From Mandate for Leadership, aka Project 2025, page 135:
The bloated DHS bureaucracy and budget, along with the wrong priorities,
provide real opportunities for a conservative Administration to cut billions in
spending and limit government’s role in Americans’ lives. These opportunities
include privatizing TSA screening and the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program, reforming FEMA emergency
spending to shift the majority of preparedness and response costs to states and
localities instead of the federal government, eliminating most of DHS’s grant programs,
and removing all unions in the department for national security purposes.
What could possibly go wrong with privatizing FEMA?
Some pretty big news here:
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-east-coast-dockworkers-head-toward-strike-after-deal-deadline-passes-2024-10-01/
https://www.scrippsnews.com/us-news/dockworkers-at-ports-from-maine-to-texas-go-on-strike-a-standoff-risking-new-shortages
“J.P. Morgan estimated that a strike that shuts down East and Gulf coast ports could cost the economy $3.8 billion to $4.5 billion per day, with some of that recovered over time after normal operations resume.”
“Dockworkers at ports from Maine to Texas go on strike”
I was wondering why this is an East Coast event and not involving the West Coast. But then I saw a graph ala Kevin Drum’s blog showing high West Coast pay v. low East Coast pay. I provided a link in a separate comment.
Harris Backs Striking Dockworkers, Blasts Trump For Appointing ‘Union Busters’
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/harris-backs-striking-dockworkers-blasts-trump-for-appointing-union-busters/ar-AA1rBoH6?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=3a2105cac0164eb9ad8bf15dc45cfe5a&ei=11
Project 2025 has lots of “fascinating ideas” on ways they want to control Americans’ private lives:
https://calmatters.org/politics/2024/09/project2025-trump-california-abortion-surveillance/
Project 2025’s proposed federal mandate directly conflicts with the state’s strong protections for patient privacy and could dismantle the legal and ethical foundations that have made California a refuge for those seeking reproductive care.
The blueprint, crafted by Donald Trump allies and leaders in his first administration, clearly targets states with abortion protections like California, seeking the kind of data that could be used to target abortion-seekers or even criminally punish out-of-staters who come to the state for reproductive health services.
“Because liberal states have now become sanctuaries for abortion tourism, [the Department of Health and Human Services] should use every available tool, including the cutting of funds, to ensure that every state reports exactly how many abortions take place within its borders, at what gestational age of the child, for what reason, the mother’s state of residence, and by what method,” reads the chapter on abortion reporting.
Roger Severino, who served as the Department of Health and Human Services’ director of the Office for Civil Rights under Trump, authored Project 2025’s abortion surveillance plan. He is now the vice president of domestic policy at the Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank behind Project 2025. He declined an interview with CalMatters.
We seemingly have very few female visitors or female economists who care to make comments on this blog. I am assuming Menzie has many sort of “silent female readers”. I am wondering do women also choose to remain silent on this issue, or would any of them like to speak up and say something about how they feel about this invasion on women’s personal decisions, which will happen if donald trump is elected. I say, speak/type now, or live with what happens next. Because Republicans like Steven Kopits who claim thy don’t want “big government” in people’s/women’s lives have a BIIIIIIIG surprise coming for you women who seemingly are non-fazed.
“What could possibly go wrong with privatizing FEMA?”
Slacker/degenerate Moses waving hand frantically and in berserk fashion from the very back corner of the classroom “Professor Chinn!!! Professor Chinn!!!! Me!!! Me!!! Call on me!!!! I think I have rough idea what that looks like!!!!” :
https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-katrina-anniversary/heck-job-brownie-where-disgraced-fema-head-now-n400436
Even its friends call it “Brownie”. For some reason, nearly two decades later, the name Brownie still fits the creature perfectly.
https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4584302/user-clip-heck-job
Ya know, the whole “privatize government functions because the private sector is more efficient” argument had never held up to close examination. British Rail is often cited as a glowing example of privatization working, mostly because it’s just about the only example.
Profit creates a conduit for public money to flow into politics. There is a feedback loop between private profit and politics which doesn’t exist when government carries out its own work. Profit and political money are the motive for privatization, and those motives are well satisfied. Efficiency? No.
Hey, Moses, an update:
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1842246865234128978
Just received this note from a SpaceX engineer helping on the ground in North Carolina.
