The cost of natural disasters compared to . . .what?

"Since 1980, billion-dollar natural disasters have resulted in nearly 16,000 deaths and cost $2.5 trillion (after adjusting for inflation). "

I haven't checked this USAFacts story. It's probably OK, but is the intent to cause fear and blame, with the aim of taxing you more for a non-existent climate change threat?

16,000 deaths in 43 years? 2022 had 466 deaths from natural disasters--cyclones, fires, earthquakes, blizzards and cold waves, floods, etc., but 42,795 traffic fatalities. Technology and warning systems have drastically reduced dangers from disasters as has reduced poverty. 2.8 million Americans die of obesity related diseases, and 80% of the Covid deaths were due to weight related problems.

 
100 years ago this natural disaster figure would have been in the thousands with a smaller population. If it weren't for bad environmental policies established by federal and state governments in the 80s and 90s, the wildfire problems would go away. A lot of hurricane damage costs and deaths could be reduced if the population didn't want to build in risky, beautiful places--especially the wealthy. Denying people government insurance might reduce that.

The good old days

Whether nostalgia or bad memory or politicians, you may be wrong about "the good old days," crime, climate, income gaps, etc.

"According to a YouGov poll last year, between 21 percent and 45 percent of respondents across the Western world thought that climate change “likely” or “quite likely” will make the human race extinct. At the same time, both the absolute numbers and the proportion of people dying from natural catastrophes like storms, floods, droughts, or wildfires has plummeted over the last century – and that includes all kinds of natural disasters (such as earthquakes and tsunamis) not just the ones that climate change may have worsened."

https://www.humanprogress.org/nothing-is-more-responsible-for-the-good-old-days-than-a-bad-memory/?

A few years ago I recall a report that asked people what percent of the population was homosexual, and many guessed 20-25%. The correct answer was a little over 2%. But it was the topics and characters of films, books and TV programs that caused them to make that wrong estimate. There are some people who think 50% of people who get Covid19 die (99.75% recover).  I think 24/7 news and social media are worsening our memories.

Disaster reports by CRS

Congressional Research reports on national disasters the last 5 years (through Obama's second term) via beSpacific Research.

• Hurricane Harvey and Army Corps: Background for Flood Response and Recovery, CRS Insight, August 29, 2017
• Oil and Chemical Spills: Federal Emergency Response Framework, August 29, 2017
• Introduction to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), July 25, 2017 Federal Disaster Assistance Response and Recovery Programs: Brief Summaries, July 18, 2017
• Private Flood Insurance in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), CRS Insight, June 2, 2017
• Federal Disaster Assistance: The National Flood Insurance Program and Other Federal Disaster Assistance Programs Available to Individuals and Households After a Flood, April 6, 2017
• Major Disaster Assistance from the Disaster Relief Fund: State Profiles, March 29, 2017
• Dam Safety: Federal Programs and Authorities, CRS In Focus, February 23, 2017
• FEMA Disaster Housing: The Individuals and Households Program–Implementation and Potential Issues for Congress, September 2, 2016
• Congressional Primer on Responding to Major Disasters and Emergencies, May 19, 2015
• Deployable Federal Assets Supporting Domestic Disaster Response Operations: Summary and Considerations for Congress, May 13, 2015
• FEMA’s Disaster Declaration Process: A Primer, November 12, 2014
• FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund: Overview and Selected Issues, May 7, 2014
• FEMA Disaster Cost-Shares: Evolution and Analysis, April 4, 2013
• FY2013 Supplemental Funding for Disaster Relief, February 19, 2013
• Federal Involvement in Flood Response and Flood Infrastructure Repair: Storm Sandy Recovery, October 31, 2012

"Updated daily, beSpacific  (Sabrina B. Spacific) has a searchable database of over 44,000 posts on subjects including: the financial system, high profile government documents, privacy, cyber-security, knowledge management and strategic knowledge services, legal research, FOIA, civil liberties, privacy, Congressional and regulatory issues pertaining to law and technology, copyright and intellectual property, energy, the economy, education, tech related litigation, and libraries/librarians."

Although I look at her site every day, she is politically to the left in what she selects to show, although that seems to be the standard for government and civil liberties research.  Still I always find something worth investigating further in her research. She keeps her editorializing at a minimum. All information, all library collections and all librarians have a filter, and that's where information restriction begins.

Why does the “caring” left discourage wealth?

