Reason Writers Around Town: Shikha Dalmia on Why Liberals ? FEMA

Hurricane Sandy hadn't even touched down and various liberal outfits started blowing kisses to FEMA, the federal disaster relief agency. But if they love FEMA so much it couldn't be because of its glorious track record, notes Reason

Foundation Senior Analyst Shikha Dalmia in her morning column for the Washington Examiner. It is because FEMA is a vehicle for expanding the welfare state without fear of opposition.

She notes:

Anyone in Sandy's path can latch on to the FEMA teat. This is not disaster relief but disaster socialism. It is one thing for the government to provide emergency housing, health care and food; it is quite another to compensate victims for every loss. If people knocked down by a storm deserve such federal largesse, why not open the coffers to anyone who suffers a car crash, a death in the family or a broken heart?

Go here to read the whole thing.