Disaster relief and FEMA

As Sandy, the storm of the century, approaches the high density populations of New York City and Washington, DC,  and as both cities felt it necessary to shut down their transportation systems in anticipation;  and, as President Obama pledges help for storm damaged areas through the Federal Emergency Management Authority (FEMA);  let's remind people that in one of the GOP primary debates on CNN Governor Romney said he favored shutting down FEMA and turning over the responsibility of disaster relief to the states.

How much sense does that make when storms like this wreck havoc on multi-state areas.  If each had its own disaster relief, we might have 10 different systems with no central co-ordination.  What a disaster !!

Republicans in Congress have already cut 43% in primary grants to FEMA for disaster relief in the past two years, the New York Times reported last August.   And Romney pledges to cut spending across the board by another 5% on his Day 1 in office, another $500 million.

Also remember who was president when FEMA performed at its very worst when most needed, in Katrina and New Orleans.   It was George W. Bush, who had appointed a man to head FEMA who had no experience in disaster planning or relief.   Typical of his immature short-sightedness.

All the more reason to vote for the Democratic candidate.

Ralph