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Posted on 05/04/2011 5:32:13 PM PDT by Kaslin
Politics: The month-long cold shoulder that the White House gave Texas' plea for a disaster declaration was bad enough. Now the wildfire-scorched state has been turned down flat. Don't think this isn't about punishment.
Through no fault of its own, Texas has now lost 2.3 million acres of land to a freak weather combination that has ignited 9,000 wildfires across the state well ahead of summer. At least two people have been killed, 400 homes incinerated, 1,200 miles of agricultural fencing destroyed and nearly 1,000 horses, cattle and sheep left to perish since November.
We would think at least some of its 200 counties would be in line for a routine federal disaster declaration to grant firefighting aid and access to low-interest loans that will help with the rebuilding.
That's what neighboring Oklahoma, with a similar fire situation got, and it's certainly what tornado-ravaged Alabama and other states in the region were deservingly given. Even California's coast, caught in the wake of Japan's March tsunami, got a swift disaster declaration to repair its yacht harbors.
But now we're supposed to believe the Federal Emergency Management Agency when it says Texas doesn't need this particular declaration, that it already has gotten "enough" from feds who dragged the process out for more than a month before making any response.
Coming from a president who once complained to an interviewer about his perception that the state hasn't shown him sufficient gratitude, this isn't surprising.
But statesmanship it is not. Until now, disaster aid has been the least-politicized of any government spending. The U.S. has shown generosity even to its worst enemies — Iran, North Korea and Cuba among them — at times of sudden need.
(Excerpt) Read more at investors.com ...
Gee. What a surprise.....
Word is that this President is a vindictive man. Sorry texans... don’t even expect prayers from this “Man of the People”.
I’m shocked, shocked, that this Administration might be the most politically calculating and corrupt of all time . . . .
As a matter of policy, I don’t think the federal government should have a role or pay for natural disasters in any state; except for damage to federal property.
As for flood insurance, it should be privatized and if a piece of property is damaged by future flooding, the current program should pay to replace a totaled building once and then the owner can decide to either risk rebuilding or build in a non-flood proned area.
Taxpayers should not subsidize people’s choice of residence.
Amazing; but not surprising. Has any request for federal disaster funds EVER been turned down by a president before — EVER?????
‘Houston, We've Had a Problem’: No Space Shuttle for Museum in Astronauts’ Home Town
Don’t mess with Texas, BO. Texans may decide the east coast doesn’t need our oil and natural gas this winter. We could get more for it on the commodities market than the cheap contracts our pipeline companies signed several years ago. Two can play this game.
This kind of heavy-handed pettiness by a national government against a region is how civil wars start.
No, I’m not calling for one, but combine this with what obastard’s EPA is trying to do to our (Texas’) economy, and people (outside of the urban cesspools and Austin) are getting a mite but cranky...
Bit not but...
A lot of angry Texans should show up at Lloyd Doggett’s office.
bkmk
He is an arrogant pos
Yeah, and I heard they are quite upset about it. Who can blame them
Amazing; but not surprising. Has any request for federal disaster funds EVER been turned down by a president before — EVER?????
Actually yes, many times.
A lot of angry Texans should remember this next November.
Can't argue with that part about taxpayer help. My little home town in Missouri, with its 150 year history of never having a flood, is now flooded. Not in a flood plain either. Bad things sometime happen no matter where you choose to live.
Can you cite examples of requests for declaration of a disaster being rejected by a president? Such declarations happen so frequently, for many types of natural disasters.
Such declarations have happened for California wildfires, so it’s not a case of wildfires not qualifying as a federally defined natural disaster.
Get the feds grubby hands out of my pocket and then we’ll talk about states not recieving federal disaster aid...but until then...THAT’S OUR MONEY OBAMA IS REFUSING TO HAND OUT!NOT HIS! HE acts like Chavez!
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