Fux Business personality and life support system for a '70s porn 'stache John Stossel thinks that we can do away with the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) because giant corporations like Walmart will always do the right thing and come to the aid of the needy (without writing off the "contributions" on their taxes or raising prices to maintain profit margins, right?). Randian libertarian gadfly Stossel is apparently relying on the right-wing philosopher Frederick Hayek's "theory" of spontaneous organization, that suggests that a generous outpouring of aid from corporate giants would supplant organized Federal assistance. Riiiiight! Shades of Ayn Rand and Galt's Gulch.
If Stossel's thinking (such as it is) is correct, then why was there a need for FEMA in the first place? Certainly organizations like the Red Cross provide important and welcome assistance in times of natural disasters, but what corporation has the resources and reach of the Federal Government -- not to mention the requirement -- to assist communities in times of need. Large companies do contribute (and claim a tax deduction) when they provide aid after a natural disaster, but to think that the likes of Walmart could and would replace an organized, national recovery effort is simply loony. And the large companies would probably be among the first to say so.
