Homeland security at it's finest

[akarunway 1]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060614/D8I7RQ7O1.html

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[diablopilot 2]

What does this have to do with homeland security?


And who are you pointing the finger at? The goverment who made efforts to help in the wake of an unpredictable disaster on a scale no one had ever contemplated, or the dirt bag scum who capitalized upon said efforts?

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[akarunway 1]

Read the fucking article. Bush started DHS and FEMA is under that umbrella w/ all his crony lame buddys he appointed to head the different agencys

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[freethefly 6]

Quote

The Federal Emergency Management Agency also was hoodwinked to pay for season football tickets, a tropical vacation and a sex change operation, the audit found. Prison inmates, a supposed victim who used a New Orleans cemetery for a home address and a person who spent 70 days at a Hawaiian hotel all were able to get taxpayer help, according to evidence that gives a new black eye to the nation's disaster relief agency.

Sure, Bush and his merry band of criminals are nothing to brag about but, what about the so called "hurricane victims" who has abused the system that was intended to help? Football tickets? Tropical vacations? Sex change operation (WTF!!!)? Shame on them and I hope they all see serious prison time!!!!!

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[akarunway 1]

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Quote

The Federal Emergency Management Agency also was hoodwinked to pay for season football tickets, a tropical vacation and a sex change operation, the audit found. Prison inmates, a supposed victim who used a New Orleans cemetery for a home address and a person who spent 70 days at a Hawaiian hotel all were able to get taxpayer help, according to evidence that gives a new black eye to the nation's disaster relief agency.

Sure, Bush and his merry band of criminals are nothing to brag about but, what about the so called "hurricane victims" who has abused the system that was intended to help? Football tickets? Tropical vacations? Sex change operation (WTF!!!)? Shame on them and I hope they all see serious prison time!!!!!

So. Just like the rest of the govts. shit. Where is the fuckin oversight?. Out taking care of their pork barrel politics. Well FUCK. SEND ME A CHECK

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[freethefly 6]

There is dishonesty on both sides of the fence. Truth is nothing at all can be done about it. People will always go for what stuffs their barrel and screw those who actually need the help.
What pisses me off the most is hearing about crap like a sex change operation that slipped by whoever was suppose to be watching for such bullshit or someone getting season tickets. Now, some of you who are familier with my health problems may be saying "well, you use medicare, you're just as bad". I get the very minimum of care and pay a large portion of my care out of pocket. Last week I set up an appointment to see the doc today. It got canceled on monday because I still owe over $300.00 dollars to the doctor for the visit in Feb. They're not satisfied with the monthly payment. Untill that is paid, I am shit out of luck. My summer of jumping is pretty much over. Every penny that I make with my embroidery business goes to paying down medical cost. It is a no win situation. I have been told by the medicare pencil pushers that I can get better service if I were to sell my home or pay the monthly medicaid premium of $469.00 a month. I'm pissed at both sides. A government that does not care about it's own people and the people who use every oppertunity to line their pockets. I only have been using medicare since October 2003 and only because I lost my job to cheap mexican labor. To hell with this government and the same to those who abuse an already over abused system. I don't want them to send me anything. I'd rather die trying on my own than to die in a sea of red tape that bars you from any help at all.

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[billvon 3,120]

>The goverment who made efforts to help in the wake of an
>unpredictable disaster on a scale no one had ever contemplated . . .

In July 2004, a FEMA exercise called "Hurricane Pam" examined what would happen if a Cat-3 hurricane hit New Orleans. They predicted breached levees, toppled buildings, damaged roads, widespread flooding and up to 60,000 dead. From the report:

"Any storm rated Category 4 or greater ... will likely lead to severe flooding and/or levee breaching, leaving the New Orleans metro area submerged for weeks or months."

As the storm approached, one FEMA meeting (with Bush present) discussed the very good chance that the levees could be topped by the storm surge. Local governmental representatives were there as well.

We had a very good idea what could happen, at all levels of government. We just plain screwed up.

[JohnRich 4]

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So. Just like the rest of the govts. shit. Where is the fuckin oversight?. Out taking care of their pork barrel politics. Well FUCK. SEND ME A CHECK

Okay, financial genius. Tell us how the government can give out credit cards, or cash, for emergency money, and control each and every transaction made with those items, immediately, at the time the expense is being made.

[Royd 0]

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Tell us how the government can give out credit cards, or cash, for emergency money, and control each and every transaction made with those items, immediately, at the time the expense is being made.

