Connecticut doesn’t need and should not want FEMA

I know … destruction along the shore, flooding, power lines down. The cost will be immense but do taxpayers in Texas have an obligation to pay for our problems, or should each state be prepared for the worst on it’s own. Congressman Ron Paul has said FEMA is often used as a political tool .. and a writer at UCONN’s Daily Campus agrees.

Just as a point of reference last week Governor Dannel P Malloy he thought Congressman Ron Paul was an “idiot” for wanting to eliminate or curtail FEMA. But who really has Connecticut’s best interests in mind? Thomas Dilling at UCONN’s Daily Campus newspaper says Ron Paul does.

In the absence of a federal program designed to subsidize more disaster-prone states such as Texas, the cost associated with these routine natural disasters would be paid out by the taxpayers of Texas, rather than the taxpayers of other states. Furthermore, abolishing a federal role in these routine disasters would give states and municipalities the incentive to be better prepared for when these events occur, rather than relying on federal support. The moral hazard associated with subsidizing states that are more disaster prone ought to be clear. By externalizing the costs associated with these disasters, it makes these states more attractive to people looking for places to live, putting more people in harm’s way come future disasters. This hurts Connecticut’s competitive standing against states like Texas who don’t have to price the cost of disaster into their taxes.

Some may say that a national FEMA response is necessary because it can handle disasters that states could not handle on their own. But, these people fail to recognize that the existence of the federal institution crowds state-run disaster relief programs. Furthermore, it certainly is not true that all FEMA declarations of disaster are in need of federal attention. In the words of former FEMA Director, James Lee Witt, “Disasters are very political events” and as such, are declared on a very political basis. Dr. Russel Sobel, an economist at West Virginia University shows, using FEMA data, that historically, the number of disasters declared strongly correlates with whether or not it’s a re-election year. Every president since Ronald Reagan has declared more disasters during their re-election year than during any other year of their terms.

Also from FEMA data, Matt A. Mayer of the Heritage Foundation, shows that the number of declared disasters has skyrocketed in recent years, more than tripling since George H.W. Bush’s term. This can be attributed to the incentive the federal government gives to states of subsidizing the relief efforts. Therefore, states put pressure on the federal government to cover the bills of problems that are easily within their control. Often times, disasters are not even declared until weeks or months following the event, which demonstrates that it is primarily about states trying to obtain free money, not a genuine need for outside emergency services.

Even including hurricane Irene, Connecticut isn’t on the receiving end of FEMA money, so it would be in our best interest to oppose FEMA and focus on in-state response. Meanwhile, it would do Gov. Malloy well not to endorse programs that, by his own admission, favor Texans at Connecticut’s expense.

Go and read it all. H/T ctcapitolreport.com

Once again for your viewing pleasure.

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Jim Vicevich

Jim is a veteran broadcaster and conservative/libertarian blogger with more than 25 years experience in TV and radio. Jim's was the long-term host of The Jim Vicevich Show on WTIC 1080 in Hartford from 2004 through 2019. Prior to radio, Jim worked as a business and financial reporter for NBC30 - the NBC owned TV station in Hartford - and as business editor at WFSB-TV in Hartford for 14 years while earning six Emmy nominations and three Telly Awards.

8 Comments

  1. pauldow on September 7, 2011 at 2:48 pm

    The classic example was Vernon, CT in the winter of 1995-96. Snowfall that year at Bradley was 115 inches, while the average is 48.2 inches. Vernon’s snow removal expenses that year were $258,000, but they budgeted $104,516. The federal government stepped in with a payment of $40,023. Did the people of Vernon learn their lesson from this? You bet they did! The following year they budgeted $69,383 for snow removal.

    I’m sure the people of Vernon sent a nice thank you note to the people from the southern states though.



  2. sammy22 on September 7, 2011 at 6:04 pm

    Now let’s see: $104K plus $40K from the Feds equals $144K. Who coughed-up the other $114K?



  3. crystal4 on September 7, 2011 at 7:04 pm

    thank you. thank you, gov malloy! I have emailed him with this! For someone who was back and forth taking care of elderly (94 and 89) neighbors (who are alone with no family in the area) with ice and water and food.. and for myself for charging my phone and internet access and showers….it was like an oasis of heaven ….The Gov rocks…he came through for the hard hit shoreline.



  4. crystal4 on September 7, 2011 at 7:11 pm

    This post made me see RED!



    • Dimsdale on September 12, 2011 at 9:35 am

      Red good, blue bad!? 😉



  5. Shared Sacrifice on September 7, 2011 at 10:23 pm

    I’d choose company with an idiot anytime when the alternative is a bald faced liar who misleads voters, expressing every desire to not raise taxes, only to raise them by record amounts…? I’d like to see a government inquiry into Malloy’s deceptive campaign practices and illegitimate election based on lies and whatever the hell happened in Pissport, CT.



  6. Anybody but Obama on September 7, 2011 at 10:28 pm

    Crystal its a little tough trying to understand why your upset with the post, you actually make
    Ron Paul’s point and the post. You did what should be done you helped your neighbors and the state handled the?storm and was prepared.? Shelters were opened, people were helped, neighbors pitched in to help neighbors ?all without the help of FEMA. Personal responsibility was the key. In northeast CT I drove by 4 fema relief tents all stocked up with water and MRE’s and there was nobody looking for any help from the federal?government.?Thanks for proving the post right in its assessment.



  7. Lynn on September 8, 2011 at 3:31 pm

    ABO Ditto



Square - Malloy

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