Lately the east coast has been hit hard by a couple of different storms and even a (not by west coast standards) earthquake. A number of times a local official or the president has declared some kind of state of emergency or disaster area. It makes for headlines but unless you actually live in one of these areas (or even if you do) you might not know what it actually means when something like this happens?
A state of emergency is the most common and depending on local laws can be declared by just about any executive branch. That goes from a local mayor all the way up to the president. A state of emergency allows the executive branch to bypass certain bureaucratic processes to speed up relief or to respond to some kind of emergency. At the state or federal level a state of emergency allows for the deployment of troops if the emergency needs such a response.
By contrast the declaration of a disaster zone really only happens at the presidential level. It often happens after a local official requests the declaration of a disaster through FEMA from the president. If the president signs off then the affected area becomes eligible for the portfolio of goodies that FEMA provides. This includes disaster relief, distribution of funds to local and non-profit groups, and even certain types of reimbursement and rebuilding loans for property damage.
It’s actually all pretty boring stuff, but headlines always make it seem like the situations are worse than they are. That’s because a state of emergency can be declared for almost anything. So when there’s something really huge, we don’t really know how to gauge it based on a presidential or gubernatorial declaration. The state of emergency is an interesting beast. I’ll bet you’d be surprised to know we’re under a state of emergency right now. We have been since the 90s. These emergencies are usually specific in nature and are mostly related to terrorism. They don’t give the president blanket powers and they must be renewed frequently.
Interestingly, in the investigations of Richard Nixon in the 70s Congress learned the US had actually been in a state of emergency since 1950. Laws have since been passed to limit the powers of declaring the state of emergency and increase the transparency of the declaration process.
And yes, if you didn’t notice from above, a disaster declaration does cost the American taxpayer. But I don’t think anyone should have a problem with that and the overall cost is minimal.
Image: _snapp
 By The Weakonomist |
The Weakonomist is the founder of Weakonomics. Clicking the picture of the puppy will tell you more about him. If you like what you're reading consider subscribing to the blog, following him on Twitter, and checking out the related posts below. Please consider a donation if you really enjoy Weakonomics. Also keep in mind that nothing I say can be construed as financial advice. |
