The $50 billion Sandy relief package to aid people and communities in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut devastated by the super storm finally passed the House last week.
All told, 179 Republicans voted against it. The only Democrat to vote no was Jim Cooper of Tennessee. Why Cooper voted no is unclear. Maybe he's against natural disasters.
While the overall bill passed, Republicans succeeded in cutting certain items, including $9.8 million intended to repair storm damage to the Stewart B. McKinney Wildlife Refuge in Milford.
The move to block the McKinney appropriation was led by Congressman John Flemming, a Republican from Louisiana, who said: "We should not be spending money on coastlines that nobody ever goes to." This, of course, is regarded as advanced reasoning in GOP circles these days. Hold it, Louisiana, didn't they have a little oil spill there, and isn't New Orleans in Louisiana?
Anyway, the lock-step partisan and regional opposition to assisting Northeastern states got me to wondering what the actress Sally Field might have said. To paraphrase her famous Oscars speech:
"They hate us. They really, really hate us."
Oh, well, as they say about severe weather, what goes around comes around.
Helping Out The NRA
One of the questions the NRA has a problem answering is why anyone needs an assault weapon or huge ammunition clips.
Maybe I can help with this.
How about for hunting?
I mean, the NRA used to be made up mainly of sportsmen, but somewhere along the way the organization was taken over by the far right and became more a gathering place for those who hate government and those who fear government.
Last week the NRA sent out an email in which it asked members for donations claiming the government is on the brink of coming to get their guns "because the main goal of the gun banners in Congress is not to make schools safer, but to ban your guns and abolish every last sacred right you have under the Second Amendment ... until they reduce your freedom to ashes."
Really, the NRA should get out of the black helicopter business and go back to its roots.
And what better way to do this then pushing for legislation that would level the playing field by allowing hunting with guns that can squeeze of 20 or 30 rounds in a few seconds? Such action could bring wavering sportsmen members back into the fold, would be embraced by nervous politicians, and, of course, be guaranteed by the Second Amendment.
Seriously, guys, there's no need to thank me.
Appalachian Trail Governor Back
Remember Mark Sanford, the former governor of South Carolina? Quick refresher: He was the God-fearing married father of four who was forced to resign his office after it was learned that he took a wrong turn on a contrived Appalachian Trail hike and ended up Argentina in the arms of his mistress. Right, that guy.
Well, he is now running for Congress in a special election. Unfortunately, his former wife, Jenny, who had been rumored to also be a candidate for the same seat, has decided not to run. I can't tell you how disappointing that is.
Weak In Tweets
@Jimboshea
One difference about living at the shore is you shovel a lot more slush.
The modern confessional mantra is "Forgive me, Oprah, for I have sinned." (Retweet: TheTweetOfGod)
At their big strategy retreat this week Republicans have been told to not talk about rape. Oh, the insights we will miss.
Song Of The Weak
"What's Going On" (Marvin Gaye)
