The Political Junkie offers an outside-looking- in view of the US. Each day, we will highlight news and opinion pieces from around the world that are focused on US politics and policy. Agree or disagree with the opinions you will read but take a few minutes to see yourselves as others see you.
The Republican congressmen who use New York as a campaign ATM, but turn
a blind eye to suffering here must be held accountable, writes John
Avlon.
Slap a scarlet “S” on these callous conservatives. Sixty-seven members of Congress–all Republicans—voted against even $9 billion of Hurricane Sandy relief yesterday.
Remember their names, and hold them accountable.
A laborer empties debris from a home damaged by Superstorm Sandy on
January 4, 2013 in the Midland Beach area of the Staten Island borough
of New York City. More than two months after the storm, Congress passed
legislation that will provide $9.7 billion to cover insurance claims
filed by people whose homes were damaged or destroyed by Sandy. (John
Moore/Getty)
Twelve
of the scarlet 67 voted for Hurricane Katrina relief—which passed ten
days after that devastating Gulf Coast storm—but against Hurricane Sandy
relief 69 days after its landfall in the Northeast. Their names: Trent
Franks (AZ), Ed Royce (CA), Sam Graves (MO), Steve Pearce (NM), Steve
Chabot (OH), Jimmy Duncan (TN), Kenny Marchant (TX), Randy Neugebauer
(TX), Mac Thornberry (TX), Bob Goodlatte (VA), Tom Petri (WI), and Paul
Ryan (WI).
These
congressmen are content to use New York City and the tri-state area as
an ATM when they are looking for campaign funds, yet they willfully turn
a blind eye when hundreds of thousands of homes and small businesses
are damaged or destroyed and more than 100 Americans are dead.
Note
the name of last year’s vice presidential nominee and potential 2016
presidential candidate Paul Ryan on this list. Donors would do well to
ask him about this vote. The Texas delegation likewise asked for federal
funds when hurricanes have devastated their state, yet are ignoring
suffering in the Northeast. But then conservatives often become liberal
when an issue affects them personally. Just two years ago, Missouri
Congressman Sam Graves begged President Obama for an emergency declaration to deal with flooding in his district—now he is afflicted with convenient amnesia.
