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Cantor: No emergency disastor relief without cuts
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_08/cantor_no_emergency_disaster_r031861.php
If you can’t watch clips online, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) appeared on Fox News this morning to confirm what he and his office have been saying all along: Republicans won’t allow emergency aid in the wake of Hurricane Irene unless Democrats meet GOP demands: dollar-for-dollar spending cuts elsewhere.
In the interview, the dimwitted Majority Leader tried to make this sound like common sense — instead of an unprecedented move. Remember, no modern Congress, regardless of which party was in the majority, has ever demanded offsets in response to American natural disaster, not even Tom DeLay’s.
Cantor also said House Republicans have “already” dealt with this by approving $1 billion in disaster aid in May, paying for it by cutting funds for a renewable energy program. Whether the Majority Leader understands what he’s saying or not is unclear, but the costs associated with the weekend’s hurricane will far exceed $1 billion.
Let’s also not lose sight of the larger context here. As far as Eric Cantor is concerned, launching wars in Iraq and Afghanistan do not need to be paid for. Tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires do not need to be paid for. Bailing out Wall Street does not need to be paid for. But when American communities are struck by a natural disaster, all of a sudden, House Republicans discover a new standard: if Democrats want to help affected areas, the GOP has some demands that must be met.
And in case this story isn’t quite mind-numbing enough, also note that FEMA has been forced to temporarily suspend “some payments to rebuild roads, schools and other structures destroyed during spring tornadoes in Joplin, Mo., and Southern states and other recent natural disasters” in order to respond to Hurricane Irene.
That this is happening in the wealthiest nation in the world, simply because the Republican Party has been taken over by charlatans and fools, is a national disgrace.
For all of our differences over party, ideology, and creed, we know that when disaster strikes and our neighbors face a genuine emergency, America responds. We don’t ask what’s in it for us; we don’t weigh the political considerations; we don’t pause to ponder the larger ideological implications.
We act. It’s who we are; it’s what we do.
Or it was, right up until Americans elected a radicalized House majority.
If you can’t watch clips online, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) appeared on Fox News this morning to confirm what he and his office have been saying all along: Republicans won’t allow emergency aid in the wake of Hurricane Irene unless Democrats meet GOP demands: dollar-for-dollar spending cuts elsewhere.
In the interview, the dimwitted Majority Leader tried to make this sound like common sense — instead of an unprecedented move. Remember, no modern Congress, regardless of which party was in the majority, has ever demanded offsets in response to American natural disaster, not even Tom DeLay’s.
Cantor also said House Republicans have “already” dealt with this by approving $1 billion in disaster aid in May, paying for it by cutting funds for a renewable energy program. Whether the Majority Leader understands what he’s saying or not is unclear, but the costs associated with the weekend’s hurricane will far exceed $1 billion.
Let’s also not lose sight of the larger context here. As far as Eric Cantor is concerned, launching wars in Iraq and Afghanistan do not need to be paid for. Tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires do not need to be paid for. Bailing out Wall Street does not need to be paid for. But when American communities are struck by a natural disaster, all of a sudden, House Republicans discover a new standard: if Democrats want to help affected areas, the GOP has some demands that must be met.
And in case this story isn’t quite mind-numbing enough, also note that FEMA has been forced to temporarily suspend “some payments to rebuild roads, schools and other structures destroyed during spring tornadoes in Joplin, Mo., and Southern states and other recent natural disasters” in order to respond to Hurricane Irene.
That this is happening in the wealthiest nation in the world, simply because the Republican Party has been taken over by charlatans and fools, is a national disgrace.
For all of our differences over party, ideology, and creed, we know that when disaster strikes and our neighbors face a genuine emergency, America responds. We don’t ask what’s in it for us; we don’t weigh the political considerations; we don’t pause to ponder the larger ideological implications.
We act. It’s who we are; it’s what we do.
Or it was, right up until Americans elected a radicalized House majority.
You know, I think a lot of the outrage over this has to do with the timing. Again, I agree that if the money is spent (which it should be) another sacrifice down the road will have to be made. That's just life, right? But I guess for me, I find the timing of his speech somewhat distasteful. I think for me that is the crux of it. I have rewatched a few times, and I get what he is saying. I just think it should have waited. Kinda like Bachmann's joke about God doing this to teach Washington a lesson, know what I mean? It's too fresh, people died and there are still a great deal of people in danger. Sometimes I think it is best to act first and sort it out later.
It is a spin and the left certainly had their way with this one. As for credit card spending??? Uhm, this nation is in the financial pinch it is because of credit card spending. Keep using the credit card, the debt increases and pretty soon you find yourself with a debt you can cover. Does that not look somewhat familiar to anyone?