The earthquake in Haiti was a magnitude of 7.0. According to Wikipedia, the 1989 Loma Prieta quake in San Francisco was either 7.0 or 6.9 depending on which scale is used. In other words, the intensities were fairly similar. Haiti is devastated. If the New York Times is correct, the death toll could be in the tens of thousands. The death toll in the 1989 quake was 63, if you include indirect deaths due the quake.

The difference is wealth. San Francisco is one of the wealthiest areas in our part of the world, while Haiti is the poorest. Poverty makes natural disasters worse. Wealth mitigates natural disasters. You would think that those who worry about the poor of the world would promote policies that increase wealth. Instead, they push policies that restrain wealth creation, and they do it intentionally and knowing it will restrain wealth creation.

http://www.thefreemanonline.org/headline/wealth-poverty-and-natural-disasters/

Standing with the people of Japan

On the golf course. And he understands their culture because he grew up in Hawaii where there were Japanese (3rd and 4th generation Japanese-Americans).

Ah, Mr. President. It's always all about you, innit?

Can't help but remember how the leftist rumor-mill went berserk when President Bush took a few minutes to gather his thoughts when he'd been told about planes being flown into the World Trade Center. I believe that resulted in "the truthers." Or the media when he flew over New Orleans rather than land. Now we have a President cool enough to golf when it looks like the middle east is being torn apart in civil war and earthquakes all over the place plus flooding in many parts of the U.S.A. And still the libs love it. Or this in April 2010

President Barack Obama has played golf 32 times since he took office, eight more than his predecessor George W. Bush - who was mocked by the Left for his fondness for the game - did in his entire presidency.

However, fortunately for the people of Japan, they do know how to handle disasters, and a caller to Rush today who just recently returned from Japan reports they are on the golf course too, and there are wonderful stories of survival ready, when the media stop with the disaster mode.

Reviewing responsibilities

I spent a lot of time looking at videos and photos from China. Back to back with the Burmese disaster, much of which could have been avoided if its government had heeded days of warnings from other entities, the death, destruction and homelessness is almost beyond belief. Millions and millions of homes and businesses and schools gone. Regardless of those who want to make this a religious issue, global warmist fundies (man made), or an end times issue (God's punishment), it might be a good time to look through the Code of Federal Regulations FEMA section so it is clear in your mind where our first line of defense is for natural disasters. Don't look to the White House; look to your Governor.

Requests for technical assistance under section 201(b) of the Act shall be made by the Governor or his/her designated representative to the Regional Director.

(a) The request for technical assistance shall indicate as specifically as possible the objectives, nature, and duration of the requested assistance; the recipient agency or organization within the State; the State official responsible for utilizing such assistance; the manner in which such assistance is to be utilized; and any other information needed for a full understanding of the need for such requested assistance.

(b) The request for assistance requires participation by the State in the technical assistance process. As part of its request for such assistance, the State shall agree to facilitate coordination among FEMA, local governments, State agencies and the businesses and industries in need of assistance in the areas of disaster preparedness and mitigation.

[54 FR 2129, Jan. 19, 1989]

The Governor has to be familiar with the procedure, and then act. This didn't happen in the Katrina Hurricane. Both the Governor and the Mayor failed their people. What's going on in those affected states now--aside from these same inept officials scamming the rest of us for aid money? Are they sitting back waiting for the next disaster, or do they have a plan?

And while you're at it, do your part. Get the trash in your local area off the road sides and out of culverts so the water can flow. Don't dump your leaves and clippings into the streams to clog up storm drains and creeks and rivers downstream. You might think you're saving pick up and disposal costs, but you may pay big time down the road. Here in Ohio we're about six inches over normal rainfall. The sun is shining at the moment, but the streets and lawns are wet.

Some of us need to move

The U.S. is divided into 3,100 counties. Of the top 30 counties that have received billions in disaster aid, 22 of them are either in Florida (13) or Oklahoma (9). Caddo County, Oklahoma has been declared a disaster area 13 times in the last decade, according to a story in USAToday yesterday. And it isn't just tornadoes, like you might think--that county has had a little of everything. If the rest of us are going to pay, either in taxes or insurance, for rebuilding after the hurricanes, brush fires, and flash flooding, then rich folk shouldn't be building their McMansions on hillsides in California or summer homes with coastal ocean and bay views, or on stilts with decks over river vistas in Ohio. Federal aid is a disincentive for insurance companies to insure, or for home owners to build in safer areas. I don't have a solution, and obviously our Congress doesn't either. They only talk about it when they aren't worrying about athletes on steroids, what Rush Limbaugh said, or alar on apples. But here's a thought.