I think the problem is that the vast majority of the people are living month-to-month and via "deficit spending," so that they really have nothing to fall back on. Before I got ahold of my financial situation (i.e., while raising children and trying to provide for my family with one paycheck), I was in the same boat. An aggravating factor is that this way of living is encouraged - by our culture, by our media, - heck - even by our own GOVERNMENT. Credit is the order of the day, and if you don't have it: "Don't worry, we can get you what you want "on time" with NO credit check."

Our citizens as a whole don't have much common sense in this area because we no longer teach it at home, and being responsible - in just about EVERY way - is no longer a priority in this country.

I'm not sure that helps you understand - and you may not agree - but that's how I see it.

*sigh* Murr, there was nothing political about this post. I was asking a question about personal responsibility and what to me, seems like common sense. I don't have a generator and have suffered through storms and power outages, but we did not starve or freeze. I know that when the power goes out so does the fridge/freezer. I don't keep stores of freeze-dried food either, just ordinary, regular food, but I do have a bunch of canned foods, bottled water, matches, oil lamps, candles, flashlights, etc...just in case the power goes out. Seems to me like any person worth a dollar and a quarter would have some sort of basic emergency stash. That's all I was saying. After the multiple storms here in the south, Katrina and not Sandy, I don't see how anyone could NOT prepare. Hopefully if there are those out there that are reading this and don't have any, they will get some. I didn't do it in a grand gesture, it was a little bit at a time so that I didn't break the bank. Protect yourself.

"After all, after all the mess is cleaned up, THEY will be back to the business of PICKING UP THE TAB for Georgia and the other Southern States."

...UNLESS they are a BLUE STATE running a huge budget deficit, in which case THEY CAN'T EVEN PICK UP THE TAB FOR THEMSELVES.

For "Blue State Budget Blues, "see: http://www.moneychanges.org/2012/04/b...

As it is, those of us in the RED STATES who are unaffected by the recent disaster are back to the business of picking up THEIR TAB, since it is our paid insurance premiums and tax dollars that subsidize THEIR clean-up.

lholmes, I was thinking about the very same thing. There was also a mandatory evacuation in some areas and very few people evacuated.
I was watching the news after the storm hit where they were interviewing some of the people that stayed in their homes and they all said the next time they will evacuate.

"If the blue states had any choice about whether or not to keep subsidizing the red states, I'm sure they would choose not to do it."

And I would choose not to be "my brother's keeper" when it comes to abortions, welfare, cell phones, and food stamps as well. But that's what happens when you are a citizen of THE UNITED STATES.

As to how much tax you pay - In a perfect world, each state would carry its own weight and state/local taxes would cover state and local services and expenses. But for us, lack of perfection seems to result in total chaos. But when the states are running huge deficits, it's no wonder that the federal government has to intercede to bail them out.

Personally, I would prefer to see the states handle their own "subsidizing" without any bailouts. But we are now in a situation where everyone is over-committed and they will "belly up" to any trough that is made available. Nothing will change until the mentality and the system that springs from it changes.

lHolmes,

You sound as prepared for some kind of event as we are. The only thing we don't have yet is a generator.

I have been researching generators. My problem is that I am a bit spoiled. I don't want one that runs a few things, I want one that runs the entire home. What I REALLY want is enough solar and wind combined to totally sustain everything. Its a dream for now, but its coming.