@FEMA
is not merely failing to adequately help people in trouble, but is actively blocking citizens who try to help!
“Hey Elon, update here on site of Asheville, NC. We have powered up two large operating bases for choppers to deliver goods into hands. We’ve deployed 300+ starlinks and outpour is it has saved many lives.
The big issue is FEMA is actively blocking shipments and seizing goods and services locally and locking them away to state they are their own. It’s very real and scary how much they have taken control to stop people helping. We are blocked now on the shipments of new starlinks coming in until we get an escort from the fire dept. but that may not be enough.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/29/fema-starlink-helene-victims-00181576
In response, FEMA is sending in search-and-rescue teams and bottled water, as well as trying to get water systems back online, not only in North Carolina but the other states impacted too. Starlink satellites have also been moved in to facilitate the lack of communication that part of the state is experiencing,” according to Criswell.
_________
Trust us. We’re from FEMA and we’re here to help because nobody else will… and we’ll do our best to keep those meddlers away.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/qcn-flies-united-cajun-navy-001639671.html
https://www.yahoo.com/news/samaritan-purse-committed-disaster-relief-220746385.html
Well, you’ve educated me AGAIN (no sarcasm) I think I didn’t grasp how badly people were hurting in NC, Got a half bottle of wine left here, not totally ……… I saw hardcopy newspapers pictures of President Biden checking on them. I don’t know who is “heading the operation”: but can you and me bet MD, that he/she is doing it BETTER than Brownie would have??
Whenever you hear/see Brownie pointing an accusatory finger at “big government” or the federal government, always remember, Brownie has three fingers pointing back at himself.
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-sep-04-na-brown4-story.html
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/a-headshrinkers-guide-to-the-galaxy/201109/three-fingers-pointing-back-to-you
‘People can’t afford life anymore’: Eric Trump claims he spent $130 to fill up his SUV but Americans have questions
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/savingandinvesting/people-can-t-afford-life-anymore-eric-trump-claims-he-spent-130-to-fill-up-his-suv-but-americans-have-questions-3-ways-to-hedge-against-inflation-even-as-it-cools/ar-AA1rzO3L?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=b2406439be994e1f8c8f199a6820f227&ei=13
I have always said Eric is not a very bright boy but $6.50 per gallon?
Moses needs to teach Eric how to shop for gasoline!
Does this mean I would have to socially interact with Eric?? Pass.
$2.59 this morning. I probably overpaid but that gasoline (fully spelled out for the ghost of Prof Rosser) station has a couple Mideast?/Indian? folks who are quick and courteous and I can pick up a local paper and a WSJ right by the register. Solid place. Only pet peeve that irritates me is they also offer “Epoch Times” rubbish. I give them a pass on the latter because the former. Bathrooms always clean when I am there, though strangely they get complaints on bathrooms in Google reviews. Weird. I swear to God they are always clean when I try them.
my wsj subscription is expired right now-the special I bought with ended. I like the reporters, but the editorial folks should all be executed from their positions. paper version of wsj is overpriced, as is regular online price. but I resubscribe when they send me a yearly offer for a couple bucks a month. then cancel when the year is up. but I do miss reading a real newspaper.
I get WSJ hardcopy in my emails (2 am in the morning) I really was SHOCKED by this. FREE….. I am even cautious to mention this online here. Every day free in my emails, But I agree WSJ journalism is great , WSJ editorials are horrid
Speaking of climate change – in the VP debate Vance like all the GOP refuses to acknowledge climate change is real – “He (Vance) avoided acknowledging the reality of human-caused climate change, instead referring to “crazy weather patterns” and global warming as “weird science.”
