E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSPresident Obama released a statement Wednesday calling on the House of Representatives to pass disaster-related funding for the areas of the East Coast impacted by Hurricane Sandy last fall:
It has only been two months since Hurricane Sandy devastated communities across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut as well as other eastern states. Our citizens are still trying to put their lives back together. Our states are still trying to rebuild vital infrastructure. And so, last month, working closely with the Governors of the affected states, I sent Congress an urgent request to support their efforts to rebuild and recover.
The Senate passed this request with bipartisan support. But the House of Representatives has refused to act, even as there are families and communities who still need our help to rebuild in the months and years ahead, and who also still need immediate support with the bulk of winter still in front of us.
When tragedy strikes, Americans come together to support those in need. I urge Republicans in the House of Representatives to do the same, bring this important request to a vote today, and pass it without delay for our fellow Americans.
Leave a Comment:
Good luck getting anything from the Party of No, Mr. President.
They are officially a terrorist organization.
They will pass a relief bill as soon as they separate all the pork from it.
There is no reason to send 150 million to Alaska to fix storm damage in NJ
This is beginning to look more and more like a 0bama "stimulus" bill disguised as a disaster relief bill.
What a snake in the grass he is.
Is there something in it for congress to pass Sandy relief? I thought not, then let them take care of themselves!
The Party of NO, do-nothing for no one (but themselves).
As if there isn't 60 billion floating around Washington that could be used for this situation. As if there is any need for a 60 billion dollar expenditure just to take care of the damage from Sandy. This is just another pork laden bill thanks to the Washington motto of never letting a good crisis go to waste. Now that we have avoided the fiscal cliff, let the spending continue.
Rick
Do you have much trouble with that Black cold heart?
.
I can't believe what I amgoing to say...I agree with elliot on this - cut the extra pork unrelated to hurriCane Sandy and approve the disaster relief sooner. But the damage is already done for the Republicans which are again perceived as being uncaring to hurriCane victims, reinforcing people's negative perception of the GOP. Remember - perception matters.
Elliott, I think the main point of this is they did NOTHING. I certainly don't object to them looking at it, cutting the pork and just leaving spending related to direct damage from Sandy. What I *DO* object to is them not doing their jobs and just leaving it. That's what this entire Congress has been about ... hold on to their own political position at all costs and DO NOTHING, thus leaving the entire country hanging until the last minute.
What would you do with an employee in your business (assuming you work) that did that?
why should the taxpayers foot the bill? Why should the taxpayers pay for the "pork" in this bill? When are you going to stand up for how OUR money is spent? Oh that's right, you need to have skin in the game to care. Shame on your houses!
Better yet, the folks in Washington should have used ALL the money in ' pork ' that was approved last night towards the Hurricane Sandy victims. What kind of backwards logic is going on up there?
No just happens to be the correct answer in this case. It is not and should not be my responsibility to pay for these people chosing (chosing the operative word here) to not have the appropiate insurance coverage. Their ignorance is not my responsibility.
TO: Dotties girl who wrote:
I do think that $60 Billion is excessive, and it should be a long term loan rather than a give away.
Once they begin re-building, and especially afterwards, that entire area is going to make billions of dollars in tourism money and will be able to re-pay the money they receive from the government.
Stroke me....Stroke me, I mean the signature I guess.
Beth, you are dead wrong. What the house did do is begin to separate the pork. It will take time but it has to be done. The senate loaded this with so much crap they knew it wouldn't pass the house as is. The media knows that too. But what kind of headlines do we get from the liberal media? "The Republicans don't care about storm victims."
This whole feigned indignation is garbage. Everything is about political points now and it is !@#$$# pathetic!
Did anyone notice if this Sandy relief bill included funding for another Cowboy Poetry Festival in Nevada? I shutter to think that here we are borrowing from future generations, and we could be forgetting to have them pay for the nations love of cowboy poetry. Somethings are just to important to worry about the cost or what generation might have to pay for it.
Do any of you right wing idiots get this upset at the Billions and probably Trillions of pork dollars in Defence spending? lol I thought not.
Pig is right, perception matters as does the fact the Republic majority that lets Cantor decide that working only two months a year is a good thing. Then throw on all the "NO we won't do anything" record and BAM! The 2014 elections is when you will see the right lose their asses and the Dems take back control of the house. Then we will start getting @!$%# done for this country.
No Elliot, I'm not wrong ...
From REPUBLICAN Representative Peter King as reported by CNN...
They LEFT. They did NOT stay behind and work on it. They left it for the "new" Congress to deal with, thus starting the process over rather than staying and working themselves.
No "feigned indignation" at all. REAL indignation at not doing their jobs. If you noticed, I said I had no objection to cleaning the "pork" out of the bill, I had an objection to them LEAVING it.
Bush signed Katrina Relief less than a WEEK after the hurricane hit land........
Maybe we should blame this one on Bush?
It seems that we have two more bottomless pits to throw tax payers money into; the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA; add this to the money we are wasting on the war on drugs.
This is a ruse. Another carefully planned theft of tax payers dollars to fund the NWO.
This country is being fleeced by its elected officials on the pretence of security and I'm not buying it. This disaster fund needs to go to the aid of the people that lost their homes on the East coast; not to FEMA, not to DHS, not to HAARP. That is robbery with insolence.
Anyone who would sacrifice freedom for security doesn't deserve either!
Do your usual thing Barry make sure what YOU want is in it and then BULLY them into it. Our Ego in chief is also a BULLY in Chief! As for FEMA I know people that were flooded out and flood insurance is a joke, a very high priced joke but a joke. Make sure you do not cut any spending raise the debt limit and put the country farther into debt!!!!!!!
econ 101
Spend money to rebuild and that money moves the economy and is taxed along the way at each move.
After it has change hands 15 times the tax generated is equal to more than half that was given. And we end up with something that continues to create more money and a better living for all.
