There are lots of big tough words coming out of our friends in the Tea Party these days, especially when it comes to the permissible functions of the Federal Government.
"If it's not specifically enumerated in the Constitution," they say, "It must be a function of the States-and the 10th Amendment says so!"
None are tougher in their language than those living in the States located below the old Mason-Dixon line-and by an amazing coincidence, just this weekend pretty much all of those States got a bit of a "gut check" in the form of dozens of tornados that slammed into the area.
So we're going to put the Tea Party philosophy to the test today, and see just what exactly the Federal Government should-and should not-be doing to fulfill the Tea Party vision and to help those folks who were hit by this particular natural disaster.
"Sen. Vitter is using every means of communication available to explain his reasons for holding the FEMA nominee to Louisianans - namely the more than 70 days it has taken FEMA to make a policy decision that affects people recovering from storms that hit almost four years ago. If anyone is politicizing this, it is the [Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee] and the administration."
Let's see the tape ...
Fall 2005: Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit Louisiana.
Fall 2005 - Winter 2009: Bush Administration delays, delays and delays ...
Circa March 2009: Vitter (FINALLY) asks FEMA questions re: rebuilding
03/04/2009: Obama nominates former Florida Governor Jeb Bush's emergency management director to head up FEMA.
05/07/2009: Sinning Senator Vitter sends out a fundraising ask highlighting the hold on Fugate. Here's the text of the fundraising ask:
Yesterday, the Obama administration attempted to strong arm me to force a quick vote on the president's FEMA nominee. A coordinated effort then began when the National Democrat Senatorial Committee attacked me for not allowing Obama's FEMA nominee to glide through the confirmation process.
After being hit with four major hurricanes in the last 4 years, I can assure you that this isn't about politics. It's about FEMA inaction, about which we in Louisiana know all too well. I asked the Obama administration vital questions about our state's recovery over 70 days ago, yet FEMA's inefficient and ineffective bureaucracy remains.
Hmmm ... perhaps putting someone in charge of FEMA would help move matters along, no? Since there is no one in charge, no one is able to make a final decision on your question. And it's YOUR hold that is keeping Mr. Fugate from taking over FEMA, which means that you're responsible for the lack of answers.
I gave FEMA an F grade with a Republican president at the helm, and I'm not going to sit idly by without getting key answers from FEMA about rebuilding key emergency operations facilities, like fire stations, in our flood zones. This has nothing to do with Washington politics - it's about putting Louisiana and its citizens first.
You are putting Louisiana first? You won't sit idly by? That's why you're highlighting your obstructionism in a fundraising letter.
I have asked FEMA for a timeline on these important issues, because Louisiana's citizens have waited long enough - almost four years - for answers to move forward on rebuilding. The fact that Obama and FEMA are complaining about a short delay of this nomination brings their priorities into question.
Then why didn't you ask these questions of the the Bush Administration in the 3 years AFTER Hurricanes Katrina and Rita?
I'm eager to end this delay, but not before I have answers that will get Louisiana citizens direction on critical rebuilding projects. As this Congress moves forward, I will continue to provide oversight against the Obama administration when necessary to provide Louisiana the accountability and answers we deserve.
Nice to see that you only play politics with life and death issues when there's a political advantage - money for your re-election campaign - to be had. We could have used this oversight from 2006 to January 19, 2009. Thanks for all the oversight, Sinning Senator.
Sinning Senator Vitter, who resides in Metairie, and who supposedly witnessed what Louisiana went through in 2005, when not one, but two hurricanes wreaked their havoc on our beloved state, is apparently blocking President Obama's FEMA nominee:
"I have a hold on the FEMA nomination because I sent a list of hurricane recovery questions and projects to FEMA, many of which have not been adequately addressed," Vitter said in a statement. "I'm eager to get full responses and meet with the nominee immediately."
So ... Vitter's got some questions that he's awaiting answers. From FEMA. So his idiotic response is to put a hold on the President's nominee to that agency until he gets his answers?
Might he get those answers a tad quicker if there was a confirmed head of FEMA, rather than an acting head, who may or may not want to hamstring his successor with the answers he/she gives to the Sinning Senator?
In addition, had the Sinning Senator Vitter sent one of his staffers to the blocked nominee's - Craig Fugate - confirmation hearing, he would have received answers to his questions from the Mr. Fugate himself:
[Sen. Landrieu] noted that she shared Vitter's concerns, and at Fugate's confirmation hearing, she questioned him about changing the federal rules that ban new construction.
"One of the things I want to be able to do is look at V-Zones and make sure we are pragmatic in our decision making," Fugate said at the time. "Obviously, when a community is at risk and we can move that community and minimize that risk to their lives and property in the future, we should achieve that.
"But there are times when moving a community is not practical and we should look at what are the potential options through engineering or other types of mitigation techniques," he said.
