It’s long been a cliché that Republicans are against the government until disaster strikes. At a 1986 press conference, Ronald Reagan uttered the words “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help” as an irony-laden expression of Republican distrust and suspicion of the federal government. An argument could be made that Trumpism has only amplified the anti-government ideology that has been the heart and soul of the GOP for decades. Yet those exact words are expressed by the actions of thousands of federal government employees fanned out over the states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Virginia to help with rescue and cleanup operations in the wake of Hurricane Helene last week.
Remember when The Bloated Yam's attempt to rebuild Puerto Rico was to throw paper towels to the audience? And the Governor of Tennessee reserved one whole day to prayer before contacting the Federal Government for help. This simply demonstrates that when disaster strikes, one wants the Democrats to be in power.
We could go on and on about the Fema disasters when The Bloated Yam was president. It must have been terrifying for you. He ignored the blue states on purpose.
Also because in Project 2025, they want FEMA only limited to Natural Disaster relief, and do not want the cost to come fully from the Federal government, and suggest a 25-75 federal-local response. So, Andra Watkins, who apparently has property in North Carolina and has a substack devoted to interpreting Project 2025, gave an example of what would happen in her community if it were a year from now and the Republicans were in charge.
Of course, this does not include all of the other effects of the other actions promised in Project 2025, like the closing of the Department of Education and the destruction of public schooling, so many poor families would be that much more stressed. They also want to close Health and Human Services and turn it into the Department of Life, so not sure what help there will be from there for those effected in the disaster. We will also look at a humanitarian catastrophe of deporting people, and how the tax base will drop by hundreds of billions, as well as more federal dollars going to remove, contain and deport which will have to come from some where. Seniors will be suffering because of loss of or inability to access social security, as Trump replaces 50+ thousand people who know what they are doing in the government, with loyalists who do not have a clue. That is who will be doing what can be done by FEMA, leaving people with huge bills. Also, there will be no more government flood insurance. Of course, since the plan is to turn the US into a Christian Nationalist Racist Theocracy, the belief is that God will provide for the deserving.
I can imagine what a “Department of Life” would be. It would set up a program to spy on women and doctors similar to the one Orban set up in Hungary where by law women who miss a period must notify the government nursing program for check ups to make sure they complete their pregnancies. I also expect there will be punishments for seeking sterilization without permission and there would be a ban on home pregnancy tests so you could not go on a “vacation abroad” to seek an abortion. They might also require a pregnancy test before any trips outside the US and make it impossible to get tickets for transportation without a government permission form that allows you to do so. This entire thing is to reverse the impending white minority population.
I also think the “shrinking of FEMA” is to not give aid to people of color who are usually the most affected by disasters. Stats show Black populations have a mortality rate almost twice that of white people but receive much less FEMA assistance because more live in low-lying poor areas where it is more difficult to recover after repeated disasters they can never get out from under financially. They are 40% more likely to be living in areas with little green space to absorb floodwaters and may not qualify or be able to pay for flood insurance.
In my project 2025 Book Club yesterday, we were looking at the path of Helene through Florida as we were discussing that Governor DeSantis is the only governor who has turned down Biden's offer of help. Someone in our group who knows said it look like it went through less populated areas, which were poorer, so that is a choice we see him making. I see this action as a job interview, as DeSantis tries to be number one at implementing Project 2025 in his state, by turning down funds that could help people in his state recover.
I have been telling my daughter to tell her friends to not use the period tracking software that they are all using. They actually cannot imagine how bad things can be, but I have a good imagination, and I can see exactly what you are saying happening, as well as the imprisonment of women for miscarriages, instead of medical support. The focus on color not content of character is frightening. Has nothing been learned?
All I can think about is that when climate change brings disaster to red states, everyone pulls together to send whatever they need, even when one useless CHristo-fascist governor says that his state needs "fasting and prayer" to bring about healing. But when NY and NJ were devastated by Superstorm Sandy the majority of Republican reps from those same red states voted against disaster aid. And when Maria devastated Puerto Rico all Trump brought was a case of paper towels. All he brought to Georgia yesterday was his usual lies and bullshit, and as always, tried to make it all about him. I wonder how many of the citizens of Valdosta were cursing him for taking resources away from rescue and recovery?
