Tag: relief

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House Republicans Begged For Aid For Their Counties, But Refused Aid To Victims Of Sandy

It’s mind-boggling that some Congressional Republicans would beg and plead with the Obama administration for emergency relief for their districts when those districts were hit with a natural disaster like a hurricane or flooding. But when they had an opportunity to help Americans in other parts of the country, like those affected by Hurricane Sandy, these same Republicans voted ‘no’ to providing this help.

In a recent vote held in the United States House of Representatives, 67 Republicans voted against helping the victims of Hurricane Sandy. But some of these same members requested funds from the government when the people they represent needed help.

Members like Missouri Republican Sam Graves who—just two years ago—begged President Obama for an emergency declaration freeing up big time federal bucks to aid the people in his home district in their hour of need following a severe natural disaster.

And what do you imagine the money was for?

Would you believe it was for damages Graves’ constituents suffered from flooding-the very same problem in New York and New Jersey that today’s House vote was addressing?

Here is what Congressman Graves had to say when it was his neighbors who were under water:

“I urge the President to approve this assistance without delay. Many communities along the river have been stretched to the limit preparing for and fighting this unprecedented flood.”

Yes…he really said that.

And yet, today, the Congressman voted to deny similar aid to the victims of Sandy.

In 2009, Georgia Republican Paul Broun applauded the larges sums of FEMA money being spent in his Congressional district when parts of Stephens County suffered serious damage as a result of…wait for it…flooding.

Today, Congressman Broun cast a no vote on a bill created to help out those suffering from flooding in New York and New Jersey.

And then there is Republican Congressman Mo Brooks of Alabama who, in 2011, held town meetings back home to help educate constituents victimized by a devastating tornado as to how to go about getting federal assistance money that his constituents would not have to pay back. 

Here is the statement the distinguished gentleman from Alabama issued at that time as a part of his effort to bring people into his town meetings:

“I urge tornado victims to attend these meetings to better understand their federal assistance rights.  Some of it is in the form of loans, SBA long term low interest loans but there are also direct grants that you do not have to repay if you qualify, unemployment compensation, rents as you try to find a new place to live.“

Today, Congressman Brooks voted against providing the funding to pay the rightful claims to those who suffered in Sandy.

Categories
executive order Politics White House

President Obama Offers Student Loan Relief

Republicans wont act to do what’s necessary to help Americans, so today, President Obama will use his executive authority to do just that – help students. The White House said the President will announce his plan today, a plan that will bring relief to students in two specific ways:

First, he will accelerate a measure passed by Congress that reduces the maximum
repayment on student loans from 15 percent of discretionary income annually to
10 percent. The White House wants it to go into effect in 2012, instead of 2014.
In addition, the White House says the remaining debt would be forgiven after 20
years, instead of 25. About 1.6 million borrowers could be
affected.

Second, he will allow borrowers who have a loan from the
Federal Family Education Loan Program and a direct loan from the government to
consolidate them into one loan. The consolidated loan would carry an interest
rate of up to a half percentage point less than before. This could affect 5.8
million more borrowers.

Read more here 

Categories
Politics

To Be Clear, Eric Cantor Is A Flip-Flopper

In 2004, in the midst of hurricane season, another Republican Congressman from Texas, Rep. Jeb Hensarling, introduced an amendment designed to offset emergency disaster relief with spending cuts. Eric Cantor, the Republican House Majority Leader, emphatically voted against the amendment. As fate would have it, that very year, Mr. Cantor’s district of Richmond Va. was the victim of a tropical storm Gaston.

But that was 2004, and although Cantor found it necessary to kill that amendment then, he is now calling for spending cuts to offset the victims of hurricane Irene. Why the flip-flop? Cantor’s spokesperson Brad Dayspring explains;

“[T]he national debt at the time was under $8 trillion and was $8.67 trillion when Nancy Pelosi became Speaker, Today the debt stands at $14.625, meaning that while Democrats controlled the purse string, the national debt literally exploded. We are living in different times. Majority Leader Cantor, Whip [Kevin] McCarthy and Chairman [Paul] Ryan wrote an entire book last year about how the previous Republican majority lost its way, particularly on spending issues. That was one of the major reasons the Republican majority became the Republican minority from 2006-2010. House Republicans then ran, and won, an election pledging to be responsible stewards of federal tax dollars.

People and families affected by these disasters will certainly get what they need from their federal government. The goal should always be to find ways to pay for what is needed or to find offsets whenever possible, that is the responsible thing to do. Is the suggestion that Congress should completely ignore the $14 trillion debt and make no effort to try to pay for things? That seems quite extreme. People also expect their government to spend their dollars wisely, and to make efforts to prioritize and save when possible. They aren’t and shouldn’t be considered mutually exclusive concepts.”

In 2004, an $8 trillion debt was unheard of. If Cantor was so concerned about spending and the debt then, it would seem the obvious thing to do would be to vote for Jeb Hensarling’s amendment and try to bring the debt under control. Hurricanes and other natural disasters were the same then, people affected by these events felt the same need for help then as they do now and the moral thing to do, as it was then, would be for the government to help its citizens. So this argument Cantor’s spokesperson is making is filled with holes.

The only difference now is the political party in control, and the Republican’s colossal effort to make this administration a total failure.

While the people of the hurricane affected states suffer, Cantor and the Republicans are satisfied with playing politics. As usual!

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