Episode 214: Hurricane Helene: The Government Hates You

Ep. 214: Hurricane Helene: The Government Hates You

The story of the government’s response to Hurricane Helene is a story of layered failure, incompetence, and evil in three parts. First, is generalized federal waste, fraud, and abuse of U.S. tax payers’ dollars. While it has given billions in foreign aid since the start of 2024, it has given only $750 to those impacted by Helene. Second, is specific federal waste, fraud, and abuse. We learned this week that FEMA (the federal agency specifically tasked with responding to natural disasters) has spent billions settling illegal migrants in the U.S., leaving it cash strapped to help out actual American citizens who recently lost everything. Finally, is intentional evil. There are numerous and ongoing reports on the ground of private citizens seeking to help victims being delayed or completely prevented by FEMA and other government agencies from getting to those in need. The key takeaway here is that government is never coming to help, and may actually actively prevent you from getting help from others, so preparing yourself and building your local network is paramount to respond to these kinds of disasters in the future.