Might offer federal assistance to Joplin if they give up their medicare
I’m glad Eric Cantor said aloud what we all now know:
Republicans don’t care about anything or anyone but themselves and their cronies. Women, minorities, the poor, the middle class, even their most strident constituents (Joplin is one of the reddest, if not the reddest county in Missourah) mean jackshit to them.
The GOP just don’t give a fuuuuuuck:
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said Monday that if Congress passes an emergency spending bill to help Missouri’s tornado victims, the extra money will have to be cut from somewhere else.
“If there is support for a supplemental, it would be accompanied by support for having pay-fors to that supplemental,” Mr. Cantor, Virginia Republican, told reporters at the Capitol. The term “pay-fors” is used by lawmakers to signal cuts or tax increases used to pay for new spending.
It makes about as much sense as this:
Meanwhile, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says that the Republicans’ proposed satellite funding cuts that will reduce by half the accuracy of precipitation forecasts.
Republicans: Caring About Your Safety and Well-Being Since Never.
[via Think Progress]
beltane
The really sad thing is that the true Red State believers will continue tolerating this abuse. A devastated town is a small price to pay for the pleasure of hurting someone else’s children/parents.
KenZ
Wow, you would have thought the MO had gone for Obama in 08.
Elizabelle
I’d never wish ill on Eric Cantor’s district (my sister lives there! lucky creature), but Mr. Cantor deserves some schooling on this issue. And if it takes some personal, very hard knocks, so be it.
I wonder if it’s dawned on any of these leading lights that if we are in for a spell of disastrous weather, a LOT of Americans are going to be needing real help.
Have the Japanese been asking the Fukushima retirees to take up sardine packing to pay back their debt to society?
Redshift
A friend of the family had a cat that used to hide by going halfway under the couch and putting his paws over his eyes. Apparently he believed that if he couldn’t see you, you couldn’t see him, and didn’t catch on no matter how many times this failed to work.
Conservative efforts to do this with climate change and all manner of natural disasters seem to be getting more and more frenzied.
Hunter Gathers
@KenZ: Missouri (KC and STL) did. Missoura (everywhere else) didn’t.
General Stuck
I was reading a poll today where Russ Feingold would win the vacant senate seat going away, if he ran and the vote was now. In WI, no less, and against the popular Tommy Thompson.
Wingnuts keep running their puke funnels about getting rid of Medicare, and not the tea party, nor even a return of wingnut jeebus will save them in 2012. Don’t fuck with medicare or suffer the consequence of GrannyPower.
Han's Solo
@beltane: Too true.
There is nothing that will shake them from their wingnut predilections. Nothing.
Omnes Omnibus
@Redshift: Ravenous bug bladder beast of Traal alert.
Redshift
@Elizabelle: It is pretty amazing. Jindal dissed volcano monitoring and was unlucky enough that there was an eruption in Alaska a month later, but Cantor is dumb enough to oppose disaster-recovery spending while the devastation is still one of the top news items.
The mind boggles.
Dexter
According to MSNBC, a storms (and potential tornadoes) are heading towards Oklahoma City. Looks pretty ugly in midwest and once the day is over, more cities may need help.
ppcli
Ah, the PAYGO rules. The ones that get put in place whenever there’s a Democratic President and then dumped the second that the Republicans control the government and want to go on a spending spree. (Bush Tax Cuts, Medicare Part D,…)
Cantor is such a weasel.
geisha gurl
Shorter Eric Cantor: Suck it
up, Missouri!better
Omnes Omnibus
@Redshift: Didn’t Thatcher once say, in effect, that there is no such thing as society? I don’t think these guys would argue.
Jules
Is it Christmas?
How do we lose to these fucks?
ppcli
For some reason I find myself thinking about the defence contractor in Lima Ohio – in Böhner’s district. Y’know, the one that manufactures tanks the army says it doesn’t need? In the factory that will close down if the army doesn’t buy tanks it doesn’t need or want? Y’know, the factory that Böhner is pressuring the army to buy tanks from?
I wonder how much disaster relief one cancelled tank order would buy?
Bmaccnm
The word I’m thinking is “prick.” Does “prick” work here?
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Pudgy, effeminate tea-bagger Patrick McHenry picked a fight with Elizabeth Warren over scheduling, some freshman halfwit from Georgia told a retired lady she should learn to take care of herself. They really are not ready for prime time. I wonder if the Great Sages of Sunday Show Booking will ever notice.
PeakVT
@Jules: We don’t lie as much or as well, and we don’t have the major media outlets mindlessly repeating our lies.
James E. Powell
Seems like a wonderful opportunity for Senator Claire McCaskill to stand up and reclaim her identity as a Democrat.