Elliott - Go to the video on NBC News showing Rep. Peter King, R-NY, and his response to his own party's leaders on ending the 112th Congress without voting on the aid package. He very clearly states that the version passed by the Senate contained pork, which the House version stripped out.
""
If you are a victim of Superstorm Sandy, be ready to hunker down while the usual dysfunction in Washington, DC makes it impossible for you to get any real help from the government. That being said, even if they approve X number of dollars for Sandy relief, what will be the buerecratic, dysfunctional government process for getting such relief? How many dozens of pages of documents will you have to fill out in triplicate and submit to some Office of Redundancy Office to sit on for six months and then deny, forcing you to fill out an appeal? You are probably better off taking it up with the insurance company or cutting your losses and moving on.
Mj899, it would be nice if it worked that way but no matter how much the gov't brings in they will always needs juuuuusst a little more.
If they don't have home owners insurance or flood insurance then....too damn bad. I had storm damage in north Texas a few years ago and the only thing I got came from my insurance policy. These are individual claims, and it makes no damn difference if there are 50,000 homes damaged or 50 damaged. No insurance, no money. If some of the public infrastructure is damaged then use public aid for that.
Will--absolutely, the LAST place that should get the money (if any) is the FEDERAL agencies.
Adding another layer of red tape does NOT improve anything--it slows it down and exponentially increases the cost.
And just for once, it would be nice if Congress would NOT try to sneak pet projects in their own district onto EVERY appropriations bill (emergency or not).
And that is not just one party--it is EACH party.
We just need to spend 60 billion more and then we can start getting down to business on solving our debt issue, that is it and this time I mean it.
So the money we just raised in taxing the rich, he wants to spend ASAP on this? I thought that money was going to help pay down the debt, I mean deficit. Those darn rich people can't do anything right.
If Rancor, Reid and Boehner can not agree to help those affected by such a horrible storm then they have failed at representing and protecting the needs of people in this nation.
Recall them or vote them out effective immediately as their actions show that they are only there for ego and arrogance but miserably fail at their job. They fail because of thier own egos posture and arrogance; thus they do not belong in Congress whatsoever!
In 2 days VOTE THEM OUT! THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO HELP THIS COUNTRY IN 4 years thus have not earned their role or title! OR BENNIES OF WHICH WE PAY FOR!
So Silly the job of our Government is to bail out it citizens?
A couple of years ago my neighborhood got get by a pretty horrible tornado, and I didn't get one red cent for the tax payers neither did my neighbors that completely lost their house.
I love how certain people think that the tax payers should help out a certain group of people but not others?
As many of you un-affected by Sandy, argue pover the amount---you are best to look up and give thanks that you have a roof over your own home, a basement, living room, bedrooms and kitchen that is not flooded or is still drying out from the storm.
Too many lost their home lives and memories in that storm and you have the audacity to bitch about the cost to help these people get back on their feet with a roof over their heads.
Dear GOD, What has happened to this country--we no longer take care of each other, we no longer have morals and values to stand up too--all everyone cares about is that Buck. God please helps us find the light to help one another again no matter what the cost!
AND TO TOM---THE GOV't SHOULD OF HELPED YOU OUT TOO! Al they care about in Congress and DC is themselves not thier state, country or We THE PEOPLE!
"Dear GOD, What has happened to this country--we no longer take care of each other,"
Silly, Sadly we piss away so much money on other things, that we (the country) can't afford to pay for things like this anymore.
We worry about Turtles crossings, and skate parks, and museums in congress home states that when it actually comes to helping people there is no money left.
But go ahead and blame the people that wants to get Government spending under control, while both parties pissed away all the money to actually help people in need.
Currently we have 66 million people on welfare and 20+ million working for the Government, and those people are being supported by around 110 million people, how long can that last?
In 2012 we spend 400 billion just on the interest on our debt. Imagine what good that money could have done for people in need.
Every day, week, month and year that number is going to get bigger, and that means every day, week, month, and year we can spend less money on helping people out.
That is the consequences of spending money you don't have on other things. Like an inflated military, huge employee benefits, waste and fraud, and on and on and on.
ROTFLMAO!!!!!!
I can see I have to post this again for all you bobbleheads.
I see all the limp-wristed bleeding heart Liberals/Progressives are on here wringing their weak little hands about this outrage.
Of course money is never an issue to Liberals because they NEVER contribute, they just TAKE! You have no idea how or where this money will be used, just give it the typical Liberal knee-jerk reaction and throw more of our hard earned tax dollars at it.
In a related article on PMSNBC last Friday, they claimed the bill was for $60.4 billion NOT $60.2 billion. Although this is "just" a difference of $200 million, IT'S OUR MONEY!!!!!
Here is the previous article link:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50315533/
Now, what this article didn't tell you is how the $60.2 billion (or $60.4 billion) will be dispersed.
The Congressional Budget Office has estimated about $8.97 billion of the Senate bill would be spent in 2013, with another $12.66 billion spent in 2014 and $11.59 billion spent in 2015.
So this will take 3 years to get used.
But wait, when you add these three disbursements it only adds up to $33.22 billion!!!!!!
So, where is the rest? Where is the other $27.18 billion?
Hmmmmmmm, can you say, PORK? Sure you can.
The Barrack Hussein administration takes the, "Never let a good crisis go to waste" mantra and rides it just like every other government "relief" package. Everything starts out with good intentions and then the "pork pencils" come out and EVERYONE, whether from the affected areas or not, starts tapping into the government ATM. The problem is, this is still borrowed money.
Here's just some of the "other projects" the disaster relief will be used for.
The pork-barrel feast includes more than $8 million to buy cars and equipment for the Homeland Security and Justice departments. It also includes a whopping $150 million for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to dole out to fisheries in Alaska and $2 million for the Smithsonian Institution to repair museum roofs in DC.
An eye-popping $13 billion would go to “mitigation” projects to prepare for future storms.
Mitigation means, how to plan for the next disaster. Don't you think by now, after umpteen hurricane's, hundreds of tornado's and thousands of floods, the government would have a solid disaster plan in place for just about any problem?
