The Republican governor who took on right-wing bigots that questioned the patriotism of a Muslim judge he named to high state court is now facing down the Tea Party darling in the House GOP leadership who is threatening to make federal disaster relief a budget debate issue.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie warned House GOP Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia today not to hold hostage the states' need for Federal Emergency Management Agency aid money to another brutal budget battle like the country endured with the market-tanking debt ceiling negotiations.
"You want to figure out budget cuts, that’s fine," Christie said, appearing with members of the state’s congressional delegation, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.
"You’re going to turn it into a fiasco like that debt-limit thing where you’re fighting with each other for eight or nine weeks and you expect the citizens of my state to wait? They’re not gonna wait, and I’m going to fight to make sure that they don’t," Christie said putting the Tea Party-driven House on notice that its slash and gut politics will not be tolerated.
"I don’t want to hear about the fact that offsetting budget cuts have to come first before New Jersey citizens are taken care of," the boisterous New Jersey chief executive barked.
A tone-deaf Cantor sounded heartless when he mixed the suffering of Hurricane-turn-storm Irene victims with his hard-core no taxing the rich budget policy. Cantor made the comment while hundreds of thousands people were without power, many were trapped (and still are) and billions of dollars worth of property was destroyed. Irene killed at least 40 people in 11 states.
Christie also said he welcomed the news that President Obama will be visiting New Jersey this weekend. Vermont remains a disaster area that would likely be disrupted by a visit from Obama this soon after Irene left the state in turmoil.
Showing posts with label FEMA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FEMA. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Are Conservatives A Bit Off-Key With Their Reaction to Irene?
It appears the trumped-up criticism by people who complain the media hyped-up Hurricane Irene is more off target than the forecasts that, as it turns out, accurately projected a killer storm would strike the East Coast.
National Guard helicopters were flying in food and water to isolated towns and villages in New England today, where flooding has wiped out roads, trapping residents and others.
So far the death toll stands at 40 people in 11 states and damage is expected to total in the doube-digit billions of dollars, from the barrier islands of the Carolinas to the bursting mountain-fed rivers and streams of Vermont.
Conservative critics in particular have poured on the inappropriate comments, even as Americans continue to suffer from the wrath of the hurricane-turned-storm that dumped a month's worth of rain in some areas in a single day.
House GOP leader Eric Cantor of Virginia waded back into the hot water when he said Congress would provide money to states to help dig out of Irene's wrath, but there would have to be cuts to other programs to pay for the disaster aid. And never mind that his state was whacked by the same storm.
"Yes there's a federal role, yes we're going to find the money -- we're just going to need to make sure that there are savings elsewhere to continue to do so," Cantor told Fox News yesterday.
White House aides rolled their eyes at Cantor's remarks, saying the first priority must be providing relief to states and counties.
"I think the principle that when we have a natural disaster and an emergency situation in, in this case, a significant stretch of the country, our priority has to be responding to the disaster and then helping those regions and states recover," White House spokesman Jay Carney said today when asked about Cantor's remarks.
It is not the first time Cantor has crossed folks by injecting his slash-but-no-tax agenda during a catastrophic natural disaster.
Cantor got a slap on the wrist from his former boss in the House GOP leadership, Missouri Gov. Roy Blunt, when he said federal money from FEMA "would be accompanied by support for having pay-fors" before Jopin, Mo. would be reimbursed for damage caused by the devastating mile-wide EF5 multiple-vortex tornado that struck Joplin, Mo. on May 22.
In plain English, Cantor suggested no cuts, no disaster funding -- pretty harsh rhetoric when you consider more than 150 people were killed and final costs are approaching $3 billion for the Joplin area.
"We need to prioritize spending, and this needs to be a priority," Blunt politicely said back in May. “I’m sure Eric will help find the necessary off-sets."
Republican candidate for president, Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, is still back-peddling from her off-key remark suggesting Irene and last week's earthquake in the Mid-Atlantic region was the wrath of God.
