[Hoot Gibson]

First of all, Hoot, Beetle, etc, I hope that you would know that I 100% respect you guys, and 99.9% of the time, I agree with you all, but not on this. I agree the federal government has the power to do many things, but not all of them. I have no fault with that statement. However, THIS is what the federal money should be spent on, in my opinion. Scale back on what needs scaled back on (handing out free checks all year long to girls with five kids with five different daddys, to the ones that refuse to work, to the literally millions of "rehabilitation centers" that allow junkies in and out 47 times a year on the taxpayers money. Stop the war on drugs altogether. The war on drugs is one of the biggest wastes of funds in this nation, and its been wasting money for 40 years. If the federal money is going to be used, use it on disasters, to take better care of our elderly people, and our veterans. I read tvtimeouts post stating "if you dont have homeowners insurance, sorry about your luck", its VERY obvious that he has not seen a 70-75 year old person have to make a decision on whether to cut off his/her electricity, not pick up their meds, or to do without homeowners insurance. I know MANY elderly people that have to do it. My step father is one of them. He passed away in January, and he lived in Naples, Florida. He was 74 yrs old, and simply didnt have the funds to pay for his car insurance, house payment, electricity, utilities, gas, and homeowners insurance. I assume most of you all are like me, thankful to not have to worry about that, but there are a lot more than you may realize that arent so fortunate. Again, this isnt a personal attack on anyone, because I honestly and truthfully respect all of you, but from the destruction I seen in Salyersville and Hager Hill (pictures do NOT do it justice), this is a stance I will stand firm on.

The respect is mutual, TideHoss, but the question that I have asked repeatedly in one form or other, is why the federal government should be providing disaster aid instead of state governments? I work in this area and so much money pours into the federal coffers that most of the wealthiest counties in the country are located in the DC metro area. This is not an efficient federal government and administering agencies like FEMA from Washington is not efficient.

If most people in this country really had an inkling of how much money is wasted in DC and how wastefully it is managed, I don't think many of them would want to have federal bureaucrats handling any more money than absolutely necessary.

Here is a non-FEMA example of the broken federal bureaucracy. One of the senior application developers on my project team is an Indian citizen who is here on a work visa. More than two years ago, he started the process to obtain a green card. Part of our company is in the process of being acquired by another company. Some of his paperwork contains the phrase "having an office in Denver, Colorado" but the new company does not have a Denver office. Consequently, he has been advised by the government that the best thing that he can do is start the application process from scratch, which would delay the process of obtaining a green card by two years. So, he is going to be out the expense of hiring a lawyer to try to find a way of amending his application without starting over. This is how the federal bureaucracy works (or doesn't).

About 25 of my colleagues and I lost about 5 weeks of work last summer waiting for a single bureaucrat to find time to write a contract that all parties knew for months was going to be required to replace one due to expire. We lost a couple of good employees as a result and would have lost several more if the impasse had continued a couple more weeks.

Consequently, my project team began working mandatory 50-hour minimum work weeks for several months to make up for lost time - all because of one lazy clerk. Firing deadbeat employees from federal jobs is almost impossible. The bottom line is that it ultimately cost the government far more money to meet the deadlines that they established than it should have.

I could give you many other examples of where the system makes no sense. There are many good, hard working federal employees and they also get very frustrated with the system.

I didn't just wake up one morning and decide to become a libertarian. I have learned the hard way. :biggrin:

[TheRealVille]

No, genius, but an emergency relief organization the size of FEMA can certainly have people ready to board planes the day after disasters strike. I believe that FEMA has access to helicopters and if not, then I am pretty sure that the National Guard does. There is no good reason that FEMA was not working on Sunday morning, at the latest.

I say again, genius, if you are so smart at running the government, why aren't you there doing your part? Every post you make tries to show how smart you are at running the government, and how dumb everybody else is. Why aren't you up there doing it? You couldn't even run a coal company. You had to leave that occupation.

[Hoot Gibson]

I say again, genius, if you are so smart at running the government, why aren't you there doing your part? Every post you make tries to show how smart you are at running the government, and how dumb everybody else is. Why aren't you up there doing it? You couldn't even run a coal company. You had to leave that occupation.

If you think that I post to show how smart I am and how dumb you are, then that says something about your own state of mind.

I am not a psychiatrist but this is probably the wrong forum to deal with your king-sized inferiority complex. Debating with people better informed that yourself will only make your problem worse.

[TheRealVille]

If you think that I post to show how smart I am and how dumb you are, then that says something about your own state of mind.

I am not a psychiatrist but this is probably the wrong forum to deal with your king-sized inferiority complex. Debating with people better informed that yourself will only make your problem worse.

You try to post that you are some kind of political genius, and everybody but your two or three cheerleaders, are political idiots. You think you and the conservatives have all the clues.