Of course not. Over 20% of this "aid" money will go to figuring out how to screw up the next "disaster relief response". Hell, Katrina victims are still waiting for all their "relief".
There's more in this link.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/little_help_here_1kW6aQ8fElj4CKwbheEV0N
Of course, no one will consider privatizing this because our criminal government does such a great job, right?
Just think back to the days immediately after Sandy hit. Remember the controversy of running the "New York Marathon"?
Literally within a day or two after the storm hit the company(s) contracted to set up the marathon had a massive tent with generators, food, water and Porta-Potty's set up with a "Starting Line", complete with sponsor logo's, ready to go. The "Starting Line" was supposed to be on Staten Island, one of the hardest hit areas.
Our government "relief" teams were nowhere to be found. Hell, at one point FEMA closed its offices because of “BAD WEATHER”.
Our government is inefficient, unsustainable and corrupt. Hurricane Sandy just exposes it more and more.
Think everyone's being a little premature here. They'll get their money, and I hope it's enough to repair the area in a way that stimulates future economic enterprise. Anything less would be quite stupid. Even the tea partyites can't refuse. Too many of their nabob masters live in those areas. Now, if It was some place in the South or South west, probably wouldn't have the urgency. Fact, might even get ignored.
Jim, you were supposed to ignore what was in the right hand and only focus what was in the left hand.
And because you didn't people will call you names and say you are hateful. (see Mac's comment right above)
And didn't the Dems pass a law a few years back were every dollar they spent had to have a source of Revenue?
And Tom ... you're OK with JIM'S namecalling?
None of it is acceptable ... we wonder why our government and Congress is ineffective and unable to accomplish anything. Well they are representative of the PEOPLE. If we resort to comments like those above, what do we expect of our "leadership" that WE elect.
Yah get way yah pay for!
"Yah get way yah pay for!"
You mean a Government that full of red-tape and waste?
Yet reading though this thread most want the Government to get even bigger and spend more money.
@Tom-Plymouth-3672298#1.34: In reference to your last line. It was "Bill Clinton" and the democrats during His 1st term. Called It "Paygo". Good deal during a good economy too. Dubya and His bunch got It repealed just after, I think, 9-11. Regards
makessense-7131188
We are still better off rebuilding and repairing then doing nothing. The 94 Earthquake in LA did a lot to help the economy here in Ca. It was directly related to rebuilding and repairing the damage.
Tom - Plymouth-3672298
Hmmmmm, imagine.
It's amazing how this massive amount of money being wasted is totally ignored and discounted by the Liberals/Progressives as a necessary evil of the debt they have no desire to reduce. Not to mention when inflation finally begins to rear its ugly head and interest rates necessarily go up.
But Liberals/Progressives never worry about that, hell Jimmy Carter resigned himself to the fact that inflation was endemic to the economy and would just stay forever. Of course the most popular president in the 20th century disproved that.
So, what could we use that $400 billion for?
Let's see, how about giving 80 million American's $5,000 so they could buy a years worth of good health insurance?
Or maybe we just give 8 million unemployed American's $50,000 to help get them back on their feet.
Even better, lets give all the 23 million under/unemployed Americans $17,390 dollars to help them and their families.
Perhaps we give each state $8 billion to help pay for some of their debt or unfunded pension liabilities.
Our interest on our massively and irreversibly growing debt is like inflation, a silent tax. Rarely do the politicians bring it up as they are usually more concerned with keeping it hush hush and making us forget about it as they please us by spending more of our money for us.
So yeah, let’s just keep spending more than we have and keep robbing ourselves and our children’s future for the sake of our criminal governments needs.
This Sandy-Scam Bill is just another page in our dysfunctional government.
This bill has more pork in it than a truckload of bacon. Money for Alaska, money for remodeling at the Smithsonian, car purchases for the DOJ and the list goes on and on. Great government we have, taxes raised in the morning and an indignant plea for pork distribution minutes later. Invest in currency printing technology, it will be the growth industry of the next four years.
That's part of what I mean. The acrimony is also what I mean. If we didn't want that kind of government, why reelect it?
Only because that's what you WANT to read into it. In fact, most people are AGAINST the pork, they just think that the House should have stayed in session and voted on one of the two bills they had worked on.
That's the point of the story.
BTW: I see you didn't address the main point of my remark ... you seem to be OK with name calling on one side, yet not the other while I pointed out it was wrong on BOTH sides.
Beth, I don't like the name calling on either side.
But I say BS to you point most people are against pork, most people on here completely overlooked the pork and went right to spend more money and blame the Repubs.
FYI - it didn't matter if the House stayed to hash it out the senate was already gone.
Aid my ass. That is what insurance policies are for. If these people didn't have insurance, that was a choice they made, not me. I had storm damage a couple of years ago, no help for Terry!!! Just from my insurance policy. These are all individual claims and it makes no difference if there are 50,000 houses damaged or 50 houses damaged, it is the same damn thing.
Get to work on your spending cuts first Mr. President.
Heartless response to those who are homeless in the dead of winter through no fault of their own. BOOOOOO!
How heartless of you to not want to buy a guy a new shrimp boat in LA when there are people without homes in NJ.
like a good neighbor State Farm is there. I've seen the commercial, they'll be fine. That's why we buy insurance. If they don't have insurance why do we bail them out?
Well now that we have avoided the fiscal cliff, let the spending continue. When a country that is over spending annually by more then a trillion dollars and still has to borrow another 60 billion for a rainy day, we really are in trouble.
