Disasters Of State

Gov. Christie Threatens NJ Residents With Post-Storm Tax Hikes

"Hey, somebody has to pay for the police that enforced his price controls on gasoline. Gov. Chris Christie is warning New Jerseyans living in storm-wrecked towns that they're likely to see higher local property taxes to help pay for rebuilding. Christie, dressed in a suit and tie, said an exemption to the state's 2 percent tax cap law is emergencies like Sandy, which destroyed coastal towns, knocked out rail service and left 2.7 million households in the dark. While municipalities can expect federal reimbursement for most storm-related cleanup costs, residents will most likely foot the bill for rebuilding." Continue reading →

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Brooklyn pot dealer donates proceeds to hurricane survivors

"A man in Brooklyn says that he raised $700 for victims of Hurricane Sandy in two days by selling pot. The marijuana dealer told The Huffington Post that he came to the conclusion that storm victims without power in Rockaways, New York needed money more than they needed weed. The dealer said that he told his customers that he would be donating money to buy 'hot meals, diapers, formula, clean water and other supplies' so they stocked up on pot for the cause." Continue reading →

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New York governor seeks $30 billion in aid after Sandy

"New York Governor Andrew Cuomo asked the US federal government for $30 billion in aid to help his state recover from the devastation left by superstorm Sandy. The requested funds will help rebuild the economy, infrastructure, housing, public buildings and small businesses, Cuomo told reporters in stressing the “cataclysmic” nature of the storm that killed more than 110 people. Tens of thousands of homes and businesses remain without power, and thus unable to heat the buildings during sometimes frigid temperatures in the city and its suburbs." Continue reading →

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Where FEMA Fell Short, Occupy Sandy Was There

"This stretch of the coast remained apocalyptic, with buildings burned like Dresden and ragged figures shuffling past the trash heaps. There was still no power, and parking lots were awash with ruined cars. On Wednesday morning, as the winds picked up and FEMA closed its office 'due to weather,' an enclave of Occupiers was huddled in a storefront amid the devastation, handing out supplies and trying to make sure that those bombarded by last month’s storm stayed safe and warm and dry this time." Continue reading →

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Queens residents arm themselves in the post-storm blackout from looters

"Ever since Sandy strafed the Queens peninsula and tore up the boardwalk, it’s become an often lawless place where cops are even scarcer than electrical power and food. Locals say they are arming themselves with guns, baseball bats, booby traps — even a bow and arrow — to defend against looters. Thugs have been masquerading as Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) workers, knocking on doors in the dead of night. But locals say the real workers have been nowhere in sight, causing at least one elected official to call for the city to investigate the utility." Continue reading →

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Federal “Compassion” at work: Sandy Victims Imprisoned in FEMA Camps

"Residents of a FEMA refugee center in Oceanport, New Jersey called 'Camp Freedom' complain that their living conditions resemble those of a prison camp. Not only are they been left exposed to the cold and deprived of promised amenities such as washing machines and hot showers, they have also been cut off from nearly all contact with the outside world. They are denied WiFi access, not allowed to use smart phones, and have been forbidden to take pictures of their surroundings. Up to 900 of the 5,200 Staten Island residents who applied for FEMA housing could be warehoused in the Arthur Kill Correctional Facility." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFederal “Compassion” at work: Sandy Victims Imprisoned in FEMA Camps

Why License Plates Exist

"So the State can sell us yet another item no one needs or wants and milk more money from us, not only in the initial fee but later in fines, of course. The excuse that license plates help solve crimes is patently bogus. So rarely does that happen that a fascist organization actually awards a prize when it does. But license plates hand Leviathan another huge advantage, too: utter control of the serfs. Mayor Mike 'Nanny' Bloomberg has forced owners of gas stations to ration their product. And how does he accomplish that? Via those useless but expensive license plates." Continue reading →

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Creativity vs. The State

"The free market has found a way around the government-created gas shortages and tortuous lines in NY. Sellers of gasoline have emerged on Craigslist, charging up to $30/gallon. The State is furious! How dare people make voluntary transactions with other individuals! Get back in line! 'We will do everything we can to stop unscrupulous businesses or individuals from taking advantage of New Yorkers trying to rebuild their lives,' New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said Monday. 'There are always people who show up when there's a crisis to take advantage of victims of a disaster.'" Continue reading →

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Government Imposed Disaster: Price Controls in the Wake of Sandy

"For thousands of years governments have imposed maximum price laws and the results have always been the same—shortages that leave consumers worse off. Much as the Roman threat of death couldn’t force producers to bring products to the market, neither can New Jersey’s excessive fines. If gas prices in New York and New Jersey could rise high enough to reflect its true scarcity the profit incentive would induce more suppliers to redirect gas from other states to these areas. Instead, the federal government is scrambling to deliver 22 million gallons of gas itself since the price controls have destroyed the private incentive." Continue reading →

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