In contrast – Walz said, “Climate change is real. Reducing our impact is absolutely critical,” he said, touting the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, the biggest clean energy spending bill in history, which he said “has created jobs across the country.” https://grist.org/politics/climate-was-a-top-question-at-the-vp-debate-both-candidates-actually-answered-sort-of/
The choice is clear for voters – The GOP is a party of climate change deniers and you will have to just accept that govt will not be there to help when your homes and lives get devastated by extreme weather events. Also according to Trump – no worries – climate change will give you more seafront property – apparently not grasping the idea of coastal sea level rising/erosion – https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-seafront-climate-change_n_66ea8ca7e4b06998fbed9f14
Vote for Democrats if you want a party that understands climate science and is working to reduce emissions and working on climate change migration and adaptation in both domestic and foreign policies https://democrats.org/where-we-stand/the-issues/environment/
BTW – As I drive around the state for work – I do see Trump/Vance signs – on farms – although there seems to be fewer this year (hard to tell – GOP political signs in rural areas is a big deal for the WIGOP – maybe they have less money this year?) – I always want to say – Project 2025 is planning to eliminate most farm subsidies and crop insurance and reduce USDA – https://investigatemidwest.org/2024/07/19/farm-programs-usda-would-shrink-under-project-2025-goals-for-ag/
Good luck to farming like in the 1920s before FDR’s farm safety net programs and federal crop insurance and with the addition of more extreme weather events due to climate change – and Trump/Vance will have mass deportation of all your farm workers.
James,
There are patterns of heat/dryness and cold/wetness that oscillate over time. The fact is that we are in a world that is warming and that is a good thing. 300-400 years ago, the northern hemisphere was a miserable place, especially in the winter. Over the past 30-40 years, there has been a significant greening of the planet to the extent that even some arid deserts are being reclaimed by vegetation. This is good for all living things. More food, more shelter, more filtering of the air (plants do that).
Sure, some areas that are vulnerable and have become overpopulated may be at somewhat higher risk, but other areas will enjoy much milder conditions, much healthier conditions, and longer growing seasons. https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/goddard/carbon-dioxide-fertilization-greening-earth-study-finds/ (note the caveat at the end about models regarding the greening… which could and should apply to general climate models).
Overall, it will be a healthier planet for humans.
https://phys.org/news/2020-08-cold-weather-accounts-temperature-related-deaths.html#google_vignette and https://web.stanford.edu/~moore/HealthBenefitsofWarmer.html
Rather than fear the change, embrace it. Change is the one constant of this planet and life is adaptable. Hyperbole promoting fear of change is the biggest risk. After all, even President Obama doesn’t put much credence into a rising ocean sweeping away the east coast.
https://www.homesandgardens.com/news/president-obama-new-house-marthas-vineyard
so according to vance, trump did not try to dismantle Obamacare. he lead a friendly bipartisan overhaul of the program, because he believed it was good and could be made better. I am curious, republicans, why have you become so immoral that lying is now an accepted and expected trait in your candidates? seriously, the moral character of anybody who supports a trump/vance ticket is called into question. these guys lie with impunity. and simply too many people support that behavior. it is disgusting, and rather disappointing that so many folks in this country have lost (or never had) a moral compass.
it is one thing when a candidate simply makes an erroneous statement. that can happen. but when it comes to trump and vance, the magnitude of untruths made in a deliberate attempt to simply win an argument is astounding. if you had a child who lied so much, you would be extremely disappointed in that child. but you let the leader of the free world absolve himself of a similar expectation? pathetic.
privatizing the national flood insurance program? there is a reason it is now a federal system. private insurance either would not or could not insure those who actually needed flood insurance. in general, I am a believer that insurance really does not work in the for profit arena, because for profit prioritizes profit over insurance payout. insurance can work, but there are certain people and businesses that should not be able to operate in that specific type of marketplace.
I also believe that certain homes, especially with repeat floods, should be fairly bought out and land turned into public parks. in the long run, this will reduce overall cost and keep people from living in unsafe areas. many people have purchased homes behind levees that they thought were safe. however, most of those levees were built to protect farmland and 100 year storms-the average homeowner has no understanding of return periods. that is not sufficient for residential communities. homes should not be built in 100 year flood plains, but if they are, they must be elevated.
https://jabberwocking.com/raw-data-average-earnings-of-unionized-port-workers/
Average earnings of unionized port workers
Kevin Drum put together some estimates of inflation adjusted wages for port workers comparing East Coast v. West Coast workers, which suggests the latter are doing OK but those on the East Coast are being paid a lot less. Two questions for anyone who actually knows:
(1) Is Kevin’s data right?
(2) If so, why are East Coast workers getting so much less than West Coast workers?
Um…well…maybe because West Coast ports have already adopted some of the technology that East Coast dock workers are trying to keep out of their ports.
U.S. ports are pretty inefficient compared to modern ports elsewhere.. I don’t know how large a cost that imposes on consumers. My suspicion is that container and bulk commodity handling at ports is a vanishingly small increment in consumer prices, but I could be wrong. As to wage differentials between Atlantic and Pacific coasts, efficiency differences could be partly responsible.