InterestedOberver - Sadly, I am a Sandy victim. I have insurance, plenty of insurance, but guess what? It is funded by the federal government. My house is unlivable, but although my insurance would have been canceled if I had not paid on time, I have yet to get anything from my federally funded insurance!! I see that they managed to pass bills that are sending aid to foreign countries, but I'm sure there is no pork in that right? Why can't our country take care of us? Come visit us and see the devastation yourself if you think it's a waste of our tax money!!
makesense-7131188,
Mr Obama was specific with entitlement sepnding cuts. As a matter of fact, he has been the only one to be specific when cutting $716 billion from Medicare Advantage already confirmed as savings within the Paul Ryan rejected Budget Bill before the 2012 election. In addition, President Obama proposed another $400 billion of spending cuts to entitlements from fraud/waste already identified during Fiscal cliff negotitations totaling $1.16 trillion. Unfortunately, the GOP rejected it. In an attempt to make Obama look bad.....the GOP made themselves look stupid.
Where are the specifics on entitlement spending cuts targeted by the GOP House of represenatives ????????
The President can't work on a spending bill right. He's laying back in the beauty that is Hawaii. I think I will write to the White House and ask if I can go with them next year since I helped pay for the plane and fuel.
So the next round of tornadoes hitting the plains or the south will get nothing? How about some fires through the west? An earthquake or two, some more hurricanes in Florida? Millions affected by natural disasters across the country every year, we will see how some of these baggers like it when their constituents are in crisis.
God bless you DJD-3701774. It is UNFORGIVIBLE that we won't take care of our own citizens. It truly is a National disgrace. Good luck to you and everyone still coping with this.
DJD...I was in my doctor's office last week when a woman sitting next to me told me she lost her home. For one second, I could barely breathe thinking about it. The floods in her town were so bad that it ruptured several underground oil tanks near the gas stations and her home was flooded with oil soaked water.
The posters on this thread come from DogPatch...they are as 'ignernt" as "ignernt" gets. They don't mind when we pay for their wildfires that are mostly caused by Big Oil year after year or their constant flooding that we also helped pay for...never mind that $150 billion went to corporations that are filthy profitable thanks to those House Ahole Republicans. Never mind that we taxpayers are also paying for 50% of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill and some of the BP spill remediation.
These posters are idiots. They are shamelessly selfish mememememes.......and it's a sickening epitaph that should be posted to their tombstones when they are dead from their next disaster the rest of us will refuse to help them pay for.
MJ-19,
News Flash!!! Obama (AIR fORCE 1) landed BACK in Washington DC last week.
Is it possible for you to catch up to speed on current events??? Or you always slow on the uptake?????
Douch bag or as some may call you Tony. News Flash Moron:
Obama To Hawaii: President Returns To Vacation After Fiscal Cliff Deal Passes.
You might want to pull your head out of your ass long enough to get up to speed. LOL.
MJ-1919,
In case your still slow on the uptake, the COMPLETE passage of the Bill occured Monday morning (not before). The President landed back in Washington before Monday morning last weekend (before 2nd senate version of the bill and house vote on final senate version). So take your Mickey Mouse time clock and toss it in the garbage. You act, as though, your typing on this blog confirms News. Cite your Media source who hasn't acknowledged Obama landed back in DC last weekend....Bozo.
Clue: one should never tell others to pull their head out of their a$$e$ when their own head remains up their a$$...LMAO.
makessense--agreed--for EVERY $$$ he asks for in 'emergency funding' a reciprocal cut in spending for something ELSE should accompany it.
Let's start with subsidies to tobacco farmers, shall we?
MOmaid,
Agreed.....even if the reciprocal (spending cut) is implemented 12 years later like the Bush unfunded Coporate tax cuts expenditure from those Coporate tax cuts by a $716 billion cut from Medicare for it's fraud and waste and making the top 2% who benefited for 12 years pay back down our deficit by higher taxation .........
Obama is doing a good job.........
MOmaid, I agree with you, every $1 should come from a cut.
Tobacco Subsidies in the United States totaled $1.3 billion from 1995-2011.
That is a start now lets come up with the rest of the money.
Lib50--sorry, but I LIVE in Tornado Alley. My hometown in Central MO has (in my memory alone) had 7 DEVASTATING tornados. We KNOW that, and as much as possible, we prepare. We also have ICE storms, and drought conditions, and floods in our area. And ALL the Aid we get is delayed until it is determined what the final cost will be, and MOST of the cost is borne by MISSOURI. (Either through insurance or thru local efforts.) Our college football team, for instance, has spent LOTS of time in Joplin MO (which was 50 percent DESTROYED by a tornado 2 years ago, with hundreds of dead) and so did many other groups of volunteers, both business and private. The fact is, you cannot MAKE most of the victims of natural disasters 'whole' by throwing money at them.
Many will not face the fact that they should NOT rebuild, that they should face the fact that they were dealt a blow that came along with years of 'advantages' of living where they did, and that OTHER people are not obliged to 'fix it' for them. Nearly every area of the country faces natural disasters, and we as a country CANNOT 'make every one "WHOLE"'.
Should we as a country help with immediate food, water, blankets, etc? Absolutely. Should the National guard assist in security (remember, looters ALSO probably have their hand out for aid.) and enough clean up to enable emergency crews to get in? You bet.
But the DANGERS of living on the coast are well known, just as the dangers of living in Tornado Alley are, or living in the Hollywood Hills, or near a national forest, Nuclear Reactor, river, etc., and if you cannot provide for your OWN insurance coverage, you need to move a tad farther away--not expect the REST of the country to sacrifice so that you can move right back into the danger zone, with no nest egg.
Gone again to Hawaii, I propose you catch up!
Tony you are still a @!$%#ing idiot. My God! LMAO!!!
Obama calls on Congress? From where? His vacation mansion in Hawaii?
Is he back min Hawaii? And here I thought he returned to DC after only a few days of rest.
He's as entitled to a vacation/holiday as anyone. Do you think he only works a 3-4 work week like Congress?
POTUS is a full time job! Unlike Bohner who doesn't seem to think he has a job.
I don't believe Obama owns property in Hawaii. If he is staying in a mansion on a black volcanic beach it is a gift or lease, and I'm certain he will make sure every aspect of this well deserved vacation is above board. Here is looking to a new congress,... pray they can get their act together and work with our Hawaiian president.
When you have the keys to AF1 and the nations American Express card, why hang around Washington?
