I saw the news today, oh boy.
The central and northern part of the US East Coast is now the target of a hurricane. President Barack Obama, to his great credit, is warning the populace to Get Ready. While we do not know how bad it will be until the event is over, we all know how bad it can get.
Two words: Hurricane Katrina.
The Bush Administration's "response" turned a disaster into a catastrophe. While New Orleans drowned, the President partied. FEMA's response was held up, delayed and of course politicized . . . and people perished who did not need to die.
"Heckuva job, Brownie."
Now we have a hurricane about to hit the US again. It happens every few years, often enough that any given President who serves even one term in office will have a Big One hit us somewhere.
And, now it is Barack Obama's turn. Goddess help him.
Now the same people who almost brought you the smash film "Government Shutdown (2011)" and succeeded in driving down the Federal Government's 'credit rating' by bringing the nation to the brink of a debt default, want to bring us "FEMA 2: Heckuva Job, Barry!"
If ever anyone needed proof that a certain political party -- it happens to be the one symbolized by an elephant this time -- gives not a single solitary rat's fscking ass about anyone who is not already monied . . . look at what Rep. Eric Cantor said with respect to this week's earthquake in Virginia:
The rep's remarks, (tl:dr) -- "No Federal relief without a corresponding tax cut."
What. An. Ass.
Seriously. This loon wants to hold FEMA's disaster response hostage to another demand for goddam tax cuts. In a sense, this should not be so surprising. After all, he led the charge to hold the federal debt limit hostage earlier this month and was deeply involved in holding the middle class tax cuts hostage to the extension of the Bush43-era tax-a-palooza cuts for the wealthy.
What the hell happened to "E Pluribus Unam" ("out of many, one")? Are we not all Americans? Do we no longer have a communitarian bone left in our national body? Is our national soul so corrupted by the idea that we are not our brother's keeper, that the meme "I have mine, get your own, go fuck yourselves!" has so twisted our national soul that it is no longer a duty to help our fellowman recover, but to leave them alone at such times of loss that are truly the foult of no man?
I cannot believe such churlishness, such a callous disregard for the suffering of fellow citizens, is even possible in someone who has sworn to serve in the US Congress.
I barely recognize the leadership of nation of my birth anymore. While I want to weep for the callousness, the sheer doctrinaire heartlessness of these decisions. I hold out hope that Goddess either stays the storm's fury or sends it to be spent where none may be harmed. Should anyone be caught in the maelstrom and be unable to escape, may they endure and recover quickly.
And, finally, that human decency overcome adherence to an inhuman doctrine and assures any victims the adi they need.
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