The government does not exist to protect me from myself.
Nor does it exist to prevent me from making poor decisions.
Nor does it exist to conscript some Americans into paying the bills for other Americans.
These people had every opportunity to move away from New Orleans and into Kansas where they would be much safer from hurricanes.
The bottom line is that MOST Americans are socialists, but just refuse to see it as they come up with all sorts of morally relativistic excuses for the government to act outside its proper role.
Please elaborate as succinctly as you can what you see as the proper role of government.
My opinion: government exists to secure the rights of the people, and to protect us from force and/or fraud by another.
In this case, as the issue at hand is a natural disaster, I don't really see where the federal government has any role to play whatsoever, since I can't find the part in our Constitution about charity and disaster relief. Two roles for local/state authorities in this instance would be to prosecute any looter who may arrive on the scene, and to make sure that insurance companies who have obligations to pay damages actually pay them.
Good grief. And if they move to Kansas, what ever will they do about the tornados? Oh, wait, that's their fault for not staying in New Orleans where there are hurricanes.
It isn't the power to protect YOU from yourself that is the issue but the power to prevent YOUR presence in dangerous situations making them more dangerous to OTHERS by hampering the police and fire authorities. Your power to do only what YOU want at any time is limited.
Federal involvement comes when State authorities request help and it has resources which the States do not have.
OUR Constitution states the purpose of the government it created as "...to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity...." That is good enough for me.
Everyone could live in Kansas, but it doesn't make much sense, does it?
Throughout history folks have lived along coasts, rivers, faultlines, volcanos, etc., yet they continued to live there and risked the dangers. Why? Because it made some kind of sense to them at the time.
Should I be forced to pay for their decisions in increased taxes and insurance rates?
I don't mind it. Coastal communities will add a lot more over time than they ever lose.
Promoting the "general welfare" is a constitutional mandate. There are lots of ways to do that. So long as it gets debated in the legislature, signed by the President, and constitionally enacted into law, then there's no way I can say I didn't have my chance to affect what goes on.
Vote
There were many people that did not have the ability to evacuate. The mandatory evacuation order was delivered very late by the mayor and no arrangements made to evacuate people who would otherwise have no means of getting out of the sitting.
Some of you carry the Government does not have the responsibility way too far. They have a responsibility to protect their citizens and this mayor failed miserably IMHO.
So, since it's not in the Constitution, sink or swim? The government has the infastructure and know-how to help in disasters like this...but because you don't find that specific charged duty in the Constitution, they should all just sit on their hands? Major disasters are going to cause disruption at the local or state level, so what else should be done, then? They need help, at least initially, to get going again.
Nagin said that the 200 stranded people included 20 police officers who were riding out the storm at their homes in preparation to take over shifts from other officers.
I guess those cops were just stupid fools who should have just gotten out while the gettin' was good, since it's not their job to help out?
Are you always this stupid or did you just "stay in a Holiday Inn" last night?
Let's shut down the NOAA. Every natural disaster will be an act of God, then. No need to warn the citizenry, eh?
No, it exists to protect the rest of us from stupid idiots like you.
Your decisions and actions do not occur in a vacuum. The police and rescue workers have better things to do than try and rescue your butt because you decided to be an ass and force your way back into your home before it was safe.
The fact is you are an anarchist and anyone who doesn't allow you total anarchist freedom to do what you want and screw the consequences your selfish anarchist attitudes forces on everyone else you call a socialist.
You are right, you have a God given right to be an idiot.
But at some point a mob of idiots interferes with other legitimate functions that the government has. At some point a mob of idiots triggers a typhoid pandemic. The government in this case, is protecting me from you.
Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. If one of these people is killed going back to their homes and the government did not expressly forbid such an action, a lawsuit would follow. The monies paid to the family would come out of our taxes.
If we were all on the same page regarding personal responsibility, we'd all be better off. But we aren't.
Note to myself ...Scroll on by in order to get info about the storm.
Did you ever stop to think the government just might not want to risk their lives to go in and rescue the home owners. Boy I sure would hate to live in your little world.
You can substitute "education" for 'natural disaster" too.
If they don't work, we don't want them in Kansas.
Interesting view from someone from Florida.
You're right that most Americans are socialists. You might have wrongly, however, assumed that FReepers are not. There are few conservatives here, my FRiend.
People get stupid when there's a safety net to catch them. Many people got stupid in NO.
More examples of why the Libertarian Party only manages to garner a tiny, tiny percentage of votes in ANY election.
You guys actually have a few good ideas. Too bad you constantly come off like crackpot/horses rear-ends to get anyone to stop and listen to them.
Well I guess the thread proved you right.
As for the rest of you blind socialists, America has always been a nation that helps not only its own, but others around the world. We just did it a whole lot more efficently and personaly before the Goverment made an industry out of it by mandatory taxation. Personal giving and helping would be way up if you all were not paying out over 70% of your earnings in taxes, hidden or otherwise.
Just think, we are paying out at a rate of 1 person helping 3 constantly, disaster or not. Seems that there is a whole lot of skimming going on eh?
During hurricane Audry, June 28, 1957, the order was given. Shoot to kill the looters. Not a bad idea.
Veritas:
I think for the most part you are correct. Perhaps these people should read "Sockdolager", it gives a great persepective on your views.