Rand announces proposal to fund FEMA by cutting foreign aid

[jct74]

Sen. Paul Announces Proposal to Address Additional FEMA Funding

Sep 9, 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. - With the Senate expected to address providing additional disaster aid funding to the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the next few weeks, Sen. Rand Paul has proposed a solution to addressing this need for added funds. Increasing federal funding to FEMA should be allocated without increasing our national debt - but rather through equal cuts in foreign spending.

"2011 has seen an innumerable amount of damage from disasters - including significant flooding in my home state of Kentucky. In order to address FEMA's current commitments to communities, extra funds may be needed for these obligations. Most importantly, aid to Americans should be a priority over nation-building projects overseas. At a time of exponentially increasing national debt, borrowing more money is not an option we can afford to choose," Sen. Paul said.

Providing the appropriate amount of disaster funds to FEMA from our foreign spending would still leave a higher foreign-spending budget than FEMA and American disaster relief.

http://paul.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=313

 

[jmdrake]

Good move Rand. But I have mixed feelings about this. I believe in cutting foreign aid and I believe in helping fellow Americans in times of disaster, but I'm no fan of FEMA. I believe disaster relief would flow better if FEMA didn't exist and wasn't there to get in the way.

 

[jct74]

Another press release from Rand:

Sen. Paul Calls for Spending Offsets to Fund Emergency Disaster Assistance

Sep 12, 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. - With the Senate expected to address providing additional funds for disaster aid soon, Sen. Rand Paul is calling for spending offsets from foreign aid to fund increased disaster assistance. Increasing federal funding for disaster assistance should be allocated without increasing our national debt - but rather through equal cuts in foreign spending.

"When the issue of disaster-assistance funding is brought before the Senate, I plan to insist my fellow Senators take a long, hard look at where the funding comes from: Will it be more borrowing on the backs of our children and grandchildren, or will it be from the coffers of our numerous nation-building programs overseas? America's priorities should come first," Sen. Paul said.

http://paul.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=317

 

[Sola_Fide]

Will it be more borrowing on the backs of our children and grandchildren, or will it be from the coffers of our numerous nation-building programs overseas? America's priorities should come first," Sen. Paul said.

Attacking our foreign policy from the fiscal angle=smart

 

[Feeding the Abscess]

Attacking our foreign policy from the fiscal angle=smart

... but also incomplete. The more important aspect of our foreign policy position is the moral issue.

I don't get why Gary Johnson gets hit for making the cost-benefit analysis while Rand gets praised for it. I'm guessing people don't realize that Rand is making that argument because he doesn't explicitly state that he is doing so.

 

[Microsecessionist]

FEMA is terrible. It's hard to tell whether they're making things worse on accident or on purpose. Here's a list I found from one of the good people on the mises forums that I'm copying and pasting (sorry it's so long):

http://www.freedom-force.org/freedomcontent.cfm?fuseaction=FEMA_Katrina

(If the original sources are no longer active, click on (Cached).

FEMA tells first responders not to respond until told to do so. FEMA News 2005 Aug 29 (Cached)

FEMA won't accept Amtrak's help in evacuations.
FEMA News 2005 Aug 29 (Cached)

Offer of helicopters for rescue work is rejected.
Narcosphere 2005 Sept 1 (Cached)

FEMA blocks 500 Florida airboat pilots from rescue work.
Sun Sentinel 2005 Sept 2 (Cached)

FEMA to Chicago: Send just one truck.
Chicago Tribune 2005 Sept 2 (Cached)

FEMA turns back volunteer Sheriff's deputies and medical team. Unknown News 2005 Sept 2 (Cached)

FEMA bars morticians from entering New Orleans.
Tri Valley Central 2005 Sept 2 (Cached)

Pentagon says military mission in New Orleans is combat, not rescue. Army Times 2005 Sept 2 (Cached)

FEMA blocks 500-boat citizen flotilla from delivering aid.
Daily Kos 2005 Sept 3 (Cached)

Homeland Security won't let Red Cross deliver food.
Post Gazette 2005 Sept 3 (Cached)

Military turns back flood survivors trying to leave city. Thousands held at gunpoint and locked up in Superdome.
Reuters 2005 Sept 3 (Cached)

FEMA fails to utilize Navy ship with 600-bed hospital onboard. Chicago Tribune 2005 Sept 4 (Cached)

FEMA cuts local emergency communications phone lines.
Meet the Press 2005 Sept 4 (Cached)

FEMA turns away experienced firefighters.
Daily Kos 2005 Sept 5 (Cached)

FEMA turns back Wal-Mart supply trucks.
NY Times 2005 Sept 5 (Cached)

FEMA prevents Coast Guard from delivering diesel fuel.
NY Times 2005 Sept 5 (Cached)

Navy pilots who rescued victims are reprimanded.
NY Times 2005 Sept 7 (Cached)

US government turns back German plane with 15 tons of aid.
Star Tribune 2005 Sept 10 (Cached)

FEMA officials forbid stores from re-opening. Sheriff defies their order and threatens to arrest them. (Article near the bottom of page.) Times-Picayune 2005 Sept 11 (Cached)

FEMA declines volunteer firemen for rescue operations. Uses them to distibute public relations pamphlets.
Salt Lake Tribune 2005 Sept 12 (Cached)

FEMA orders doctor to stop treating hurricane victims.
Advocate 2005 Sept 16 (Cached)

FEMA ignores offer of busses for evacuation of New Orleans.
Chicago Tribune 2005 Sept 23 (Cached)

 

[ZanZibar]

Attacking our foreign policy from the fiscal angle=smart

Exactly. Rand is playing their game with them, and causing them to lose. He is getting people voting on record poorly.

... but also incomplete. The more important aspect of our foreign policy position is the moral issue.

That argument only works with us. To most of the rest of the world that argument doesn't mean anything. So we bringing the fight to their doorstep.

 

[Sola_Fide]

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