Trump Walks Back Talk of Abolishing FEMA
After criticizing the agency for being ineffective for months, the Trump administration now plans to reform it to supplement state disaster response efforts.
FEMA
Leaked Documents Show 'Alligator Alcatraz' Could Cost Over $600 Million
More questions arise over how Florida’s newest immigration detention center is being funded by the Trump administration.
Trump Administration Will Help Fund Florida's $450 Million 'Alligator Alcatraz' and Other Migrant Detention Facilities
The Florida attorney general stated that the facilities will add 5,000 beds and be operational as early as the first week of July.
Mandate to DOGE
Plus: Romanian democracy, FEMA's insane policies, Maher on trans kids, and more...
RIP to Government Acronyms
One perk that may materialize from Elon Musk upending the federal bureaucracy is the downfall of the government’s obsessive use of abbreviations.
Wasteful FEMA Spending Topped $9 Billion During the Pandemic
One grant for $1.1 billion was supported by one sheet of paper and didn’t include itemized costs for the project.
FEMA Is a Disaster. Trump Is Right To Demand Changes.
The agency is ineffective, duplicative, and expensive.
Abolish FEMA
FEMA has given Americans every reason to believe it is highly politicized, a poor steward of federal resources, bad at establishing priorities, and often unable to communicate clearly to people in distress.
FEMA's Targeting of Trump Supporters Makes the Case for Less Government
Government agencies and officials can’t be trusted, so we should give them less to do.
The Panic Over an Imaginary Militia 'Hunting FEMA' Did More Damage Than the Actual Threat
Someone did allegedly threaten first responders, but the panic may have done more damage.
The Remarkable Redneck Air Force of North Carolina
The relief effort after Hurricane Helene is powered by private citizens, and volunteers have discovered that it's better to ask forgiveness than permission.
Brian Trascher: Has FEMA failed North Carolina?
The Vice President of the United Cajun Navy, Brian Trascher, discusses effective disaster response and the problems with FEMA.
GOP Despair
Plus: FEMA threat-related arrest, incentives for babymaking, "men" for Harris/Walz, and more...
What Happens When FEMA Buys Your House?
As hurricane damage mounts, the government is buying—and sometimes seizing—homes in flood-prone areas, sparking concerns over property rights and accusations of discrimination.
FEMA Should Stick to Disaster Recovery and Quit Social Engineering
Goal 1 of FEMA's strategic plan is to "instill equity as a foundation of emergency management."
How Milton Friedman Can Help Us Get Through Hurricane Milton
To give storm victims the best chance at recovery, let local knowledge and markets guide decisions.
Washington Worsened Hurricane Helene's Destruction
How the National Flood Insurance Program subsidizes living in high-risk flood zones.
The Feds Shouldn't Subsidize Fancy, Risky Beach Houses
Government is "promoting bad behavior," says Sen. Rand Paul. He's right.
Department of Homeland Security
DHS Just Turned 20. It's Time To Abolish It.
Break it up into fewer, smaller agencies that are more accountable to pre-9/11 departments.
Wealthy Connecticut Residents Received Millions in Federal Dollars After Hurricane Sandy
It shouldn't be the federal government's responsibility to protect wealthy homeowners from the inevitable.
Netflix Teams Up With the Obamas To Produce Big Government Propaganda
The G Word, a new documentary, only occasionally covers serious issues. But it opts not to do honest reporting.
Here's What the Media Get Wrong About Hurricanes
No, a big storm does not require big government.
Where Did Puerto Rico's Disaster Relief Go?
After a Category 1 hurricane made landfall Sunday, a million Puerto Rican households are still without power.
Former Puerto Rico Governor Latest Official Arrested in DOJ Corruption Crackdown
Wanda Vázquez, the latest in a string of Puerto Rican officials to face criminal corruption charges, is accused of bribery and mail fraud charges during her failed 2020 reelection campaign.
FEMA Encourages Survivors of a Nuclear Holocaust To Mask, Socially Distance
The COVID-conscious advice from the federal government's primary disaster response agency is silly. It's also outdated.
Rand Paul Isn't a Hypocrite on Disaster Relief
The senator's opposition to past disaster relief bills has always been on the grounds that congressional budgets should mean something.
Department of Homeland Security
The Department of Homeland Security's Creators Promised Efficiency. They Delivered Disaster.
The consolidation of numerous unrelated government agencies within a single department has led to decades of waste, mismanagement, and terrible abuses of authority.
Lockdown Supporters Embraced Wildly Wrong COVID-19 Projections That Fit Their Preconceptions
The episode illustrates the perils of confirmation bias on both sides of the debate about disease control measures.
Puerto Rico No Longer Forced To 'Buy American' for Much-Needed Masks
Puerto Rico is temporarily free from Buy American restrictions on crucial protective medical gear thanks to FEMA.
Trump Declares National Emergency To 'Unleash the Full Power of the Federal Government'
But what he will do with that power remains uncertain.
As Tropical Storm Barry Approaches, the GAO Highlights FEMA's Past Failings
Unclear and contradictory procedure guidelines slowed down relief efforts in Puerto Rico in 2017. Will it happen again this year? Probably.
Report: 38 Percent of FEMA Employees Aren't 'Qualified' for Their Jobs
At the height of the agency's deployments in the summer of 2017, 54 percent of staff were serving in a capacity for which they were not fully qualified.
Trouble in Paradise
Naomi Klein misses the meaning of "the miracles Puerto Ricans have been quietly pulling off while their government fails them."
Community and Technology—Not Government—Take Lead in Hurricane Michael Recovery
A report from Florida's ravaged Panhandle.
Nationwide 'Presidential Alert' Texts: Not the Best Idea
Most of us got a "presidential alert" text today. Is that something we really want?
FEMA Director Brock Long Racked Up $151,000 in Unauthorized Travel
One of his unauthorized trips included a tour of a pineapple plantation with his family.
FEMA's Administrator Is Under Investigation for His Travel Habits
FEMA confirmed the investigation just one day after admitting to leaving nearly a million water bottles for storm victims on an airstrip.
FEMA May Not be Prepared for Hurricane Florence, but Waffle House Is
The "Waffle House Index" shows some differences between the private and public sector when it comes to emergency preparedness.
Tremendous Job: FEMA Left a Million Bottles of Water on a Puerto Rican Airstrip for a Year
But yeah, I'm sure FEMA is ready for Hurricane Florence.
FEMA Is Almost Certainly Not Ready for Hurricane Florence
If FEMA's prior record when it comes to disaster response is any indication, the agency is not going to handle this well.
Sexual Misconduct Allegations Show That the Real FEMA Disaster Is Behind the Scenes
Former FEMA personnel chief Corey Coleman is accused of nepotism and sexual harassment.
The Whitefish Contract Is a Natural Consequence of FEMA's Mismanagement
Free money and poor oversight sap the incentive of localities to prepare for disasters or respond to them effectively.
Stossel: Hurricane Reconstruction
Is rebuilding after disasters the government's responsibility?
Greg Abbott's Fair-Weather Federalism
The Texas governor sells out his supposed principles for billions in federal aid.
Stop Encouraging People to Live in Dangerous Places
Who will have the courage in the face of tragedy to change the government's disastrous policies?
Forget Price Gouging: Businesses React Altruistically To Disasters
From Walmart to Uber to AirBnB, businesses should be lauded for their generosity and effectiveness in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey.
