The recent hurricane and finger pointing on who’s to blame for the slow response to the refugees in this matter got me thinking about what is expected by local, state and federal governments in the wake of a natural disaster.
As stated in another thread there is very little that the current 250,000 people are receiving that I would personally expect the government to provide if I were in their shoes. Especially the $2k gift cards.
Film crews have captured many people who appear to be healthy enough to provide for themselves.
I realize and am cognizant that the aged and infirm need help but they are a small percentage of the total.
So my question. Would you expect the amount of help these people are receiving by the government?
ALL of your material possessions are gone. All of them. All the bank cards, all the credit cards, all the pictures, everything. Everything.
You are moved to another city with thousands of others in the same situation.
How do you survive? What do you need for survival? What would you like to be given?
This is hard to imagine because most of us take our little luxuries for granted. If you really want to feel what it feels like empty your pockets, take a $100 bill, hail a cab and tell cabbie to drive you $100 worth far. Then try to make it home on your own. Don’t tell your family you’re doing this either, to make it more realistic. So no money, no extra clothes, no ids. I’m being serious, you should try it. Or make a week out of it, see if you can find a job, an apartment, a car.
Then think about what kind of help would you like to receive.
Actually…bank, credit and other means of getting money are quite easy to replace. I’ve lost my wallet and had to replicate everything. It wasn’t easy and was a pain but my life didn’t stop because of the loss.
In terms of your $100 example. I highly doubt that $100 was all these people had to their name. Then again, If that is the case I see your point.
But that wasn’t the question. Would you expect what these people are receiving and would you plan for receiving it?
Well I pay quite a bit in taxes as do most of us, so I feel that we have an expectation that that money will be used for something. Now assume that someone left NO at the first warning and has been holed up in Vegas for the last few weeks, but that their house, and all possessions are under water and they will be out of a job for a while, maybe have to completely relocate. Even with pretty good insurance and unemployment compensation this person is going to take a hell of a hit financially, so yeah use some govt money to help them out, why not?
It’s a mind-boggling question, difficult to get my head around. So, just about anything I say will come across as vague or evasive, but that’s not the intent; such thinking is a work-in-progress.
As a citizen who pays taxes, I would be very content if my own personal contribution could always be targeted for social services. I don’t mind paying taxes, and it does not in the least offend me that part of my tax contribution goes to people who are less fortunate than I am; I only wish all of it went their way. The welfare state is something I accept and don’t mind supporting. I have taught for 18 years in a poverty-ridden region, and I just don’t think it’s as easy as so many people claim for members of the underclass to rise above their surroundings. When the family poverty is several generations old, there are colossal forces that work to keep people socially oppressed. It is extremely difficult to see this daily and try to work through/with/against it. For the vast majority of those who did not/could not get out of New Orleans, their options in life were few before Katrina, and are vastly more limited now.
From that paragraph you can assume, perhaps, that I am in favor of prudently unlimited support - however you want to construe what that might entail. Haris raises a few very solid points, and that is that so many of these people have absolutely nothing, which is still significantly less than the relative amount of nothing they had before the hurricane. When I lived in Texas in the '80s I seem to remember the job situation as being none too solid, and now with so many dispossessed persons there I don’t see how they can possible adequately provide for themselves. As for those who have been relocated to Mississippi and elesewhere in Louisiana, well, those states are not teeming with job possibilities either. So, I don’t know what these folks are supposed to do. I’m open to suggestions.
They are American citizens, and now has come the time when they need every bit of help the country can muster. And, I believe, this should be substantial. It might last forever. I just don’t know how or where or when to put a cap on it, when to say to them “Enough is enough, you’re on your own now.” I’m willing to go the distance with these people. If it was me down there as the person I am now, I would expect limited assistance - I think I have the wherewithal to get back on my feet fairly quickly, as my overall personal/educational/vocational foundation is quite solid. But for those who were stuck in NO for those hellacious days, I want to see the government do the right thing by them — for as long as is necessary.
But that wasn’t the question. Would you expect what these people are receiving and would you plan for receiving it?
Would I expect it? That depends. In USA and Canada, or even western European country? Yes.
In a third world country? No.
I expect countries with means to take care of it’s citizens.
Would I plan on receiving it? No, as I’m the only one I know I can rely on in case of emergency. I did lose everything once (as in, everything my family had, except clothes on our backs) and didn’t get any help from anyone to recover. It takes a long time to rebuild one’s life.
As for the wallet, you probably went to your local bank branch and state office. Imagine they’re gone. That little card that holds your signature at the bank? Gone.
i think the 2,000.00 gift card is a stupid idea. throwing money at the problem does no good.
besides, if these people have no money to their name. no money at all–doesn’t that tell you that they don’t know how to manage money? giving each of them 2K isn’t going to solve anything and those gift cards will cost a small fortune. what a joke.
I saw a report that indicated that many are living on welfare checks. The storm hit the 29th. That’s just a few days before they’d get their next check which means most had nothing - living check to check. I know many will say “It’s welfare! We shouldn’t even give them money!” A lot of those people were born and raised there and have lived their life in those conditions. They’re taught from early on that this is their life, so the’ve already given up trying to improve it.
Now I’m worried what’s next for them, unemployed people displaced to places that already have a large unemployed population. But I do think giving them some money, short term, is OK. What I’d like to see is give them work. Seems to me there will be a lot of work available, even for unskilled people, rebuilding NO. What does it take to put a hard hat on and start knocking down walls. They could earn credits that will go towards getting a new home. Also, I’d like to see the lower flooded areas returned to marshland and build high-rises 200 units or more, each with two story garages, their own generator and water storage. And this community become largely self-governed/maintained. I haven’t figured out where their income will come from - in a way they can earn it. OK, back to the drawing board!
i think the 2,000.00 gift card is a stupid idea. throwing money at the problem does no good.
besides, if these people have no money to their name. no money at all–doesn’t that tell you that they don’t know how to manage money? giving each of them 2K isn’t going to solve anything and those gift cards will cost a small fortune. what a joke.