Look, Cantor said it was going to be paid for. It will, eventually. And like he said, they will have to make cuts elsewhere.... this is absolutely nothing new people. This is how the government has operated for better than 200 years. Cantor made this policy public knowledge....
This is just a little lesson as to how your government works, folks. There is a big lesson to learn about all of this if one has the time to disect the spending revolving the aftermath of Katrina. You've got to open your mind in order to get the big picture. There are plenty of spins there too. Take your party affiliation out of the story and take a few hours to look at all of the misappropriated monies used and still being used in the aftermath of Katrina. This event will be no different. There will be plenty of misappropriation regarding money and effort, and in the long run a giant portion will go on the nations credit card..... it always does.... but they are going to cut some budgets and get some of that money liquid right now to get things underweigh. It always happens this way folks.
None of the affected area's will be rebuilt over night, so put that to bed. People will be outraged for one reason or another. Some people are going to be mad because they didn't have flood waivers on their homeowners insurance. It's going to be a bit like Katrina, but the majority of the people affected this time are seen as more affluent.
Look, Cantor said it was going to be paid for. It will, eventually. And like he said, they will have to make cuts elsewhere.... this is absolutely nothing new people. This is how the government has operated for better than 200 years. Cantor made this policy public knowledge....
This is just a little lesson as to how your government works, folks. There is a big lesson to learn about all of this if one has the time to disect the spending revolving the aftermath of Katrina. You've got to open your mind in order to get the big picture. There are plenty of spins there too. Take your party affiliation out of the story and take a few hours to look at all of the misappropriated monies used and still being used in the aftermath of Katrina. This event will be no different. There will be plenty of misappropriation regarding money and effort, and in the long run a giant portion will go on the nations credit card..... it always does.... but they are going to cut some budgets and get some of that money liquid right now to get things underweigh. It always happens this way folks.
None of the affected area's will be rebuilt over night, so put that to bed. People will be outraged for one reason or another. Some people are going to be mad because they didn't have flood waivers on their homeowners insurance. It's going to be a bit like Katrina, but the majority of the people affected this time are seen as more affluent.
You can make the article say whatever you want it to say... just depends on which way you want to SPIN it.
I don't agree with the way the Right is being painted here, but I can see how those on the Left see it the way they see it.
It's all about 'wagging the dog' (sorry to be cliché, but it fits).
I don't agree with the way the Right is being painted here, but I can see how those on the Left see it the way they see it.
It's all about 'wagging the dog' (sorry to be cliché, but it fits).
“But I can tell you this..if my family, friends or God forbid, my child was in trouble, I would rack up that credit card, take out a second mortgage, whatever I had to do to rescue them. Because people come first. Not saying I wouldn't have to make some sacrifices later to pay for it...I know I would. But I would take care of the rescue and rebuilding first and sort it out later.”
He agrees with you 100% .22-.44
No one is going to be held hostage. He clearly states .58 they will find the Money.
I don’t understand what the argument is. It is clear to me; it is a deceiving article, There is more than enough going on, we have no need to go Witch Hunts.
He agrees with you 100% .22-.44
No one is going to be held hostage. He clearly states .58 they will find the Money.
I don’t understand what the argument is. It is clear to me; it is a deceiving article, There is more than enough going on, we have no need to go Witch Hunts.
Could federal disaster relief become the next battleground over the federal deficit?
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said over the weekend that because of the string of natural disasters in the past year, its disaster relief fund had dwindled to about $900 million. The agency said it might have to restrict recovery spending for other, recent natural disasters if Congress did not approve additional funds — a stark warning after the estimated multibillion dollars in damage caused by Hurricane Irene.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano today urged Congress to avoid “political gridlock” and move quickly to approve more federal disaster funding in the wake of Hurricane Irene.
Political gridlock “should not be the first concern of the Congress,” Napolitano said. “I think the first concern of the Congress is what do we need to protect the health and safety of the people that we’re all privileged to represent. Congress knows that this is historically the way disaster relief has been funded.”
Video from the Christian Science Monitor:
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., said Republicans would approve more disaster relief only if spending cuts were made elsewhere in the federal budget to make up the difference. Napolitano and others fear that disaster relief could become the latest political football in the emotionally-charged debate over the federal deficit.
“At the beginning of the fiscal year, they don’t give you a crystal ball,” Napolitano told reporters this morning. “So the way they do the [Disaster Relief Fund] is they get the three-year rolling average. And then if you need more, then at the end of the year there’s a supplemental” bill passed by Congress and money is held up until more funding is provided. She said Congress should continue to play by the established rules.
