GOP spinning like a top now that it's their disaster
by digby
When Katrina ravaged an American city that was underwater, Republicans felt it was necessary to stick to their "principles" about government spending. Of course, the face of Katrina was black people and it was a Democratic state and they could blame it all on them so, you know. And when Hurricane Sandy hit they voted against aid. Of course the president was a black person and he was Democrat and the storm hit big blue states and they could blame it all on them so, you know.
Today, it's their own state that's in desperate need and although many of the people within it happen to be black people, it's a Republican state, a Republican congress and a Republican president so ... you know:
Texas lawmaker got into a contentious back and forth with CNN host Victor Blackwell Saturday morning when he was forced to defend his decision to vote against aid for Hurricane Sandy survivors in light of asking for federal help for flood-ravaged Texas.
Speaking by phone with the CNN host, Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX) made a pitch for billions in federal aid for Texas for what he termed, “The single largest flooding disaster in the United States history.”
Host Blackwell immediately brought up previous natural disasters saying, “Hurricane Sandy was $60 billion and Katrina was $120 billion just to give people a point of reference here. Let me ask you about your vote, which I’m sure you’ve discussed before, but I don’t want ask about your vote against the Superstorm Sandy package.”
“I want to ask you about an amendment. In 2013, you voted to tie the spending to an offset to a 1.63 percent discretionary spending across the board — spending to the $17 billion that was going to the people in New York and New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, the people who needed it most,” Blackwell stated before asking why Weber was not asking the same for Texas.
“There a time to have that discussion, you are looking at September the 30th looming, that will remain to be seen,” Weber countered. “I’m not an appropriator, we will have that discussion with the appropriators, I certainly want to be on top of all of our spending. Do we need an offset? Any time you have an emergency in your own family, something comes up, you have to say, well I’m going to have to tighten the belt and do this and the other.”
“I’ll ask you again the direct question, you said that in 2013 through your vote that the $17 billion for the Sandy aid should be offset by the 1.63 percent across the board discretionary budget cut,” Blackwell pushed. “Do you think — or should in this case — there should be an offset for the people of Texas who now need billions of dollars?”
With Weber insisting that “Congress spends too much money,” but unwilling to say he would tie aid to an offset he added, ” If you want to call principle the fact that congress has to get on top of spending,” Blackwell pulled him up.
“Was it a principled vote,” Blackwell asked. ” Did you vote for an offset based on principles”?
“Define principles,” Weber shot back.
“That you believe that any additional emergency funds should be paid for and not borrowed from — or added to the deficit, let’s say that,” Blackwell attempted.
“Well, whenever possible,” Weber retorted. “But both you and I know there are times when it is not possible. We have to be extremely, extremely cautious and do everything we can to tighten our belt when we need to.”
Uh huh.
Now don't anyone get it into their heads that this means they won't be able to pull the same thing the next time a disaster strikes a Blue state or a Democrats is the White House now that they've shown themselves to be total hypocrites.
They don't care about hypocrisy. It's only a weapon to be used against their enemies. They will roll their eyes and ignore the charge if we bring it up. They always do.
Hypocrisy is a useless argument for liberals in American politics. Fuggedaboudit.
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