What are the odds she takes it?
Enhanced Voting Techniques
ppcli @
Here is an extra special helping of irony sauce for the majority leader; I work in the defense biz and since The 2010 Revolution the TRUE Americans(r) have been a total pain the ars with them screwing up the budget. Even if the Army approved the tank order the Army couldn’t fund it, thanks to Bohner.
Seanly
But, but Obama didn’t drop everything to fly back to Joplin. So everything is copacetic. Jack McCafferty had an angry rant about Obama being away so Obama is now history’s worst monster since Jimmy Hitler Carter.
eric
the real problem from them is that so many on the right believe the hype that Obama is an empty suit, but those in the know understand that he will demolish any of these clowns one on one.
Elizabelle
@Redshift:
I hope Cantor’s — and others’ — words come back to haunt during the next election.
Not just him. All of them.
Fingers crossed for sobering (for them) results from NY-26 tonight.
And then, just keep it up. Keep them on the run.
eric
@James E. Powell: she has to remember she is a democrat first…tick, tock, tick, tock
Brachiator
Vincent: That’s a bold statement.
Lance: This ain’t Amsterdam, Vince. This is a sellers market. Medicare is fucking dead as… dead. Deficit Reduction, it’s coming back in a big fucking way.
(with all due apologies to Pulp Fiction)
Poopyman
@Dexter: Jeebus, the Oklahoma City radar looks ugly right now.
DBrown
Bet tax cuts would not need to be pay-as-you-go but disaster relief? Oh, that needs to be paid for by cutting from (name any program that helps the poor but never from DoD: the tit that supplies the 1% with endless cash.)
MagicPanda
The paranoid part of my brain keeps telling me that there must be an evil genius plot behind the Republican freakshow, but for the life of me, it just looks like they are repeatedly shooting themselves in the foot. Weird…
geg6
Anybody notice that it’s wingnut Bible Belt states getting hit hardest by all this pissed off Mother Nature? Maybe they should rethink that whole Rapture thing. Doesn’t look like it’s working out as they planned.
SiubhanDuinne
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
What you did there with the embedded link is what I was trying and failing to do in the first comment on Anne Laurie’s thread next door (I saw the NYT story on Warren v. McHenry, not TPM, but the principle is the same).
Seriously, I thought I knew how to do a pretty hyperlink but for some reason in FYWP it’s just baffling. Also too, perplexing and befuddling.
ETA: do you have a link (of any appearance) for this?
Zifnab
See, it’s funny, because I’m sure newly minted Senator Roy Blunt Jr doesn’t feel this way. Given that he had Cantor’s job just two years ago, I wonder if the state would have received different treatment.
Hell, I’m curious how the entire Missouri delegation feels about Cantor’s principles about now.
eric
@geg6: god’s wrath for not doing enough to fight against gay marriage…….duh
Some Guy
Excellent use of Simpsons reference.
In fact, I think there should a scale, since so many people use the Simpsons for metaphors, emphasis, and the like. 1-10 on the SimpsRef-O-Meter.
I give this an 8. Not perfect, but extremely timely, a low common-citation factor adds to the archival appeal, and it involves Grandpa, which is always a good thing.
I wore an onion on my belt because that was the style at the time.
PeakVT
@SiubhanDuinne: Do you see the buttons right above the comment box? They work for me.
Sasha
@Jules:
Because they were smart enough not to let the gorgon mask completely fall off until after they were elected.
Yevgraf (fka Michael)
Take it out of Israel’s cut of the foreign aid budget.
Anybody got a link to any site where I can send a donation to Hamas or Hezbollah?
SiubhanDuinne
@PeakVT:
Yes I do.
They don’t for me. At least, not the link button. Bold, italic,
deleteandall work just fine.
ETA: typo fix
Cam
@SiubhanDuinne: Here you go: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/23/rob-woodall-on-medicare-take-care-of-me_n_865724.html.
The Dangerman
How does every picture of that fucker come out like he has a raging case of hemorrhoids?
SiubhanDuinne
@Cam:
Woodall? Oh, crap, that’s my Congressman.
But thanks for the link.
me
@Poopyman: I wonder how Tom “Dr No” Coburn feels about emergency spending for disaster relief.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@SiubhanDuinne: When you hit link, make sure you paste in the comment cleanly, without repeating the http that’s already there? that’s screwed up my links a few times
Here’s the story on Ron Woodall, R-GA:
Violet
Turned on the radio this morning and had the misfortune of hearing Glenn Beck for a few minutes. He was praising the people of Joplin, MO and said the country will be better off when we stand up, like the people of Joplin, and say to FEMA, “No thank you. We’ll take care of ourselves.”
Maude
I wonder how the meaner than a snake attitude will play out.
