Maybe Congress will provide relief for Victims of Hurricane Sandy. Maybe not

Miraculously the Senate just passed its version of federal relief for Hurricane Sandy. The relief bill is to the tune of $60.4 billion. The miracle in today's toxic political environment is simply for one of the few times in the past couple of years the Senate Republicans did not stop the bill with the threat or requirement for a super majority of 60 votes for the bill. Unlike the last few years for a bill to pass the Senate it needed a simple flat majority.

So it passed. The governors of CT, NY, and NJ had asked for passage in total in early December. The 3 governors and mayor of NYC had asked for over $80 billion.

Right now the relief money is still in question. The House has to vote on this legislation. It hasn't taken up the legislation.

House Republicans are considering a bill that would total less than $24 billion. That is less than 1/3 of what the governors requested.

Meanwhile its been 2 full months since the hurricane hit and the bulk of relief funds is nowhere near being decided upon let alone doled out.

By contrast when Hurricane Katrina hit on August 29, 2005, by Sept 10, Congress had passed and Bush had signed and authorized $51.8 billion in recovery.

It took 12 days for Congress to authorize this money. There was plenty of bickering between Democrats and Republicans but the relief money was expedited through Congress to help the Americans who had suffered.

Currently its been 2 months since Hurricane Sandy hit. FEMA funds were expedited and provided. FEMA funds for immediate emergency relief are small relative to the entire package.

NJ, NY, and CT are hoping for assistance. For decades the US congress has always stepped up quickly to assist Americans in these emergency situations.

Meanwhile the obstinate tea party members of Congress are holding back voting, threatening to slash the funding, but remain 150% behind the theory that multi millionaires and billionaires keep low and beneficial tax rates.

 

Earl, once again you don't seem to understand the situation. I'm here in my brother's house on Long Island so allow me to explain what you don't want to see.

Shortly after Sandy, Obama announced that FEMA will pick up the difference between what insurance pays and actual cost of damages.

So, now insurance companies are paying shit. Or rather, they are offering to pay shit. My brother's neighbor has $75,000 worth of damage and his house is uninhabitable. Insurance adjuster walked around, looked at the sad damages, complete with children sleeping on the sofa. He indifferently offered a measly $10K. The neighbor nearly cried. And insurance hasn't paid. Nothing. Zip. Nada.

You'd like the insurance adjuster, Earl. He's just like you.

Half the houses on this block are empty because they are uninhabitable. Insurance has paid NO ONE. FEMA won't pay until insurance pays. And insurance isn't paying.

And then the looting started. Armed bands of evil bastards looting empty homes (Oh, I'm sorry, you didn't read that on the internet so to you that didn't happen). Where was Obama? Homeowners resorted to guns to protect their homes. Would you rather they not have guns and let the looters take everything? Maybe kill a child. You'd like that.

It's like a fucking 3rd world country here. In America.

Now, when Katrina hit, Bush pressured the insurance companies to pay. Remember the pressure on Bush to get the insurance companies to pay according to their policies? Remember? I do.

Obama's solution, the Democrat's solution, to Sandy is to use Federal money to substitute for what the insurance companies REFUSE to pay. And are still refusing to pay.

Earl, you have no idea the devastation here and how Obama and the Democrats are toying with people's lives. How dare you manipulate people's suffering for political purposes. You have sunk to a new low, Earl.

Come here to Long Island, Earl, you cold-hearted bastard. Let me show you the devastation in this area. People are broke because of Obama's torrid love affair with the insurance companies. First the farce of Obamacare makes medical insurance company executive rich beyond the dreams of avarice, now Obama supports a bill to let the insurance companies off the hook for paying victims.

That's it, Earl. You want to let the insurance companies off the hook. Why?

You live in a fantasy land, where people are your political pawns, while you are indifferent to their suffering.

I dare you to ignore this post and these people's suffering, you cold-hearted bastard.

 

Too bad you never emotionally got beyond 2nd or 3rd grade, Corwimp. Insurance companies are acting like dickheads? Not unusual. Its one reason why the fed govt came up with what is now called Obamacare, a program that includes insurance coverage for people with preexisting conditions.

Its remarkable how full of bias you so obviously are. Congress still hasn't designated monies for NJ, NY, and CT. I pointed it out. Its now over 2 months. When Katrina hit, Congress appropriated big money in 12 days.

You know where the hold up is, don't you? The good old, full of heart GOP. On top of that, after the Senate finally got a piece of legislation approved to send money to NY, NJ, and CT, the house republicans want to slash it something fierce.

