Irene Tea Party Politics? Really?

[DMC]

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.d ... F109010338

Hayworth seeking to withhold disaster money unless it is offset by budget cuts
By Adam Bosch
Times Herald-Record
Published: 2:00 AM - 09/01/11


Only days after a record-setting storm destroyed her district, Rep. Nan Hayworth and her House colleagues threatened to withhold disaster money if lawmakers don't cut additional spending from the federal budget.

"We're facing a natural disaster in the middle of an economic disaster," Hayworth said Wednesday. "Certainly, the challenges we face with the national budget have not changed."

Hayworth, R-Mount Kisco, said she would only vote to replenish the federal disaster fund if new spending was offset by budget cuts. She said those cuts should come from "non-defense discretionary spending." Hayworth likened her position to a family skipping vacation if it was overwhelmed by bills.

"We have to control spending," she said. "There's no question about it."

The Republicans' demand for additional budget cuts comes as the Federal Emergency Management Agency is set to run out of assistance money that is used to repair roads and bridges, provide temporary housing and give other kinds of help to communities hit by natural disasters. The agency has $800 million left in that fund.

That sum will not be enough to cover damage inflicted by Hurricane Irene. In New York alone, Gov. Andrew Cuomo expects an economic loss of more than $1 billion. Damage to the entire East Coast is expected to total more than $7 billion.

Hayworth's stance was met with sharp criticism from those inside and outside her party.

U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-Hurley, said he favors an emergency spending bill to shore up FEMA's coffers.

"We cannot afford to play political games with this emergency," Hinchey said.

Local officials worried a prolonged argument about how to fund FEMA could stall money to help them pay for crumbled roads and broken bridges.

New Windsor Supervisor George Green, a conservative Republican, warned he'll need federal help to repair a road that was completely wiped out in the Butterhill subdivision. Hayworth toured damage in New Windsor earlier this week, and Green said his congresswoman better not let the town's devastation become the rope in a political tug of war.

"People have to come first," Green said. "Don't tell me that you have to take money from another part of the budget to balance out FEMA money when you're talking about people who've lost sewer and water, and people who've lost their goddamn houses."

Ulster County Executive Mike Hein, a Democrat, called the budget demands "mind-boggling." His county already is eligible for federal assistance because President Barack Obama declared it a major disaster area. Orange and Sullivan counties are not part of the disaster declaration, but they could be added after federal authorities tour their damaged areas.

"This is no time for anyone to play partisan politics with people's lives," Hein said Wednesday. "The American people were infuriated by the nonsense they saw in Washington over the debt ceiling, but we're now talking about life and death issues."

Hayworth expects Congress to debate the aid when its members return to work next week. She also assured she understands the ramifications of a long standoff over disaster aid.

"Their concern is rationally founded given that it's very difficult to cut budgets," she said. "I imagine we'll be able to get together and figure this out expeditiously."

[JerseyGuy]

Demented ideologues don't stop being demented ideologues after a natural disaster.

[rubigirl]

I would not care if they withheld it so long as they promised to stop stealing it in the first place and gave us all back the rest of the money they have stolen from us since 1913.

[Bubba]

I would not care if they withheld it so long as they promised to stop stealing it in the first place and gave us all back the rest of the money they have stolen from us since 1913.

Hmmm....now there's rational thinking. Taxation is theft.

[JerseyGuy]

I would not care if they withheld it so long as they promised to stop stealing it in the first place and gave us all back the rest of the money they have stolen from us since 1913.

Hmmm....now there's rational thinking. Taxation is theft.

Oh God, here she goes again!

[rubigirl]

I would not care if they withheld it so long as they promised to stop stealing it in the first place and gave us all back the rest of the money they have stolen from us since 1913.

Hmmm....now there's rational thinking. Taxation is theft.

IMHO with respect to the income tax yes it is but perhaps "coercion" is a better word.

[Bubba]

I would not care if they withheld it so long as they promised to stop stealing it in the first place and gave us all back the rest of the money they have stolen from us since 1913.

Hmmm....now there's rational thinking. Taxation is theft.

IMHO with respect to the income tax yes it is but perhaps "coercion" is a better word.

Well let's see....if government doesn't tax, then it has to raise money by selling bonds. Bonds are debt. So you're in favor of the government going into debt? Interesting.....