I read on another Substack post that a Tennessee governor had said “finally Biden gives us aid”! Conveniently, forgetting that he had decided that the state should “ fast and pray for deliverance“ and had delayed asking for FEMA support from President Biden. When he finally did ask for FEMA Biden responded immediately. It would be helpful if this information could be disseminated widely. I’ve never been a partisan Democrat, but I am truly beginning to hate Republicans.
Asheville is a Democrat bastion in NC, a big blue dot in a red sea. With just 35 days until the election, what provision(s) will be made for those effected to vote? This may also involve provisional ballots because their proof of citizenship, drivings license, passports, etc., may have been lost along with their homes.
More pointedly, what can we as concerned citizens be doing to help our neighbors in need? How can we provide substantive help without getting in the way?
Some new information that may be helpful if we can get to those that need it:
You just request the exception form and fill it out completely in order for your vote to be counted. More information is available on the NC State Board of Election’s website.
I have family in Asheville who report that the food bank was completely destroyed. Contributions to donate.mannafoodbank.org would be greatly appreciated.
The nyTimes began reporting Monday on Asheville area post-Helene election preparations.
"While the region is largely rural, it holds a healthy share of the state’s nearly 7.7 million registered voters. Some 570,000 registered voters live in the 11 counties where less than half of the electrical power had been restored as of Monday afternoon. They include 145,000 Democrats and 185,000 Republicans.
We can all be proud of the immediate response by President Biden and federal agencies to help the states and communities! And yet, deep in my bones, I fear that a lot of the people receiving help won't connect the dots. Instead, they will vote for Trump and MAGA - against Biden, against Democrats - and somehow even blame Democrats, liberals, and environmentalists for Hurricane Helene. I hope I am wrong.
Republicans like to posture about spending, refusing Federal money for social services like Head Start, Meals on Wheels, Medicaid expansion. They sure whine a different tune when they actually want the help. Do they notice how quickly President Biden (and Obama and Clinton before him) rush the aid in? Ingrate conservatives will deride Democratic spending the first chance they get after the FEMA money is received. Reagan was such a colossal asshole. He also famously said, "Government is not the answer. Government is the problem." Yes, he started the anti-government sentiment in earnest, as well as the extremely biased taxation policies to benefit the wealthy, religion as a political weapon, and the culture wars of outrage and judgementalism. He set us on the road to Trumpism, absolutely.
I wonder why nobody remembers Hurricane Matthew in North Carolina. During and after that storm Gov Cooper (a Dem) asked for $500 million in relief. Trump gave him about $5million. Somebody (hint: you Lucian) you do a piece about the comparative reaponse
I remember. I can’t tell you how glad I am that Biden is in office during this horribly destructive weather event where I live! Several entire towns were washed away or buried by landslides.
It's not a cliche, it's a truism. Republicans are the first to complain about the government not doing enough when disaster strikes where they live, and the first to deny support to areas where they don't live, like Katrina or Puerto Rico. It's also a truism that they block funding to support any help, under the guise of course of cutting taxes. They seem to inhabit a magical world where only others pay for things like services and infrastructure, to which they are automatically entitled as hard-working Americans. Meanwhile they drive their MAGA-adorned giant pick-ups and boats, while living on government pensions, disability or otherwise, and complain about immigrants sucking up their tax money. We need a word to describe this incredible level of selfishness, although Trump is a good start.
It's not just in times of natural disaster that Republicans and red-state voters talk out of both sides of their mouths on "government".
The red-states are net "taker" states from federal coffers, sending far less to the U.S. government than they get back in federal revenue. Even in the few red-states that manage to pull their own weight and remain net contributors statewide, it's the blue metropolitan areas within their borders that do all of the heavy lifting when it comes to paying the bills.
