Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
Does anyone know?
Today’s vote was for $9.7 Billion to fund the National Flood Insurance Program.
That’s not a gift – it’s a payment of a debt owed by the government.
As I understand the program, an area of the country has to first agree to some precautions dealing with their flood plains, etc., to help avert or minimize flooding. In exchange for doing so, the government will sell flood insurance to the homeowners.
This area of the country did its part by agreeing to the government terms.
The homeowners did their part by paying the insurance premiums to the government.
Hurricane Sandy did her part by destroying or damaging the homes.
So now it's time for the federal government to uphold their end of the agreement. Yet all 67 votes against making the insurance payments came from Republicans. Perhaps my Google Kung Fu is weak, but I can’t find out why they voted against it.
Does anyone know why?
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Comments:
Sep '12
Re: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
Tommy,
Because under the House budget rules all new spending has to offset with other spending cuts or new revenues. Since the Sandy Bill did neither, onlt those Nay votes actually abided by the rules of the House.
Capisce?
Re: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
curtmilr: Tommy,
Because under the House budget rules all new spending has to offset with other spending cuts or new revenues. Since the Sandy Bill did neither, onlt those Nay votes actually abided by the rules of the House.
Capisce? · 0 minutes ago
Did any of the 67 say this?
Also, since this is a previously incurred debt, is it subject to the same rules?
Apr '11
Re: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
I haven't heard exactly why as of yet, however the last Sandy Relief bill was scuttled by Boehner primarily because it was so pork-laden that it was ridiculous. Boehner then fell under criticism for scuttling the relief bill and these new ones were introduced. If similar circumstances apply, I'd hypothesize that those who voted against were again voting not so much against relief, but against the various pork tacked on because it's easier to get things passed when attached to a Relief bill.
Jul '10
Re: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
There's more here.
Re: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
It was my understanding (maybe I'm misinformed) that today's bill had no pork.
Re: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
Whiskey Sam: There's more here.
1 minute ago
This reasoning is bull. Congress made a bet. They lost. Now they want to back out - after accepting the premiums from the homeowners?
Have they no shame? Not paying on a lost bet?!?!
Sep '12
Re: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
From this Heritage report, "less than $23 billion of the $60.4 billion involves addressing emergency damages sustained by state and local governments, private-sector businesses, and individuals." The report is dated today, so I'm assuming it refers to the current bill, not the previously scuttled one.
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/01/hurricane-sandy-relief-bill-and-bloated-deficit-spending
Apr '11
Re: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
Tommy De Seno
It was my understanding (maybe I'm misinformed) that today's bill had no pork. · 8 minutes ago
Good thing I only hypothesized! Curse you, scientific method; you have bested me again!
Re: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
EvlMdnghtBmr: From this Heritage report, "less than $23 billion of the $60.4 billion involves addressing emergency damages sustained by state and local governments, private-sector businesses, and individuals." The report is dated today, so I'm assuming it refers to the current bill, not the previously scuttled one.
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/01/hurricane-sandy-relief-bill-and-bloated-deficit-spending · 0 minutes ago
No that's the previous bill. Today's bill was just the $9.7 Billion to fund the insurance program.
Aug '11
Re: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
What bet did Congress make? My understanding is that FEMA has money for Sandy to take it through May. I guess the question would be "where does one draw the line?" How much more Federal funding should NY and NJ receive for Sandy? If 9 billion isn't enough, will we be back for another 9 billion? How much of this should be NY and NJ's responsibility?
I'm not certain that voting no on an extra 9 billion is shameful or even breaking some "covenant" that NY and NJ made with Congress and the rest of the country.
Sep '12
Re: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
So, the story is we haven't been charging enough for federal flood insurance. The program now needs a bailout--those who enjoyed the lower premiums are now getting a handout from the taxpayer. All the more reason not to have a public flood insurance program in the first place. Private insurers would have covered themselves in the re-insurance market and charged appropriate premiums.
Re: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
It's an insurance policy (all insurance policies are bets). The homeowners paid the premiums for the policy. Now the policy has to pay.
This bill is to fund the policy.
This isn't government largess. It's payment of an obligation owed.
Edited on January 4, 2013 at 8:25pmRe: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
If what you say is true, I agree with you. But surely you agree that you can't welch on the people you sold insurance to now that they have a claim, after accepting their premiums all those years.
Jul '10
Re: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
Why is it the federal government's responsibility to divvy out aid to this or that state? And why on earth is the federal government involved in the sale of flood insurance? What enumerated power does that fall under?
During heavy droughts in the 1800s, Congress appropriated a trifling amount of money to Texas farmers in order to compensate them for lost revenue. The classically liberal titan President Cleveland said this in his shocking veto:
He would have been impeached today.
Edited on January 4, 2013 at 8:31pmRe: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
I hold the same questions. But what is your position on paying out on the policies the government sold to these people?
Jul '10
Re: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
Tommy De Seno
Whiskey Sam: There's more here.
1 minute ago
This reasoning is bull. Congress made a bet. They lost. Now they want to back out - after accepting the premiums from the homeowners?
Have they no shame? Not paying on a lost bet?!?! · 22 minutes ago
This is Congress we're talking about. No one holds them to anything they promise or are legally required to do.
Sep '12
Re: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
Tommy,
The bill passed! Relax! A couple of dozen Members voted against as a matter of principle. The original Bill deserved to fail. The new Bill was justifiable given the past history.
TCFG points out that government shouldn't be in the insurance business. Just because it has been done in the past, doesn't mean it should be done in the future. This is especially true because of the legislative propensity for lading pork into beneficial projects.
Jul '10
Re: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
Byron Horatio: Why is it thefederalgovernment's responsibility to divvy out aid to this or that state? And why on earth is the federal government involved in the sale of flood insurance? What enumerated power does that fall under?
During heavy droughts in the 1800s, Congress appropriated a trifling amount of money to Texas farmers in order to compensate them for lost revenue. The classically liberal titan President Cleveland said this in his shocking veto:
He would have been impeached today. · 2 minutes ago
Edited 1 minute ago
Exactly right. The mindset that the federal government should safeguard every aspect of life has us $16 trillion_in_debt.
Nov '11
Re: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
So your problem is that there was opposition to funding a thing that shouldn't exist in the first place?
Re: Why Was There Republican Opposition To Today’s Sandy Relief Bill?
curtmilr: Tommy,
The bill passed! Relax! A couple of dozen Members voted against as a matter of principle.
How is an act of consumer fraud principled?
"We sold you insurance. Now we vote not to pay you, because we regret having sold you insurance in the first place."
Not to mention their vote was unconstitutional. Does the Federal Constitutional command for sanctity of contract mean nothing to 67 Republican Senators?
Republican optics continue to be terrible.
We deserve Obama - we make it so easy for him.