Tropical Storm Isaac, expected to become Hurricane Isaac, is bearing down on Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Because of the government entities, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and the National Weather Service (NWS), those Americans who are in the path of this powerful oncoming storm have had days of warnings to prepare and evacuate if necessary. After Isaac hits and causes its destruction in communities and cities, the government agency, The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will arrive quickly to provide aid and relief to those hardest hit.

And in the shadow of the GOP Convention, despite the hollow words and political expedient prayers, Republicans stand with Isaac.

The Continuing Resolution that House Republicans passed in 2011 to apply to the national budget would have slashed funding for the National Oceanic Atmospheric Association (NOAA), which is the parent agency for the NWS and the NHC, by $454 million dollars from its 2010 budget. The National Weather Service alone would have been cut by $126 million. It also would have slashed FEMA funding by $24 million for management services and $783 million for FEMA state and local programs.

So, de facto, the Republican Party supports natural disasters and increasing the devastation and hardship they bring. They want Americans less prepared and more on their own when devastation hits because maintaining the current level of assistance, let alone doing better at it, interferes with reducing the taxes of the wealthy.

It is really astounding that Republicans could be so blatant about telling 99% of America, “Let them eat hurricanes!” but in the end, that is indeed what they’re saying.

America was founded on the concept of community, justice and striving for the public welfare of its citizens. The greed-inspired nihilism that now characterizes the Republican Party couldn’t come into clearer focus when the public’s welfare is threatened. There is a kind of allegory here, with this serious threat approaching so many Americans, the Republicans offer shallow concern while chiefly focused on how they can party and advance their money and power hungry agenda without the public seeing them for the uncaring and selfish group that they are.

Isn’t that what we typically see every day in US politics, anyway? Republicans putting on a facade of concern for the public to cloak their actual, greedy agenda?

Imagine the America we would be living in with a President Romney and a Republican Congress who voice such disdain for a government that helps out the vulnerable and needy. Like an economic hurricane, the Paul Ryan budget would devastate millions of poor and elderly, blow away the social safety net for seniors and educational support for children and college students. Hurricane Ryan would tear up the financial landscape for 99% of Americans and flood the wealthy with unprecedented seas of money.

Republicans believe in destruction, remember the pride Mitt Romney took in touting “creative destruction” with regards to his time at Bain? Republicans have no more conscience about wreaking destruction on America than a hurricane does, nor cleaning up after it…as we’ve seen in the years since George Bush left office.

It is a huge irony that the GOP is having its convention damaged and overshadowed by a natural disaster, one that likely has been intensified by the very Climate Change they deny for economic reasons but stay tuned for their Hurricane Hypocrisy which will gather strength and lash the nation after Hurricane Isaac has inflicted its destruction. The Republicans can’t admit the value of government so it would seem likely that Republicans are already poised to attack Obama, FEMA and other government agencies for failing to help Americans as they should. Expect absolutely no mention from Republicans of how they seek to cut NOAA and FEMA, instead, be prepared to hear how incompetent Obama and government are and how they let down Americans in need…which Republicans would never do in a natural disaster.

Just ask George Bush and the city of New Orleans.

Republicans have no shame at exploiting the suffering of others in their long term quest to make them suffer more. Obama can’t afford to be seen as politicizing this oncoming disaster though because since he’s President, it would look heartless and self-serving.

And we all know, only Republicans get to look like that and get away with it.

I expect President Obama to look presidential throughout this natural disaster, helping all Americans and states, Republican and Democrat, as best as he can. But the subtext of all of this could be very helpful to Obama, people may think about the comfort they have in him as a compassionate leader in times of trouble, in contrast with the superficiality and elitism of Romney.

Add to that, the GOP convention is unquestionably diminished in its impact due to its shrinking from four days to three and having to compete for airtime against Hurricane Isaac. Meanwhile, the DNC Convention will occur with concern for those harmed by Isaac a factor but the MSM will likely be devoting more focused coverage on their convention than they will have on the Repubs. And Isaac gives Obama and the Dems the opportunity to express their concern for their fellow Americans and explain to America how government is there to help them.

This needs to be done thoughtfully so as not to come off as exploitative but it is indeed a real and vital issue for Americans to consider, whether America should be a country that comes to the rescue when people are in trouble or if America should be an Ayn Rand utopia where it’s survival of the wealthiest and those who suffer are on their own.

 

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Kalima
Admin

The GOP must be so proud, it started just the way they mean to go on.

