Crist makes pitch in D.C. for national catastrophe fund

Sasha wrote:

Crist tried to help Floridians but George W. Bush and his lying gutless Republican Corporate weasels have screwed us again!
When are Republicans going to start protecting Americans instead of Corporations?

.....???NEVER!!!!!!

Mike wrote:

This is something I have thought was needed for a long long time. Why not replace the current national flood insurance program with a national disaster insurance to cover flood, earthquake, tornados, and hurricanes. Every homeowner in the country that has a mortgage and is in an area that can be affected by these events would be required to buy this insurance like they do with flood now. They would be in a Flood Zone, Hurricane Zone, Earthquake zone or Tornado Zone. They would pay in by the historical probabilities just like they do now in flood based on elevation. If this was done nationally, it would lower the overall costs dramatically.

......because it makes sense, that'e why not!!!!!

......and I live in Weston, not Paramount CA!!!!
I thought that was a movie studio????
hhmmm, maybe I do need to live there!!!!!!!

I have lived in Florida for over 50 years and I like Charly Christ and what he has done so far. But this is dumb.

We expect the rest of the country to in effect pickup the tab for the expensive and high cost of real estate damage insurance in a coastal state. If I lived in a central state I would say NO WAY!!!!!!! Let's start another civil war before we agree to that. Whatever happended to individual accountability. Everybody has their hand out.

You want to live here as I do, PAY for it. Tough love people! If you can't handle consider moving to another state perhaps a central state where you can afford it.

: Proposed Policy Initiative ¡V Federal Response to Weather-Driven Disasters

Objective: To move insurance markets to make generally available affordable, low-deductible insurance cover for individuals and businesses that will provide comprehensive insurance coverage in the event of weather-driven disasters, preserving private sector leadership, avoiding government entry into the business of insurance, but offering support for insurance infrastructure that will allow for such coverage to be available on rational economic terms.

Specific problems with existing insurance markets to be addressed:

ƒÞ astronomical cost of coverage for major disasters
ƒÞ defensive, claim-resistant posture of insurers post-event
ƒÞ difficulty of coordinating a rational combined federal/state/local response to a cataclysmic event

Suggested policy response:

ƒÞ provide federal support by authorizing the issue of U.S. Treasury securities at deep discounts to insurers who meet program standards of capacity and commitment
ƒÞ securities to become redeemable at par in the event of weather-driven disaster losses, with financial gains tax-protected
ƒÞ insurers become eligible to purchase securities by meeting program standards including acceptance of the principle that ¡§storm losses¡¨ are a covered event, without distinctions for wind vs. flood damage, and must have national company presence so that single-state ¡§pup¡¨ insurers would not be eligible for aid,
ƒÞ Treasury to establish by regulation performance standards for underwriting and claim handling to confer continuing program eligibility.

The effect of the policy would be to greatly increase available capital to participating insurers and provide a funding source for catastrophic loss. The program would be completely voluntary, but securities can be structured so as to provide compelling economic incentive to insurers to participate.

where is this money coming from crist? yes more fed tax for the working man

Once again wake up people and stop giving your car insurance to State Farm, Allstate, and Nationwide if they wont insure your home. Progressive and Geico etc do a great job and are usually cheaper thatn Allstate and State Farm. Hit the big companies where it hurts the auto. But your all to lazy and ignorant to change. And furthermore If you cant afford your insurance you shouldnt be living in Florida. If everyone stops bitching about the cost of insurance. And everyone that buys a house refuses to pay these outrageous prices and the house prices come down guess what you can afford your insurance and taxes. You all screwed yourselves buying prices above your means and paying $400k for a $200k house. You made the mistake buying so stop complaining and pay your insurance and taxes and think twice next time you over pay for your next house. Ya I know wasting my breath because nobody over paid for their house. These houses are worth these ridiculous prices.

Fund Pools collect cash for those politicans to drool over ,this happens you know.
By the way why should the less well heeled pay as related to the assest value to be insured, if what i see is a national insurer of last resort,when taxation or fees are flat say on income the wealthiest would not cry foul,but when based on assessment of property they want abreak such as a deduction on their fed taxes,seems fair to me , let the rich get richer or who will buy all those yahcts?