I have never spent a day thinking you are smarter than me. That is your frame of mind. I know you are a far right wing idiot. That has no bearing on any inferoirity complex. I know at the end of the day, I have compassion for people, and you have zero. I am far superior to you in most things of that nature. You don't care if people get help, as long as you aren't paying for it.

[TheRealVille]

Every post you post, you try to say that you have all the angles on how things are supposed to be done. Why waste those talents talking to the little people on BGR? With all your "knowledge", Washington needs you.

[Hoot Gibson]

You try to post that you are some kind of political genius, and everybody but your two or three cheerleaders, are political idiots. You think you and the conservatives have all the clues.


I have never spent a day thinking you are smarter than me. That is your frame of mind. I know you are a far right wing idiot. That has no bearing on any inferoirity complex. I know at the end of the day, I have compassion for people, and you have zero. I am far superior to you in most things of that nature. You don't care if people get help, as long as you aren't paying for it.

These last few posts show once again your true character, RV. I had made no personal attacks against you whatsoever, but because I disagree with you about the role the federal government should play in disaster relief, you have repeatedly tried to bait me with your insults and smears. Of all the posters who frequent this forum, you consistently show the least class and the nastiest disposition of them all.

I don't know what your problem is, but I sincerely wish that you would get help. You seem incapable of debating any issue without getting frustrated and verbally attacking people.

[TheRealVille]

These last few posts show once again your true character, RV. I had made no personal attacks against you whatsoever, but because I disagree with you about the role the federal government should play in disaster relief, you have repeatedly tried to bait me with your insults and smears. Of all the posters who frequent this forum, you consistently show the least class and the nastiest disposition of them all.

I don't know what your problem is, but I sincerely wish that you would get help. You seem incapable of debating any issue without getting frustrated and verbally attacking people.

You don't think your "genius" comment might have got things started?

No, genius, but an emergency relief organization the size of FEMA can certainly have people ready to board planes the day after disasters strike. I believe that FEMA has access to helicopters and if not, then I am pretty sure that the National Guard does. There is no good reason that FEMA was not working on Sunday morning, at the latest.

[Wildcatk23]

You don't think your "genius" comment might have got things started?

Of Course not.

[TheRealVille]

I can be civil with anybody but you Hoot, because you are a smart alec. And, basically I dislike you more than anybody I have ever talked to in my entire life.

And, I was even civil with you, right up until the "genius" comment.

[Wildcatk23]

I can be civil with anybody but you Hoot, because you are a smart alec. And, basically I dislike you more than anybody I have ever talked to in my entire life.

:worthy:

[Hoot Gibson]

I can be civil with anybody but you Hoot, because you are a smart alec. And, basically I dislike you more than anybody I have ever talked to in my entire life.

You are lying again, RV. I am not the only person who you have had problems getting along with. And you calling anybody a smart alec (or an idiot) is extremely ironic.

It looks like you just gave up discussing this topic to take potshots at me. Par for the course.

[TheRealVille]

You are lying again, RV. I am not the only person who you have had problems getting along with. And you calling anybody a smart alec (or an idiot) is extremely ironic.

It looks like you just gave up discussing this topic to take potshots at me. Par for the course.

I give what I get.

[Hoot Gibson]

I give what I get.

You get frustrated and start smearing people without fail. If it's not me, then it is Old School or one of the other conservatives. You need no excuse. You demonize people to try to justify your rotten behavior.

[TheRealVille]

You get frustrated and start smearing people without fail. If it's not me, then it is Old School or one of the other conservatives. You need no excuse. You demonize people to try to justify your rotten behavior.

Your very "genius" post started all of the last few comments. Everything before that was fine. Take ownership Hoot. It would be best to move on.

[Hoot Gibson]

Your very "genius" post started all of the last few comments. Everything before that was fine. Take ownership Hoot. It would be best to move on.

Wrong again but you are right about moving on. You have once again derailed your own thread by your childish antics. Next time don't personalize your argument by accusing others of not being charitable, as you did before I called you a "genius."

[TheRealVille]

Wrong again but you are right about moving on. You have once again derailed your own thread by your childish antics. Next time don't personalize your argument by accusing others of not being charitable, as you did before I called you a "genius."

You talk about disaster being took care of by local and state government, and churches and such. If you have sent money to anywhere in Johnson County(your home county)or anywhere else in EKY, I pegged you wrong, and apologize.

[TheRealVille]

You talk about disaster being took care of by local and state government, and churches and such. If you have sent money to anywhere in Johnson County(your home county)or anywhere else in EKY, I pegged you wrong, and apologize.

I should have added, "or any other charity" to the list. We won't count throwing a few bucks into jar or a Red Cross tub to that though.

[Wildcatk23]

I should have added, "or any other charity" to the list. We won't count throwing a few bucks into jar or a Red Cross tub to that though.

Hey know i do that every Christmas

[Hoot Gibson]

I should have added, "or any other charity" to the list. We won't count throwing a few bucks into jar or a Red Cross tub to that though.

