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EastieTrekker 
Group: Members
Posts: 1467
Joined: Mar. 2012
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Posted on: Jan. 02 2013, 1:05 pm |
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So, I didn't see this discussed anywhere else, and was interested to hear some opinions on the topic.
I don't have a ton details, but the gist of it is that the Senate had passed $60.4B Sandy Relief bill (which I think was about 50% for short term needs and 50% for longer term relief efforts), and it was on the House to move it forward.
Apparently, Boehner had told interested members of his party (mostly from NJ and NY) that a vote would be held after the "fiscall cliff" issue was resolved, but after that vote Boehner was nowhere to be found. Then, there are quotes saying Boehner said that this bill would be high priority for the new Congress and that they would get it passed in the next 30 days.
I mean is this political suicide or what? Why on earth would they put this vote off? Did we learn nothing from Katrina? But maybe I'm missing something here...perhaps there were some "extras" in the bill? I don't know what's worse, holding the country hostage over taxing the top 0.6% (individuals over $400k and households over $450K) or not serving our most helpless and in need brothers and sisters...
Either way I find it despicable...Personally I think they all knew where they were ultimately going to shake out on this "fiscal cliff" vote all along, so I see no reason (with my limited information) for putting off the relief vote.
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I request all the possible consumer protection organizations, and fight with their injustice. 
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39513
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Jan. 02 2013, 1:11 pm |
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There were what could be judged as "extras" at the least (those "longer term" items): as to what's worse there's also the conundrum of exploiting a tragedy to get some goodies for the home state.... are long term infrastructure investments appropriate in an "emergency" bill? That's where the differences lay from my impressions of it.
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EastieTrekker
Group: Members
Posts: 1467
Joined: Mar. 2012
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Posted on: Jan. 02 2013, 1:19 pm |
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Yeah, I can see that being a problem. Though in some ways you could justify investments in infrastructure as a way to forgo damage if a similar disaster struck in the future, but I could understand some hesitation from the house to jam this thing through before the new Congress.
I also just read, that FEMA still has plenty of funds and is out there working with victims (don't know the validity of that statement, can anyone from NY and NJ weigh in?).
At the end of the day, our legislative process is so exhausting. And I suppose that's why we have FEMA, because our political leaders freeze anytime there's something important to act on...
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I request all the possible consumer protection organizations, and fight with their injustice.
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KenV
Group: Members
Posts: 5544
Joined: Mar. 2002
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Posted on: Jan. 02 2013, 1:23 pm |
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Hmmm. Hurricane Sandy hit its peak on Oct 25 and most of the damage was done by Oct 30. If there is anything "despicable" about all this it's that its taken more than two months just to get the legislation this far. But that's how Congress works. They're slow. Which almost always is good, and why we have FEMA and other agencies who already have funds and other resources to provide relief.
Secondly, authorizing funds and releasing those funds are two different things. Plus, even after the funds are released, actually spending the funds can take quite awhile. For example, not all the "stimulus" funds allocated, authorized, and released were actually spent even two years later.
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EastieTrekker
Group: Members
Posts: 1467
Joined: Mar. 2012
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Posted on: Jan. 02 2013, 1:38 pm |
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(KenV @ Jan. 02 2013, 1:23 pm)
QUOTE Hmmm. Hurricane Sandy hit its peak on Oct 25 and most of the damage was done by Oct 30. If there is anything "despicable" about all this it's that its taken more than two months just to get the legislation this far. But that's how Congress works. They're slow. Which almost always is good, and why we have FEMA and other agencies who already have funds and other resources to provide relief.
Secondly, authorizing funds and releasing those funds are two different things. Plus, even after the funds are released, actually spending the funds can take quite awhile. For example, not all the "stimulus" funds allocated, authorized, and released were actually spent even two years later.
No doubt about the speed of Congress and the point of FEMA, and to be sure, I'm not pitching this as a Republican problem, more of a Boehner problem, for promising members of his party a vote, and then pushing it to the next Congress.
And I understand the difference between the authorization and corresponding release of funds, which is why I think a vote for monetary relief from a natural disaster on our own land should not be delayed any more than it has to be. This vote should have taken place a while ago...JMO
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I request all the possible consumer protection organizations, and fight with their injustice.
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39513
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Jan. 02 2013, 4:08 pm |
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(KenV @ Jan. 02 2013, 1:05 pm)
QUOTE
(EastieTrekker @ Jan. 02 2013, 1:38 pm)
QUOTE No doubt about the speed of Congress and the point of FEMA, and to be sure, I'm not pitching this as a Republican problem, more of a Boehner problem, for promising members of his party a vote, and then pushing it to the next Congress.
And I understand the difference between the authorization and corresponding release of funds, which is why I think a vote for monetary relief from a natural disaster on our own land should not be delayed any more than it has to be. This vote should have taken place a while ago...JMO And one I largely agree with. The biggest problem with "rush" and "emergency" bills is that politicians take advantage of the "rush" and the "emergency" to slip in all sorts of pork. Both sides are guilty of this. Compassion is seldom if ever real. It is just a word used for political advantage.
The term, IIRC, is "Christmas Tree Bill": one with a lot of room under it's branches for gifts to be tucked....
Though, to be fair, so much of our political system is prompted less by rational and logical argument than reaction to an eye-catching event that finally highlights the significance that the dry information had not. So there's possibly a well meaning decision to take the steps that are known to be prudent to go beyond the status quo that was shown to be vulnerable with a recent catastrophic and possibly tragic failure. The New Orleans levies come to mind. Warned about for years as inadequate, so the question arose: fix them back to their inadequate former state or fix them for the future? Say a flood takes out a decrepit 99 year old bridge: replace it with another decrepit bridge to "fix" just the flood damage? Now there'd be a waste of money I'd say.
Haven't looked at the Sandy proposal so I can't judge what's proposed.
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39513
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Jan. 02 2013, 9:31 pm |
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Gov. Christie seems quite miffed.
http://www.politico.com/story....87.html
If there were questionable items attached to the bill why not have the adult discussion? Ducking the calls of a state's governor seems petty.
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| Post Number: 10
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wwwest
Group: Members
Posts: 4056
Joined: Dec. 2002
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Posted on: Jan. 02 2013, 9:54 pm |
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I heard there was a broadcast request that all donations to the Republican Party in New Jersey and New York be withheld until the funds are approved!!
Right wing cannibalism is a great spectator sport!! LOL
Should be some positive action before long now.
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39513
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Jan. 03 2013, 12:17 am |
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From a distance I've never understood New Jersey's rather constant fiscal issues: the state with the third highest median household income in America and the second highest per capita annual income? Just odd.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki...._income
But yeah if the bond ratings are tanked then there's no where to go for long term capital infrastructure repairs costs...
ETA: Boehners not had the best of weeks...:
Amid backlash, Boehner schedules Sandy vote
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| Post Number: 13
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Survival Skills 101 • Eat Better
