Republicans have some history of hypocrisy when it comes to federal disaster declarations, wanting to deny them (and FEMA assistance) to blue states (or conditioning it on getting votes for conservative causes. I said hypocrisy because when a RED state has needed help they’ve jumped up and down DEMANDING disaster declarations from Presidents and blustering about FEMA ‘not having been on the site yesterday.’ However Kristi Noem seems to have Trump’s backing when it comes to some conservative’s desire to kill off FEMA. And Arkansas Gov. Sarah “Hucksterbee” Sanders who owes her job to her supposed pipeline to Trump is getting “You’re on your own” treatment conservatives have loved giving to Democrats!
Arkansas got hit by not one but two natural disasters and Trump has refused two requests from Gov. Sanders for a federal disaster declaration for the affected counties. With such a declaration, usually a pro forma process comes assistance from FEMA which has helped countless people in countless disasters since it was created during the Carter administration. Much as I despise Sanders, and look down on the voters of Arkansas for voting for both her and Trump there’s enough of the old Denis, the easygoing “gentle giant” to want people who’s homes and businesses have been devastated by two different rounds of tornados to get help. It seems as far as Trump and his new administration are concerned these people can go pound sand according to various news outlets.
Both Arkansas and national news outlets have reported on Trump giving Sanders the cold shoulder. In an article yesterday Raw Story noted it’s not just Sanders begging for help from Trump. Senator Tom Cotton(mouth) has also jumped in with a letter to Trump asking him to reconsider:
Cotton, who has opposed similar aid for blue states, joined the Arkansas delegation in writing a letter directly to Trump to support Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ request for funds.
On Friday, Sanders appealed the federal government’s denial in a letter telling Trump that her state was in “dire need of federal assistance.”
But as the saying goes, ‘That’s not all folks!’ The linked article makes clear Trump’s refusal to budge on this:
“Based on our review of all of the information available, it has been determined that the damage from this event was not of such severity and magnitude as to be beyond the capabilities of the state, affected local governments, and voluntary agencies. Accordingly, we have determined that supplemental federal assistance is not necessary,” Arkansas Division of Emergency Management spokesperson Lacey Kanipe was told in the federal government’s denial.
Raw Story goes on to dryly say On Monday, Cotton and the Arkansas delegation implored Trump to change his mind.” Good luck with that. I’m not being facetious writing that. It doesn’t matter to me that the bulk of those in need in these torn up parts of Arkansas are mostly MAGAs. I grew up in a place, and in my adult life have experience again the sick feeling of seeing up close and personal the devastation wrought by tornados. They are terrifyingly random and multiple times I’ve been within two or three hundreds of yards of the path of one. Clearly, Trump and his current administration don’t care. Not even though it’s a ruby red state with a Governor who gave wholehearted service in support of Trump all these years.
Even those who aren’t political junkies like me remember those years during Trump’s first term when his Press Secretary Sarah Sanders stood there at the podium and LIED her ass off. Brazenly. She was as vile and disgusting as Trump himself. However she gave him years of faithful service, carrying his water and put in herculean effort in a lousy cause – polishing the Trump media turd. Like most people in that job there comes a time when it’s time to do. Sanders seems to have earned a thank you send-off from Trumpty. However keep in mind two things: ETTD (everything Trump touches dies), and 2) Trump PAINTS HIS FACE ORANGE! Long before now he was known to throw anyone under the bus who had he felt slighted him or not fully supported him.
If Sanders has said or done something to suggest less than full support of Trump I’d like someone to tell me what that is/was. As for her personally, yes she’s the daughter of a former Gov. and another Trumpkin (Reverend. Really? Yep. Yuck!) Mike Huckabee Sanders would never have become Gov. herself if not for her sting working for Trump in such a high profile role. Arkansans had every reason to ASSUME Sanders would make sure the state got its fair share and then some from MAGA. When she was elected I’m certain they believed Trump would be back where he is. Well, it turns out their faith in their Governor was a mistake. As with their faith in Trump.
Oh, they will twist themselves into knots trying to convince themselves and others they did NOT make mistakes in voting for Sanders and Trump. Of that we can be sure. Tragically it won’t be that hard to be blunt about it. Just making sure whatever, limited aid IS provided goes to WHITE MAGAS instead of “those people” will be enough. We have to face the reality of tens of millions of Americans who are willing to suffer under Trump’s (what passes for) policies and long as “those people” suffer more. It’s actually not a new phenomena. LBJ articulated it well long ago.
Yes, some MAGAs in some counties in Arkansas will, if not publicly then at least to themselves say to hell with Sanders and even Trump. Just not enough. For all the unneeded suffering so many Arkansans will have to endure if Trump won’t change his mind there is at least one positive thing we can take away from this. Trump has made it clear Sanders has no future. He’s thrown her under the bus. MAGAs all over the country will get the message – even if they don’t know what she did wrong Trump is making a point of sticking it to Sanders.
That will not only open her up to a primary challenge, but with the right candidate force her to actually fight for re-election and scrounge for GOP dollars that will be needed elsewhere. Best of all she’s toast on a debate stage for a GOP Presidential primary. If she tries to cloak herself in the mantle of having served Trump the simple question – ‘If you were so great why did he refuse to help your state when you asked’ will knock her out then and there! Sometimes dark clouds actually do have silver linings!
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The sad fact for them is, had Harris been elected, there would be no delay in releasing funds, and she probably would’ve made a personal visit.
These inbreds are getting what they voted for, and I will not shed a tear.
Sending thoughts and prayers, bless their hearts.
Hmm, if some disaster hit South Dakota, what would Kristi Noem do?
She’s probably still looking for her purse, the twit.
Her mistake was to not endorse him early when he first announced he would run again. He called her and she said it was too early in her new administration to endorse anyone. She had to focus on her work. He had helped her build her war chest and basically put her in office, but she wouldn’t endorse him. She only endorsed him after DeSantis dropped out. He never forgets a slight. The state is in sad shape. We are still rebuilding from last year’s devastating tornados, which the Biden Admin generously sent aid. The state’s problem is low voter turnout. And no, inbreeding is really not a thing.
And to think, we could have had Chris Jones.