[UVSHTSTRM]

I would not care if they withheld it so long as they promised to stop stealing it in the first place and gave us all back the rest of the money they have stolen from us since 1913.

Again as I said earlier in another post, you do realize that Vermont gets more then they give in most years? I think the most recent info that i could find says Vermont pays 3.0 billion and gets 3.8 billion or so in federal money. FYI I am not exactly what you would call a liberal (ask Jersey Guy). Pull your head out of your ass. While I hate government interference as much as the next guy/gal as most do (lib, dem, rep, conservative), in this case they have done a good job. You must realize that money doesn't pop out of the sky and most americans would not want people mailing in their bills sayin "take my word, this is what we spent on yadayada", they need to account for how and why things are spent. IF that is the way you want it expect lawsuits (for poor roads) and people bitching when sub standard permanent repairs are done. Finally, YOUR (and Vermonts) money that you think should be left alone would come up far short of what is needed in this case....especially with the 500 million or so that Vermont comes up with (in the most recent reporting) from other states. You should be thanking the feds and kissing some other states asses right now.

[rubigirl]

And I answered you in the other thread. If people did not pay income taxes they could use the extra money to buy better flood insurance. The government has no business using your tax dollars as an insurance plan. It also has no business paying for property damage due to storms in other countries with your tax dollars or borrowed money either for that matter. If I want to help I will send the money to the Red Cross. This notion that the government is the solution is so pathetic it really makes me wonder if some of you people have ever thought outside the box at all.

As for poor roads and law suits due to them Vermont has more class 4 roads than any other state and we love them just as they are thank you. In fact the class four roads are not costing us any money to repair because they are not maintained!!

[Bubba]

And I answered you in the other thread. If people did not pay income taxes they could use the extra money to buy better flood insurance. The government has no business using your tax dollars as an insurance plan. It also has no business paying for property damage due to storms in other countries with your tax dollars or borrowed money either for that matter. If I want to help I will send the money to the Red Cross. This notion that the government is the solution is so pathetic it really makes me wonder if some of you people have ever thought outside the box at all.

As for poor roads and law suits due to them Vermont has more class 4 roads than any other state and we love them just as they are thank you. In fact the class four roads are not costing us any money to repair because they are not maintained!!

Whether or not you agree with how the government spends money, we still need a government and the government needs some level of funding. At a minimum, we have to fund a military. How do you propose that the government raise money if taxation is theft?

[rubigirl]

Taxation is not theft if they impose a national sales tax as then you and I have a choice since we do not have to buy anything but it is theft is they take it out of my paycheck by force.

[Cityskier]

Where'd I put that 10 foot pole?

[rubigirl]

Think about it. They currently tax the investments of the elderly (who would be better off with national sale tax because they make fewer purchases) thereby cutting into their savings which ironicaly has the net effect of making them more likely to be dependent on the state for something (but of course the money they need from the state is the money the government took from them in the first place). This "investment income" as they like to call it can even result from the government debasing the currency and yet they still tax you one it!! This is pure madness and it needs to stop.

[thorski]

Irene must have been good for the economy, i haven't seen people spending this much money in stores, restaurants, and bars for some time.

[JerseyGuy]

If people did not pay income taxes they could use the extra money to buy better flood insurance.

Except for those areas of the country where you can't GET flood insurance. But don't let mere facts stop you. Continue:

The government has no business using your tax dollars as an insurance plan. It also has no business paying for property damage due to storms in other countries with your tax dollars or borrowed money either for that matter.

I want to make sure I'm reading this right: you're bitching about foreign aid now, right? Well, sure. I f you don't think those "fools" from Washington should be in Vermont helping Vermonters, I can see why you wouldn't think America should help any OTHER country, right?

If I want to help I will send the money to the Red Cross. This notion that the government is the solution is so pathetic it really makes me wonder if some of you people have ever thought outside the box at all.

Excellent. all we have to do is rely on Rubigirls of the world and whether or not they "want" to help anyone else in a time of crisis. We're saved!

No, wait -- scratch that. I meant to say "we're screwed!"

As for poor roads and law suits due to them Vermont has more class 4 roads than any other state and we love them just as they are thank you. In fact the class four roads are not costing us any money to repair because they are not maintained!!

Given the condition of many of those roads right now, maybe it's safe to say that the only goddamn person you're speaking for is yourself, yes?