Mike wrote:

This is something I have thought was needed for a long long time. Why not replace the current national flood insurance program with a national disaster insurance to cover flood, earthquake, tornados, and hurricanes. Every homeowner in the country that has a mortgage and is in an area that can be affected by these events would be required to buy this insurance like they do with flood now. They would be in a Flood Zone, Hurricane Zone, Earthquake zone or Tornado Zone. They would pay in by the historical probabilities just like they do now in flood based on elevation. If this was done nationally, it would lower the overall costs dramatically.

Mike that is a great idea! This fund would benefit the whole country. The Midwest is often hit by powerful tornados, massive floods, and powerful blizzards.
The Pacific Northwest is hit with powerful winter storms, earthquakes, and volcanoes. California has earthquakes, massive fires, and floods. So I don’t want to hear from people in other states saying they don’t want to subsidize Floridians because this would help all states.

I really like Crist. He is no ideologue and is trying to govern from the center. I’m not surprised that Bush is turning his back on Florida now that his brother is no longer in office. He will put the interest of the insurance industry’s profits ahead of the citizens of Florida.

Screw Crist and all his cohorts he dose nothing for anyone but self; veterans needs help and like everyone else he turned his back on them.

I always figure that Sen. Shelby was one of those retarded southern crackers that got to the Senate by mistake. Wait till a 'cane wipes the floor with Mobile and we'll this stupid nit change his tune. As forthe re insurance market it is totally rigged to screw us.

JAY..." HITS THE NAIL ON THE HEAD" :
The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right?
The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence, 2/3's of the citizenry just are not happy and want a change.
So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking,''What we are so unhappy about?''
Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?
Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter? I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.
Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

(continued below)

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world? Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S., yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me? Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad?

Think about it......are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the "Media" told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful ass every day.

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by "justifying" them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way......Insane!

Stop buying the negativism you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.

With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, "Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"

Jay Leno

Part 1 of 2 (2 is above - didn't go through????)
JAY LENO..." HITS THE NAIL ON THE HEAD" :

The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right?

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence, 2/3's of the citizenry just are not happy and want a change.

So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking,''What we are so unhappy about?''

Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter? I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

JAY LENO..." HITS THE NAIL ON THE HEAD" :
The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence, 2/3's of the citizenry just are not happy and want a change.

So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking,''What we are so unhappy about?''

Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world? Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S., yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me? Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad?

Think about it......are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the "Media" told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful ass every day.

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go.

Stop buying the negativism you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.

Jay Leno

I have seen nothing Crist has done I sent an email Crist about the veterans need for a hospital in northwest Florida he didn't even respond with a bullshit response Bush did with he would look into it.

James wrote:

I have seen nothing Crist has done I sent an email Crist about the veterans need for a hospital in northwest Florida he didn't even respond with a bullshit response Bush did with he would look into it.

"he would look into it" is the politician's pat-on-the-head-now-go-away answer. You want a hospital, get your veteran buddies to write to the Walter Reed Oversight Committee and yell about how you're being neglected. Your issue is "sexy" now, and letters to the right people (federal, not state)will be heard.

I have sent emails to the president, congress, senator, veteran affairs, news papers but get no response from anyone cause veteran in northwest Florida still have to go 200 miles to a VA hospital. Walter Reed is a military hospital not VA.

even President Bush is not foolish enough to sign on to a massive risk as bailing out million dollar homes and billion dollar businesses on the rest of America's tax dime! The dems and libs want dat money for their poverty entitlements. crist is asking for all of the US to bail out his states bad decisions. All the home insurers are either skyrocketing their rates or leaving florida completely - and dropping homeowners policies - leaving NO affordable coverage. Any one that thinks this is a good idea is an IDIOT!!! It's like building nagan's chocolate city again - who win their right mind would invest to rebuild a city below sea level and at risk? It's stupid! Maybe crist can ask rep. jefferson if he'll donate half of his $90,000 bribe to the cause - even he ain't that dumb.

Sasha wrote:

Crist tried to help Floridians but George W. Bush and his lying gutless Republican Corporate weasels have screwed us again!
When are Republicans going to start protecting Americans instead of Corporations?

FYI: Charlie Crist (R)-FL

Look familiar?

Chuck is a Republican too!!