Sorry to put a dent in the union’s argument, but I kinda suspect that’s how the economics work out.
By the way, if Drum is right, then this is yet another example of the same old, reprehensibly bad economic journalism. The $100,000 number is widely reported, without any recognition of a difference between the coasts. Only the East is striking. No thought to differences between East and West? Sheesh!
Sort of like Elon Musk saying his auto workers are well paid by citing the wages of Ford and GM workers!
Fact-check fight: CBS News cuts candidates’ mics after JD Vance objects to a moderator’s correction
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/fact-check-fight-cbs-news-cuts-candidates-mics-after-jd-vance-objects-to-a-moderator-s-correction/ar-AA1ryQ9f?ocid=BingNewsSerp
One of the problems with last night’s debate is some CBS chicken $hit executive decided to have no fact checking. So of course JD Vance lied and lied and lied. When the racist lies regarding Springfield Ohio got way out of control, one of the moderators had the good sense to correct the racist lying scum. Ohhh my was JD mad! So what did this eff face do? Tell more lies.
I’m glad this spat is getting attention but it is only a small part of the racism and dishonesty that permeates the Trump-Vance campaign.
Now some good news from chicken $hit CBS – 60 Minutes is doing an interview with Harris. They asked Trump to do one too but as soon as lying Trump heard he might be fact checked – he chickened out!
One thing was very clear; JD Vance doesn’t know a damn thing about trade theory or comparative advantage. He was basically calling for autarky.
The October surprise comes at the perfect time – the day after JD Vance refused to answer the debate question regarding the 2020 election.
Special counsel Jack Smith provides fullest picture yet of his 2020 election case against Trump in new filing
https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/02/politics/jack-smith-donald-trump-filing/index.html
A federal judge in Washington, DC, has released the most comprehensive narrative to date of the 2020 election conspiracy case against Donald Trump, outlining what special counsel Jack Smith describes as the former president’s “private criminal conduct.” The 165-page document comes from Smith’s office and is the fullest accounting yet of evidence in the election subversion case against Trump. Throughout the document, Smith argues that the actions Trump took to overturn the election were in his private capacity – as a candidate – rather than in his official capacity, as a president. That argument flows from the Supreme Court’s decision in July, which granted the former president sweeping immunity for official actions but left the door open for prosecutors to pursue Trump for unofficial steps he took. ”At its core, the defendant’s scheme was a private one,” prosecutors wrote in the motion. “He extensively used private actors and his campaign infrastructure to attempt to overturn the election results and operated in a private capacity as a candidate for office.” The filing has some redactions. It weaves together what prominent witnesses told a federal grand jury and the FBI about Trump, along with other never-before-disclosed evidence investigators gathered about the former president’s actions leading up to and on January 6, 2021.
Jack Smith has the goods on the felon in chief. Any MAGA moron who still supports this traitor should renounce their US citizenship and pledge allegiance to Putin.
The timing is good, but in order for this to have much effect on voting, the press and the chattersphere need to focus on it. Yes, in reality, this devopment makes it clear that, even with the Supreme Court shielding “official” behavior from common standards of legal adjudication, Trump committed crimes – more crimes.
But “more crimes” is part of the problem. Rape. Tax fraud. More tax fraud. Other kinds of business fraud. Handing out state secrets like party favors. None of that has kept this election from being “the closest on record” until proven otherwise.
This report creates an opportunity to make right what is wrong, but only an opportunity. How it plays is vastly important. “Just another crime” doesn’t seem likely to do the job.
I have to admit I heard this on Deadline White House (MSNBC) where the host had her team of actual lawyers. We can predict what Faux News is going to do – basically ignore this document only to have Jonathan the Trud Turley read it and then misrepresent everything it says as the Turd Turley goes off on how Jack Smith is somehow violating the Turd Turley’s MAGA interpretation of the Constitution.
Political betting markets win court approval:
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/10/02/election-betting-markets-00182165
This is not about PredictIt’s “no action” case, which is still in court. It’s Kalshi. Principle is the same, though, so expect more political betting parlors to sprout.
PredictIt is 54/49 Harris/Trump, two cents narrower than just before the Veep debate.
