Powerful Sandy shows need for federal aid
This is politics: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie shows up at a Republican function in late October and bashes President Barack Obama as someone who’s “clutching for the light switch of leadership.”
This is real life: Barely a week later Christie goes on national TV to praise Obama, saying, “I cannot thank the president enough for his personal concern and compassion for our state.”
Why the abrupt change?
Because superstorm Sandy had slammed into New Jersey and much of the Northeast with horrific force, killing dozens of people, destroying homes, crippling transit, shutting off electricity and leaving a swath of destruction that demands the most heroic relief and rebuilding efforts the nation can muster.
New Jersey doesn’t have nearly enough resources — from money to qualified personnel — to do that right now. Neither do New York, Connecticut or the other badly damaged states.
So Christie, other governors and mayors of affected communities are looking to the entity best suited to rush in and help in times of crisis.
It’s called the federal government.
While criticizing most everything that Washington does these days is a popular activity for some politicians, its size and reach are crucial during national disasters.
Compassionate, knowledgeable leadership helps, too. Obama and the federal forces he leads displayed that quality early on in the wake of Sandy.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency quickly moved badly needed power generators into many affected areas, helped with emergency transit and brought in massive amounts of water and pre-packaged meals.
Given the tremendous extent of the damage, emergency responders were still scrambling over the weekend to restore electricity to many people in New York City and New Jersey, and get sufficient amounts of gasoline to the Northeast.
Talk of self-sufficiency and states’ rights make for nice sound bites when the sun is shining.
But Joplin residents found out after a tornado ripped through their city in 2011, it’s far better to have national, state and local public employees ready to respond.
In Sandy’s aftermath, the Red Cross, other nonprofit groups and utility crews from around the country are providing excellent assistance.
Still, natural disasters tend to show Americans we’re all in this together. It’s encouraging that an empathetic president has helped lead a massive federal response to the megastorm.
George Hunsucker
Northland
7 months, 2 weeks agoIs there ANYTHING libs do not think should be done by bureaucrats????? Does SIXTEEN TRILLION in debt mean ANYTHING to libs?????
JR Beillenhouser
7 months, 2 weeks agoNot in Staten Island. Ask them what they think of the Feds.
Steve Alleman
Kansas City
7 months, 2 weeks agoDoes “Still, natural disasters tend to show Americans we’re all in this together” mean anything to a wingnut? Apparently not.
Yanwen Xia
Overland Park
7 months, 2 weeks agoPowerful Sandy should also wake people up to the climate change issue and to the consequence of having a president who shortsightedly claimed “I’m not in this race to slow the rise of the oceans or to heal the planet.” In other words, I am in the race to ruin the planet as long as we can milk every ounce of profit from Mother Nature. Let future generation go to hell as long as we can profit now.
It is rather disturbing that Mitt Romney with his attitude toward our planet can even attract so many people who agree to join him in his abuse of Mother Nature! Such provincial and shortsighted vision is possible only in America.
George Hunsucker
Northland
7 months, 2 weeks agoIs there ANYTHING you libs think should not be done by a bureaucrat????
George Hunsucker
Northland
7 months, 2 weeks agoYou need to talk to China Yanwen if you are concerned about climate destruction….