Thursday, January 3, 2013

So I see....

That the good citizens on the left east coast are upset because the congress is choosing not to fund additional aid to the recovery from the hurricane superstorm Sandy.

Boo fucking hoo. Yeah, I am cruel. And heartless. And mean.
 And I hate white people...or something.

Why should there be ANY aid? They choose to live on a coast. Many of them on barrier islands. Many (most) chose to live without flood insurance. A significant number, we find out, had little or no insurance at all. Chose to not buy insurance, because it "was too expensive"..... While they lived on what was, effectively, a sandbar. Now they want the consequences of their decisions to be painless. Nope. Shouldn't be. Stupid should hurt.

We, as a country, SHOULD help those who are hurt by natural disasters. Temporary housing? Yeah, all for it. Food and medical care? No issue, until they have a chance to get back on their feet (but this should be time limited). But grants to rebuild? Nope. Low interest loans (how much lower than 2% do they want?) Nope.

Failure to prepare for things which can happen is not my fault, nor yours. Failure to purchase decent insurance means that you are willing to gamble that something WON'T happen. Lady luck has a way of ...well. not being nice.

We, as a country, should not have rebuilt the areas damaged by Katrina or any of the other hurricanes. People choose to live in these areas. They choose to build or buy homes that have wonderful views and are close to the water. But this choice of location comes at a price.

Likewise, we shouldn't rebuild homes that are damaged by floods from swollen rivers, not homes burnt by wildfires.

Don't want your home flooded or burnt? Live in an area where these things DON'T happen often. Don't live near a coast unless you are willing to deal with the aftermath of a Hurricane.

Should you choose to do so, then expect to have to deal with the potential consequences of the natural disasters which are likely to happen in your area. Buy enough insurance. Expect that these things will happen. If you live less than 10 feet above flood level, or on the beach, expect floods. Build your home accordingly. If your home was  once a summer cottage 50 years ago, think why it was a summer cottage and not built as a full time dwelling.

Don't expect me to help you rebuild your home in the same area where the same disaster is likely.

I live in NW Indiana. The chances of a hurricane are low here. Same with wildfires. Same with floods. I live in an area which is VERY unlikely to flood.  I do have insurance, and pay extra for the flood rider, and for the earthquake rider. (Murphy lives in my back pocket, so I expect Bad Things to happen....and plan accordingly) The chances of either happening are low and therefore the cost of the additional insurance is low. If the cost of either for your home is higher, then the risk is as well. Tough. Pay for the insurance, or take the risk....or choose to live elsewhere.

But don't expect me to help you rebuild. Or my fellow citizens either. 

Especially not when your Senators care so little about you that they choose to pad the aid bill to fund a bunch of pork projects.