So, Vitter's concerns were addressed by the nominee in an open confirmation hearing, yet the SINator still objects to not having received "adequate" answers? Sinning Senator, Mr. Fugate's response is the best you're gonna get until he gets all the information about the issue, and you're blocking him from getting that information!
For more on Mr. Fugate's record and qualifications, y'all might want to click on his name up top, as you will see that the pick of Fugate to head FEMA is being hailed by none other than former Governor Bush of Florida, in addition to other Republicans.
Sinning Senator Vitter ought to get off his high horse, and let the hold lapse, particularly with hurricane season looming. If Louisiana gets hit, and FEMA fucks up the response yet again, the blame should lie squarely on the Sinning Senator.
§9(k) was created to award capital funds to public housing authorities affected by natural disasters. In the last several years, however, Congress has not allocated funds for disaster relief under § 9(k), which effectively bars Gulf Coast public housing authorities from accessing FEMA grant money when there is a pre-existing account at HUD.
Congressman Cazayoux stated:
"As we have seen too often, the biggest obstacle that Gulf Coast residents face is not the will to rebuild; it is red tape from the federal government. My bill provides a common-sense fix to HUD that improves FEMA's ability to directly assist public housing authorities trying to rebuild affordable and quality housing for those who need it. This measure is an important step in the long-term recovery of Louisiana and Mississippi."
Now before all y'all conservatives go crazy about a Democrat bashing the red tape of government ... this fits in quite well with the idea that most Democrats share that government ought to be efficient. It's not so much that it ought to be small, but efficient. For historical examples of this belief within the Democratic Party, I point y'all to then- Senator Harry Truman's "Truman Committee" during World War II, which saved American taxpayers some $15 billion in wasteful spending during the war.
Could you imagine the Bush Administration allowing a subcommittee of Congress to challenge the billing practices of KBR or Halliburton? If you can, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell ... please contact me.
And one more thing ... this is Congressman Cazayoux's first bill in the House, and it deals with helping people in a positive way. We elected another Congressman the same day to fill out the remainder of Governor PBJ's term - Congressman Scalise.
Pray tell, what was Congressman Scalise's first bill about? A resolution to express support for the designation of National D-Day Remembrance Day. That's all fine and dandy, but when you've got folks in your district struggling to rebuild their lives and their homes after Katrina, shouldn't your priority be to help make it easier for them to do so?
Congressional investigators have uncovered the Bush administration's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) latest flagrant example of what can only be described as the agency's depraved indifference to the well-being of survivors of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency since early 2006 has suppressed warnings from its own field workers about health problems experienced by hurricane victims living in government-provided trailers with levels of a toxic chemical 75 times the recommended maximum for U.S. workers, congressional lawmakers said yesterday.
A trail of e-mails obtained by investigators shows that the agency's lawyers rejected a proposal for systematic testing of the levels of potentially cancer-causing formaldehyde gas in the trailers, out of concern that the agency would be legally liable for any hazards or health problems. As many as 120,000 families displaced by hurricanes Katrina and Rita lived in the suspect trailers, and hundreds have complained of ill effects.
Campaigning in Franklinton, LA on Thursday, I talked at length with Mayor Earle Brown. The leaders of this proud town hit hard by Katrina, did not wait for non-existent help from FEMA or anyone else. They pulled themselves up by their collective bootstraps and toiled to remove debris.
A contractor with working machinery in place nearby was hired at a fair price. Now, FEMA refuses to pay promised reimbursements citing no evidence of bids. Give me a break! No one could have done the work for less, nor were there any other contractors ready or willing.
FEMA is being irrational and low-balling all charges to prevent paying. It continues to send a tortuous amount of senseless questions delaying what should have been paid long ago.
(We need leaders in Congress and in the Governor's office, not "Bobby" Jindal. Why is "Bobby" unable to use his supposed genius and his vaunted clout when it comes to south Louisiana's recovery? Tie Bush and his anticipated veto around Jindal's neck. - promoted by pointecoupeedemocrat)
NOTE:I did not get the chance to cross post this yesterday, and wanted to do it now that I am finally on days off from work.
If you think that title is kinda pushing the limit, then wait till you see what the President has to say! Quick, think back and try to remember all the promises made during all his photo ops. Now take a look at what he says now. Remember, think Jackson Square!
Imagine going out to dinner with a friend who offers to pick up the tab. But when the $50 bill comes, he throws $40 on the table and says the tip is included.
That's how Sen. Mary Landrieu's office describes President Bush's refusal to waive the requirement for Louisiana to pay a 10 percent match on any federal disaster relief money received for recovery projects. The waiver would amount to $750 million to $1 billion of additional relief money for Louisiana, said Landrieu, D-New Orleans.
The Robert T. Stafford Act requires state and local governments to match 25 percent of any federal disaster money received, such as Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance projects associated with hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The federal cost share for permanent work in Louisiana has been adjusted from 75 percent to 90 percent.