It's just another excuse for the "Damned if you do, damned if you don't." crowd to point fingers.No solutions, just blame.

[hairyjuan 0]

evertything the state says is a lie--Nietzche

we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively


wishers never choose, choosers never wish

[JohnRich 4]

Quote

It's just another excuse for the "Damned if you do, damned if you don't." crowd to point fingers.No solutions, just blame.

Yep, that gets straight to my point.

The fact is, I don't think you can control those expenses. It's an honor system, to help people in extreme need, who may have no food, no clothes and no shelter. Yes, some people will abuse that situation to buy video game machines, flat screen TV's, and strippers.

But I'm sure that along with those credit cards there was an agreement they had to sign. And that legal document probably specified the kinds of things that they could and couldn't purchase with those cards.

So, after the fact, when improper purchases are discovered, the people who abused the benefit need to be pursued for reimbursement. If they don't re-pay the government, their wages should be garnished. That's the way to handle it.

Unless financial guru akarunway can explain to us how to do it at the point of sale.

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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Quote

So. Just like the rest of the govts. shit. Where is the fuckin oversight?. Out taking care of their pork barrel politics. Well FUCK. SEND ME A CHECK

Okay, financial genius. Tell us how the government can give out credit cards, or cash, for emergency money, and control each and every transaction made with those items, immediately, at the time the expense is being made.

As an academic exercise:

The government can issue cards which don't allow cash advances and only approve transactions with the set of merchants who have an agreement in place to not make prohibited sales.

Civil penalties of X * purchase price or $Y per illegal usage can be applied after the fact to merchants who ignore this. That in turn will offset the losses from merchants who aren't caught.

Lists of merchants can be provided along with "FEMA cards accepted" stickers for those stores.

Some states already use special debit cards for "food stamps".

In practice:

Except for the fraud being ammunition in the next election it doesn't matter. While I wouldnt say no to $1.5 billion, it's just .05% of our annual spending. For comparison purposes I couldn't get a nice meal for that fraction of my budget.

[akarunway 1]

Quote

There is dishonesty on both sides of the fence. Truth is nothing at all can be done about it. People will always go for what stuffs their barrel and screw those who actually need the help.
What pisses me off the most is hearing about crap like a sex change operation that slipped by whoever was suppose to be watching for such bullshit or someone getting season tickets. Now, some of you who are familier with my health problems may be saying "well, you use medicare, you're just as bad". I get the very minimum of care and pay a large portion of my care out of pocket. Last week I set up an appointment to see the doc today. It got canceled on monday because I still owe over $300.00 dollars to the doctor for the visit in Feb. They're not satisfied with the monthly payment. Untill that is paid, I am shit out of luck. My summer of jumping is pretty much over. Every penny that I make with my embroidery business goes to paying down medical cost. It is a no win situation. I have been told by the medicare pencil pushers that I can get better service if I were to sell my home or pay the monthly medicaid premium of $469.00 a month. I'm pissed at both sides. A government that does not care about it's own people and the people who use every oppertunity to line their pockets. I only have been using medicare since October 2003 and only because I lost my job to cheap mexican labor. To hell with this government and the same to those who abuse an already over abused system. I don't want them to send me anything. I'd rather die trying on my own than to die in a sea of red tape that bars you from any help at all.

Tell em you used to live in N.O. and use multiple names/SS#'s

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[akarunway 1]

Quote

Quote

So. Just like the rest of the govts. shit. Where is the fuckin oversight?. Out taking care of their pork barrel politics. Well FUCK. SEND ME A CHECK

Okay, financial genius. Tell us how the government can give out credit cards, or cash, for emergency money, and control each and every transaction made with those items, immediately, at the time the expense is being made.

Fuck em. I don't ask for a handout. I lived in that city for many yrs. I knew the risk. I was there when the city damn near went under in the 80's. I was fuckin smart enough to get out. And I don't know. MORE FUCKIN OVERSIGHT on when and WHERE> MY

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[JohnRich 4]

Quote

Quote

Okay, financial genius. Tell us how the government can give out credit cards, or cash, for emergency money, and control each and every transaction made with those items, immediately, at the time the expense is being made.

...I don't know. MORE FUCKIN OVERSIGHT on when and WHERE> MY

Okay, so you don't have an answer on how this irresponsible spending could be controlled, but you're going to curse and complain about it, and blame it on Bush, anyway. Got it.