What's galling is that, while the rest of us are going to work and paying our taxes, these supposedly "self-reliant" red-state phonies flap their gums non-stop about their own supposed "real American" virtues while, at the same time, slandering the immigrants, minorities, women, educated workforces, and Democrats that live in our blue states and cities. You know, people who've actually done something with their lives other than complain.
Maybe it really is time for a "national divorce". We can then allow our diverse, educated, tolerant, secular, and productive blue-states to keep all of the money they've been sending to the red-states to subsidize their farms, forgive their loans, stimulate their economies, and come to their rescue when the climate change they deny, or the regulations they resist, lead to inevitable disaster.
We'd enjoy balanced budgets and, finally, some peace and quiet from sea to shining sea. Heck, I bet we'd even have enough money left over to build a wall between blue America and our new neighbors, the red-state Republic of Trumplandia Dumbfuckistan.
"National divorce" sounds cool to people who think all states are monolithic blue or red. They aren't. Urban areas in most red states tend to be at least blueish. Rural areas in blue states (like mine, MA) tend to be reddish. A Democrat, Nebraska state senator Tony Vargas, is favored to win election to Congress from NE-02.
i doubt it, culture wars being what they are these days. remember when kushner, during the pandemic, decided to withhold masks that were stockpiled in government warehouses to new york because democrats were in charge? hello anyone????
A good antidote to Trump's disinfo on FEMA are the facts. We mapped the impact of Hurricane Helene with data from FEMA and the National Weather Service - and the MAGA Congressmen and Senators who recently did not vote to fund FEMA (including JD Vance, Rick Scott and Josh Hawley). That makes it easier to spot the Republicans who deny the Global Warming behind more extreme disasters, defund FEMA and then lie about the great job it is doing to help victims.
"Affected by a disaster? Remember Who Voted to Defund FEMA."
We're in the mountains, and we are pulling together to help each other.
It's one thing to write about "governments" and "states," and quite another thing to have been in the disaster-stricken area and watch the local people who are pitching in to help one another. Not states, not governments, not political party members, but Americans, neighbors, people who care about the others around them. I was lucky enough to get out of Sylva right in front of Helene, and have been following the disaster recovery and relief activities, talking to people whose family and friends are able to call or email out, reading the local reporting. Please think in terms of individuals, people, Americans, people uniting to help each other. Use whatever channel you can access to send them aid.
Please don't use people's troubles to foster divisiveness and political agendas. Leave that to the MAGAs.
Then thank goodness for all those government agencies that do come in to help. That's why they exist, that's why we pay taxes, to make help available to our neighbors.
Once again, it's a blue region (North East) bailing out a bunch of red states that vote against their own interests. Go figure. People in my area think they support the cities, and I always tell them taxpayers in the cities receive far less from their taxes than they pay. The southern states get far more return on tax dollars.
My recent ancestors from there were all Roosevelt democrats. I shade a little towards LBJ because of the passage of several acts SCOTUS is trying to undo.
"They don’t have anything to worry about, because yesterday, Donald Trump promised to personally deliver them aid" Of course! He's a billionaire and whatever they need is chump change.
Personally deliver aid. Meanwhile our actual sane president Biden has said he will wait to visit until a presidential visit would not get in the way of important work going on at the scene.
People are spreading the idea that FEMA wants to help “people who write their pronouns on the roof” awaiting rescue, at the expense of “real Americans” who need help. Do they expect to be believed? This is almost as bizarre as Democrats harvesting adrenochrome, (a fictitious substance invented in the novelDune)in the basement of a pizza parlor with no basement. But of course at least one guy did believe in Pizzagate.
Economist Paul Krugman noted: “We’ve all become desensitized, but it’s amazing how at this point the Trump campaign rests entirely on denouncing things that aren’t happening—[an] imaginary bad economy, imaginary runaway crime and now an imaginary failure of Biden and Harris to respond to natural disaster.”