—-

RNC Attendee Allegedly Threw Nuts At Black CNN Camerawoman, Said ‘This Is How We Feed Animals’

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/08/cnn-republican-convention-black-camerawoman.php

Kalima
Admin

I’ve been watching here, but not for long. For some reason, my nose has grown so long with each lie from them, that I’ve had to move up to our roof.

http://elections.reuters.com/liveblog

choicelady
Member

Kalima! I’ve heard of “guilt by association” before, but not “guilt by observation”. It’s not fair YOU have the elongated nose when they’re the liars! I hope the weather is good there – not much chance of your getting back inside over the next couple of days!

Kalima
Admin

😆 I meant to write a correction, it wasn’t my nose at all, but Nikki Haley’s, Ann Romney’s and some AA guy at the beginning. Their noses were sticking through my computer screen, and my nose is fine. Good job too, we are having 35C almost every day, I wouldn’t have lasted very long up there without ending up crispy fried.

Pity they are not all hooked up to a lie detector that buzzes each time they let out another whooper. Quite frankly, they all made my skin crawl, and pardon me, but the audience all looked so bloody dumb, maybe that’s because they were/are.

funksands
Member

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Each of these fantasy role-players would like to run your government. Which is the most dangerous? Choose wisely.

SallyT
Member

Well, Funkie, these guys have choosen, wisely or not!

Ron Paul Supporters Are Verbally Disrupting The Republican National Convention

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/republican-national-convention-floor-dissent-from-ron-paul-supporters-2012-8#ixzz24sZqhNkL

KillgoreTrout
Member

Sally, don’t ya just love it? I have seen many RP supporters claim that he will be chosen at the convention and romney will be passed over. Yeah right, like the rnc is going to throw millions of dollars worth of Romney ads away, and choose the guy least likely to win.

Of course, Tea Baggers were never that smart to begin with.

choicelady
Member

Well part of me likes all this. Apparently the Texas delegation is (was?) going to rebel at having their votes dictated to them by the Rules Committee. But since apparently the nomination came today (wasn’t that the HIGH point of a convention in the good ol’ days?) I’m not sure the rebels have anything left to do.

But the idea of the GOP being in shreds and tatters as the Dems were with the Mississippi delegation issue in ’68? Well that just made me happy. That was probably our lowest point as a party. So maybe this is theirs? One can live in hope.

SallyT
Member

The Repugs are already turning this if the hurricane should hit New Orleans. They are saying that this time it won’t be like last time. Last time there was a Democrat Mayor in New Orleans and a Democrat Governor in Louisiana. Now there are Republicans in those offices and no disaster will be miss handled like last time. Nothing about Bush and certainly nothing about President Obama acting fast for those in need. These guys are something else!

KQµårk 死神
Member

AdLib you are the eternal optomist. I doubt most Americans will make the connnections you outlined. In fact the better FEMA responds to the hurricane the better it will be for Repubicans because they will get more attention.

Bush’s presidency never existed to all Republicans and most right leaning swing voters now.

The GOP convention will go on without a hitch and they will again look like a sane political party to most Americans. Even Romney’s flip flop back to accepting Roe v. Wade as the law of the land did not make a ripple in the GOP base because from now all that matters is beating Obama.

choicelady
Member

Great points, AdLib.

Now I believe in personal responsibility. I’m sick of paying for people’s ill conceived ways of life that create predictable devastation for them. I’m tired of the whiners who beg for help then go right back to doing what cost us taxpayers in the first place. I’m fed up with paying, over and over, to bail people out for their lousy choices.

No more bailouts for people who will NOT learn their lessons! Rich white people rebuilding in hurricane areas are ON THEIR OWN!!!

We all should remember that Bush laughed not just at “Heckofa job, Brownie” but at how quickly FEMA and federal insurance was going to sweep into the rich waterfront areas and get those mansions back on the ground! And they did. And even today, almost seven years to the date, the Ninth Ward is unreconstructed save by efforts of volunteers and non-profits.

They want to privatize everything so the rest of us can’t always know what’s coming and certainly cannot benefit from help once it’s here. But we CAN help the rich. We always help the rich. And even so, they whine it’s not enough.

So be assured that whatever the GOP hyper individualsts take away from us, they will NOT take it away from the folks who build in flood plains, on the beach, over sink holes, or in hurricane-prone areas. If your house is big enough, your shoes and belt white enough, your bank account flashy enough, your Mercedes new enough – you WILL be helped with government bail outs no matter how idiotic your lifestyle and how lousy your judgment. Some people never learn – because they never have to.