On the other hand, this right-wing economist asks “What could possibly go right with FEMA under the Biden Administration?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL2sBxYYAYg&t=13s
Personally, I see FEMA as a necessary evil even though it is run as somewhat of a scam. Our lake is spring fed and empties into a wetlands and then into another lake at a lower level which has its level controlled by a spillway and dam into an even lower wetlands. We’ve never had a flood… physically impossible no matter how hard it rains because there is no river/stream/creek inlet and even if the road was covered with water, it empties into the first wetland and on to the next lake.. Yet FEMA declare this a flood plain and banks require flood insurance for mortgages as a result. Guess who administers the flood insurance?
https://www.fema.gov/flood-insurance
Only a dork like you would dig up some bartender’s worthless podcast. FEMA is “evil”. I guess Brucie wants his own MAGA supporters in the south to die the sane way you did not care whether your own mom might have died from COVID. Brucie boy – what a guy!
Hey, pgl, if you can have a bartender as a Congresswoman, I can have a bartender as an economist. Yours can do a lot more harm.
Hey moron – my Congress person is guy. Or maybe you are just gay. Huh – a gay member of the KKK. Sounds interesting!
FEMA isn’t staying in its lane… or the Biden Administration declared its immigration failures a national disaster. You pick which one.
https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20240412/department-homeland-security-announces-300-million-direct-funding
Your little line there was dishonest in so many ways. Here is the opening paragraph:
Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through FEMA and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), announced $300 million in grants through the Shelter and Services Program (SSP), which was authorized by Congress to support communities that are providing services to migrants. Two hundred seventy-five million dollars will be distributed in the first allocation, and the remaining $25 million will be allocated later in the year to accommodate evolving operational requirements. The initial funding will be available to 55 grant recipients for temporary shelter and other eligible costs associated with migrants awaiting the outcome of their immigration proceedings. Additionally, DHS is announcing $340.9 million through the Shelter and Services Program-Competitive grant program to be allocated before the end of this fiscal year.
DHS is not part of FEMA. It is the other way around. And no – we do not have a disaster here except for the fact that little Brucie might have a BROWN neighbor. Oh wait – KKK member Bruce Hall sees non-whites in his city to be a per se disaster.
Hey Brucie – we accepted a long time ago that you are a flaming racist. But your inability to READ your own links is getting old.
“FEMA isn’t staying in its lane”
BTW Brucie – what is FEMA’s lane? Oh yes – what Trump did. Give aid only to the MAGA crowd. Screw Puerto Rico. Screw California. Not in the lane. MAGA!
Brucie’s new economic guru and bartender (he drinks a lot before he does his youtubes) has a youtube entitled:
The Great Worker Replacement
Check it out as it is even worse than Antoni’s racist rant. Hey Brucie – I bet your buddies at the KKK meeting will love this one.
BTW the stupid youtube Brucie gave us said one thing and one thing only – we all need to pay Elon Musk more money.
Hey Brucie – your ability to dig up the ;lowest rightwing trash is world class. Keep it coming buddy!
So… you disagree with his assessment or you just don’t like the implication of his assessment… or you just don’t like anyone who isn’t supporting waste in government spending?
Bruce pretends there is some validity to this trash even after our host has provided several thoughtful posts showing it is a dishonest and yes RACIST lie? Come on Bruce – please learn to READ someday. You might start with Dr. Seuss books.
Who wants to tell Bruce-ie that AI created video didn’t really exist yet in 2013??
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Grand_Rapids_flood#/media/File:2013_Grand_Rapids_flood_skyline.jpg
I’m beginning to think Bruce must be a ranking member of QAnon as he lives in some ulterior reality.
Brucie boy might not realize it had never flooded in western North Carolina before Helena. I guess little Brucie is too brain to consider something like insurance.
So, you just buy any insurance because there might be a risk no matter how implausible? Flooding is a risk that depends on geography. Valley areas in mountain/hill country have some risk; spring fed lakes that are higher than surrounding areas have literally no risk. But you’d pay $1000 per year because FEMA says “flood plain” when there hasn’t been a flood recorded in 200 years and the houses are several feet above the lake level?
I heard there is some asteroid disaster insurance available. Go for it.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/16/science/esa-ramses-apophis-asteroid-mission/index.html
Gee – risk based insurance rates? No one ever thought of that I guess. Come on Brucie boy – next thing you will inform us about is the fact the earth is round.