Like Bush did? He took the most vacation time!
Why is it okay for one, but not the other?
Actually, ALL lodging expenditures that the First Family have on vacation are paid 100% by the First Family. Period. No lobbyists are paying for their vacation (unlike our Congress or Senate). The Presidency is a 24/7/365 job. He has all of the communications abilities in AF1 that he has in the White House. He still WORKS every day on the issues in this country (unlike our Congress) no matter where he is.
The whole purpose of lobbying is to make illegal things legal... like assault weapons.
navyvet98,
Wow....look at today's results for the middle class (continued tax cuts the 98% as promised). I guess Obama accomplished more from Hawaii (according to you) than Bush did in the Oval office......
For godssake, the President deserves time away from Washington just like the rest of the presidents (who took WAY more time away from Wash than Obama). Get over your fricken Obama hate, we are SO sick of it.
navyvet...Your green eyed monster is showing...don't you think 4 1/2 years of envy is just a tad irrational at this point in time? I realize not all Navy Vets can be Commander-in-Chief...but let's get real here. Time to get on with certain people's envious little lives before they self-destruct.
Sorry EW, but he has been in DC since monday---get your facts straight before you spew your BS!
Yes but don't tell Tony. He doesn't know where Hawaii is. LOL.
Another $3M taxpayer tab for the second round trip to Hawaii on Air Force One in less than ten days. Members of Congress may indeed also take vacations but they don't get a goverment funded jumbo jet to take them.
Getting our Government to do anything right and quickly will take an act of GOD to do, they're too busy collecting their paychecks, going on vacation and campaigning to be elected
Shocker - Republicans not helping the country? That's new...oh wait...
And to thinkthe remugs are seriously considering Jeb Bush for 2016'. Evidently they have failed to read their history books and to acknowledge their own failures beginning with BUSH W!
I'm from NYC and I say no aid package here. No more bailouts starting today, including the banks.
Then either you are a masochist or you suffered no or little damage. This is the Republican mental malady reflected clearly. Take a good look in the mirror, republicans, THIS is what you are about. Sickening!
Government aid funding is we send them a dollar, the nation gets $0.50 worth of benefits or help.
Lower the federal tax rates so the states can afford their own aid packages if they want them.
Typical myopic teapub - selfish, egocenric and don't give a crap about anybody but yourself. Until one of those natural disasters hit you that is. Then you whine and carry on about how the government isn't helping you. We've seen it all before.
Alan...NY City subways were inoperable...so your kind must have been driven by your chauffeurs? And, of course no damage when you are living in a penthouse right?
While NY City was hit hard, Staten Islanders were hit even harder...that's New York too...What's with the pork faces out there all jumping on a lousy $60 billion when we hand twice that to the corporate welfare state every year?
The typical lefty response to a proposal for new pork is to claim that it is no more egregious than some other pork package. Thats the mentality that supports endless uncontrolled deficit spending. FEMA, already funded, exists soley for the purpose of responding to emergencies and they have done a piss poor job on the Sandy situation. How about somebody fixing that problem first and then determining what else might be reasonably required before throwing even more money down government ratholes.
Come on congress, pull up your big boy panties and help Americans. This is a national disgrace.
Guess it wasn't important enough to handle BEFORE the trip to Hawaii..........
Skip sending the money to New York, our Governor wants to give college tuition to illegal immigrants in preparation for 2016 Presidential Primaries. He wants to buy more hispanic votes than Obama.
If we can afford to pay for his buying of hispanic votes, we can afford to pay for fixing Long Island after Sandy.
Not that we do not deserve the money, but make the NYS Governor make cuts, just like we need our President and congress to do.
Wait a minute, that sounds to me like you WANT the federal government to usurp states rights. Can you people get your @!$%# together please.
Upstate NY...right...let's reduce all education to the lowest possible levels for just one segment of society....after all, we can't afford to be socialists can we? Your upstate NY region is the most impoverished in your state. Without Kodak supplying jobs up there, upstaters who are also vehemently selfish Peter King conservatives sure as hell didn't mind when Love Canal needed our tax dollars or when the numerous run down conservative bridges had to be replaced by the fed.
How about get off that conservative selfish soapbox long enough to admit that conservatism in upstate NY IS the problem ...not the solution? The incomes in upstate NY are near poverty levels. Is that conservatism too?
EW: Arne Duncan already did that when he continued to support Bush's NO Child LEft Behind bs.
More money goes into those exams then is necessary when our schools continue to fail too many of our students
Perhaps the congressmen from New Jersey and New York will remember this the next time a tornado hits Oklahoma!
We're all funding each other's disaster bills.
As we should. I don't remember anybody trying to stop disaster funding in Oklahoma or other states that are bitching now about helping victims of Sandy.
Don ...I think the one they need to worry about is Governor Christie...he's not the one to make an angry man of. And...he's a Republican and....tah dah...a former Bush administation attorney. I'd love to see him mash hell out of Ryan, Cantor, Issa and McConnell....and all he'd have to do is open his mouth...roflmao.
THIS IS A NO BRAINER...DO THE MORALLY CORRECT THING and what the president asks..SHEESH how much gray matter does one need to understand this moral imperative. Shameful!
Why is fixing the Smithsonian in the bill. Money for salmon fishers? Amtrak when it is not for storm damage?
Natalie--there is NOTHING morally 'correct' about continually writing 'hot checks' for any expense that comes along when we do NOT have the money to cover those checks.
I have Children in their late 20's, early 30's. I don't WANT them to be saddled with the bill for the $50K apiece that our government has already signed an IOU for them to pay.
Much less do I want them to be stuck in an economy like GREECE, with 25% unempoloyment, and crushing debt.
And I haven't even MENTIONED those bills being passed down to future grandkids, either.
THAT is NOT moral. It is outright THEFT of their future.
Watching the House members talk about this on cspan. One thing to note the request for funding did not hit the Senate until Dec 8 although Sandy hit the end of October. One wonders why. Not one member today so far has said lets strip the bill of pork. Strip it and send it back to the senate. Shouldnot take long. And then it will be done.