Reported by Heather Cox Richardson, “ Newsmax host Todd Starnes claimed that FEMA’s “top priority is not disaster relief” but to push diversity, equity and inclusion. “So, unless you’ve got your preferred pronouns spraypainted on the side of your submerged house—you won’t get a penny from Uncle Sam. Western North Carolina is just too Conservative and too Caucasian for FEMA to care.”
There were other ideas that Ukraine assistance was more important to Biden’s administration than disaster relief, which was why relief was slow in coming. Nothing to do with washed out roads, power outages, etc.
Remember when The Bloated Yam's attempt to rebuild Puerto Rico was to throw paper towels to the audience? And the Governor of Tennessee reserved one whole day to prayer before contacting the Federal Government for help. This simply demonstrates that when disaster strikes, one wants the Democrats to be in power.
He refused relief to California durring massive wild fires. I had to evacuate. I will nevar forget.
We could go on and on about the Fema disasters when The Bloated Yam was president. It must have been terrifying for you. He ignored the blue states on purpose.
They always project their racism and party over country onto us but we don’t behave that way.
Despite the temptation to do just that. I'd love to see Rhonda Sepsis get a new pair of White GoGo boots.
Biden and Obama help everyone, party notwithstanding. Imagine that.
One of the more shameful episodes of a 4 year litany of shameful episodes.
I believe he thought you people should rake your woods more thoroughly? Obviously, your own fault!
Also because in Project 2025, they want FEMA only limited to Natural Disaster relief, and do not want the cost to come fully from the Federal government, and suggest a 25-75 federal-local response. So, Andra Watkins, who apparently has property in North Carolina and has a substack devoted to interpreting Project 2025, gave an example of what would happen in her community if it were a year from now and the Republicans were in charge.
https://substack.com/@andrawatkins/p-149572059
Of course, this does not include all of the other effects of the other actions promised in Project 2025, like the closing of the Department of Education and the destruction of public schooling, so many poor families would be that much more stressed. They also want to close Health and Human Services and turn it into the Department of Life, so not sure what help there will be from there for those effected in the disaster. We will also look at a humanitarian catastrophe of deporting people, and how the tax base will drop by hundreds of billions, as well as more federal dollars going to remove, contain and deport which will have to come from some where. Seniors will be suffering because of loss of or inability to access social security, as Trump replaces 50+ thousand people who know what they are doing in the government, with loyalists who do not have a clue. That is who will be doing what can be done by FEMA, leaving people with huge bills. Also, there will be no more government flood insurance. Of course, since the plan is to turn the US into a Christian Nationalist Racist Theocracy, the belief is that God will provide for the deserving.
Project 2025 will get rid of NOAA and the National Weather Service, so the televangelists will forecast hurricanes for us.
Doubtless they will do better than the NOAA and National Weather Service...SMH.
Sharpies for all!!!
I can imagine what a “Department of Life” would be. It would set up a program to spy on women and doctors similar to the one Orban set up in Hungary where by law women who miss a period must notify the government nursing program for check ups to make sure they complete their pregnancies. I also expect there will be punishments for seeking sterilization without permission and there would be a ban on home pregnancy tests so you could not go on a “vacation abroad” to seek an abortion. They might also require a pregnancy test before any trips outside the US and make it impossible to get tickets for transportation without a government permission form that allows you to do so. This entire thing is to reverse the impending white minority population.
I also think the “shrinking of FEMA” is to not give aid to people of color who are usually the most affected by disasters. Stats show Black populations have a mortality rate almost twice that of white people but receive much less FEMA assistance because more live in low-lying poor areas where it is more difficult to recover after repeated disasters they can never get out from under financially. They are 40% more likely to be living in areas with little green space to absorb floodwaters and may not qualify or be able to pay for flood insurance.
