I agree that the federal government should not be involved in bailing out people who suffer from natural disasters. But it's even worse than you say. There are widespread reports that volunteers trying to help people in Western North Carolina were either discouraged or prohibited from rendering aid. How perverse is that?
In a truly Capitalist society the abundance of wealth would easily provide for the needs of those suffering through natural disasters. The benevolence of the richest, most Capitalist country on Earth, America, has been demonstrated over and over again. Imagine what kind of charitable giving would result if the taxes and regulation were removed from the American people. One other demonstration of the damage the government can do in these situations can be seen in how the government 'handled' the worst natural disaster in the last 100 years, the covid pandemic - hundreds of thousands died, many needlessly, and we ALL are feeling the devastating effects of the inflation caused by the government dumping trillions of worthless dollars into the economy.
I remember reading a passage from President, James Madison, when he vetoed the Bill that would have funded what would come to be called. "The Erie Canal." It is the same message of Cleveland's over half a century earlier. In his reasoning for the veto, he concluded by indicating the States who wish to build their canal should fund it themselves. They subsequently did - without the desired raid on the Federal treasury.
The canal prospered briefly, only to be rendered economically inferior by the rapid growth of railroads.
The argument for disaster relief is the same as the argument for welfare, unemployment, Medicare, student loan relief, agricultural price supports, etc., etc.
I agree that the federal government should not be involved in bailing out people who suffer from natural disasters. But it's even worse than you say. There are widespread reports that volunteers trying to help people in Western North Carolina were either discouraged or prohibited from rendering aid. How perverse is that?
Who, or what, discouraged them?
In a truly Capitalist society the abundance of wealth would easily provide for the needs of those suffering through natural disasters. The benevolence of the richest, most Capitalist country on Earth, America, has been demonstrated over and over again. Imagine what kind of charitable giving would result if the taxes and regulation were removed from the American people. One other demonstration of the damage the government can do in these situations can be seen in how the government 'handled' the worst natural disaster in the last 100 years, the covid pandemic - hundreds of thousands died, many needlessly, and we ALL are feeling the devastating effects of the inflation caused by the government dumping trillions of worthless dollars into the economy.
I remember reading a passage from President, James Madison, when he vetoed the Bill that would have funded what would come to be called. "The Erie Canal." It is the same message of Cleveland's over half a century earlier. In his reasoning for the veto, he concluded by indicating the States who wish to build their canal should fund it themselves. They subsequently did - without the desired raid on the Federal treasury.
The canal prospered briefly, only to be rendered economically inferior by the rapid growth of railroads.
The argument for disaster relief is the same as the argument for welfare, unemployment, Medicare, student loan relief, agricultural price supports, etc., etc.
I agree with your POV on this.