1. Take out EVERYTHING not related to Sandy.
2. Pretend the money is for Israel or any other foreign country.
Then it will pass.
Actually I think your first point is a valid one. Remove the millions/billions of dollars in the Bill which have nothing to do with Sandy and pass it.
Exactly IO! Anything not directly related to Sandy damage gone. Send it back. Pass it. But in order to do that, the House actually has to stick around!
Bush had Katrina Aid passed within ONE WEEK..............
Difference in a LEADER & a COMMUNITY ORGANIZER
I agree, we will reach out and help a foreign country long before we help our own. AND THAT IS OUR FAILURE!
AMG--absolutely, strip out anything not related to Sandy.
My hometown board of education tried for 10 years to pass a bond issue to build an (un-needed) new highschool. Each time, they tied teacher pay increases to the bill, and whined about how we were losing teachers to neighboring districts because of salary differential, and needed to pass the bond issue for teacher raises.
Guess what? When the board finally separated the two, the town voted overwhelmingly for teacher pay raises, and STILL voted down the new High school. Because we didn't NEED a new high school.
The problem with spending bills is and always has been attachments to those bills. Municipalities and other tax funded entities always have their "wish lists", and the municipalities always have their priorities on the wish lists, so if they get extra funding, they'll spend it, even if they use up their wish list and have to dream up new expenditures. It's the use it or loose it philosophy. Also their budget demands are at least 150% of the actual costs, so they can take a pretty good hit, and still have 100% funding. Also the politicians can claim a budget cut while the 100% of the cost of the project is being met.
What I'd like to see is how much actual assistance in monetary terms is being provided by aid providers like the Red Cross. Then once that aid is provided, subtract that aid from the government aid requested. Some of the aid providers use the disasters to line their own pockets, and the government still picks up the tab. I'm personally not a Red Cross fan myself, having dealt with them in a few disasters in the past, and am prone to donate to the Salvation Army instead. What's really needed is real hot soup, from a real hot soup kitchen in a disaster, and not a financial statement at years end. Often times organized aid groups muscle out neighbor to neighbor help and assistance so they can get advertising for their cause, too, another disaster scam as I see it. When the Red Cross goes into the disaster area and charges the disaster laborers for a sandwich and a cup of coffee, there's no need for the Red Cross to be anywhere but active at the blood bank.
How about FEMA actually doing their job. They screwed up Katrina, and now Sandy.
Note to Obama ... What Boehner told Reid to do!!
Those of you calling for spending cuts to pay for disaster relief aid are cold and callous. They also have short memories. In 2011 during the debt ceiling fight in congress, Obama signed a bill that cut spending by 1.3 trillion dollars and got no new revenue sources in consideration.
I agree with some of you calling it a stimulus bill, as it will certainly fund the construction of infrastructure. Is that a bad thing? The bill also needs to hold insurers accountable for covered losses.
If the GOP doesn't like the bill, amend the damn thing and pass it back. Doing nothing is unacceptable.
I don't care about matching spending cuts. I want the pork out.
lulu98....Do you really want the pork out? Fine. No tax dollars to Big Oil in the billions. No tax dollars to businesses earning obscene profits and paying obscene CEO salaries. Let's start at the beginning of the pork barrel...No more funding for military bases in states that have no need of them...like Wyoming and Texas. Enough with Dog Patch living large at our expense. Use state taxes first like my state has to do. Conservatives love to brag how low their state taxes are...well? Maybe if they weren't feeding off my federal taxes on a regular basis, they'd have nothing to brag about.
Ewent, I do mean for the pork to be out of every thing and everywhere. I live in Maryland. Certainly not a low tax state.
Amazing - deal is done and immediately this president is asking for more spending
These Republicans in the House are the most ungodly, inhumane, uncompassionate, unjust, heartless individuals we have ever encountered in this life-time.
Yes, they are the ones who crucified Christ............the cruelest creation of men.
Thanks! I needed that laugh! Now push the button for the nurse so that you can get your meds; they must have forgot about you ... I wonder why?
Read the whole story...god was the one who had jesus crucified...
Dee Ten>>>>>>>>>>>>>JESUS CHRIST IS THE ALMIGHTY GOD>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
...................................................DEUTERONOMY 6 v 4..............................................
.............................Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord.......................................
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
...................................................1st TIMOTHY 3 v 16..........................................................
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: GOD was manifest in the flesh, justified in the SPIRIT, seen of angels, preached unto Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
.............................................................1st JOHN 5 v 7....................................................................
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the FATHER, the WORD, (which means the SON) and the HOLY GHOST: And these three are ONE.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
............................................................ISAIAH 9 v 6...........................................................................
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called WONDERFUL, COUNSELLOR, THE MIGHTY GOD, THE EVERLASTING FATHER, THE PRINCE OF PEACE.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
..........................................................ISAIAH 7 v 14.......................................................................
Therefore the LORD HIMSELF shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a SON and shall call HIS name IM-MANUEL (meaning GOD with us)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
.........................................................REVELATION 1 v 7 & 8.........................................................
7 Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see HIM, and they also which pierced HIM: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of HIM. Even so, A-men.
8 I am ALPHA and OMEGA, the beginning and the ending, saith the LORD, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the ALMIGHTY.
My thoughts exactly. They claim to be Christian. They are anything but.
Mark...if you know anything about Republicans and as a former Republican, I do, you know their main agenda is raising enough cash for another round of tax cuts for the rich. They are right now looking for a tiny glimmer of light through which to loophole their way to helping the rich grow richer.
Little do they know that the forces are not with them this time around. Darth Vader and the Crawford Cowboy aren't there to do their bidding anymore. Now, Middle Class Americans will make them toe the line and use our tax dollars for taxpayers...not corporation and the uber rich.
