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August 30, 2005
Disaster Relief? We Need Neocon Relief!
Yesterday a caller to The Rush Limbaugh Show objected to the provision of federal disaster aid to hurricane victims. His reasoning was that taxpayer dollars (i.e., stolen money) should not be provided to private individuals--especially to individuals who knew the risks involved in living where they did and made no effort to insure themselves against those risks. The caller failed to mention the unconstitutionality of charitable spending by the federal government, but his points were well taken nonetheless.
Naturally, the great leader of conservatism took issue with this, as did a later caller. Rush said, "The Mississippi River flooded real bad [sic] in the early 90s, and I was literally shocked at the phone calls I got from people who were angry. 'I don't want to bail these farmers out! I didn't choose to live next to a river and floodplain.'" Yes, the man who claims to be a believer in small and constitutional government was shocked that people thought that they shouldn't be robbed at gunpoint to bail out others.
Rush then proceeded to explain that New Orleans is vital to our national survival and that therefore federal disaster relief is perfectly acceptable. Ultimately, after telling us how vital the port is for getting oil and other commodities to average Americans, he said, "New Orleans has to function. New Orleans is clearly a national city."
Of course, there's no such thing as a "national city" any more than there is a "state city." A city is a city, and it ought to be up to the residents of that city--and any individuals, businesses, and charitable organizations that feel inclined to help--to prepare for and clean up after disasters.
Rush needs to read about Davy Crockett's experience with voting for federal disaster aid when he was a congressman. Perhaps Walter Williams, a frequent EIB guest host, could also enlighten him. Williams is fond of quoting James Madison on the same subject, to wit: "I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents."
Posted by Mike Tennant at August 30, 2005 08:49 AM
Comments
Of course, Rush grew up in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, on the banks of the Mississippi. He may well believe that flood plains are perfectly fine places to live, regardless of the risk.
Posted by: Andrew Rogers ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.strike-the-root.com/blog/nav-commenters.gif){kind=small}
at August 30, 2005 12:24 PM
If the Constitution did have an article or amendment authorizing Congress to force people to pay for disaster relief, would that make it O.K.?
If so, how does a scrap of paper make violations of natural rights O.K.? If not, then remind me again why I should care whether the program is constitutional or unconstitutional in the first place?
Posted by: Rad Geek at September 2, 2005 01:09 AM
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