In my project 2025 Book Club yesterday, we were looking at the path of Helene through Florida as we were discussing that Governor DeSantis is the only governor who has turned down Biden's offer of help. Someone in our group who knows said it look like it went through less populated areas, which were poorer, so that is a choice we see him making. I see this action as a job interview, as DeSantis tries to be number one at implementing Project 2025 in his state, by turning down funds that could help people in his state recover.
I have been telling my daughter to tell her friends to not use the period tracking software that they are all using. They actually cannot imagine how bad things can be, but I have a good imagination, and I can see exactly what you are saying happening, as well as the imprisonment of women for miscarriages, instead of medical support. The focus on color not content of character is frightening. Has nothing been learned?
You mean provide for white blond heterosexuals who reproduce more white blond heterosexuals…
Import more Norwegians!
Hahaha!
The Horror...
And may God have mercy on their souls!
I saw video last night (Colbert? Kimmel? Closer Look!) of T***p tossing boxes of chicken tenders into a crowd.
Glad you picked up my line...LOL
I give you full credit for coining the term The Bloated Yam — I despise yams so the name is dear to my heart.
I prefer convicted felon adjudicated rapist.
Or P01135890, my personal favorite.
You’re very welcome!
All I can think about is that when climate change brings disaster to red states, everyone pulls together to send whatever they need, even when one useless CHristo-fascist governor says that his state needs "fasting and prayer" to bring about healing. But when NY and NJ were devastated by Superstorm Sandy the majority of Republican reps from those same red states voted against disaster aid. And when Maria devastated Puerto Rico all Trump brought was a case of paper towels. All he brought to Georgia yesterday was his usual lies and bullshit, and as always, tried to make it all about him. I wonder how many of the citizens of Valdosta were cursing him for taking resources away from rescue and recovery?
His example yesterday highlights the Presidents promise to get down there after he's sure it won't divert resources from those most needing help
Disgusting!
I read on another Substack post that a Tennessee governor had said “finally Biden gives us aid”! Conveniently, forgetting that he had decided that the state should “ fast and pray for deliverance“ and had delayed asking for FEMA support from President Biden. When he finally did ask for FEMA Biden responded immediately. It would be helpful if this information could be disseminated widely. I’ve never been a partisan Democrat, but I am truly beginning to hate Republicans.
Asheville is a Democrat bastion in NC, a big blue dot in a red sea. With just 35 days until the election, what provision(s) will be made for those effected to vote? This may also involve provisional ballots because their proof of citizenship, drivings license, passports, etc., may have been lost along with their homes.
More pointedly, what can we as concerned citizens be doing to help our neighbors in need? How can we provide substantive help without getting in the way?
Some new information that may be helpful if we can get to those that need it:
You just request the exception form and fill it out completely in order for your vote to be counted. More information is available on the NC State Board of Election’s website.
https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/voter-id#exceptions
I have family in Asheville who report that the food bank was completely destroyed. Contributions to donate.mannafoodbank.org would be greatly appreciated.
WUNC looks like a good local source: https://www.wunc.org/politics/2024-10-01/helene-north-carolina-early-voting-2024-election
The nyTimes began reporting Monday on Asheville area post-Helene election preparations.
"While the region is largely rural, it holds a healthy share of the state’s nearly 7.7 million registered voters. Some 570,000 registered voters live in the 11 counties where less than half of the electrical power had been restored as of Monday afternoon. They include 145,000 Democrats and 185,000 Republicans.
"One of the hardest hit counties, Buncombe, is home to Asheville, the region’s Democratic stronghold." https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/30/us/helene-north-carolina-elections.html
For many other reports on the same subject search the internet.
We can all be proud of the immediate response by President Biden and federal agencies to help the states and communities! And yet, deep in my bones, I fear that a lot of the people receiving help won't connect the dots. Instead, they will vote for Trump and MAGA - against Biden, against Democrats - and somehow even blame Democrats, liberals, and environmentalists for Hurricane Helene. I hope I am wrong.
