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Government Giving Out $2,000 Debit Cards

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neverborn

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WASHINGTON - The federal government plans to begin doling out debit cards worth $2,000 each to adult victims of Hurricane Katrina, The Associated Press has learned.

It's unclear how much the debit card program will cost the government, but it's likely to run into the hundreds of millions of dollars since hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/a...ina_debit_cards

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Most of these people pay taxes in some form. Now they are going to be getting money back from the goverment that they have given thousands of dollars to over the years.

The money is coming from the $13B FEMA Fund. If they are able to get a large number of people out of the shelters then it may actually cost less then keeping them in a shelter for a week or more. It would be helpful to see the numbers they are using to come up with this plan.

Edited by JDK
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Most of these people pay taxes in some form. Now they are going to be getting money back from the goverment that they have given thousands of dollars to over the years.

This observation is certainly justification for an individual accepting the money. But, of course, it is no justification for having the program in the first place.

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This observation is certainly justification for an individual accepting the money. But, of course, it is no justification for having the program in the first place. 

 

I think the justification of having the program would depend on the ROI that FEMA is expecting. If it will cost less in the long run then it is a smart business decision.

Are we assuming they are doing this based on an irrational motive?

Do you think it would be better if FEMA spent the money on what they felt was right or to put the money in the hands of the people and allow them to take responsibility of their own welfare?

Of course that is assuming FEMA is offering the debit cards so that the families no longer need government shelter.

It would be good if we could gain insight to all the things FEMA is doing instead of just this one program.

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Hopefully these debit cards cannot be sold for cash or exchanged for lottery tickets. Aside from that, this is something for private industry to do, not the government (as with all sorts of insurance opportunities). Programs like unemployment insurance, disability/old age insurance and medical insurance should all be done by private companies. Only voluntarily should a person exchange property with the government for some purpose (with the exception of police, military and courts and even that can be funded without force).

But the problem isn't the debit cards, but the government itself. While military/police aid is expected, this kind of welfare-state transfer payment would not and should not occur is a free economy. Their mismanagment at the federal, state and local level as well as environmental groups that opposed stronger levees are to blame for the problem. What must concern O'ists and similarly minded libertarians/Constitutionalists (small 'L') is the power grab by the national government that will occur.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Felix, why do you believe that cutting some individuals' taxes is stealing from the rich to give to the poor (in the manner of Robin Hood)?

I mean, pretty much everyone pays at least these 2000$ in taxes within the course of his life.

So it doesn't matter if you give people the money directly or refrain from stealing it.

To David Odden:

No, I don't think they have any right to my money. I don't think anyone has any right to my money.

It's just that given the current state of the law, which allows taking people's money, it doesn't really matter whether you do it via giving away or tax breaks. It has the same net effect (If you leave out interest).

It doesn't mean that I like anything of this.

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No, I don't think they have any right to my money. I don't think anyone has any right to my money.

It's just that given the current state of the law, which allows taking people's money, it doesn't really matter whether you do it via giving away or tax breaks. It has the same net effect (If you leave out interest).

It doesn't mean that I like anything of this.

So then you don't really object to some people getting their money back or not having to pay taxes, do you? You just object to having to pay the money yourself. I perfectly understand: I really don't want to pay taxes, either.
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So then you don't really object to some people getting their money back or not having to pay taxes, do you? You just object to having to pay the money yourself. I perfectly understand: I really don't want to pay taxes, either.

I live in Germany. I don't have to pay anything of this. :dough:

I said this is Robin Hood at work and meant that someone tries to do good deeds with stolen money.

It's wrong in principle because the end doesn't justify the means. It's not about me. It's just wrong.

And it's wrong if you do it by tax cuts or by handouts.

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I mean, pretty much everyone pays at least these 2000$ in taxes within the course of his life.

So it doesn't matter if you give people the money directly or refrain from stealing it.

Actually you may be surprised if you look at the number of people that have a net positive flow of income from the government especially when it comes to income tax time. Having a tax accountant in the family has taught me you can actually mooch for a rather large portion of your life. That is especially true if you work off the books and leave it to the honest law abiding (even if the laws are immoral) taxpayers to pick up the rest.

For the last five or six years I pay more each year than some of my friends technically earned during the year. And given they have kids they get quite a bit back on April 15th. And that is totally disregarding the other government assistance they get. It ticks me off that I'm effectively subsidising their laziness and they know it is a sore subject with me.

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