Read more about the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.
While calling for more funding, Napolitano said it was too early to tell just how much Hurricane Irene was going to cost.
“This was a very expensive storm,” she said, “It was a devastating storm and many people lost their lives.” She said critics who charge that the government overreacted to the threat of Irene “are working with the blinding clarity of hindsight.”
So Congress is holding FEMA hostage now? That is what it sounds like to me! Never before has this ever been an issue until now, hmmmm go figure! ALL POLITICS
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said over the weekend that because of the string of natural disasters in the past year, its disaster relief fund had dwindled to about $900 million. The agency said it might have to restrict recovery spending for other, recent natural disasters if Congress did not approve additional funds — a stark warning after the estimated multibillion dollars in damage caused by Hurricane Irene.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano today urged Congress to avoid “political gridlock” and move quickly to approve more federal disaster funding in the wake of Hurricane Irene.
Political gridlock “should not be the first concern of the Congress,” Napolitano said. “I think the first concern of the Congress is what do we need to protect the health and safety of the people that we’re all privileged to represent. Congress knows that this is historically the way disaster relief has been funded.”
Video from the Christian Science Monitor:
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., said Republicans would approve more disaster relief only if spending cuts were made elsewhere in the federal budget to make up the difference. Napolitano and others fear that disaster relief could become the latest political football in the emotionally-charged debate over the federal deficit.
“At the beginning of the fiscal year, they don’t give you a crystal ball,” Napolitano told reporters this morning. “So the way they do the [Disaster Relief Fund] is they get the three-year rolling average. And then if you need more, then at the end of the year there’s a supplemental” bill passed by Congress and money is held up until more funding is provided. She said Congress should continue to play by the established rules.
Read more about the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.
While calling for more funding, Napolitano said it was too early to tell just how much Hurricane Irene was going to cost.
“This was a very expensive storm,” she said, “It was a devastating storm and many people lost their lives.” She said critics who charge that the government overreacted to the threat of Irene “are working with the blinding clarity of hindsight.”
So Congress is holding FEMA hostage now? That is what it sounds like to me! Never before has this ever been an issue until now, hmmmm go figure! ALL POLITICS
"Remember, no modern Congress, regardless of which party was in the majority, has ever demanded offsets in response to American natural disaster, not even Tom DeLay’s"
I'm sorry did I miss something? How is this bias or putting words in his mouth? It's Cantor in his OWN WORDS.. What I got from the article and the video (Which came up fine and was presented by FOX NEWS) was he's saying the emergency disaster relief funds have to be offset. Why does it need to be a bargaining chip. It was never an issue before....I personally think it's a way to push their agenda. It's a DISASTER no one planned it, Sh*it happens. So what are they going to cut? SS, Medicare? They can't agree on what to cut now never mind trying to "offset" the cost of a Natural DISASTER. Hard working, Tax Paying People have no electricity. they prepared for the storm by buying all this food and supplies to take care of themselves and now it's all going rotten because they have no electricity. Businesses are flooded losing money EVERYDAY, homes are ruined.There should be funds set aside already to address DISASTERS...Oh sorry they spent it all on other things.......Let's wake up people, it's not about left or right, it's about doing the right thing for the American People that have had their lives turned upside down because of Hurricane Irene AT NO FAULT TO THEM. They are the Government, they should INTERVENE when a NATURAL DISASTER happens. NO IF'S, AND'S, OR BUT'S, about it. Forget trying to offset the funds. Help the people that NEED IT
I'm sorry did I miss something? How is this bias or putting words in his mouth? It's Cantor in his OWN WORDS.. What I got from the article and the video (Which came up fine and was presented by FOX NEWS) was he's saying the emergency disaster relief funds have to be offset. Why does it need to be a bargaining chip. It was never an issue before....I personally think it's a way to push their agenda. It's a DISASTER no one planned it, Sh*it happens. So what are they going to cut? SS, Medicare? They can't agree on what to cut now never mind trying to "offset" the cost of a Natural DISASTER. Hard working, Tax Paying People have no electricity. they prepared for the storm by buying all this food and supplies to take care of themselves and now it's all going rotten because they have no electricity. Businesses are flooded losing money EVERYDAY, homes are ruined.There should be funds set aside already to address DISASTERS...Oh sorry they spent it all on other things.......Let's wake up people, it's not about left or right, it's about doing the right thing for the American People that have had their lives turned upside down because of Hurricane Irene AT NO FAULT TO THEM. They are the Government, they should INTERVENE when a NATURAL DISASTER happens. NO IF'S, AND'S, OR BUT'S, about it. Forget trying to offset the funds. Help the people that NEED IT
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