My brother, who is mentally ill but was barely self-sufficient, had been on SSI (“disability”) for decades. The paltry sum he received each month was rarely sufficient to last to the end of the month (my family gave him money to cover). It had nothing to do with “managing money”, but everything to do with attempting to live on income that would blow your mind in its inadequacy. How would you (or I) do on $5.15/hour?
Halfspeed, I’m with you. Make the rebuilding of NO a giant Habitat for Humanity project with the sweat equity used by everyone. After the water is pumped out imagine the silt and muck that will have to be shoveled out of every street/nook/cranny. There is a big drive for green roofs on buildings (planting the tops of buildings) which will increase the fresh fruit or vegetables available at each community.
"Actually…bank, credit and other means of getting money are quite easy to replace. I’ve lost my wallet and had to replicate everything. It wasn’t easy and was a pain but my life didn’t stop because of the loss. "
i was thinking about this— I personally bank at a local credit union— if my city flooded (like in NO) and this place was closed – I would have no access to my money— not everyone banks at a national chain so, without an ATM card, or credit card, I would be sunk— there would be no one to contact – no computer access of my accounts— nothing—
I certainly would want help until I could get my hands on my hard-earned savings.
You, like me, probably keep those paper copies in your house, which if in NO, probably doens’t exist as you knew it, so the copies are likely long gone…
As stated in another thread there is very little that the current 250,000 people are receiving that I would personally expect the government to provide if I were in their shoes. Especially the $2k gift cards.
I expect the government to do what’s humanly possible to help me in the immediate aftermath. I do not expect the government to work some miracle, and make everything better for me within 12 hours. I expect that if the situation is as massively dire as NO, even a perfectly executed plan is going to prove inadequate to fulfill that unrealistic expectation, and I expect that nobody’s actually capable of perfectly executing a plan in those conditions anyway.
Once my immediate survival needs are squared away, I do expect assistance. Personally, I’d prefer that most of that assistance came from private charity, but hey, this is the real world, right? I don’t think it’s all that crazy to take assistance in this situation from the government. I’m not convinced that the $2000 credit cards are a bad idea, or that it’s just “throwing money at the problem.” Or rather, maybe it is, but in this case that’s part of the problem- people don’t have any money, or any access to it, and all of their possessions are simply gone.
I further expect that the nation rallies in support of me, and focuses its attention on what it can collectively do to help. You know, instead of using my plight to further its various political battles.
I feel constrained to point out that charity is not really optional. It’s a moral duty. (For both the giver and receiver.)
The above is our play on the running joke of responding “Why do you hate America?” or “Why do you hate God?” to anyone that makes a good point at critiqueing either America or God.
It’s amazing, that anyone that looks for a means of breaking the welfare cycle or getting people to earn their money, is frowned upon and given unfair labels.
As stated in another thread there is very little that the current 250,000 people are receiving that I would personally expect the government to provide if I were in their shoes. Especially the $2k gift cards.
I expect the government to do what’s humanly possible to help me in the immediate aftermath. I do not expect the government to work some miracle, and make everything better for me within 12 hours. I expect that if the situation is as massively dire as NO, even a perfectly executed plan is going to prove inadequate to fulfill that unrealistic expectation, and I expect that nobody’s actually capable of perfectly executing a plan in those conditions anyway.
Once my immediate survival needs are squared away, I do expect assistance. Personally, I’d prefer that most of that assistance came from private charity, but hey, this is the real world, right? I don’t think it’s all that crazy to take assistance in this situation from the government. I’m not convinced that the $2000 credit cards are a bad idea, or that it’s just “throwing money at the problem.” Or rather, maybe it is, but in this case that’s part of the problem- people don’t have any money, or any access to it, and all of their possessions are simply gone.
I further expect that the nation rallies in support of me, and focuses its attention on what it can collectively do to help. You know, instead of using my plight to further its various political battles.
I feel constrained to point out that charity is not really optional. It’s a moral duty. (For both the giver and receiver.)
I expect the government to do what’s humanly possible to help me in the immediate aftermath.
agreed.
I do not expect the government to work some miracle, and make everything better for me within 12 hours.
I also don’t expect to be over-compensated.
I expect that if the situation is as massively dire as NO, even a perfectly executed plan is going to prove inadequate to fulfill that unrealistic expectation, and I expect that nobody’s actually capable of perfectly executing a plan in those conditions anyway.
why are you shirking responsibility? =)
Actually, that sounds very reasonable.
I’m not convinced that the $2000 credit cards are a bad idea, or that it’s just “throwing money at the problem.”
I’m just hoping that the money goes towards lodging/food and not for entertainment.
I further expect that the nation rallies in support of me, and focuses its attention on what it can collectively do to help. You know, instead of using my plight to further its various political battles.
This will be my overall prevailing memory of this disaster … that too many peole were standing on the shoulders of flood/hurricane victims so they could loudly state their political complaints and point fingers. I still find it disgusting.
I feel constrained to point out that charity is not really optional. It’s a moral duty. (For both the giver and receiver.)
I agree. Duty. That’s a word we bring up quite a bit in my EdAdmin master’s classes. It’s not just something that “should be done” or a “good idea”. It’s something one should be compelled to do. A duty.