If they don't toe the line, out they go. That's the plan of action of 2013. We elected the president WE wanted. If they don't accept that, it's their problem, not ours. In a democracy, majority rules on voter choices. Their veiled attempts at government takeover resulted in the worst economic recession since the Great Depression and I believe most Americans are ready to slam the door shut on that kind of economics.
At least this is what we're aiming for and will continue to aim for until the "rotten apples" are all gone. You're correct that the forces are not with them, but we have to keep the pressure on until the clearing is complete.
Why doesn't nbc mention all the pork associated with the Sandy Relief fund. Why is Alaska asking for $150 million for their fisheries in order to vote for funding release. NBC not mentioning that. IRRESPONSIBLE REPORTING. Media is playing politics too. WAKE UP PEOPLE. Probably why its not getting passed.
It HAS been reported on NBC.com:
IN ANSWER BECAUSE NBC SUPPORTS THE GOP!
They have been failing for a long time--due to their lack of objectivity, lack of journalistic pizzaz and egos! Just the same as the GOP lacks objectivity while having large ineffective and unearned egos.
Sandy "victims" want to build back in the same areas they got wiped out in...do these people not realize that there will be other storms visiting in the future...we didn't build that mess, the local loons built that mess...if FEMA does anything they should ban rebuilding in that area...
Lets see. We gave money to New Orleans although a case could be similarly made about supporting a city built below sea level. So you also never want to go to the shore and buy taffy? A storm of this sort never occurred before in those areas. Do you also say not to help those in tornadoes because they should know better than to live in areas with tornadoes? Floods along rivers?
Soooo, let me see - anyone who has suffered a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, fire or other natural disaster should move to somewhere else?
Who's going to pay for that brilliant idea? Where in the US is free from natural disasters brainchild?
Yeah that's what I'm saying...people need to buy property insurance...and the government needs to get out of the insurance business...tax dollars shouldn't be spent on fools...
If you hold a mortgage, you have to rebuild and hopefully sell it. Last NY hurricane disaster like this, 1938. Pray we get another 74 years without a storm
Dee Ten -
Just in case you are a renter, homeowners insurance hardly ever covers 100% of a loss. Plus, they lost everything in many cases, dishes, clothes, toys - many things that unless you have documented proof of purchase/ownership - you don't get reimbursed for.
I had antique jewelry from family members and because I had no paperwork showing I bought/appraised it - too bad for me! Insurance isn't perfect - ask anyone who suffered a loss.
@lulu98, Many of us felt the same way about New Orleans! What an astonishing waste of money that city is!!
When it comes to building in America, common-sense gets thrown out of the window. Build "away" from water, preferably higher land.
As far as tornadoes are concerned? Make homes a heck of a lot stronger! Quit making the cheap pieces of dung that will only last 30 years unless heavily maintained, or upgraded!
Last but not least? Make sure people have insurance ... No excuses!
Just curious Patrick, believe that about health insurance too?
Beth....Very cool response...Slam dunk....They love to tell others what to do AFTER the fact. What are they suggesting? No one can live on a coast line? That water in NJ and NY came inland for miles...Not just the beach areas. DUH! The minute the rivers and lakes were full of bay water, these bodies of water crested their banks.
Where do these Know it All Big Mouths live that they don't have a single body of water near their homes? And, in case we all missed the rah rah for Big Insurance...most people can't afford $2,000 a month for flood insurance not when employers are cutting out jobs and reducing salaries.
Dee Ten...Seems to me Tennessee just had a disaster and got FEMA money. How about we move everyone out of that state since it's now disaster prone? More than half of NJ is surrounded by water. You need to refresh your geography. It's the same in NY and CT. Are you suggesting we build huge walls along all the coastlines and will that include Big Rich Texas who got more than a nice helping of FEMA money for Katrina?
it took congress less than a week to approve $108 billion for hurricane Katrina. In over 9 weeks our congress has not approved one dime to those affected by hurricane Sandy. Speaker John Boehner should be charged with human rights crimes for failing to aid citizens.
Bill went through congress faster then because the people weren't watching the spending like they are now. The pork in that bill probably had money to pay for oil rigs in North Dakota for all we know.
Boehner is doing the right thing with with this: He won't touch it until the pork is taken out. Don't be such a drama-queen about your "two-bits"!
140 million for Alaskan Fisheries too.
No, he's not doing the right thing ... because he LEFT it for the next Congress instead of staying and taking care of business!
Most of us up here -- I'd say the great majority -- are not upset over the idea of taking the pork out of the bill. They are upset because Congress LEFT without doing anything.
Beth--just curious, but do you believe Obama is entitled to take vacation?
Then do you also not believe the Senators, (whose term, by the way, I BELIEVE has expired) are ALSO entitled to some holiday time off?
And BTW--where was the urgency on this before Christmas?
I ALWAYS question the wisdom of a lame duck Congress ramming thru a bunch of bills at the last minute, dumping the mess on the NEW Congress.
MoMaid...When Missouri has another round of dust storms, we'll say the same. Move everyone out of MO or they'll have to be property insurance...which by the way in NJ is the law...You can't own property in NJ or NY without property insurance. However, even if you have flood insurance you are NOT guaranteed your claim will result in the cash to make repairs. Do tell though...when MT and WY has floods when the spring melts the snows on the Rockies, should FEMA help them out?
There's half of a house left standing 2 miles from the nearest beach. I'm sure if Missourians are covered in dust they won't dare touch a dime of FEMA money right?
Yes ... and he returned from it for the "fiscal cliff" crisis. It's not his responsiblity for the House to pass this bill. It's his responsibility to sign it (or not) if both houses do.
In this case, Cantor had PROMISED to work on it, the House was already in session. THEY WERE ALREADY THERE. As far as the "urgency" before Christmas .. that was the aforementioned "fiscal cliff" that even THEN Congress couldn't deal with in a timely fashion.
So instead, people needing help must wait until the ENTIRE process is started over ESPECIALLY since in this case, the bill was already passed by the Senate and the House had two versions ready.
Personally, I believe this is the Boehner's little bit of pouting because he's angry over the recent vote. That's fine if he wants to be angry, but to take it out on the Sandy victims is inexcusable.