Of course private insurance rates have been rising in large part because of global warming. And yet you and Trump still deny this reality/
I can see why no insurance company would never hire Bruce Hall as an analysis!
“spring fed lakes that are higher than surrounding areas have literally no risk.”
I guess your vision is shot – see what Moses provided you dumba$$.
“wonder what is more dangerous to the planet and life here, the asteroid or climate change.”
BillB had the very first comment. I guess little Brucie forgot to read that far. Hey BillB is clearly mocking climate change denier Bruce Hall. Good show!
Your own link dumba$$. Try READING it before it bites you in the rear end!
Moses, that’s a nice picture of Grand Rapids, but no video so I’m not sure about what you are writing. btw, say hi to Saul for me. Oh, wait, you can’t. He died almost 20-years ago. Nevermind.
But yes, rivers can flood due to spring thaws and long duration rainstorms in summer. Especially if they have a significant watershed surround them.
I remember the annual spring floods in Grand Forks ND as the Red River area thawed. Often breached the 20-ft dikes. That was the late 60s. But since it was expected and preparations were always made, the Army Corps of Engineers didn’t have to be there each year. That was more than three decades before FEMA and somehow the town and nearby farmers figured It out. NASA, being good lackeys for the Biden Admin was sure to point out how it was the worst flooding ever… for the past 10 years. Well, duh.
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/149822/red-river-flooding-is-worst-in-a-decade
So, let’s get this straight Bruce. I could shoot a lot of insults your way. I’m not going to insult you (ATM). Just ask a simple question. You live in Michigan. You are a resident of Michigan many years, but you deny the reality of the Grand Rapids, MI etc….. floods??
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/22/grand-rapids-flooding-state-emergency/2102883/
I never lived in Michigan. I did visit back in 1999 but this flood occurred in 2013. The man in the picture looks mighty brave to wade through the water up to his chest. Which is why we know he is NOT Bruce Hall who at his core is a coward.
@ pgl Just like I gave my former Chinese GF’s parents a “fair shot” a “right court hearing”—doesn’t seem to be worth the effort, does it??
Funny how it all works out, isn’t it???
You remember one flood? There were six from the late 1960’s to the 1970’s. And I guess you did not know the devastation from the 1950 Red River flood. This led to something called the Red River Floodway. Something I guess Bruce Hall would call a government boondoggle.
Come on Brucie – do not lecture us with your biased and incomplete knowledge of these issues. First you are a moron. And more importantly we know you lie about everything.
bruce, it is obvious that you have no knowledge of hydrology whatsoever. that is ok, but you should keep your trap shut rather than comment on something you know nothing about. fema does not simply guess at a floodplain. it is pretty easy to calculate, and based on digitized terrain data. there is no conspiracy or drama about this, basic calculus and physics. I also believe that you, bruce, have a limited understanding of the magnitude of rainfall that occurs with a tropical sourced system. in the midwest, bad storms are typically measured in a few inches of rainfall over an extended period of time. tropical systems drop many inches per hour, and result in total rainfall that can be measured in feet over a day. drainage basins that were disconnected under a smaller rainfall become connected under a larger rainfall. this is where your problem occurs. flooding is a bigger problem today than it was 50 years ago. this is because we are now getting larger releases of moisture from the atmosphere, than in the past.
bruce, if you want to criticize fema, I am sure they have flaws to poke at. but your arguments are simply ignorant of true details. the floodplain example you provided, I will bet your are not accurate in your statements at all. in fact, I can basically guarantee that to be the case. if you are surrounded by lake and wetlands, there is no doubt that you are in a constrained drainage basin that has the potential to flood. especially under high rain events, like we see with tropical sourced systems.
after all of these big events, there are people like bruce who claim their property has never flooded before, and they do not live in a flood plain. weeeeeelllll, if your property flooded, then you did live in a flood plain. no matter how much you argue that you live on high and dry ground. you just failed to realize how big of a basin you lived in, and how much it takes to fill up that basin.
In general, right wingers want to move responsibilities and funding from the federal government to state governments. The reason is that almost all state governments have less progressive taxation systems than the federal government (so another giveaway to the rich predators). But the idea that each state should have duplicate emergency systems capable of handling the worst possible emergency, is so stupidly wasteful it hurts.