It's great to be an American

Air America reported on this little fun fact that I thought I would share with you all.

Illegal settlers removed from the Gaza Strip recently were set to receive $200,000 and more per family in compensation from US taxpayers.

It is unclear exactly how much the disengagement plan is costing the Israeli government. But last month it was reported Israel is seeking an additional $2 billion dollars or more in aid from the United States to help pay for the plan - which would in effect double the amount of aid Israel already receives from the U.S.

A majority of the settlers have accepted a compensation package from the government in return for leaving Gaza. An average family can expect to receive the equivalent of $150,000 to $400,000 in compensation, depending on house size, the number of children and length of residence in the occupied territories. On top of that, there are removal expenses, two years free rent and redundancy compensation. Many of the settlers are already beneficiaries of government subsidies for settling the land.

On the other hand, evacuees from hurricane Katrina were being given debit cards with a $2,000 line of credit to spend on clothing and other immediate needs. But yesterday CNN reported that on Saturday when evacuees who fled Hurricane Katrina showed up expecting to get debit cards from the government, they were told the cards were not available and it looks now like FEMA scrapped the plan altogether. (The Red Cross has been distributing its debit cards worth between $350 and $2,000 for about a week now).

During last night's televised address, President Bush pledged a whole $5,000 for evacuees that they could use for job training and education. Don't spend it all on one place kids!