The economy stinks and a lot of people might think that fools like Ryan and Cantor aren’t amusing.
Villago Delenda Est
@me:
If it’s in San Francisco, they can die on the vine.
If it’s in Oklahoma, money needs to be transfered from DoD to speed disaster relief.
Brian R.
@Violet:
I guess in Glenn Beck’s alternate universe, he didn’t see the Joplin City Manager effusively thanking FEMA at the press conference this morning where he was joined by the FEMA Deputy Director.
What a fucking loon.
Elizabelle
@Violet:
It’s not an either/or.
Dumbtards.
Yevgraf (fka Michael)
As somebody (just) under age of 55, I find myself longing for the emergence of a far more intelligent, effective and violent branch of the leftist Weathermen.
Brian R.
@The Dangerman:
Because he’s a gaping asshole, that’s why.
Kirbster
People who are already suffering have that pathos thing going for them and therefore make excellent hostages.
celticdragonchick
Pictures on MSNBC are fucking insane to lok at right now.
j
Is Eric the same “manly man” who accepts AND DEMANDS stuff like this?
http://www2.wsls.com/news/2011/may/04/stimulus-money-help-local-school-systems-improve-d-ar-1016715/
COOL SHIT!!
Have that Koch jock sniffer cut HIS OWN largess and try to explain to his racist whitey’s that OTHER racist whiteys were demanding money from the gubmment.
What a bunch of Jeezuz haters. HEY, you Old Testament asswipes…
PRAY BACK really IS a bitch! I can picture the bumper stickers on thire rusted out Hummers…
KKKANTOR + Syphillila from Wassila 2012!!
But you can keep your guns and eat your Bahbulls.
It’ll stick to anything.
SenyorDave
@Redshift:
What did that cat ever do to be compared to Eric Cantor?
boss bitch
@Seanly:
He should know better. Its more important for FEMA and all necessary government agencies to be there.
Why are so many people caught up on optics? is shit getting done? that’s all I need to know.
ABL
@Some Guy: Ha!
RosiesDad
Balance disaster relief to Missouri with funding cuts to the 7th Congressional District of VA.
Frankensteinbeck (The ex-Uloborus)
@DBrown:
Tax cuts are already excepted from pay-as-you-go. They made that specific exception at the beginning of the session. I’m not kidding. New spending must be compensated for, tax cuts do not need to be compensated for.
Joseph Nobles
I was pretty sure Patrick McHeliumHeels’ calling Elizabeth Warren a liar in a Congressional hearing would be the most despicable thing the GOP Congress could be responsible for today. I’m so sad to be wrong.
ETA: It would just be scummy of me to suggest carving Joplin relief funds out of Israeli foreign assistance, wouldn’t it?
fasteddie9318
@beltane:
Red State believers? Hell, the real problem with this country is that most of the surviving residents of Joplin will hear Cantor say that and say, “Fuck yeah! Fuckin’ Washington spendin’ money it don’t have gettin’ all up in our shit on our recovery! You tell that fuckin’ Obama to get off my back and stop all this fuckin’ spendin’ my money on this bullshit! Fuck Obama and fuck the Democrats!” And the media will be there to ask, “Can America really afford this disaster relief? Serious People will Seriously debate this Serious issue.”
Later, if the House can’t compromise on pay-fors and Joplin doesn’t get any money, those same people will say “Where the fuck is that fucker Obama with our goddamn money? How are we supposed to recover if our own government isn’t gonna be there to support us? Fuck Obama and fuck the Democrats!” And the media will be there to ask, “Why is President Obama abandoning the good people of Joplin? Serious People will Seriously debate this Serious issue.”
That the heads of these people don’t immediately asplode from the cognitive dissonance or an overabundance of the stupids, that’s the reason why this country is capital-F Fucked.
Suffern ACE
@boss bitch: Yep. While the president comes with his own security detail, my guess is that when there are still survivors to be searched for, the concentration needs to be on the searching to maximize the surviving part.
danimal
Hey, I’ve got an idea for a pay for:
How about a carbon tax to fund natural disaster relief?
Don’t mention global warming at all, cuz we’re just looking at revenue sources for the cleanup and restoration after all of these extreme weather events.
Dennis SGMM
Opportunity is knocking. The question is whether or not the Democrats will get up and answer. If a Democrat had what Cantor said the R’s would be endlessly harrumphing on every talk show that would book them. We know about Cantor’s sociopathic statement because we’re paying attention. It’s up to the Democratic party to make sure that the rest of America knows about it as well.
The Raven
@MagicPanda:
Well, there are the Koch brothers, and the DeVos family, but they’re not smart, just rich. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take evil geniuses to create shit.
