Should Sandy’s Victims Get Your Tax Money?

The New American ^ | 02 November 2012 | Selwyn Duke

[Paladins Prayer]

Living near the coast in the Northeast, I see the devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy firsthand. Many have been without power for days; there are long lines at gas stations; some supermarket shelves are bare; and, more to the point here, some in vulnerable areas lost their homes. And because the storm is such a horrible, high-profile disaster, government aid to rebuild is in the offing. But should it be?

This question may seem heartless. And, don't worry, you won't hear a politician asking it anytime soon, as doing so might very well cost him the next election. But political expediency isn’t always synonymous with fairness.

Let’s start like this: On the day Sandy struck and every day since, there surely have been low-profile disasters in other parts of the country. Perhaps someone’s home was struck by lightning and burned down, maybe an anomalous and isolated flood destroyed a lonely hinterland abode, or it could have been something else. This is a big country and many things happen.

And the question is, if you suffer such a disaster and have no insurance, will Uncle Sam ride to the rescue with tax dollars? We know the answer. But why the different treatment?

[Conscience of a Conservative]

How about we cancel all these corporate subsidies to “green” and other companies and ethanol and spend some of that on disaster relief?

Absolutely, we should. Disaster relief is at least arguably constitutional, and actually helps our nation. Corporate subsidies, especially "green" ones, are clearly unconstitutional and helps nothing.

[SaraJohnson]

Uninsured property owners did not get Federal aid to rebuild in the aftermath of Ike in Texas. No insurance, big problem. Insurance is expensive. These people had to abandon their buildings if they could not fund repairs themselves. Eventually, the localities will tear them down at the owner’s expense.

[goodwithagun]

I’m not saying it isn’t used, I’m saying it shouldn’t be used.

[Silentgypsy]

Interesting. Would you mind telling the rest of us where the intelligent people live? I’d like to buy property there.

[Silentgypsy]

If people can’t afford insurance, they can’t afford property. Then again, insurance companies use loopholes to rip off as many consumers as they can. Compulsory insurance has led to consumer abuse. Draw your own conclusions. I’m not interested in collecting money from you. I also don’t care to have somebody else’s hand in my pocket.
Have you been following the Broke Party? In case you haven’t, it’s a group of Chicago activists who recognize the current politicians as rip-off artists and want to reclaim their own community. I liked it. It’s on Breitbart.