After Hurricane Helen, many commercial helicopter pilots started their own search and rescue operations. You might think that government officials would welcome the help of these volunteers, but in reality they harassed them and threatened them with arrest.
For example, one civilian helicopter pilot rescued a stranded person by Helen. Unfortunately, he was threatened with arrest if he returned to the affected area after flying a helicopter to rescue those stranded on the previous plane.
In a video shared by comedian and political commentator Jimmy Dore, Jonathan Howard, a member of the Florida National Guard and volunteer with the non-profit organization Aerial Recovery, shows how the government rescued an 11-day-old infant. He talked about how he took credit for it. The rescue was carried out entirely by volunteers. Howard said when he goes on search and rescue missions, he sees about 40 other civilian helicopters and only two military helicopters.
One of the reasons the federal government is unable to provide adequate aid to those affected by Helen (and now Milton) is that the government is sending billions of dollars worth of military aid to Ukraine and Israel. In fact, more than 700 Tennessee National Guard members are being deployed to the Middle East as Tennesseans deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Helen.
When asked about Helen's influence on Fox News, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham passionately complained… Calling for more aid to Israel. Senator Graham is not the only lawmaker to prioritize the needs of foreign countries and the military-industrial complex over those of the American people.
Congress is likely to consider a multibillion-dollar disaster relief bill in a post-election “lame duck” session. Conservative Republicans will (appropriately) demand that the spending be offset by other spending cuts. The problem is that most of these “fiscal conservatives” will vote to increase the national debt to fund the military-industrial complex.
When I served in Congress, I voted against federal disaster aid even when disasters affected my district. My office is bound to receive complaints from outraged constituents. After months of jumping through federal bureaucracy to recover from the disaster, many constituents are calling my office and asking if the government would stop trying to “help” disaster victims. They said they agreed that their lives would be better. About natural disasters.
One of the helicopter pilots who volunteered to fly into Helen's affected areas was Gary Heavin, founder of the Curves fitness chain. In addition to being a successful businessman, Mr. Habin is also a passionate defender of freedom and serves on the advisory board of my Institute for Peace and Prosperity. It's no surprise that people who believe in freedom are willing to help those in need rather than relying on government aid.
Contrary to the lies propagated by authoritarians, libertarianism does not require selfishness. Libertarians welcome voluntary action to help those in need. Libertarians oppose government aid because it is based on force. Authoritarianism brings poverty, war, chaos in the streets, and lack of compassion for the less fortunate. Freedom leads to prosperity, peace, and flourishing private philanthropy.
Ron Paul is a former U.S. Congressman from Texas. This article originally appeared on the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity and is reprinted here with permission.
