You want it? You pay for it.

I'm tired and I'm crabby this morning, however...in reading this article from the Washington Post I say ENOUGH!!!

I have no problem with the concept of Federal Flood insurance or helping those in New Orleans. It's the situations like this:

Dauphin Island is one of the most vulnerable barrier islands in the nation. Since 1979, it has been struck by six hurricanes and has lost nearly 500 expensive vacation homes and rental properties. Yet owners keep building back, trying to elevate their homes out of harm's way. And the island has received more than $21 million in federal flood payments to help spur redevelopment.

Its existence was briefly threatened in 1979, after Frederic toppled the only bridge to the mainland. Federal officials considered whether tax dollars should be used to help rebuild. Facing intense political pressure, they eventually relented and constructed a $32 million span.

After each subsequent hurricane, FEMA or another federal agency contributed to the recovery: hundreds of thousands for road and utility repairs, $750,000 for a temporary wall of sand, $143,000 for hurricane shutters, even a few thousand dollars for a new town sign.

Then I got to this part.....

Recently, Congress passed a bill that would gradually raise premiums for those who refuse federal help to elevate or relocate their houses.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), one of the sponsors of the legislation, said "it was a step in the right direction" but "really very modest considering the size of the problem and the need to put the program on sound financial footing."

Larry Larson, executive director of the Association of State Floodplain Managers, said the problem is "our basic national approach" that it is acceptable to develop anywhere on the coast. "It may be time," he said, "for Congress and states to say maybe there are areas of coastal land where we simply shouldn't build."

Gee, Larry I think it's more than time. Or at least time for Congress to say "HEY if you build it there? We aren't going to pay for it to be rebuilt".