well.. was
Of course she didn't have flood insurance.. she didn't live in an area that flooded, until we found out ignoring climate change does NOT make it go away
Well I am higher up from that area but our ditches (along the road) flooded and took out one of the sluice pipes - luckily we have another up above so we could get come and go. And I have had to have ditches up above me near the woods and around my yard. Too many springs all over this hill.
I wish you luck and safety
I'm sure I and my neighbors are a lot safer than folks along the river.
without a doubt...
but it references the thought I had in the back of my mind
I live close to a lake, there is a hill between the lake and I the chances of the lake rising 40 feet and coming my way is small compared to it heading the other direction...
but I would be pretty sad to see the devastation on the other side of that hill
Maybe repubicans could care less about their neighbors (seems like it is their brand), but I do care about them
I spoke to someone who not only didn’t know that it took 72 hours for FEMA to respond in Texas, but when I told him that, he countered with FEMA is useless anyway, look how it took three weeks last year in North Carolina. I patiently explained that that was not true, FEMA was in NC and helping right away. Well, that’s not what he heard. I said check your sources. The governor of the state was quite satisfied with FEMA’s response and was very grateful for the help. That set him off on a tangent about the NYS government and how they mismanage money. It was like trying to talk to someone whose brain was coated in teflon. Nothing sticks. The misinformation machine is more like a mind control machine. Hearing something that doesn’t fit the narrative doesn’t make them stop and go “huh,” it makes them push it away and change the subject. It’s like critical thinking is physically painful for them.
I'm afraid you encountered the brainwashed, growing masses of MAGAts who use what I call the "MAGA playbook" that's been passed out to the rabble. It's always the same argument with the Trumpty Dumpty cult members regardless of where one lives in the country. It's as if they all attended a secret school on how to deflect, deny, doubt, argue and lie about even life's basic needs, and were given the playbook to take home. They foam at the mouth when defending their King's every word, eagerly ignoring the fact they are going to suffer in the end, too. They're more than willing to cut off their noses to spite their faces,
The part I can’t wrap my head around is this guy is also a volunteer in his community, generous with his time, and fairly easy to get along with. He ISN’T a foaming at the mouth, rabid, openly hateful and obnoxious MAGA. I’ve met those too. We had a very friendly and polite conversation, no anger or hostility. But trying to actually discuss anything in depth was like trying to hold a slippery fish. He wasn’t arguing with me, just bouncing onto a new topic as soon as new or challenging information arose. How can you reach people like that? I wish I knew!
In the aftermath of the Texas flooding CNN interviewed retired Lt. General Russel Honore who had coordinated the relief efforts after Katrina. The first two points he underscored was that to better serve the nation's future interest in situations like the Texas flooding, widespread wildfires or tornados, we needed to have a President who not only believed in the threat of global warming, but provided more not less funding in order to better understand, prepare and respond to disasters of this sort and most certainly we need to enlarge, not diminish the capabilities of FEMA to quickly and more effectively respond and assist in the short and longer term recovery of the region devastated.
Quite simply...two wrong and disastrous approaches do not afford a right and critically needed remedy!!
I remember him at the time! He was absolutely great and sure did know what he was doing and what hes talking about.
We also need a so-called president and advisors who aren't clinically insane.
Someone sent this to me this morning - a very worthwhile read about someone who actually IS standing up and speaking out - unlike our "fearless" leaders (Dems)
https://www.jackhopkinsnow.com/p/justice-brown-the-most-fearless-fcking/comments
I was NYSDEC Commissioner during tropical storms and hurricanes Irene, Lee and Superstorm Sandy. They all occurred within 18 months of one another and devastated wide swaths of New York. Although New York has a great network of local and state emergency response centers, without substantial assistance from FEMA, New York's recovery would have been severely hampered without assistance from many arms of the federal bureaucracy, including FEMA. The increasing severity and frequently of severe storms, floods, wildfires and other disaster are simply far more than states can handle alone. Trump seems hell bent on dismantling all the parts of the federal government that provide help and assistance to states, individuals in need and programs originating from prior Administrations. It's short-sighted, reckless and government by retribution. There will a reckoning, and it won't be pretty.
Just a hopefully final follow-up to the U.S. Attorney John Sarcone odyssey that was discussed last week here, the Times Union is reporting that the judges' panel deciding his permanent appointment have turned down his application. There is an excerpt below explaining the situation but I'm not attaching this guy's personalized make-believe history of MAGA behavior. Sarcone's a perfect example of a MAGAt believing everything he says or does is true, despite all evidence to the contrary. Here's the excerpt: ALBANY — A panel of federal judges on Monday announced they had declined to permanently appoint interim U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III to the position, three days after he told a television news station that they had extended his tenure.
“The Board of Judges of the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York declines to exercise the authority granted pursuant to (U.S. Code) to appoint a United States attorney for the Northern District of New York,” the panel said in a one-sentence statement released Monday.
Sarcone had been appointed as interim U.S. attorney on March 4 by U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, and he was sworn in on March 17. His position is considered interim because he was appointed by the U.S. attorney general and not by the president, whose U.S. attorney appointees must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Since the federal judges did not appoint Sarcone or anyone else to the position, it means that the administration of President Donald J. Trump could reappoint him.
The U.S. attorney general is empowered to appoint an interim U.S. attorney in the event of a vacancy, which occurred in February when former U.S. Attorney Carla Freedman, appointed by President Joe Biden, stepped down from the position. Since Trump has not appointed a permanent U.S. attorney in New York’s Northern District, it was left to the district court judges to do so.
The Trump administration had supported Sarcone’s interim appointment, but the president has not sought to have him confirmed by the Senate. The interim appointment expires after 120 days unless the federal judges in the district have decided to extend his term, or appoint someone else to the position.
"…the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to move forward on its plan to end birthright citizenships without ruling on the merits…."
In other news today, this from satire publication "The Onion’ —
"WASHINGTON—In the latest of a series of escalations in President Donald Trump’s highly publicized war on “woke,” the U.S. Department of Justice reportedly removed all mentions of justice from its website Friday. The purge follows a directive from the DOJ last week to roll back pro-justice programs and delete thousands of webpages that contained banned words, including “fairness,” “integrity,” “due process,” and “honor.” Citing an executive order from the president, Attorney General Pam Bondi directed her department to comb through all its articles, images, videos, and social media posts to remove any “un-American, leftist propaganda” related to upholding the rule of law, keeping the nation safe, or protecting citizen’s rights."
In today’s world, it’s hard to distinguish satire from incisive reporting….
Forty five years ago a man said "Government doesn't solve problems; Government IS the problem." And the parents of these people bought it. Their children and grandchildren and great grand children are are suffering and dying. They need to have a talk. (Opening line: What were you thinking?)
3.7 WHAT per 1000 marriages . . . Same question for the New York statistics!
Pretty telling stats LA/NY. The irrational cutting of FEMA without planning ahead, taking time to train and have "the states take over" in an efficient manner, is mind blowing & reckless.