What Trump and Vance Want From Hurricane Helene

The New York Times ^ | Oct. 8, 2024 | Jamelle Bouie, Opinion Columnist

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Donald Trump and JD Vance are lying about the federal government’s response to Hurricane Helene.

“Kamala spent all her FEMA money, billions of dollars, on housing for illegal migrants,” Trump said at a rally in Michigan last week, telling his audience that the agency responsible for disaster response had abandoned victims of the hurricane.

“They promised $750 to American citizens who have lost everything,” Vance said at a rally in Butler, Pa., over the weekend, suggesting that the government had given only a pittance to those affected by the hurricane. In truth, the $750 was an upfront payment to help cover the cost of food, water, medicine and other emergency supplies. Victims are still eligible for additional payments totaling thousands of dollars to repair damage to their homes and other personal property.

It would be easy to dismiss these lies as mere MAGA theater, but they are far more destructive than that.

First and foremost, the lying degrades the ability of the federal government to respond to the disaster. Clear lines of communication are paramount during a crisis like the one facing western North Carolina. When Trump and Vance lie about the extent of the federal response, they disrupt the flow of information with noise and interference. What’s more, to the extent that ordinary Americans take Trump and his running mate at their word, their lies may keep actual victims of the hurricane from claiming the benefits they’re entitled to. Compare this performance with that of Chris Christie, the Republican governor of New Jersey in 2012, who worked with President Barack Obama to deliver as much assistance as possible to people affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Christie, it should be said, is all but estranged from the Republican Party these days.

[metmom]

They don’t want anything from the hurricane.

What they want is action from FEMA in actually doing what it was meant to do and that is disaster relief and actually HELPE people.

[Harpotoo]

Yes;-)

[Steve_Seattle]

“Kamala spent all her FEMA money, billions of dollars, on housing for illegal migrants.”

The media fact-checkers will call this another Trump "lie," but Trump is speaking colloquially, not literally, just as when - speaking about a drunkard - we might say, "He spends all of his money on booze." That is not intended as a literal statement, because a drunkard will also spend money on food and other necessities, but just to indicate misplaced priorities. We all know - based on numerous media reports in recent years, the the federal, state, and local governments have indeed spent billions on illegals.

[NavyShoe]

Bottom line: Every failing of the federal government is Trump’s fault.

[Steve_Seattle]

"First and foremost, the lying degrades the ability of the federal government to respond to the disaster."

That is absolute BS. Hiow can a Trump speech "degrade" the ability of the federal government to act? And if that false claim is "first and foremost," everything that follows is also COMPLETE BS.