How badly does the Republican Party want to keep the economy down for the count? Republicans are worried the Hurricane Irene will necessitate a recovery effort by the Federal Government that will stimulate the economy. To try and insure that any recovery effort will not have a net stimulative effect Eric Cantor has jettisoned the American tradition of the country coming together to provide aid and help in recovering from a disaster to a region without selfish considerations about what its costing us. Republicans are ready to abandon that American tradition of generosity for the victims of disasters, just to insure the Federal Government doesn't boost its net spending stimulating the economy before the 2012 election.
With major hurricane looming, is federal aid in doubt?
A storm that big, hitting a handful of the nation’s densest urban areas almost simultaneously in a region not conditioned to hurricanes, has the potential to be a major disaster, requiring a full-out response by local, state and federal officials.
Or, maybe not.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, for example, has consistently argued that any appropriation for emergency relief must be offset by spending cuts elsewhere in the budget. With a major hurricane headed Virginia’s way, his office confirms has already announced that remains his position. And as we all already know, raising taxes to make the spending revenue-neutral won’t be an option either.
That approach is consistent with what Mitt Romney said back in June, in a GOP debate held shortly after tornadoes had destroyed much of Joplin, Missouri.
In a response to a question from John King, Romney said he would oppose federal disaster aid that would increase the deficit, proposing instead to leave that duty to the states. Given the chance by King to back off that position regarding relief operations in a major natural disaster, Romney refused, reiterating that we simply can’t afford it:
We cannot — we cannot afford to do those things without jeopardizing the future for our kids. It is simply immoral, in my view, for us to continue to rack up larger and larger debts and pass them on to our kids, knowing full well that we’ll all be dead and gone before it’s paid off. It makes no sense at all.”
Mitt Romney thinks federal borrowing to help Americans recover from a natural disaster "is simply immoral". Romney's aversion of borrowing is stronger than his impulse to help Americans stricken by a disaster.
Under Perry's and some other Republicans' interpretation of the Tenth Amendment Federal Disaster Aid would probably be unconstitutional.
Hurricane Irene, Eric Cantor, and the Hostage-Taking Politics of Disaster Relief
It would be like if a dying man desperately needed a blood transfusion but you refused to give him any unless he gave you his house and car. (Which is actually how health care works in the U.S., but let's not go there.)
This was Cantor's response to the earthquake that caused significant damage along the east coast, including in Virginia, it's his response to Irene, and it's his response to disaster relief generally. No money unless money is cut elsewhere. In other words: Give us what we want, or else. And you can be sure he won't agree to cuts to military spending. He just wants to cut programs he's ideologically opposed to -- relatively insignificant funding for, say, public broadcasting, or more significant funding for the poor and those who otherwise are vulnerable and need government help, like Social Security and Medicare.
Consider the message he's sending to the people along the east coast, in Irene's path. We'll help you but only if we can also weaken programs that help you. You get some disaster relief, but, otherwise, screw you. That's what this comes down to. (Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, a Republican, has preemptively declared a state of emergency. Cantor apparently doesn't care.)
Instead of a time for Americans to come together to help those threatened by a calamity, Republicans see Hurricane Irene as another opportunity for hostage taking.
This is the most cynical act by a major political party in American History IMHO.