$375-a-night condos, $450 tattoos purchased with Katrina relief funds

wwltv.com ^ | 02/13/06 | Hope Yen

[zarf]

Brought to you by the guys who are going to save us during a nuculer attack.

Duck and cover.

[Fruitbat]

Well, this is what happens when you hand out carte blanche credit cards (or the like) to people with little accountability.

It's also why many Americans get fed up at seeing their money being taken only to go to people that would spend it as such.

[IncPen]

It makes one ponder what they do with the revenue streams that are so much easier to obtain, and so much more predictable.

You know, the tax revenues...

[Pakeman]

We just had a major "Nor' easter" up here in New England. I was wondering when FEMA was going to send me a debit card??????

[Cicero]

I've been thinking that maybe the solution would be to abolish FEMA. Then accountability would be put where it belongs, on the first responders.

If it's a huge emergency, the feds can do what they've always done: send in the national guard and send in federal aid funds.

What will they do now? Spend another couple of billion investigating the corruption? They won't get any of the money back, and they won't fire any of the bureaucrats who screwed up, because they all have lifetime employment.

[Richard Kimball]

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. In the midst of complaining about slow Federal response, our congress is now complaining about emergency relief going to people who didn't deserve it or abused it. Just a quick question. You've got 30,000 refugees in the Astrodome, many of whom have no identification, and some of whom have been wearing the same clothes for four days. How do you distribute aid without delay, while ensuring that everyone who received aid deserved it? Also, after you give someone emergency funds in the form of a $2,000 credit card, even if they were eligible, how do you make sure they spend it on what they should, instead of getting a tattoo?

[Bob]

Damned if you do; damned if you don't. Take your pick of which headline you'd prefer:

Massive fraud found in FEMA disbursements

or

Massive bureaucracy delayed payments to Katrina victims

Any mechanism that would have been effective in preventing fraud by those who didn't qualify for the aid would have caused huge delays in getting money to those who did.

[Xenalyte]

Maybe make it like WIC, where the card or coupon or whatever is only good for what it's supposed to be used for? Not sure how that'd work mechanically - just a thought.

I know when I worked as a grocery store checker, back in the day, the store's system was built so WIC coupons could only be used for certain items. You could present all the WIC coupons you wanted, but you couldn't buy your smokes or beer with 'em.

[goldstategop]

And there those who say our government is devoid of compassion. Nah. Not after reading this account of your government's generosity with your money towards those in need.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[snakedriver]

"Once again, FEMA failed to adequately plan for the very type of disaster that occurs virtually every year," said Susan Collins, R-Maine

Uh, yeah. A major US city is nearly wiped off the map virtually every year.

[Centurion2000]

Also, after you give someone emergency funds in the form of a $2,000 credit card, even if they were eligible, how do you make sure they spend it on what they should, instead of getting a tattoo?

FEMA should have worked out deals with grocery chains and retail chains (with restricted item lists) and a few other places LONG before these cards are handed out like candy to a bunch of kids. Have the chains bid for addition to the list by providing some sort of discount to compete for an essentially captive market. And make darn sure that no alcohol, cigarettes and other unnecessary purchases can even be made.

Of course, our government is composed of idiots for the most part.

[gbaker]

I remember telling the wife to go get a couple bags of ice they were passing out. I should have known better as when I got ice and water they were just putting in the car as fast as they could - no questions asked. I was sure we would get power soon so I told her just a couple bags of ice. That is what I got two bags each with 4 - 8 pound bags of ice. I had to pass them around the neighborhood.

Just one small example.

[t2buckeye]

So...the news media INSISTED that the feds do something...ANYTHING for these people.SO, they buy trailers thinking that these people will be happy to have them...instead, no one wants to stay in them..Money, without any accountability, was given to alleviate suffering...and of course was abused. So now the press...who hyped the story and demanded action NOW show that what they were pushing was ineffectual and wasteful..
Isn't it wonderful to be in the press...they get to ignore their OWN mistakes and their complicity in this mess while lambasting the people who made decisions BASED on their faulty, hysterical reporting.

[t2buckeye]

Massive fraud found in FEMA disbursements
or

Massive bureaucracy delayed payments to Katrina victims


EXCELLENT point!!! Many people at the time were worried about the amount of money given immediately with NO verification or accountability....but the press hyped this thing big time. If anyone suggested a more methodical approach, they were called racists and bigots!
.Don't get me wrong...there was terrible destruction BUT the press saying people were starving (in a space of 2 days) and killing each other all led to the irresponsible decisions made at the time.

[Lizavetta]

Don't worry......they'll do a much better job when they're running our health care.

[TheSpottedOwl]

I'll get flamed, but I think the WIC program is one of the most sensible programs to help needy families. I just hate standing behind them at the store. Takes forever...

Here in CA, some counties switched to an EBT type of card for food stamps. Much more efficient. I cannot understand how bungled this evacuation became. Penthouses? Condos? Tattooes and condoms? Ohhhh man : (

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Is it too late to cash in? A large gust of wind blew over a bird feeder on my property a few weeks ago. That should be good for a check from the FedGov for $10,000.

[Doc Savage]

Ok, one last time:

1. Anyone who chooses to live below sea level; anyone who chooses to live in a coastal area subject to high tides, hurricanes, and floods; anyone who lives in a mobile home in Oklahoma; anyone who lives within 500 miles of an active volcano; anyone who lives on or near a major quake fault deserves exactly what they get.

Conversely, they do not deserve MY MONEY! Let these morons buy insurance and FEND FOR THEMSELVES!

These same nitwits and mutants will rebuild in the same place, they will be hit again and again, and we will have to listen to their whining and begging for money!

Not a penny! Suck it up a-holes and fend for yourselves!

[caryatid]

WIC coupons could only be used for certain items. You could present all the WIC coupons you wanted, but you couldn't buy your smokes or beer with 'em.

I do not know how WIC coupons differ in form and use from food stamps; however, I have many, many times seen folks at the nearby convenience store use food stamps to purchase a very small "allowable" item ... get a large amount of change ... and spend every bit of it on Lottery tickets. How does one guard against something like this and prevent it?