News:

Welcome to our site!

Main Menu

I call this Karma...

Started by WitchSabrina, August 15, 2013, 11:54:12 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

WitchSabrina

Arizona Republicans Who Rejected Sandy Relief Now Whining About Arizona Not Getting Disaster Aid



QuoteIn October 2012, Hurricane Sandy violently swept across New England, devastating New Jersey and New York. The superstorm caused over $60 billion in damage, destroyed thousands of homes, left millions without electrical power, and resulted in over 70 deaths, most of which occurred in the previously mentioned states. In the aftermath of the storm, Republicans almost immediately rejected disaster aid for those affected, including Senator John McCain, Senator Jeff Flake and Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona. GOP refusal to act delayed a relief funding bill for months until the Senate and the House finally passed a $50 billion package in January 2013, much to the chagrin of most Republicans.


 
McCain, Flake, and Gosar all voted against relief for the millions of Sandy victims. It's right there in the public record for all to see. Yet, in what is clearly an example of hypocrisy, these very Republicans are now whining about FEMA denying disaster relief to their own state.

In June, a wildfire in Yarnell, Arizona destroyed 134 homes and killed 19 firefighters, prompting state and national Republicans to call for the federal government to declare the area a disaster area and send federal aid. FEMA denied their request for aid last week, and every Arizona Republican from McCain to Flake to Gosar to Governor Jan Brewer is throwing a hissy fit about it.

FEMA denied Arizona's request because "the damage to uninsured private residences from this event was not beyond the response and recovery capabilities of the state/local governments, and voluntary agencies."

In short, FEMA bluntly told Arizona Republicans their state can take care of itself and that they should practice what they preach. For years, Republicans have been calling for people to take responsibility for their own lives, especially people in blue states because the GOP falsely accuses them of being lazy. But when disaster strikes their own states, Republicans are the first to beg for federal assistance, thus throwing their own mantra out the window.

ThinkProgress reports that McCain And Flake "issued a joint statement Monday, lamenting that it was "a shame that FEMA couldn't find it within their mission to help rebuild their homes and lives." A riled McCain added that in light of the 19 firefighter deaths and the 134 destroyed homes, "the damage that was done was very substantial and, I believe, qualified. So, we're going to do everything we can to urge the president to change his mind. Including, I will be making some phone calls.""

So in the narrow minds of these Arizona 'pick yourself off the ground and dust yourself off' Republicans, 134 destroyed homes and hundreds of people in their state deserve federal disaster aid but thousands of homes and millions of people in New Jersey and New York do not. The hypocrisy is simply flooring. In reality, Arizona is certainly financially capable of taking care of itself because the federal government already sends the state more money than it receives in taxes. For every tax dollar Arizona sends to Washington, it gets back $1.19 in return, according to the Tax Foundation. In contrast, New York And New Jersey have two of the lowest tax dollar to federal aid ratios in the nation. For every dollar New York and New Jersey sends to Washington in taxes, each receives 79 cents and 61 cents respectively. Simply put, that means Arizona is a parasitic welfare state and New York and New Jersey are donor states.

While Arizonans affected by the wildfire should receive our sympathy, they can't honestly expect the federal government to jump in and approve disaster aid asked for by the very Republicans who made an effort to deny aid to others, especially when their state is already rolling in federal cash and New York and New Jersey are not. Keep in mind that Republicans have also called for ending FEMA and have attempted to slash the agency's budget time and time again. Some would say that Republicans are finally getting a taste of their own medicine. If people in red states want disaster aid in the future, perhaps they should elect politicians who won't vote against coming to the aid of others when that aid is desperately needed. Better still, they could pay their fair share in taxes like blue states do or they should ask what their dear state Republican lawmakers are spending federal dollars on instead of a disaster aid fund for when their states need help. But that's assuming conservative voters would actually hold Republicans accountable for something instead of blaming Democrats as usual.

Arizona Republicans Who Rejected Sandy Relief Are Now Whining About Arizona Not Getting Disaster Aid



Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/08/15 ... z2c3O8LpFs


edit - fixed picture lol
I am currently experiencing life at several WTFs per hour.

Solitary

:rollin: This State is as corrupt as any state is, only Texas may have them beat for the worst politicians. Janus McCain is the worst two faced liar and crook on the planet along with his buddy Keating. All the politicians here have to dip their fingers in the honey pot accept the Latinos, one who is an atheists.  :shock:  It's as if Sara Palin ran the State and just supported big business and screw the working men and women, especially if they are gay or Latino.  :roll: Solitary
There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.

WitchSabrina

Just classic - amirite?   LOL
I am currently experiencing life at several WTFs per hour.

Solitary

I don't know if its Karma, but it is sure fitting that they can't dip into the honey pot. That sounds disgusting doesn't? You know what I meant.  #-o  I think this State is going to have a rude awakening when the Latinos get more involved in politics.  :-$  Solitary
There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.

stromboli

Yeah, the aid they are yelling for is for damage on a microscopic scale compared to Sandy. I mourn the dead firefighters, but otherwise no sympathy here.

Colanth

"Water is wet, Republicans are hypocrites"

Neither one is news, but I think the former is more of a shock than the latter.
Afflicting the comfortable for 70 years.
Science builds skyscrapers, faith flies planes into them.

AllPurposeAtheist

134 homes burned up because wha..? The states firefighting budget it at rock bottom? Well, certainly WE should all pay to fight fires where it almost never rains and where people CHOOSE to live. Nobody ever moves to a desert out of necessity for plenty of water, but what do I know?
All hail my new signature!

Admit it. You're secretly green with envy.

Solitary

Quote from: "AllPurposeAtheist"134 homes burned up because wha..? The states firefighting budget it at rock bottom? Well, certainly WE should all pay to fight fires where it almost never rains and where people CHOOSE to live. Nobody ever moves to a desert out of necessity for plenty of water, but what do I know?


It's only bad after 40 days and 40 nights! And we have all Jesus's love here in Arizona.

This is our State motto:     :shock:   :roll: Solitary
There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.

stromboli

The same sympathy I have for people who build log homes in the middle of pine forests prone to wildfire, and then don't buy insurance because the premiums are too high. Hmmm....wonder why?

SGOS

Even with getting more money from the fed than it pays in taxes, Arizona would have still qualified for relief if the disaster had done significant damage.  I'm sorry for the 134 families that lost their homes, it's inconvenient to rebuild even if you have insurance.  The bottom line is that Arizona doesn't qualify for funds because it doesn't need any funds to fix this.  But McCain and his buddies think Arizona is entitled, while NY is not.

Yeah, when Republicans get so blatantly hypocritical, it's always good for a chuckle, but the bottom line is that it's not about payback and or even karma.  You just don't get federal aid for whining about a toe stub.

The Whit

134 homes is a tragedy, but not of sufficient size to justify federal aid.  Arizona should be able to handle this shit on its own.
"Death can not be killed." -brq

Jason78

Have they tried praying to the baby jesus yet?

 :twisted:
Winner of WitchSabrinas Best Advice Award 2012


We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real
tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. -Plato

Colanth

No, they pray to Baby Boehner.  That actually has a chance (I was going to say "prayer") of working.
Afflicting the comfortable for 70 years.
Science builds skyscrapers, faith flies planes into them.