It's perfectly clear... it's called pandering!
Posted on 12/20/2005 9:29:39 AM PST by JeffAtlanta
Gulf Coast residents could receive federal money for uninsured homes
Gulf Coast residents who did not purchase flood insurance because they lived outside areas considered at high risk of flooding — but whose homes were nevertheless ravaged by Hurricane Katrina — would be in line for an unprecedented government bailout under a budget package approved Monday by the House of Representatives.
If the $29 billion earmarked for Katrina relief in a defense appropriations bill that the House passed Monday morning wins final congressional approval, up to $11.5 billion will go toward those uninsured flood victims in Mississippi and Louisiana. Story continues below
The relief still faces serious hurdles in the Senate. It was tacked onto a broad $453 billion defense budget bill. That bill also includes several unrelated measures that are controversial and could bring down the whole bill, including authorization to drill for oil in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge and compromise language for a ban on cruel treatment of terrorism detainees.
Residents whose homes were in designated federal floodplains were required to buy flood insurance ahead of Hurricane Katrina, which struck the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29. People living outside the high-risk zone were not required to purchase flood insurance but could have done so if they had wished.
That would mean homeowners could receive up to $150,000 for repairing or replacing their flood-ruined homes despite not having flood insurance.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
It is not clear why other parts of the nation have to pick up the tab for homeowners who could have bought flood insurance but chose not to. Why can't the states of LA, MS and AL pick up the tab and borrow the money from the other states if they need to.
"who did not purchase flood insurance."
Great. So why should anyone bother ever paying for it again?
"It is not clear why other parts of the nation have to pick up the tab for homeowners who could have bought flood insurance but chose not to."
Actually, and unfortunately, its perfectly clear: Its called socialism - Now in exciting new Republican flavor!
It's perfectly clear... it's called pandering!
Well.........I am gonna drop my earthquake insurance even tho I live in an earthquake zone in California. Wait, I don't think they will let me.
I am sick of paying for others bad choices.
I bet those poor people in Florida who were hit by 4 Hurricanes in 2004 are wondering where their aid is??
Seems no-one was asking for goverment coverage for those uninsured people last year.
Wonder why not??
The part that is most upsetting is that it is attached to an ANWR drilling authorization bill. Now as conservatives, if we want ANWR drilling, we are forced to accept a socialistic bailout.
It's not clear why ANWR doesn't have its own bill anyway. When gas prices were $1.00 a gallon it may have been unpopular, but at $2.00 a gallon I think that most Americans are open to it if it could be explained to them in an effective way.
I have two words: Trent Lott.
"I have two words: Trent Lott."
I'm looking forward to helping rebuild Trent's home. Maybe he'll invite me for a drink on the porch.
It is ugly and it stinks, but like sausage, the end result is worth the effort. Thank John McCain for giving Ted Stevens the idea. He attacked his torture bill to the measure and no one cried. Now, Stevens attaches ANWR, and its like he shot somebody.
We will win this one.
You'll have a hard time getting any bill to help out Mobile County through the Alabama legislature, especially considering this area's relationship with the rest of the state (historically frosty, very frosty)
Also the fact that they have already taken losses from Hurricane Ivan, and combined with the fact that Mobile and Baldwin have primarily Republican delegations (as of right now, only one white Democrat sits in the legislature from Mobile County, and he's a freshman, so he has little input) which, in the fact of a legislature that is 63% Democratic, kind of cuts down on our lobbying options.
Then theres the simple fact that there are some people who believe that Katrina was in fact, a form of divine retribution, and when you consider that people in the northern part of the state were raised to believe that those of us on the coast were Godless, and when someone in the legislature goes up and expresses that sentiment, it becomes even less likely that from our own party, you'll see much sentiment to help out areas such as Bayou La Batre or Coden. Especially when there is an incorrect prevailing statewide sentiment that most of the people who lived in flooded areas were wealthy, when that is clearly not the case.
Basically, the only time Mobile ever wins anything in the state legislature is when we tie it to the success of the docks, all other times, they basically flip us off.
As for the other two states, it's not as if they are in a good financial position (neither is Alabama). We don't have the best bond ratios in the world, and in all 3 states, government operates at just getting by, virtually every year.
And in Louisiana, they would have a two pronged problem, if you start handing out state-level aid to Katrina victims of this sort, then there will be howling out in Acadiana as to why they aren't getting anything for Rita.
In Mississippi, the situation is sort of similar to Alabama, with the exception that Mississippi would theoretically have more of an impetus to help the coast as it kind of relies on coastal revenue in a way which Alabama does not as much, (If it were Baldwin, Alabama would have more of an impetus as Baldwin generates much revenue without requiring much back) but even then, there are issues of partisan squabbling, intra-state competition considerations, etc.
And even aside from the fact that all 3 state governments have been run in an idiotic fashion since Reconstruction comes the idea that my money has gone to help victims in disasters that did not affect me, and same for many victims who had substantial losses. In light of that, it's not fair that our money went to help others in times of need, but when it's our time, we won't get any.
You have to feel for people who suffered due to their reliance on government info. But naturally the solution to this is even greater reliance on government. IMO it won't end until government has responsibitlity for everything.
"I think that most Americans are open to it if it could be explained to them in an effective way."
There's the rub, I guess. Where's Ronald Reagan when you need him?
In fact, when I purchased my current house and spoke to my insurance agent about my new homeowners policy, I specifically asked about flood insurance. It is unavailable through regular insurance companies, he told me. You have to get it from the Feds. I said, okay, how do I do that? Because you're not in a 100-year or 200-year (I forget specifically) flood plain, you're not eligible for the federal program.
Like you, I took the rider for earthquakes (even though I live in an area that hasn't been hit hard by a major quake in centuries).
But flood insurance is unavailable - at any price - to me.
sitetest
I am confused.
Unconstitutional. Davy Crockett is rolling in his grave.
I agree that it is confusing. After some research, I believe that both sides are right - they are just stating the situation differently.
From what I gathered from the FEMA website, flood insurance is only available if your community decided to be part of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). From the website (www.floodsmart.gov), over 20,000 communities are part of the program.
This is from the website...
What are flood zones?
Flood zones are land areas identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Each flood zone describes that land area in terms of its risk of flooding. Everyone lives in a flood zones - it's just a question of whether you live in a low, moderate or high risk area.
From my reading of the website, one does not have to be in a floodplain to be part of the program.
Also from the website...
Moderate to Low Risk Areas In communities that participate in the NFIP, flood insurance is available to all property owners and renters with moderate to low risk.
Zones B, C, and X Areas with less than a 1% chance of flooding each year; areas that have less than a 1% chance of sheet flow flooding with an average depth of less than 1 foot; areas that have less than a 1% chance of stream flooding where the contributing drainage area is less than 1 square mile; or areas protected from floods by levees. No base flood elevations or depths are shown within these zones.
This link defines the flood zones and seems to imply that everyone can obtain flood insurance through the NFIP if their community choices to take part.
No thanks.
Keep the gravy train rolling...screw the rest of America...isnt socialism grand! (s)
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