FEMA does best job in a decade – so, Republicans want to cut funds
Prince Eric of Richmond
Daylife/Reuters Pictures used by permission
As rescuers raced Tuesday to free people trapped by floodwaters caused by Hurricane Irene, Washington politicians bickered over how to pay for it.
The same budget arguments that nearly brought the first government default in history earlier this month now raise questions about whether the Federal Emergency Management Agency will have enough money to deal with Irene’s aftermath…
With conservative House Republicans calling for spending cuts to offset any increase in emergency funds — a condition opposed by many Democrats — the ability of Congress to act quickly on the issue remains uncertain.
“The notion that we would hold this up until Republicans can prompt another budget fight and figure out what they want to cut, what they want to offset in the budget, and to pit one section of the country against the other and to delay this and create this uncertainty, it’s just the latest chapter and I think one of the most unsavory ones of our budget wars,” said Rep. David Price, D-North Carolina.
Irene first made landfall on the U.S. mainland in North Carolina, devastating some coastal areas. Price said GOP efforts led by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of neighboring Virginia to offset additional emergency funds amount to “an untenable position and one that simply is unresponsive and insensitive to the kind of situation we face…”
Even the White House got involved in the fracas, with Press Secretary Jay Carney telling reporters Tuesday that he wished Cantor and other conservative Republicans had the same commitment to spending offsets “when they ran up unprecedented bills and never paid for them” during the administration of President George W. Bush.
Cantor and his fellow royal Republicans never address the question of need when confronted. They only answer questions with one question, the only one that counts to Republican elitists: cost and budget?
The hypocrisy of Democrats who blather about Congressional Republicans during the Bush years of fiasco ignores how many of that spineless lot rolled over and stuck all four feet in the air any time Bush ordered more funds for his wars. You know which wars. The two that Obama has continued to staff with American troops.
But, the essential question remains – where are your priorities? FEMA proved the result of the reforms brought to that incompetent organization comes from having solutions in place before the disaster starts to kill and destroy. FEMA’s readiness easily eclipsed Bush’s fiddling style of sending a questionnaire round to be filled out after death and destruction – guaranteeing days and weeks before aid reached the people who needed it.
Cantor’s loyalty to corporate accountants assures him a place in infamy. That’s truly saying something in the history of Congressional scum.
Holler at your Congress-critter to support Bernie Sanders' bill to 
..the best way to save money in congress..is to cut out health insurance for congress, afterall in this country we don’t believe in goverment subsized health insurance and that should extend to congress..also how about salary cuts and pension cuts for congress…it seems we would save a lot of money that way…don’t you all agree…
ivonne
August 31, 2011 at 2:42 pm
You nailed that one.
No taxpayers aid to Kentucky, Virginia, Ohio, Arizona. Those states voted the leading Republicans in Congress into office, re-elected them. They should support the same hair-shirt policies.
god
August 31, 2011 at 3:15 pm