Politics As Usual
Shining a Light on Power and Policy
Tom Shine covers congressional politics for ABC News.
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A Tornado Destroyed Their Homes, FEMA Betrayed Their Trust
March 15, 2007 9:48 AM
It was Saturday, FEBRUARY 24th when a batch of very severe storms and a tornado struck 4 counties in the southern part of Arkansas. Nearly 150 homes were either destroyed or badly damaged. Scores of people were sent to the hospital and several businesses that employed 800 people in a rural community of 5,000 were ruined.
NO ONE DIED but families who lost everything had no place to stay.
That should not have been a problem. Down the way, some 180 MILES, just a 3 HOUR DRIVE, were 8,420 "FULLY BRAND NEW, FULLY FURNISHED FEMA TRAILERS" sitting unused in HOPE, Arkansas.
On TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27th Arkansas Governor Beebe asked for federal help and along with his congressional delegation in Washington begged FEMA director DAVID PAULISON to send in 150 of those UNUSED TAXPAYER PURCHASED TRAILERS.
NOTHING HAPPENED.
On WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28th the congressional delegation sent president bush a letter backing up Governor Beebe's plea for federal help and on MARCH 1, MARCH 2, and MARCH 3 there were more phone calls and letters to FEMA asking for money and some trailers.
NOTHING HAPPENED.
On TUESDAY, MARCH 5th, Arkansas Democratic Reps. Mike Ross, and Marion Berry took to the HOUSE FLOOR and showed pictures of the destruction and the unused trailers parked in hope. They hand delivered letters and pictures to the PRESIDENT, FEMA DIRECTOR PAULISON and DHS SECRETARY CHERTOFF.
NOTHING HAPPENED.
On WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6th, there were more 1 minute speeches on the house floor, more photos, more pleas.
BUT AGAIN NOTHING HAPPENED.
Finally on SATURDAY, MARCH 9th, TWO WEEKS AFTER THE STORMS, 23 mobile homes and 7 travel trailers left hope headed to the homeless in rural Arkansas. BUT THERE IS MORE. State and local officials had to pay to have the trailers moved. WHY? FEMA turned down Beebe's request for federal help saying most of the destroyed and damaged homes were insured and the state of Arkansas had a BUDGET SURPLUS and could use that money to help their own.
This afternoon FEMA officials will face an angry Bennie G. Thompson who now chairs the House Homeland Security committee. He has invited Arkansas Congressman Ross to sit in even though Ross is not a member of the committee and Arkansas Governor Beebe will also be there.
"Brownie" is gone but FEMA REMAINS A COLD HEARTED, SCREWED UP AGENCY!
March 15, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (26)
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It is not the job of government to apply a band-aid to every single disaster that comes along. The FEMA program is designed to help those without insurance or sufficient resources to help themselves.
If you have insurance, then check into a motel or move in with Mom and Dad for a few days until matters are resolved.
Government seldom does anything quickly or well. And that's not just under the Bush mis-Administration. NO bureaucracy operates as efficiently as the private sector. Never has. Never will.
If you're not insured, whose fault is it? If you don't have at least a little cash tucked away for hard times, whose fault is it?
Don't expect government to be your nanny. You'll be left out in the cold every time. You get what you ask for.
Posted by: Alan | Mar 17, 2007 1:22:28 PM
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