Posted on 06/13/2008 12:20:24 PM PDT by Graybeard58
The flood of tear-jerk stories about the displaced Hurricane Katrina survivors continues to wash across America. Save for the occasional report of refugees defrauding the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the narrative has been pretty consistent: The victims continue to be victimized by (fill in the blank, usually President Bush because everything is his fault).
Well, a Biloxi, Miss., television station last week asked the question that's been our minds for some time: "What are people who receive FEMA assistance doing to help themselves?" Not much.
A reporter interviewed refugees from Greater New Orleans who have been living in Biloxi hotels, at taxpayers' expense, since their eviction, at taxpayers' expense, from taxpayer-provided trailers. She found most Katrinites lounging around pools or on the beach waiting for their next taxpayer-financed meal (FEMA gives them three squares a day) when they should have been working. One woman complained about being stuck in her free hotel room where she had the air conditioning set at 60. It's too hot to look for work, she whined. "Since the storm, I haven't had any energy or pep to go get a job." Katrina blew in on Aug. 29, 2005.
A few blocks away, a hotel was spending $5,000, not provided by taxpayers, to fix damage caused by unemployed-by-choice Katrinites who ran a meth lab out of their free room.
Americans are caring and generous to a fault. They have great admiration for the hundreds of thousands of Katrina victims who demonstrated their indomitable spirit by rebuilding their homes, cities and lives, even though it means they likely will be victimized again by the next Category 4 hurricane.
But Americans' compassion has limits. Nearly three years out, FEMA continues to put roofs over the heads of 216,554 households in Mississippi alone, at a cost, as of May 30, of $857 million. And Louisiana's numbers dwarf Mississippi's. These freeloaders long ago ceased to be victims, but they will continue to be the government's willing wards as long as FEMA pays their room and board, no questions asked. It's long past time to put the "temporary" back in "temporary housing."
YUp, this poor woman will have to set her air conditoner at 72, eat less, and dont be driving an SUV if she should go out..
Good point.
They are trying to become the Palestinians of the United States.
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