Republicans like to posture about spending, refusing Federal money for social services like Head Start, Meals on Wheels, Medicaid expansion. They sure whine a different tune when they actually want the help. Do they notice how quickly President Biden (and Obama and Clinton before him) rush the aid in? Ingrate conservatives will deride Democratic spending the first chance they get after the FEMA money is received. Reagan was such a colossal asshole. He also famously said, "Government is not the answer. Government is the problem." Yes, he started the anti-government sentiment in earnest, as well as the extremely biased taxation policies to benefit the wealthy, religion as a political weapon, and the culture wars of outrage and judgementalism. He set us on the road to Trumpism, absolutely.
The NEW "nine most terrifying words in the English language" are: "My name is Donald Trump. I could be reelected."
I wonder why nobody remembers Hurricane Matthew in North Carolina. During and after that storm Gov Cooper (a Dem) asked for $500 million in relief. Trump gave him about $5million. Somebody (hint: you Lucian) you do a piece about the comparative reaponse
I remember. I can’t tell you how glad I am that Biden is in office during this horribly destructive weather event where I live! Several entire towns were washed away or buried by landslides.
I am always amused at how these "libertarians" and right-wing nutjobs are first in line to dip at the federal trough in times of emergency.
And times of non-emergency.
We still give subsidies to tobacco farmers. That's subsidizing murder, isn't it?
You can count on republicans pushing their way to first in line to demand government services when disaster strikes.
Otherwise they’re blocking legislation and funding that helps anyone who’s not a tech-bro or other white, male grifter.
Yes. It's a well known fact that the blue states are the givers and the red states are the takers of our tax money!
It's not a cliche, it's a truism. Republicans are the first to complain about the government not doing enough when disaster strikes where they live, and the first to deny support to areas where they don't live, like Katrina or Puerto Rico. It's also a truism that they block funding to support any help, under the guise of course of cutting taxes. They seem to inhabit a magical world where only others pay for things like services and infrastructure, to which they are automatically entitled as hard-working Americans. Meanwhile they drive their MAGA-adorned giant pick-ups and boats, while living on government pensions, disability or otherwise, and complain about immigrants sucking up their tax money. We need a word to describe this incredible level of selfishness, although Trump is a good start.
It's not just in times of natural disaster that Republicans and red-state voters talk out of both sides of their mouths on "government".
The red-states are net "taker" states from federal coffers, sending far less to the U.S. government than they get back in federal revenue. Even in the few red-states that manage to pull their own weight and remain net contributors statewide, it's the blue metropolitan areas within their borders that do all of the heavy lifting when it comes to paying the bills.
What's galling is that, while the rest of us are going to work and paying our taxes, these supposedly "self-reliant" red-state phonies flap their gums non-stop about their own supposed "real American" virtues while, at the same time, slandering the immigrants, minorities, women, educated workforces, and Democrats that live in our blue states and cities. You know, people who've actually done something with their lives other than complain.
Maybe it really is time for a "national divorce". We can then allow our diverse, educated, tolerant, secular, and productive blue-states to keep all of the money they've been sending to the red-states to subsidize their farms, forgive their loans, stimulate their economies, and come to their rescue when the climate change they deny, or the regulations they resist, lead to inevitable disaster.
We'd enjoy balanced budgets and, finally, some peace and quiet from sea to shining sea. Heck, I bet we'd even have enough money left over to build a wall between blue America and our new neighbors, the red-state Republic of Trumplandia Dumbfuckistan.
"National divorce" sounds cool to people who think all states are monolithic blue or red. They aren't. Urban areas in most red states tend to be at least blueish. Rural areas in blue states (like mine, MA) tend to be reddish. A Democrat, Nebraska state senator Tony Vargas, is favored to win election to Congress from NE-02.
WOW! well said! Chauncey, I'd like to share your post on Facebook if you would give me permission.
Sure, feel free
Well put!
i doubt it, culture wars being what they are these days. remember when kushner, during the pandemic, decided to withhold masks that were stockpiled in government warehouses to new york because democrats were in charge? hello anyone????
The Trump years were so full of so much outrageous stuff. It's insane that anyone could possibly vote for him.
