tangent4ronpaul
05-19-2010, 09:27 AM
is that the kind of person you want representing you?
Well, first off - it it true?
On Highway funds - good for him! - more is allways taken than is returned and it allways comes with strings. Let the states raise and spend their own highway funds and lower the federal income tax to compensate.
Disaster responce - was a bit suprised on this one. I would consider this part of national security / defense. Domestic disaster responce, that is. But how well has that worked out?
Ideally, you want the national guard and non-profits like the Red Cross to deal with these things. In some cases, that's impractical. Consider smoke jumpers for wildfires - there simply are not that many of them. Like wise, the coast guard for things like the oil spill. Should the coast guard be organized like the national guard in costal states? - Though thy have at least one facility in W.VA.
FEMA has a really bad track record, but they train administrative paper pushers and not rescue workers for the most part. Really, the "disaster people's" primary mission is COG (Continuity of Government), not helping citizens.
I know many here will say "free market", but how well is that working. BP is the best example, hiring local ships and people for the cleanup. The US gvmt is the worst example. Specifically lets talk about sole source contracts to Halliburton.
Knew the wife of one soldier. Her husband had done his mil service. gotten out, got hitched, popped out a couple of kids and got a house morgage along with a well paying job. The mil yanked him back and sent him to Iraq to drive oil tankers. He's now facing bankrupsy, and forclosure on his house because the mil pay is so bad. He works next to and does the exact same job as a Haliburton guy that makes 4 times his salary, and that means the taxpayer is on the hook for at least 8 times his salary as he's a contractor.
For food and reconstruction - again Haliburton. They didn't hire locals, but rather imported people from other countries and paid them sub-standard wages, but charge outthe nose for their labor. Years later - there is still only a few hours of electrical power a day in mich of Iraq.
In Afganistan they charge us $400 a gallon for gasoline, but locals pick it up for $2 a gallon.
Katrina - didn't hire locals, subcontracted contracts through up to 20 layers of it's own subsidaries - each layer adding 50-100% to a workers cost. did hire mexicans for about 80 cents an hour. Did rebuild with substandard materials and construction techniques.
Deep Horizon - once again Haliburton is involved, but what they are doing down there and charging us, is unknown...
Don't ya just love private contractors? - especially well connected ones, like to Chesney...
So what's the best way to respond to major disasters? Is it ever justified to use national resources?
-t
Well, first off - it it true?
On Highway funds - good for him! - more is allways taken than is returned and it allways comes with strings. Let the states raise and spend their own highway funds and lower the federal income tax to compensate.
Disaster responce - was a bit suprised on this one. I would consider this part of national security / defense. Domestic disaster responce, that is. But how well has that worked out?
Ideally, you want the national guard and non-profits like the Red Cross to deal with these things. In some cases, that's impractical. Consider smoke jumpers for wildfires - there simply are not that many of them. Like wise, the coast guard for things like the oil spill. Should the coast guard be organized like the national guard in costal states? - Though thy have at least one facility in W.VA.
FEMA has a really bad track record, but they train administrative paper pushers and not rescue workers for the most part. Really, the "disaster people's" primary mission is COG (Continuity of Government), not helping citizens.
I know many here will say "free market", but how well is that working. BP is the best example, hiring local ships and people for the cleanup. The US gvmt is the worst example. Specifically lets talk about sole source contracts to Halliburton.
Knew the wife of one soldier. Her husband had done his mil service. gotten out, got hitched, popped out a couple of kids and got a house morgage along with a well paying job. The mil yanked him back and sent him to Iraq to drive oil tankers. He's now facing bankrupsy, and forclosure on his house because the mil pay is so bad. He works next to and does the exact same job as a Haliburton guy that makes 4 times his salary, and that means the taxpayer is on the hook for at least 8 times his salary as he's a contractor.
For food and reconstruction - again Haliburton. They didn't hire locals, but rather imported people from other countries and paid them sub-standard wages, but charge outthe nose for their labor. Years later - there is still only a few hours of electrical power a day in mich of Iraq.
In Afganistan they charge us $400 a gallon for gasoline, but locals pick it up for $2 a gallon.
Katrina - didn't hire locals, subcontracted contracts through up to 20 layers of it's own subsidaries - each layer adding 50-100% to a workers cost. did hire mexicans for about 80 cents an hour. Did rebuild with substandard materials and construction techniques.
Deep Horizon - once again Haliburton is involved, but what they are doing down there and charging us, is unknown...
Don't ya just love private contractors? - especially well connected ones, like to Chesney...
So what's the best way to respond to major disasters? Is it ever justified to use national resources?
-t