The House could have EASILY remained in session a bit longer and voted on the the bill ... either version. It's not like they would have been RECALLED from vacation.
Ewent--see, MO already HAS requirements that if you live in a flood plain, you carry flood insurance or kiss goodbye any help.
And we regularly get hit with all the conditions you mention, and those with any smarts CARRY (and pay for themselves (WHAT a concept!!!) insurance. You can EVEN (gasp!) buy CROP insurance.
As for the flood insurance? There is, you know, a difference in carrying the minimum amount the state requires you to carry and carrying ENOUGH flood insurance? And that there is a difference between FLOOD insurance and STORM insurance coverage? Heck, I even have extra for MOLD removal in the event of flooding in my home.
It's like liability car insurance. You HAVE to carry a minimum amount, to pay for the OTHER guy's car/riders in both, but no law requires you to cover YOUR car's replacement. And if you are in a wreck, you do NOT get someone to buy you a new car just because you didn't pay for your car's replacement.
And sorry, but if FEMA were to spend money on farmers 'covered in dust', it would be to help them replant so there will be enough FOOD. And it will come in the form of loans.
and me--I think the FARMERS should pay for crop insurance, or get out of the business.
GOP = Evil, sick and pathetic party of NO!!!!!!!!!
Your Party already spend all the money, where are you going to get this money? Taxing the Rich again?
Tom Plymouth...Yes...tax hell out of the rich. If they can afford fleets of private jets and gas guzzlers, they need to start ante-ing up for the wealth the US helped them earn. Reciprocity or bust....sorry.
As a matter of fact, it was our best musicians who held a concert in NY and raised over $2 million on 12/12/12....where was Trump, Adelson, the 2 Koch Billionaires donations? Or don't the rich EVER have to give to anyone unless a tax credit is attached?
EWENT, what happens when you tax the rich into being poor?
So would you be happier with them not buying stuff and people losing jobs?
If somebody goes to work for 8 hours, after how many hours of work should they get to start keeping their fruits of their labor?
and ewent, how much has your favorite politician given to charity? (PBO and Joe?)
and why only hold a very small group of those people to that standard?
Wait, according to the New York Times, didn't the 12-12-12 concert raise 30 million? And that was just ticket sales! Internation Business Times has donations at another 15 million. Where did all that money go? I too would like to know what is in the relief bill before it is signed. Not sure anyone in AK or LA needs anything right now.
What's the matter with so many of you and your comments? This is the kind of Republican crap that will send us into 3rd world territory! This disaster was not their fault...John Boehner and his Republican far right wing seem to say it is their fault. They're saying 'take responsibility for yourselves' and 'pull your selves up by your own bootstraps' or 'let them eat cake!' Oh yeah, the bakeries were destroyed too. The many business, the millions of people should not have to live to see their Representation toss them to the curb...Oh, wait, that got washed away too!! It's un american, it's a disgrace!!
Your Party already spend all the money, where are you going to get this money? Taxing the Rich again?
IF such is necessary then yes. I mean what will they do with all their money anyhow--destroy more land for personal playgrounds or hide it overseas to avoid paying adequate taxes---just like Mitt does!
sillyshrinks--you DO know that the rock 'stars' who held the big concert to benefit the victims of Sandy are ALOT of them as wealthy as Mitt Romney? And while it was very nice of them to do the benefit, you DO know that that benefitted THEIR careers?
And that Mitt Romney gives HUGE $$$ s to charity?
And that 3/5 of the WEALTHIEST members of congress are DEMS? Who ALSO have destroyed land for personal playgrounds, and many of whom ALSO have their money in blind trusts that invest in overseas companies?
Hate the rich all you want, but try to remember that just as many of the rich are DEMS as repubs.
Rosie--nope, this disaster was NOT the victim's fault.
It is ALSO NOT the gambler's fault if he goes into a casino and loses a lot of money. That's the breaks, some win and some lose.
It IS, however, the gambler's fault if he BET more than he could afford to lose.
And EVERY person who lives in a sea coast, especially near sea level, KNOWS that is a 'gamble', and they SHOULD either carry enough insurance on their own, or be prepared to LOSE their bet. (or move away if neither is palatable.)
I disapprove of gambling in general, but if a big loser tried to go to court to recoup his losses because he couldn't afford to lose that, I'm afraid I'd have to vote no.
Some years ago, my house caught fire and burned. I lost a TON of stuff, much of it irreplacable, family antiques, photos, mementos, etc.
I did NOT, however, lose the value of the home. My insurance paid off the remainder of my loan, and a nice little chunk that enabled me to move on, and replace the essentials. It has taken me years to build back up, but I never expected someone ELSE to help me foot the bill.
And PS--I am NOT wealthy (less than $50K in income) but I ALWAYS was responsible enough to carry enough insurance.
Too many people just GAMBLE that if something bad happens, someone ELSE will pick up the slack, so they don't carry ANY insurance the Government doesn't require them to. (like flood insurance).
And that is NOT my problem.
That's how it should work when you have politicians in Washington actually doing their jobs . . . but with this lying, disgusting, non-caring, self-serving teabooblican crowd, they'll sell you and me down the river before they'll part with a dime . . . we really need to sack all their collective asses come 2014, and we will . . . I wouldn't trust these baffoons working a cash register at McDonald's.
My sister, a Democrat in NYC, said she didn't care about the flooded people on Staten Island because they are Republicans. One of my neighbors here in VA goes up to Breezey Point every week with a car full of cleaning supplies because he says Home Depots and Loews in NY are sold out. My church has not had a collection for Sandy victims yet, although we collected for everyone else: Katrina, tsunami, Haiti, etc.
Thank you Tom for mentioning the pork filled relief fund that had nothing to do with Storm Sandy relief.
Schummer skirted around the issue.
Charles Shcumer is no a snake oil salesmen, forever proud of the bailouts and banksters.
Did I hear that congress voted itself a raise?