A good antidote to Trump's disinfo on FEMA are the facts. We mapped the impact of Hurricane Helene with data from FEMA and the National Weather Service - and the MAGA Congressmen and Senators who recently did not vote to fund FEMA (including JD Vance, Rick Scott and Josh Hawley). That makes it easier to spot the Republicans who deny the Global Warming behind more extreme disasters, defund FEMA and then lie about the great job it is doing to help victims.
"Affected by a disaster? Remember Who Voted to Defund FEMA."
https://thedemlabs.org/2024/09/29/republicans-voted-against-strengthening-dams-now-at-risk-from-flooding/
Yes, I was wondering where IRA funds weren't used. Surprise!
Yup! Meanwhile, I’m sending donations to get those clowns out of office before they do more damage.
Vote Kunce v Hawley
Mucarsel-Powell v Scott
These races are both very hopeful
We're in the mountains, and we are pulling together to help each other.
It's one thing to write about "governments" and "states," and quite another thing to have been in the disaster-stricken area and watch the local people who are pitching in to help one another. Not states, not governments, not political party members, but Americans, neighbors, people who care about the others around them. I was lucky enough to get out of Sylva right in front of Helene, and have been following the disaster recovery and relief activities, talking to people whose family and friends are able to call or email out, reading the local reporting. Please think in terms of individuals, people, Americans, people uniting to help each other. Use whatever channel you can access to send them aid.
Please don't use people's troubles to foster divisiveness and political agendas. Leave that to the MAGAs.
Then thank goodness for all those government agencies that do come in to help. That's why they exist, that's why we pay taxes, to make help available to our neighbors.
Once again, it's a blue region (North East) bailing out a bunch of red states that vote against their own interests. Go figure. People in my area think they support the cities, and I always tell them taxpayers in the cities receive far less from their taxes than they pay. The southern states get far more return on tax dollars.
Immigrants, unlike conservatives, add more to the economy than they take.
Not all of us in south vote against our own and everyone else’s interests.
My origins are NC, most of the people around here are the same. Glad to not be there in Buncombe County, poor souls...
I’m in Buncombe County and we don’t all vote against our interests. Asheville is a blue dot.
My recent ancestors from there were all Roosevelt democrats. I shade a little towards LBJ because of the passage of several acts SCOTUS is trying to undo.
"They don’t have anything to worry about, because yesterday, Donald Trump promised to personally deliver them aid" Of course! He's a billionaire and whatever they need is chump change.
He'll give them paper towels...
I doubt he’ll even do that. He’d charge it to his campaign.
Personally deliver aid. Meanwhile our actual sane president Biden has said he will wait to visit until a presidential visit would not get in the way of important work going on at the scene.
People are spreading the idea that FEMA wants to help “people who write their pronouns on the roof” awaiting rescue, at the expense of “real Americans” who need help. Do they expect to be believed? This is almost as bizarre as Democrats harvesting adrenochrome, (a fictitious substance invented in the novelDune)in the basement of a pizza parlor with no basement. But of course at least one guy did believe in Pizzagate.
Seriously?! Pronouns on roofs? Haven’t heard that one yet.
Economist Paul Krugman noted: “We’ve all become desensitized, but it’s amazing how at this point the Trump campaign rests entirely on denouncing things that aren’t happening—[an] imaginary bad economy, imaginary runaway crime and now an imaginary failure of Biden and Harris to respond to natural disaster.”
Reported by Heather Cox Richardson, “ Newsmax host Todd Starnes claimed that FEMA’s “top priority is not disaster relief” but to push diversity, equity and inclusion. “So, unless you’ve got your preferred pronouns spraypainted on the side of your submerged house—you won’t get a penny from Uncle Sam. Western North Carolina is just too Conservative and too Caucasian for FEMA to care.”
There were other ideas that Ukraine assistance was more important to Biden’s administration than disaster relief, which was why relief was slow in coming. Nothing to do with washed out roads, power outages, etc.