It might seem that a disaster was averted by the last-minute fiscal-cliff deal. But the wrath of House Republicans has simply moved to a different disaster: last October’s Hurricane Sandy. If there is any sign that the short-term agreement to prevent a tax hike on the middle class is just a prelude to skirmishes on every front, it was evidenced that same night when the Republican-led House — to the utter amazement of just about everyone, including Republicans from Northeastern states — chose to table a Sandy funding package approved by the Senate on Dec. 28. Essentially, because of conservatives’ frustration over a tax increase for wealthy Americans, devastated Americans will not see immediate relief for Sandy’s wrath.
By itself, it’s an unimaginable form of partisan payback given the extent of the Sandy-related claims. The details of how House leadership went from “99 percent” certainty of a vote on the Sandy package, as one analyst declared on Tuesday, to abandonment are still murky. But even if the House moves quickly to make amends, as Speaker John Boehner indicated might happen later in the week, the mere delay is a bad sign for future victims of disasters.
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Falling into the trap I see Juliette, Fema officials said there is enough money in the fund until spring. Why do people feel we need to rush and pass a 60 billion bill that is pork ridden. Absurd, we'll never get government spending under control, Christie and King are only making this an issue because of their constituents. Get rid of the pork, pass a bill for the money needed and make sure every penny is accounted for, that would be a switch for government. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/little_help_here_1kW6aQ8fElj4CKwbheEV0N
I think the issue here is they could have sent the bill back with amendments. They had the time but were too busy throwing spitballs at each other, a situation voters should think about before electing people who pledge to throw a monkey wrench into government machinery.
The article you link is repeats the same old claims that all the conservatives are pointing to, but nobody seems to actually discuss whether that money is needed or not. Do you know that the $8M for cars is not to replace cars damaged by Sandy? The $150M for fisheries disasters is not designated for Alaska as the article indicates. It can be used anywhere in the country. Maybe the roofs at the Smithosonian do need to be repaired. If so, where is the money going to come from. Every conservative blog is basically cutting and pasting the same talking points about the Senate bill. Maybe it would be useful for someone to actually analyze the various elements. Personally having the NY Post, Breitbart, TownHall and the like screaming about pork is not my idea of a real analsysis.
Maybe are complaining that there is a large amount of money for "mitigation" projects. That is, for projects that try to prevent such a disaster from happening again. Those people are calling that "pork". Personally, I think trying to prevent another disaster is a good thing. This area will be hit with a hurrican again in the future. You can bet on it.
The House needs to examine each element of the bill and respond appropriately. They need to get beyond the Heritage Foundation, Koch's organizations and conservative blogs screaming about the "pork" and decide of the merits of each part of the bill.
FEMA indeed has sufficient funds until the spring, but if one knew what they were talking about they would know that the FEMA funding does not address the insurance issues, the rebuilding issues, the infrastructure issues the myriad of issues that relate to recovery. FEMA merely assists the state in addressing the emergency issues relating to housing and managing the funds that the Congress makes available, which isn't available at this point because the House hasn't voted on the bill.
What we have currently in this country as has been clearly shown in the fiscal cliff argument and even more brightly shown in the Hurrican Sandy funding and the reactions to Newtown and gun control is a renewal of the civil war. This is a knockdown drag out between the regressive policies of southern Republicans and the Union advocates of the North and West. As always there in the north we have the "copperheads" and down here in the South many of us remain strong supporters of a united America.
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Talk about something that needs to be eliminated! The National Flood Insurance Program should be at the top of the list. If your house is located in a place where private insurance is too expensive, other taxpayers shouldn't be forced to pick up the tab for your losses. And they shouldn't be forced to rebuild your house in the same place and replace it again the next time it gets blown or washed away.
Juliette Kayyem was a member of the Obama Administration - she certainly has the right to express her opinions, and the globe to print them - but shouldn't there be a caveat after her column to this effect.
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Anyone consider the connections between Federal aid and the gap in payments as per insurance companies....? Maybe, just maybe, there're bona fide concerns as per Boehner and others---even some Dems (shock!). Of course, there's rarely any intelligible information about WHY people vote in certain ways.....
Sometimes, large chucks of monies don't end up where they're intended...
Were 1,000s of insurance adjustors dispatched with checkbooks in their holsters to help all insured Sandy Refugees within 24 hours of the hurricane? Doubt it. Aside from the citizenry people---and also local and state employees-- FEMA, for all of the criticisms aimed at it, probably beat most of those insurance adjustors to the scene....maybe... ?
There needs to be a look at these matters; especially if there's a forecast for more such events...
BTW, what's the Katrina research on this stuff?
Juliette,
You find surprising the Republicans hestancy to spend another $60 billion the government doesn't have, on a bill ladened with pork unrelated to Sandy? What are you thinking? Maybe they should first find $60 billion of existing expenditures that can be re-directed to Sandy relief, if it is such a national need?
Maybe Congress should finally make a few choices, like in the real world? Do you think we can just swipe the Federal credit card at the natioanl bank of China for another $60 billion, when we are already hitting it for $3-4 billion A DAY already? It sure is easy to say to solve all problems when you put your head in the sand and say "hey, money is no object!" Now how did you say that in Greek?
The Greeks went under because they don't pay their taxes. Now if you want to compare America to Greece knock yourself out but the reasons are basically the same. The public wants but the public doesn't want to pay. Same ole same ole.
I don't know "Kitch" dystopia seems extreme. The country is okay, the Congress now that is a malfunctioning cluster, "you"
know. As to the founding fathers they were pretty much elitists they'd have a heart attack looking at the ignoramuses we've elected to office. Can you imagine old Ben Franklins reaction to folks who don't believe in science or education. Not exactly what they planned on. They actually believed in reason half the knuckleheads elected from the South only believe in the "guy in the sky" and his "revealed" word. Let's hear it for ignorance.
I wonder what Ben Franklin would think of;
the anti-vaccine movement
astrology
crystals
don't think the crazies are restricted just to the right.
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