"Washington, D.C., you’d think by now they’d get the message. An earthquake, a hurricane, are you listening? The American people have done everything they possibly can. Now it’s time for an act of God and we’re getting it," Bachmann said at a weekend campaign event.
Shock-jock Rush Limbaugh, demigod of the right wing and partisan blowhard to the left, led a chorus of naysayers who think the media over-sold the storm, telling his millions of "Dittohead" listeners that President Obama was hoping for a a nasty storm.
"I'll guarantee you Obama was hoping this was going to be a disaster as another excuse for his failing economy," Limbaugh said. "If he's out there blaming tsunamis, blaming earthquakes, this one -- made to order, but it just didn't measure up."
National Guard helicopters were flying in food and water to isolated towns and villages in New England today, where flooding has wiped out roads, trapping residents and others.
So far the death toll stands at 40 people in 11 states and damage is expected to total in the doube-digit billions of dollars, from the barrier islands of the Carolinas to the bursting mountain-fed rivers and streams of Vermont.
Conservative critics in particular have poured on the inappropriate comments, even as Americans continue to suffer from the wrath of the hurricane-turned-storm that dumped a month's worth of rain in some areas in a single day.
House GOP leader Eric Cantor of Virginia waded back into the hot water when he said Congress would provide money to states to help dig out of Irene's wrath, but there would have to be cuts to other programs to pay for the disaster aid. And never mind that his state was whacked by the same storm.
"Yes there's a federal role, yes we're going to find the money -- we're just going to need to make sure that there are savings elsewhere to continue to do so," Cantor told Fox News yesterday.
White House aides rolled their eyes at Cantor's remarks, saying the first priority must be providing relief to states and counties.
"I think the principle that when we have a natural disaster and an emergency situation in, in this case, a significant stretch of the country, our priority has to be responding to the disaster and then helping those regions and states recover," White House spokesman Jay Carney said today when asked about Cantor's remarks.
It is not the first time Cantor has crossed folks by injecting his slash-but-no-tax agenda during a catastrophic natural disaster.
Cantor got a slap on the wrist from his former boss in the House GOP leadership, Missouri Gov. Roy Blunt, when he said federal money from FEMA "would be accompanied by support for having pay-fors" before Jopin, Mo. would be reimbursed for damage caused by the devastating mile-wide EF5 multiple-vortex tornado that struck Joplin, Mo. on May 22.
In plain English, Cantor suggested no cuts, no disaster funding -- pretty harsh rhetoric when you consider more than 150 people were killed and final costs are approaching $3 billion for the Joplin area.
"We need to prioritize spending, and this needs to be a priority," Blunt politicely said back in May. “I’m sure Eric will help find the necessary off-sets."
Republican candidate for president, Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, is still back-peddling from her off-key remark suggesting Irene and last week's earthquake in the Mid-Atlantic region was the wrath of God.
"Washington, D.C., you’d think by now they’d get the message. An earthquake, a hurricane, are you listening? The American people have done everything they possibly can. Now it’s time for an act of God and we’re getting it," Bachmann said at a weekend campaign event.
Shock-jock Rush Limbaugh, demigod of the right wing and partisan blowhard to the left, led a chorus of naysayers who think the media over-sold the storm, telling his millions of "Dittohead" listeners that President Obama was hoping for a a nasty storm.
"I'll guarantee you Obama was hoping this was going to be a disaster as another excuse for his failing economy," Limbaugh said. "If he's out there blaming tsunamis, blaming earthquakes, this one -- made to order, but it just didn't measure up."
Monday, May 23, 2011
Dozens Killed By Latest Tornado
Updated 5 p.m. EDT
The death toll from a rain-wrapped high-end EF4-rated tornado in Joplin, Mo., climbed from 89 at midday to at least 116 by the late afternoon, Gov. Jay Nixon confirmed a short time ago.
"It looks like a war zone -- something out of a horror movie," Joplin resident Zack Tusinger said, describing the scene a short while ago in his hometown, where he lost his aunt and uncle to the twister.
As the grim count rose there were reports of at least seven people being found alive, but as the time passes the death toll is likely to increase.
