Polk Property Appraiser Neil Combee wants to end FEMA -- replacement unclear

It's very important to make politicians, especially career MAGA politicians, own the human consequences of their glib policy preferences.

This is just a marker.

The purpose of this marker is to put MAGAs like newly elected Property Appraiser Neil Combee thoroughly on the hook for the execution and consequences of their policy preferences.

If FEMA goes away before this hurricane season or next, I want those who want it to go away on the record — so that they are personally responsible for the outcomes. Perhaps doing away with federal emergency response will improve overall emergency response. I don’t think so; but I’m not in power.

Shit-posting on Facebook and taking responsibility for governing are very different things. Neil has never really understood the difference, despite his often good instincts on abuse of power by more establishment-type MAGA Fluids.

Neil, who is truly a career politician (first elected to something in the 1990s), won election as Polk property appraiser in November. Hurricane/disaster recovery in Florida, obviously, has much to do with property values.

So I asked Neil, on the record, if he agreed with Trump that we should abolish federal disaster response. He said yes — although he wants federal taxpayers to keep paying for it.

Neil: I don’t think he is suggesting states pick up the bill. States would be in charge of doing the actual recovery work but federal government would provide relief funds…..as I understand the suggestion.

Billy: So what I’m hearing is that support getting rid of all federal disaster relief employees/human resources? And just having feds write a check to states?

Neil: Yes. At least in Florida, we have better qualified personnel to work our disasters. The Feds are predominately palaver pushers and obstacles to rapid response.

People can decide for themselves what to make of that exchange. I just want it on the record. It’s not clear where the “better qualified personnel” dwell in state government and why the existence of FEMA prevents them from acting now.

I will say this: Florida is grifter state, run by grifters for grifters. Even my fellow, but more gullible, GOPers know this. Funneling unaccountable federal money to an openly grifter state government seems unwise. But I’m not in power.

I will also note that Florida state government only really runs one large-scale social function — education. And it has delivered America’s worst state system, in terms of learning rate, as the NAEP test recently showed yet again.

Just remember that Neil Combee, who helped build the terrible state education system, wants the same grifter state government put in charge of your emergency response.

If Neil has his way, the same people who brought you Step Up for Students’ nightmarish management of private education vouchers will be taking over responsibility for administering these payments and person-to-person assistance.

Caveat emptor. And remember who wanted it.