Politics Plus

Due, in my opinion, to an increase in extreme weather occasioned by global climate change, FEMA is running out of money and no longer has sufficient funds to meet all of it’s obligations to help Americans survive and recover from natural disasters.  With Ron Paul campaigning to do away with FEMA, and the Republican leadership in Congress declaring that all disaster relief must be offset by spending cuts, we need to look for a better way to get the revenue FEMA needs than taking it from America’s neediest citizens.

With less than $1 billion currently available for federal disaster assistance, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is temporarily suspending payments to rebuild roads, schools and other structures destroyed during spring tornadoes in Joplin, Mo. and southern states in order to pay for damage caused by Hurricane Irene.

FEMA will still pay people eligible for individual storm assistance and some states recouping emergency response costs from previous disasters. But the agency said it will place restrictions on paying for older longer-term public rebuilding and mitigation projects in order to ensure the solvency of the federal disaster relief fund, which pays for emergency management costs and public rebuilding projects.

The decision affects the spring tornadoes and disasters dating back several years and “prioritizes the immediate, urgent needs of survivors and states when preparing for or responding to a disaster,” said FEMA spokeswoman Rachel Racusen… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Washington Post>

In my view, only one solution fits the picture perfectly.  Since fossil fuel use is the single biggest contributor to global climate change, thereby exacerbating the extreme weather, it is the last thing America should subsidize.  The best solution is to bring corporate welfare for the oil, gas and coal industries to an end and use the money saved by eliminating fossil fuel subsidies to fund FEMA and to subsidize the development and implementation of green energy.  To make this possible, Republicans must be removed from office to the extent that they no longer have the power to block what America needs to survive.

From what I have seen and read, Deferment Dick Cheney’s new book takes several shots at Colin Powell, because, toward the end of his service and afterwards, Powell has refused to goose-step to the party line.  To be clear, the image of Colin Powell, standing before the UN, parroting propaganda, that even I knew was not true, to justify Bush’s Republican war for oil and conquest, is irrevocably burned into my mind.  After that, he still has miles to go to regain credibility in my view.  However, I’m clad to see that he is pushing back against Cheney’s obvious lies.

Former vice president Dick Cheney has claimed that people are going to be shocked by his new book, but former Secretary of State Colin Powell said Sunday that the tome was just full of "cheap shots."

Cheney told NBC’s Jamie Gangel last week that there would be "heads exploding all over Washington" when his new memoir "In My Time" was released.

"My head isn’t exploding and I haven’t noticed any other heads exploding in Washington, D.C.," Powell told CBS’ Bob Schieffer Sunday. "What really sort of got my attention was this way in which he characterized it, it’s going to cause heads to explode. That’s quite a visual and in fact, the kind of headline I would expect to come out a gossip column, that’s the kind of headline you might see one of the supermarket tabloids write."

"It was not the kind of headline I would have expected to come from a former Vice President of the United States of America. Mr. Cheney had a long and distinguished career and I hope his book that’s what he would focus on, not these cheap shots that he’s taking at me and other members of the administration who served to the best of our ability for President Bush… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Crooks and Liars>

The video provides more detail.

I hope that Powell continues to rehabilitate himself.  When he jumped on the Republican bandwagon he shattered an exemplary career.

As for Cheney, to improve our balance of trade, let’s export him to The Hague.

I have heard many ask why Barack Obama has not called Congress back from their summer recess due to the catastrophic ills Republican political strategy has visited upon this nation.  Frankly, I think they are better off at home.  While they are away, they cannot hurt America. More important, they need to hear what their constituents have to say.  Here, another lying Republican gets an earful from his.

At a town hall last Wednesday attended by ThinkProgress, Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA) was asked why he supports the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy since America has lost millions of jobs since its passage. When Lungren deflected, saying that everyone benefits from the Bush tax cuts and that Obama supported extending them, several people began jeering him. Lungren, who at one point threatened to leave the Carmichael town hall, said he doesn’t know of any economists who support raising taxes during a recession. Ironically, that same day the National Association for Business Economics released a study showing nearly three quarters of business economists stating they support raising revenues through taxes… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Think Progress>

Here’s the video.

One positive sign is that voters are seeing through the tired old lies Republicans keep using to provide welfare for millionaires, billionaires and corporate criminals by taking away from those who can least afford it.

If Barack Obama wants to win reelection, he needs to stop being the great compromiser or the adult in the room.  He needs to stand up for the American people.  When Republicans scheme to blackmail  America for the sake of millionaires, billionaires, and corporate criminals, Obama needs to resist.  Just say no to tyranny!

A 37% plurality now contends that Obama should challenge the Republicans in Congress more often; 25% say Obama should go along with GOP leaders more frequently, while about the same percentage (26%) say he is handling the situation about right. In April, fewer (27%) said Obama should challenge GOP congressional leaders more often.

Democrats, in particular, are now more likely to say Obama should challenge Republicans in Congress more often. Today, a majority of Democrats (57%) say Obama should challenge the GOP more frequently; in April, just 39% said this.

And there is little difference among Democrats on this question. Liberal Democrats and their conservative and moderate counterparts are about equally likely to want to see Obama stand up more to Republicans (60%, 55% respectively)… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Daily Kos>

If Obama wants his party behind him, he needs to represent them.