"I don't think we're done counting," Nixon told The Associated Press. "I still believe that because of the size of the debris and the number of people involved that there are lives to be saved."
The tornado's estimated winds of 190-198 mph cut a six-mile path around the small city of 50,000 residents in rural Southwest Missouri.
end update
---[
President Obama dispatched FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to Joplin, Mo., today to oversee federal efforts to respond to the killer tornado that uprooted much of the town last night.
Obama, who is on the first day of a diplomatic trek through Europe, called Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon to pledge federal help in the aftermath of the deadly storm. The President offered condolences to the victims and families of the dozens killed by the monster tornado.
Videos posted on the Internet show first responders searching frantically for survivors in a town that has been leveled by the twister.
Obama is being kept abreast of the tragedy in Joplin while traveling, aides said. He is is expected to quickly designate the town a federal disaster area, which will make federal funds available to the storm-ravaged community.
"The President called Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon to personally extend his condolences and to express that all of the families of Joplin affected by the severe tornadoes are in his thoughts and prayers. The President assured the governor that FEMA will remain in close contact and coordination with state and local officials," said White House spokesman Nicholas Shapiro.
"The President has directed FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to travel to Missouri to ensure the state has all the support it needs. In addition, in anticipation of requests for assistance, a FEMA Incident Management Assistance Team is en route to Joplin. This self-sustaining team will work with FEMA officials already in Missouri to coordinate with state and local officials to identify needs and any shortfalls impacting disaster response and recovery," Shapiro said in a statement.
"The Federal government will continue to support our fellow Americans during this difficult time," Shapiro added.
This latest killer tornado comes amid the worst flooding along the Mississippi in generations, as well as a string of deadly twisters several weeks ago that killed more than 300 people in Alabama and other states across the South.
The death toll from a rain-wrapped high-end EF4-rated tornado in Joplin, Mo., climbed from 89 at midday to at least 116 by the late afternoon, Gov. Jay Nixon confirmed a short time ago.
"It looks like a war zone -- something out of a horror movie," Joplin resident Zack Tusinger said, describing the scene a short while ago in his hometown, where he lost his aunt and uncle to the twister.
As the grim count rose there were reports of at least seven people being found alive, but as the time passes the death toll is likely to increase.
"I don't think we're done counting," Nixon told The Associated Press. "I still believe that because of the size of the debris and the number of people involved that there are lives to be saved."
The tornado's estimated winds of 190-198 mph cut a six-mile path around the small city of 50,000 residents in rural Southwest Missouri.
end update
---[
President Obama dispatched FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to Joplin, Mo., today to oversee federal efforts to respond to the killer tornado that uprooted much of the town last night.
Obama, who is on the first day of a diplomatic trek through Europe, called Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon to pledge federal help in the aftermath of the deadly storm. The President offered condolences to the victims and families of the dozens killed by the monster tornado.
Videos posted on the Internet show first responders searching frantically for survivors in a town that has been leveled by the twister.
Obama is being kept abreast of the tragedy in Joplin while traveling, aides said. He is is expected to quickly designate the town a federal disaster area, which will make federal funds available to the storm-ravaged community.
"The President called Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon to personally extend his condolences and to express that all of the families of Joplin affected by the severe tornadoes are in his thoughts and prayers. The President assured the governor that FEMA will remain in close contact and coordination with state and local officials," said White House spokesman Nicholas Shapiro.
"The President has directed FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to travel to Missouri to ensure the state has all the support it needs. In addition, in anticipation of requests for assistance, a FEMA Incident Management Assistance Team is en route to Joplin. This self-sustaining team will work with FEMA officials already in Missouri to coordinate with state and local officials to identify needs and any shortfalls impacting disaster response and recovery," Shapiro said in a statement.
"The Federal government will continue to support our fellow Americans during this difficult time," Shapiro added.
This latest killer tornado comes amid the worst flooding along the Mississippi in generations, as well as a string of deadly twisters several weeks ago that killed more than 300 people in Alabama and other states across the South.
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