You think my title is a lie? Explain this story then:
A package of disaster relief funding worth $7 billion was blocked from coming up for a vote by Senate Republicans on Monday, drawing sharp condemnation from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) who lambasted the conservative party for abandoning Americans in need.
“Last night, Democrats tried to move forward on a measure that would have granted the Federal Emergency Management Agency additional funding to help communities devastated by natural disasters,” Sen. Reid said in an advisory.
“This ought to be the least political issue going – whether to reach out a helping hand to our friends and neighbors in their time of need,” he continued. “They have lost friends and loved ones. Their homes, businesses and livelihoods have been destroyed by acts of god. Their communities are under water or reduced to rubble.
“It’s in our power to help them. But last night Republicans overwhelmingly voted to prevent us from coming to their aid. They prevented us from getting disaster aid to American families and businesses that need it now.”
The vote was 53-33, with Republicans uniting against measure that would have brought the aid package to a vote and put a rush on some emergency funds. A 60-vote majority was required to pass it.
“They don’t need help next week or next month,” Reid railed. “They need it now. They need it today.”
I’d love to hear an explanation for why Republicans refuse to aid the victims of natural disasters. Because you know what? They have no good reason to do this except to make President Obama look bad. I can’t recall the Democrats ever refusing to vote for disaster relief requested by a Republican president, can you? Not even George W. Bush. This is simply a cruel, nasty raw political power play by people who are wicked. Sorry, but that’s how I see it.
Update [2011-9-14 7:52:24 by Steven D]: Well, I guess Republican Senators in states effected by the recent floods and hurricanes changed their mind and abandoned their party to pass a bill in the Senate to provide the necessary relief funds last night. Guess they heard from their constituents. My only question is why they voted the way they did the first time? They knew the people in their states were in desperate straits. As for the rest of the bastards who continued to vote against disaster relief they can all go to that special place in Hell Dante reserved fro corrupt and greedy officials.
Ps. This still has to pass the House, where Republicans are trying to push through a smaller disaster relief bill. Question for all you Republican voters suffering through tornadoes, extreme storms, droughts, wildfires and floods in your states this year? Do you really want to play politics with disaster relief that also benefits you and your neighbors. “Acts of God” are not limited to “liberal” parts of the country if you hadn’t noticed.