Maybe you'd like to send your comments to the GOP house mouthpieces that want to slash funding, let alone who knows how long they may take to approve funding.

Something goes wrong in your life you blame Obama and me. Your shoelaces get untied you blame Obama and me. Got the sniffles, blame me and Obama.

Last time I heard anyone with that kind of attitude was in elementary school. If I recall most of those emotionally disturbed kids stayed back a grade or two because they just didn't get it.

 

Pot, meet Kettle.

Bush was President then and the Republicans were in charge (both houses)

Obama is President now and the Democrats are in charge.

What exactly do the Republicans want to "slash", Earl?

Is this the $60.4 billion bill Hurricane Sandy Emergency Relief Bill that contains:

- $2 million to repair roof damage at Smithsonian buildings in Washington, D.C.?
- $336 million for Amtrak?
- $8 million to buy new cars for federal agencies?
- $150 million for fisheries in Mississippi and Alaska?
- 4 million for repairs at the Kennedy Space Center?
- $58.8 million for forest restoration on private land?
- $197 million “to… protect coastal ecosystems and habitat impacted by Hurricane Sandy.”
- $10.78 billion for public transportation improvements not in the Sandy disaster area?
- $17 billion for the infamous Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), a backdoor earmark program notorious for being used as bribes?
- $10.8 billion for the Federal Transportation Administration
- $33.2 million for eight Nevada pork projects put in by Harry Reid (D-Nev.), including:
. . o $25 million for rural Nevada;
. . o $1.5 million for Truckee Meadows
. . o $725,000 for Tahoe Regional Planning

Would you like to see more? Is this what the Republicans want to "slash"?

Congress Piles the Pork into Hurricane Sandy Relief
Hurricane Sandy Pork
The Sandy Pork Storm
Lots of Pork in Sandy Relief Bill
The Sandy Claus

Google Sandy pork bill to get an earful of the crap in this bill.
Sandy Pork Bill search from Google News

So, here's what's happening. The Republicans are holding up the Hurricane Sandy Relief Bill because they want to make sure all the money goes to Hurricane Sandy Relief. Wow - how unreasonable the Republicans are!

Earl, you are so naive. If Republicans in the House do anything to strip pork out of the bill, tools like you can attack them for withholding assistance to the victims of Sandy!

It's been calculated that more than $20 Billion of this bill is pork unrelated to Sandy. And much of the money supposed to go to Sandy relief goes though agencies that take a heavy cut for, uh, "operating expenses".

Earl, please tell us how much of this bill should go towards paying union dues?

I can go on. But, hey, Earl, here's a quiz: How much of the $60.4 billion the Democrats want for the Hurricane Sandy Emergency Relief Bill, will actually go to Hurricane Sandy Relief (hint: less than half)? Please show a small shred of credibility and answer this question honestly.

 

Corwin, I'm not visiting someone on Long Island, I've lived here my entire life.

It's not the administration's fault. If there's any fault to be found in DC, it's with the Repubes, who will do anything, including destroying the nation, to ensure that Obama fails.

It isn't that FEMA is refusing to pay until the insurance company pays. I have neighbors who have already gotten their insurance checks (some companies actually pay claims), but FEMA is still dragging its lead feet. They claim that they're here to help people, but the only people getting helped are FEMA people. And let's not even think about Breezy Point. If your brother has a door, he's a lot luckier than they are.

I'm just glad that my house is in contract and I'll be in warmer climes before the end of next month. I've had it with snow, filth, hurricanes and the attitude of a lot of Long Islanders.

 

Yes, Obama is perfect and can do no wrong.

Just a reminder.

 

grpaul, you NAILED it!

 

A reminder that Corwin doesn't understand how Washington works? I didn't need one.

 

Lets hope so.

 

Well it took common sense Republicans not associated with Congress to Shake the tree and make a mockery of the perspective pushed out by the Koch brothers's funded Conservative enforcer groups, the Americans for Prosperity and the Club for Growth Chris Christie and John King read Boehner the riot act, embarrassed and shamed him into dealing with the havoc of hurrican Sandy.

Its literally astounding and deeply disturbing that two incredibly wealthy archly conservative individuals can pull the strings of the Republican party and determine the legislative fate of anything in front of Congress.

Millions of people were adversely affected by Hurricane Sandy and two ultra rich conservative brothers are using their enforcer groups to twist GOP legislative thinking.

