As the Atlantic Coast braces for the pending arrival of Hurricane Irene, residents in the storms path are grateful for the efforts of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency. The lifesaving early-warning information garnered by the brave men and women who fly into the eye of the storm will soon be hampered by budget cuts proposed by President Barack Obama. In February, the president announced a $56.8 million funding decrease for the weather agency.
Should Americans suffer from a less active and smaller staffed NOAA while millions of dollars in grant funds are spent on studying the drinking habits of Chinese prostitutes and the sexual position preferences during male homosexual intercourse?
My Twitter followers shared their thoughts on the issue via email and instant messaging.
* "I have been sitting here worrying for days about my son at Camp Lejeune. If it weren't for the efforts of NOAA they would not have been prepared for Irene and I wouldn't be able to get updates on the news. We should never be sending taxpayer dollars to other countries." -- Christine Burkimer, nurse, Lexington, Ky.
* "There are plenty of areas of waste in government, the protection of humans, animals and environmental resources is not one of them. Without the warning time provided by NOAA, sand bags cannot be put into place to prevent flooding and the destruction of farms and wetlands." -- Bill Jackson, ecologist, Wilmington, Ohio.
* "Irene has been downgraded to a level 1 hurricane but is still very dangerous. A lot of my friends, coworkers and family live between two waterways. If NOAA isn't well staffed and funded, the necessary warning time to prepare homes and evacuate would not exist. Just one more disappointment from President Obama." -- Miranda Reed, small business owner, Jacksonville, N.C.
* "Any government department could find ways to tighten their belts, but decreasing NOAA funding to such a degree while spending the hard-earned money of Americans on frivolous grants and programs in tantamount to murder. Safety should trump a study on penis size (grant for homosexual sex position preference) every single time." -- Jennifer Vore, nurse, Cape Coral, Fla.
* "The environmentally friendly President is turning out to be anything but. You can't protect America's food supply on coastal farms completely, but without NOAA, the lack of warning time would be decestating. Muddy flood waters do a lot more harm during hurricanes than most people realize. The trash and bacteria which fill the water can destroy clean water sources, agriculture land and leave debris littered everywhere." -- Jeff Phillips, Ohio University student, Columbus, Ohio.
* "The NOAA warning system and knowledge gained from storm tracking teaches communities how to better prepare to protect both themselves and natural resources. Raw sewage in flood waters carry bacteria which cause illness and ruin farms. President Obama needs to cut funding to projects which have no real value and find the money to keep NOAA a top-notch agency." Luke Roberts, photographer, -- Adrienne Connely, small business owner, Bradenton, Fla.
* "Seriously, NOAA is less worthy than all of the temporary stimulus programs and grant funds to other countries funneled through the National Institute of Health? The health of Americans and preventing damage to natural resources, produce, coastal ranches and clean water is far more important to real Americans who do not live in an ivory tower somewhere. NOAA is saving lives and protecting our land. Shame on President Obama." Tonya Shepherd, ecotourism operator, Surf City, N.C.
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