No, you should not have personalized the debate period. I have no intention of discussing any part of my personal finances with you or anybody else in this forum and which causes you choose to donate to or not donate to is likewise none of my business.

[TheRealVille]

No, you should not have personalized the debate period. I have no intention of discussing any part of my personal finances with you or anybody else in this forum and which causes you choose to donate to or not donate to is likewise none of my business.

You get the gist though? Don't bitch and complain about the government helping these areas, and saying the local people and local government should do it, if you, being a local person aren't doing what you say should be the way to go about it. I'm not saying that you aren't, just making the point. I can't find a way of showing the picture on here, but there is a complete low income apartment complex in Salyersville that is completely wiped out. How would you suggest that these people find a new place? I don't have a clue how many people lived there, but it appears to be around 40-50 apartments, with no telling how many in each family in the apartments. All the families will have to come up with some kind of home to stay in.

[TidesHoss32]

Hey know i do that every Christmas

Hey man, not being a dick or anything, but be careful when dealing with the Red Cross. Their efforts have been HIGHLY criticized by just about everybody in the places theyve been, and I was told point blank by two members of Johnson County rescue teams NOT to give them one penny. I was told it was better to give to a church or to a fire department, basically anybody but the Red Cross..I was too late passing that info to my mom though, because she sent them $200 before I could tell her Those two guys said that they cant prove what they do with the money, but they guarantee its not all going where it should, and that all they do is stay in their RV's and said they act like they are afraid to get their hands dirty. Just passing the info, so dont shoot the messenger lol..

[TheRealVille]

Hey man, not being a dick or anything, but be careful when dealing with the Red Cross. Their efforts have been HIGHLY criticized by just about everybody in the places theyve been, and I was told point blank by two members of Johnson County rescue teams NOT to give them one penny. I was told it was better to give to a church or to a fire department, basically anybody but the Red Cross..I was too late passing that info to my mom though, because she sent them $200 before I could tell her Those two guys said that they cant prove what they do with the money, but they guarantee its not all going where it should, and that all they do is stay in their RV's and said they act like they are afraid to get their hands dirty. Just passing the info, so dont shoot the messenger lol..

I don't trust the Red Cross one bit.

[Beetle01]

Ill address a couple things.

1. True, as of now Kentucky would have no way of funding this relief. Those affected are 100% dependent on a bureaucratic federal system, that has proven time and time again that they are incapable of handling any type of disaster efficiently. I like the rest of you have no problem with tax payer money being spent to help those affected. However, I feel if more tax payer money was staying in state and able to be used and directed efficiently by people actually from this state everyone would be better off, especially the victims. This is what Ron Paul is speaking of.

True the Federal Govt. has the power to run FEMA, but my argument is why continue with something that is broken. There is still a role the federal govt can play. 1. If a disaster is so devastating then maybe an injection of more tax payer money may be necessary. 2. Logistics, if the states are able to fund and have relief supplies, equipment, personnel, and whatever else ready they would be able to send these to other states in a time of need. This is something I feel the federal govt. could be efficient at doing if it was their main focus.

One of the things that makes our military so strong is the capability of being able to send hundreds of thousands of troops, equipment, and supplies anywhere in the world and maintaining it. They could draw from that experience in setting up plans for providing relief for different regions of the country.

[judgementday]

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't the federal government have more money than each individual state? Isn't that why you apply for disaster relief? IMO, if it were left up to each state to organize their own relief efforts, you would think it would not have the monies budgeted for such an expense and even if it did, that is more money taken away from state programs and universities.

I think that we all agree that FEMA is broken and hopefully one day they correct the issues because on paper, FEMA has the necessary tools to really make a difference.

[SKINNYPIG]

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't the federal government have more money than each individual state? Isn't that why you apply for disaster relief? IMO, if it were left up to each state to organize their own relief efforts, you would think it would not have the monies budgeted for such an expense and even if it did, that is more money taken away from state programs and universities.

I think that we all agree that FEMA is broken and hopefully one day they correct the issues because on paper, FEMA has the necessary tools to really make a difference.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but does the federal government really have any money?

[Deathstar 80]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but does the federal government really have any money?

Sure it does! We just have to borrow money from China... on second thought, the Federal Reserve Bank...

[RunItUpTheGut]

^
I look for the Dems to start breaking into Fort Knox within a couple of months...

[Wildcatk23]

Damn democrats spending all that money. Wish we still had all that money we had with bush.

[Bob Seger]

Damn democrats spending all that money. Wish we still had all that money we had with bush.

With who????


Oh yeah, that's the guy you're to young to even remember anything about.nicker:

[SKINNYPIG]

Damn democrats spending all that money. Wish we still had all that money we had with bush.

They're ALL addicted to spending our money my friend...Republicans as well as democrats. It is an addiction that only we can cure them of. We should start with Obama and any other addict in Washington starting in November. OUST THEM TILL WE GET IT RIGHT!