I hope the funding isn't too late for some folks. After all its been over two months since hurricane Sandy hit and in prior times, especially with hurricane Katrina multiple billions of federal funding was available for relief in less than two weeks, when folks desperately needed the emergency help.

thank goodness there at least a couple of republicans that aren't under the yolk of the Koch brother mafia like financing entities that are driving the GOP ever more crazy and conservative.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one who recognizes Sandy has been handled worse than Katrina. Regardless, I'm sure you'll write our Dear Leader a get out of jail free pass.

 

Is this the $60.4 billion bill Hurricane Sandy Emergency Relief Bill that contains:

- $2 million to repair roof damage at Smithsonian buildings in Washington, D.C.?
- $336 million for Amtrak?
- $8 million to buy new cars for federal agencies?
- $150 million for fisheries in Mississippi and Alaska?
- 4 million for repairs at the Kennedy Space Center?
- $58.8 million for forest restoration on private land?
- $197 million “to… protect coastal ecosystems and habitat impacted by Hurricane Sandy.”
- $10.78 billion for public transportation improvements not in the Sandy disaster area?
- $17 billion for the infamous Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), a backdoor earmark program notorious for being used as bribes?
- $10.8 billion for the Federal Transportation Administration
- $33.2 million for eight Nevada pork projects put in by Harry Reid (D-Nev.), including:
. . o $25 million for rural Nevada;
. . o $1.5 million for Truckee Meadows
. . o $725,000 for Tahoe Regional Planning

 

Its stunning, isn't it. People wonder why we are so deeply in debt while our fine leaders in the Senate throw nearly 100 billion dollars of pork for pet projects and kickbacks onto what should be a easy to pass aide package for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Talk about riding in style on the backs of the poor and downtrodden.

What is truly unfathomable is the amount of sack it takes for the Democrats to then claim the House Republicans despise the victims of Hurricane Sandy because they won't pass a bill borrowing another $100 bn from China for spending on special interests. These people are pond scum.

This crap is one of the many reasons you see Obama's own bi-partisan debt commission appointees disparaging his governance. We are on the road to Greece.

 

And of course, after not hearing about this for 2 months it's now time to blame the Republicans!

It's amazing how the Liberal brain changes gears when an Elitist Lefty is in office.

I guess they were hoping they could shove that pork in there without anyone noticing? I mean, it is Obama, and he can get away with anything he wants..

So, was it the Republicans fault over 2 months ago as well? Or just now?

 

70+ days later and......?




NOTHING.

 

It took a group of Republicans from the Northeast to shame congress into acting on behalf of the people who suffered from Hurricane Sandy:

Here are some of their quotes

and subsequent comments from two other GOP members of Congress:

and Chris Christie, GOP governor of NJ added:

Having been shamed into action the House voted on a limited $9 billion relief package for insurance relief:

When the vote came up for the limited relief it was supported by a house majority.

Still 67 Republicans voted against this relief. In their minds--> NO MONEY for hurting Americans. In their minds FUCK EM. One and all.

but wait: 37 of these sweet tempered republicans HAD ASKED FOR, GOTTEN EMERGENCY RELIEF and personally benefitted from US govt relief in their own states: http://thinkprogress.org/economy/20...fter-supporting-disaster-aid-for-home-states/

These hating SOB's took taxpayer money for themselves and their constituents but didn't want to part with a penny for the people suffering in NJ, NY, and CT.

Don't turn your back on those GOP members of congress. Those folks will stab your american back in a second.

Meanwhile expressing what has to be the least grateful, shortest memory in the history of congress, this chicken shit representing Biloxi, Mississippi, an area absolutely ravaged by hurricane Katrina and an area that received billions of billions of relief dollars for Katrina recovery voted against the minimal $9 billion for relief aid: Steven Palazzo:

THis piece of dirt was immediately slammed by his own home town media for being one of the most hypocritical low life ungrateful bastards to get paid by the tax payers of the United States:

After taking an incredible local public shaming he made his way up to NJ and NY and pledged to support the subsequent funding for $51 billion dollars:

Read about it: Its an example of a lowly piece of shit who would grovel for federal money at one point and then deny other Americans even as his own district was at the epicenter of incredible American support when his region was suffering:

Read about it if you wish to see an example of a two faced traitor to Americans: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/palazzo-vote-sandy-relief-bill-article-1.1236096?pgno=1

Now the question is why did so many members of Congress who have repeatedly gotten US federal relief at one point or another decide to vote against relief for other Americans.

There is a sick arm twisting wing of the most conservative elements of the GOP that threatens members of Congress if they don't go ultra conservative beyond the realm of common sense, human decency, and respect for the nation.

