Dear President Bush,
The last two federal budgets included cuts in health insurance programs for the poor such that many will be forced off the program into an uncovered status. During the same time Congress entertained expanding the low lying flood prone areas the government is willing to insure.
Your model for compassionate conservatism, Ronald Reagan, made 3 million acres of coastal flood plains uninsurable during his term as President. Since then legislators have chipped away at those restrictions. As Hurricane Katrina roared ashore bills were in the hopper to cover 50,000 acres in Florida, Georgia, and Texas.
Statistics show last year the government covered $763 billion worth of real estate from flood damage with 40% of that in Florida alone. My preference would be for rich people building oceanfront estates to bear their own risk for loss. I want my tax money to help the poor get basic access to health care services. That seems more compassionate and more conservative. I don’t know many conservatives who want their tax money to back up palatial oceanfront estates built on the sand. The conservatives I know would build their home on the rock. At least that is the view from here…
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