Mnemosyne
@Dennis SGMM:
Unfortunately, this is the fatal flaw in your plan. If the networks couldn’t be bothered to book Democrats on the teevee after Osama bin Laden was killed, what makes you think they’re going to put them on when it would actively make Republicans look bad?
Mnemosyne
@geg6:
They’re getting sucked up into the sky to meet God, just as they expected. What’s not working out about that plan?
(Though it does remind me that Fred Clark often pounds on the fact that the Rapture bullshit is built on a fear of death so paralyzing that the believers keep wishing and hoping that they’re going to escape the fate that meets every living thing.)
Karen
@Suffern ACE:
So now you’re saying that Obama should have his security detail gutted so they can use that money to find survivors in MO? I know a lot of people here hate Obama but I didn’t think people hated him that much.
Karen
Ironically…Virginia wanted a state of emergency declared when they got hit by tornadoes last month…
http://progress-index.com/news/governor-asks-for-residents-others-to-help-va-tornado-victims-1.1146282
hilts
Eric Cantor is pure, unadulterated scum.
Thoughtful Black Co-Citizen
What kind of motherfucker looks at a serious disaster that claims lives and property and sees an opportunity to push his political agenda?
A filthy stinking evil motherfucker, that’s what.
gf120581
For the life of me, I don’t know what Cantor is thinking, unless he’s determined to push MO into Obama’s column in 2012. He came very close, so maybe Cantor’s thinking, “One more little push and I can do it!”
I mean, Joplin is in Roy Blunt’s old district, is it not? It’s as GOP as it gets and Cantor is treating it with as much compassion as the GOP showed much of New Orleans during Katrina. I don’t know, maybe Cantor doesn’t like his predecessor in the GOP House leadership and this is his way of telling him to suck it.
Cacti
Cleaning up the rubble that was your hometown is a small price to pay, as long as gays can’t get married.
darkmatter
Someone should tell Cantor to take his demands and cram it up his ass. It takes a special breed of immoral fuckwit to hold disaster relief over the heads of those that need it. As someone said on Twitter, Cantor ought to be forced to go to Joplin and explain to the citizens there his demands. With any luck, they’ll beat some sense into his empty head.
@Thoughtful Black Co-Citizen:
Could not agree more with the sentiment.
Luthe
@Karen: I think you misunderstand. What Suffern ACE meant was that if Obama were to visit Joplin right now, resources that would be occupied searching for survivors would be diverted to protecting him, so he is staying away since his security detail is perfectly adequate and Joplin needs rescuers more than they need him.
Karen
@Luthe:
Oh. My apologies Suffern ACE, I did misunderstand and thank you for explaining Luthe.
El Cid
Just because there’s a bunch of Missouri types devastated by tornadoes doesn’t mean that these shirkers are free of the belt-tightening ‘we’ all have to do.
After all, my family has to balance its budget every month, and we can’t act all irresponsible by saying “oh, but please, Mr. Bill Collector, I just lost my house and everything I own to a tornado!”
Chris Call
@Yevgraf (fka Michael):
Take it out of Israel’s cut of the foreign aid budget.
Anybody got a link to any site where I can send a donation to Hamas or Hezbollah?
That’s too funny. Even on Drudge a fraction of the posters are arguing the same thing (about cutting the aid). Be careful about that last bit, don’t you know that money is fungible and it might be transferred to support terrorism (hope you detect the tongue-in-cheekness).
Chris Call
@RosiesDad:
Given his seditious ways with regard to Netanyahu (yahoo if you prefer), I fully support that proposition and hope he gets the challenge of his life–from a trans-black-woman preferably.
Off topic for a moment, but how is it that the party most tethered to American exceptionalism is the same one wanting to renounce their citizenship to move to Israel? I can’t stop blinking due to the cognitive dissonance this irony has foisted upon me. If only the GOP could save me. Perhaps I should be asking “when am I gonna decide
Xenocrates
@El Cid: But, you see, the sad fact of the matter is that there is only a tenous connection between your family budget and that of the U.S. government. One of these things is not like the other…stop creating false equivalencies. It’s a very Republican rhetorical trick, also known as a “lie.”
The Populist
@El Cid: I agree to a point. But I also believe in compassion (something many of these red staters seem to lack) and if they need time to pay their bills, give it to them.
What annoys me is these folks now see what voting red is all about and if the GOP insists on not helping, will they still vote for these pukes?
We are all in this together regardless of what the right wants to say. If an American hurts, help them. Food stamps cost nothing in the big scheme, for example, yet the right call these people losers and leeches.
My prayers go out to these folks in Joplin. I have family in nearby towns and I do feel for everybody here. What I want people to realize is the GOP does not care about you or your needs.