Thursday, May 23, 2013

No Aid For Oklahoma




Posted by Em on Dangerous Minds

OK, I know this will come off as a little harsh, heartless and probably as deeply lacking in compassion or empathy, but let me say that, first of all, someone needs to say it, and why not me? Although I’ve lived in New York City since I was 6 (well, with a few breaks here and there), I was actually born in Oklahoma City. And even though I do acknowledge that it’s distasteful to mention this “so soon,” it has to be said now, before the vote goes to Congress.

So here the fuck it is: NO EMERGENCY FUNDS FOR OKLAHOMA. There, I said it. Sorry, but fuck ‘em. Why do I say this? Is it simply because their scumbag senators (Tom Coburn and Jim Inhoffe) dragged their feet for MONTHS on voting for aid for New York and the Sandy-impacted areas here in the Northeast? Yeah, that’s part of it. A big part of it. Is it because both of them ultimately voted AGAINST Sandy-aid to this area? Yeah, that’s a big part of it, too. But it’s more than that. Much more, and soon you’ll see it too, so give me a minute to make my case…

The first thing that should be noted is that Oklahoma is one of the biggest, fattest, Federal-funds gobbling hobo states in the nation, receiving $1.36 in federal funds for every dollar in taxes it pays to the federal government (It’s also the 10th least unionized state with 5.5% union membership). Meanwhile, my state, New York, received just 79 cents back for each dollar that we paid, and we paid a helluva lot more in taxes than Oklahoma did. In other words, it’s fair to say that New York keeps Oklahoma afloat. We pay to keep Oklahomans employed and we pay to keep up their infrastructure via the federal funds Oklahoma vampirically sucks out of our state, to the detriment of our students and our fucking roads. And yet, Oklahoma senators were stupid enough to vote against Sandy aid? Huh? WTF? Please don’ hit me massah I’ll get back in de house!
What do you think? Please leave a comment.

10 comments:

  1. Whatever else Rand got right or wrong, this shines as another example of her description of how people fight over the government teat. Everyone wants their needs paid for, but they're more skeptical of others' needs, wanting them to either be stiffed, or given less either because they don't thing their need is as great, because they just don't think the other person is worthy, or because they think that the person already gets too much.

    I see two ways to resolve this: stick with the idea of a big government doling out money and accept that fights like Sandy and this are just part of the system as everyone squabbles over the funds, or start cutting back on the system of largesse and let the market and charity take over.

    The first is the status quo we'll probably stick with. The latter would be a tricky path and require individuals all over the country to straighten up and take responsibility both for themselves and for helping their neighbors and countrymen.

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  2. 1. Does that New Yorker enjoy eating? There are a few gardens in the city, but last I checked, food for the most part comes from somewhere else.

    2. Does that New Yorker recall the origin of the financial crisis that put us into the Great Recession? What's the name of the street where it began--Panel Street, Siding Street, hmmm....

    3. If we're going to make a policy of no aid to places at risk, then California is out of luck--earthquakes. Wyoming and the Pacific Northwest--volcanoes. Anywhere on the coast--tsunamis and hurricanes. The Northeast--blizzards. The middle states--tornadoes and floods. Now I would agree that the aid should include new codes to harden each region against its particular dangers, but we can't abandon large sections of the country just because nature gets unpleasant at times.

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  3. Hobo State? You might take a look at why the dollars are disbursed the way they are. Fort Sill, the largest artillery training base for the Army. Tinker Air Force Base, the largest logistics center for the Air Force. Altus Air Force Base, another base in Enid. We have lots of flat empty space that the government is happy to use. Why are New Yorkers such innate assholes? You judge our state, and chances are pretty good you've never been here. We're a resilient, self-supporting group of folks descended from the survivors of the Dust Bowl: read The Worst Hard Time if you want an idea of what our grandparents went through here. Frankly, I'd just as soon that you keep your federal bucks and leave us the hell alone, and a lot of us share that opinion.

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  4. Wrong. Cold-hearted. Un-American in a profound way. That kind of mentality that laughs when others suffer or lose everything they have is just pure selfishness and conceit, on either side of the aisle. Maybe the senators from Oklahoma can have a moment of introspection and a change of heart. I'm not tired of saying this.

    We're all Americans.

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  5. I tootally agree, no aid for OK, just like there should have been no aid for 9/11 or Katrina, but for a different reason:
    http://www.fee.org/library/detail/not-your-to-give-2#axzz2UA683xSX

    orlin sellers

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  6. Sorry, but fuck ‘em.

    So this whining complaint-monger, who goes by the name of "Em" says "fuck 'em"?

    No thanks, Em. Not with a borrowed dick--I ain't that desperate.

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  7. No spending without offset cuts. Wish we would have followed that rule during the Bush administration.
    Communal taxation, what a concept.
    Denying people aide after a catastrophe, what a concept.
    Both (OK) Senators voted against Sandy aide, now have their hands out.
    Someday Americans will wake up and realize they need these services, and that cost money.

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  8. If I remember right, and I think I do, There were tons of volunteers that went to NY with trucks, equipment and people to help NY restore power and services and were turned back when these volunteers were not union workers. They were from a lot of the southern states. You know, right to work states.

    There were work forces that went there to help clean and restore living areas that were turned back for the same. There were police volunteers that went to aid NY police and aid in the recovery of victim recovery that was also turned back. The state military went to secure NY from looters and were turned back.

    Then when it came to the money, it was full of pork and to keep a marathon event on schedule, not to aid the victims in NY. The governor did nothing, not lift ONE finger (except to extend the middle finger to volunteers and his own residents) to help needy New Yorkers. That was the reason for no votes. Cuomo tried everything to save the marathon but not his people. What a concept!

    A lot of the country WANTED to help, but was turned down. All Cuomo wanted was money, but not for where it was needed. He denied the needy.

    So give OK the middle finger for its natural disaster, OK sent a LOT of services, equipment and volunteers to NY and was turned back, yes they refused to line the pockets of Cuomo, but tried to truly help the NY people. OK was turned away for offering true help. Now THATS a concept!

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    Replies
    1. He is the governor, correct? He stood before the television news and denied what I just posted, and more.

      Food and water shipments were denied because it did not meet his "standards" for the state of NY. Mobile kitchens that went to prepare hot meals for the needy and volunteers were not allowed to cook and GIVE AWAY hot meals were sent away because of his "standards". And there is still more,,,,,,,,,

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