The current state of Congress: Its not a pretty sight.

 

@Earl: So you support these items that were on the original Sandy relief bill?

- $2 million to repair roof damage at Smithsonian buildings in Washington, D.C.?
- $336 million for Amtrak?
- $8 million to buy new cars for federal agencies?
- $150 million for fisheries in Mississippi and Alaska?
- 4 million for repairs at the Kennedy Space Center?
- $58.8 million for forest restoration on private land?
- $197 million “to… protect coastal ecosystems and habitat impacted by Hurricane Sandy.”
- $10.78 billion for public transportation improvements not in the Sandy disaster area?
- $17 billion for the infamous Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), a backdoor earmark program notorious for being used as bribes?
- $10.8 billion for the Federal Transportation Administration
- $33.2 million for eight Nevada pork projects put in by Harry Reid (D-Nev.), including:
. . o $25 million for rural Nevada;
. . o $1.5 million for Truckee Meadows
. . o $725,000 for Tahoe Regional Planning

 

It's the blame game!!!

 

@Earl: So I'm assuming you support these items Democrats added that were on the original Sandy relief bill?

- $2 million to repair roof damage at Smithsonian buildings in Washington, D.C.?
- $336 million for Amtrak?
- $8 million to buy new cars for federal agencies?
- $150 million for fisheries in Mississippi and Alaska?
- 4 million for repairs at the Kennedy Space Center?
- $58.8 million for forest restoration on private land?
- $197 million “to… protect coastal ecosystems and habitat impacted by Hurricane Sandy.”
- $10.78 billion for public transportation improvements not in the Sandy disaster area?
- $17 billion for the infamous Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), a backdoor earmark program notorious for being used as bribes?
- $10.8 billion for the Federal Transportation Administration
- $33.2 million for eight Nevada pork projects put in by Harry Reid (D-Nev.), including:
. . o $25 million for rural Nevada;
. . o $1.5 million for Truckee Meadows
. . o $725,000 for Tahoe Regional Planning

Earl, is it O.K. with you that most of this bill is unrelated to Sandy?

Earl, why are you afraid to admit that the Democrats crafted this as a fraud bill?

Earl, are you brave enough to tell us exactly how much of this bill actually goes to victims of Sandy?

 

to all you arch conservatives. I want to congratulate you for being willing to turn your backs on fellow americans. The only difference between you and those 37 GOP members of Congress who begged, pleaded, cajoled, and threatened with regard to getting federal $$$ for their own districts but would shut the doors on folks from NJ, NY, and CT is that you aren't such obvious sniveling turn your back and stab those folks excuses for Americans.

Now its only because the extremists on the right wing have this type of behavior that I move off my basic cheap and fiscal responsible perspective. I operate businesses. We watch the bottom line like a hawk and after many years there is only one overriding rule about all the different businesses. Protect the cash flow!!!!

So if part of the original $60 billion is cuttable and applicable outside of the hurt areas but the funding is for appropriate infrastructure, hey look at it and treat it appropriately.

I'm sure you parrots of the despicable arm twisting extremist thugs from the Koch funded conservative mafia like threat groups did NOT LOOK hard at funding for relief for Katrina.

You'd probably be surprised to find that a lot of that FEMA, emergency, tax money from other Americans was spent on BLOCK grants.

Look it up. Don't repeat stupidisms. Look it up.

I have no friggin idea what these block grants do...but $billions went into Katrina recovery money for Louisiana, Mississippi, and other Gulf States. That is $17 billion diesignated for Sandy relief. Check the stuff out before you parrot a bunch of twisted conservative thug like entities that threaten and score GOP conservatives to see if they do what the Koch brothers want.....

....and end up disgusting the very citizens of Coastal Mississippi who read the riot act to their despicable traitor of a member of Congress who begged and demanded federal tax money when Katrina hit Mississippi and then cowardly turned his back on fellow Americans when Sandy hit.

American common sense folks can read through the bullshit of an extremist bunch of political thugs that would leave folks struck by this disaster out to die. Clearly this extremist political wing of thugs has acted in the most despicable back stabbing in recent history.

The members of Congress who took money and voted against the initial $9 billion are equivalent to traitors and miserable thieves as far as other Americans should be concerned.

And check your Katrina spending, conservatives....billions and billions went to friiggin community block grants whatever the f*ck they are. The point is it went to Louisiana, Mississippi and other affected states and was part of the recovery package paid for by all Americans.