Rep. Steve King: “The Best Vote” I Cast Was Against Katrina Relief
Think Progress has Iowa Republican Steve King’s remarkable statement in an interview from The Hill.
THE HILL: What vote would you like to redo?
KING: I don’t really go back and re-live that sort of thing. Some of the big votes that I’ve thought about, some of the jury’s still out. And at this point, maybe I’d answer that question another way, probably the singular vote that stands out that went against the grain, and it turns out to be the best vote that I cast, was my “no” vote to the $51.5 billion to [Hurricane] Katrina. That probably was my best vote. But as far as doing something different again, I don’t know.
King has already made a “name” for himself by refusing to acknowledge that slave labor built DC and by expressing concern that Iowa would become “a gay marriage mecca.”
FOX NEWS STINKS — I AM GONNA GET YOU A JOB IN THE BIG LEAGUES– (GOD WILLING) AND BTW–YOU ARENT GOING TO HELL, EITHER — (YOU ARE THERE ALREADY)
–GOD WILL REWARD YOU FOR ALL YOUR KINDNESSES…NO HELL FOR ALAN !!!!
YOUR BIRTHDAY IN 2 DAYS—YOU LOOK 30 YEARS YOUNGER …MALSOLTOFF (SHIKSA SPELLING)…PEACE !
September 22nd, 2009 at 12:45 pm
A PS— NOW I KNOW WHY HEAVEN IS UPSET WITH REPUBLICANS…GEEESH…
SIGNED–ANGEL
September 22nd, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Some of our representatives are just outright amazing.
Their districts must be so proud of them.
John Galt Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Some of our representatives are just outright amazing.
If I’m not mistaken, there are STILL people living in FEMA trailers outside their destroyed home. Waiting. Waiting for government assistance to move them.
average james Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 1:54 pm
So voting no for Katrina relief would have improved their lot ?
If no federal assistance was given, it would be better ?
I’m not sure I understand your point John.
Could you clarify ?
OldLefty Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Can’t speak directly to FEMA trailers but:
Four years after Katrina, victims like Obama efforts
AP 28 August 2009, 04:53pm AP
Louisiana’s Republican Gov Bobby Jindal says Democrat Obama’s team has brought a more practical and flexible approach. Many local officials offer similar reviews. Even Doug O’Dell, former President George W Bush’s recovery coordinator, says the Obama administration’s “new vision” appears to be turning things around.
Added O’Dell: “I think the results are self-evident.” O’Dell, a retired Marine general, served what he calls a frustrating stint as Bush’s recovery coordinator last year. “What people have said to me is that for whatever reason, problems that were insurmountable under previous leadership are getting resolved quickly,” O’Dell said.
John Galt Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 1:59 pm
So voting no for Katrina relief would have improved their lot ?
After all of this time, these folks still find themselves doing nothing to improve their lot. Do you think that government money should be spent to “assist” or to simply “do”?
Another way of looking at it. Is there any real way to believe that had these folks been given any arbitrary amount of money [$100 or $100,000] their life would be any better today?
Rocky the Liberal Rottweiler Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Yeah another great republikkkan stance. JUST LET THEM DIE!!! Lordy Lordy Lordy, I can see Jesus smiling with joy just to know there’s still republikkkans in the world willing to put on those pointy toed boots and ram a good one up the backhoe of indigent people. Because a good kick in the butt is all those lazy sacks of crap really need. Maybe you want to send a DEATH PANEL down there to pass judgement too!!
average james Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Still unclear as to your point John.
Do you think that FEMA should even exist ?
Are you making the point for not helping people ?
John Galt Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 2:21 pm
JUST LET THEM DIE!!!
No. That would be JUST LET THEM LIVE!!!
Still unclear as to your point John.
My point is this. At some point, no amount of money is going to help people help themselves. You could spend 10k per, or 100k per or just set them up for life with a 100k annual salary.
OldLefty Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 2:46 pm
As for:
“Is there any real way to believe that had these folks been given any arbitrary amount of money [$100 or $100,000] their life would be any better today?”
……………………
Bush said it best:
“lands swept clean are “opportunity zones,”
They would have done better without:
“Pro-Free-Market Ideas for Responding to Hurricane Katrina and High Gas Prices,” circulated by the House Republican Study Committee :
“Automatically suspend Davis-Bacon prevailing wage laws in disaster areas”; ( Bush had t reinstate it in 2008)”Make the entire affected area a flat-tax free-enterprise zone”; and “Make the entire region an economic competitiveness zone (comprehensive tax incentives and waiving of regulations).”
Some dry areas, like Algiers, did have large low-income African-American populations before the storm, but in all the billions for reconstruction, there is no budget for transportation back from the far-flung shelters where those residents ended up. So even when resettlement is permitted, many may not be able to return.
Many developers saw an opportunity to cleanse the area of poor renters and build a new city.
Or not bringing in private contractors like Blackwater, may have hurt less.
They were not as fortunate, as some of these reports point out, as those in Florida in 04:
“Some Homeland Security sources said FEMA’s efforts to distribute funds quickly after Frances and three other hurricanes that hit the key political battleground state of Florida in a six-week period last fall were undertaken with a keen awareness of the looming presidential elections,” according to a May 19 Washington Post story.
Homeland Security sources told the Post that after the hurricanes that Brown “and his allies [recommended] him to succeed Tom Ridge as Homeland Security secretary because of their claim that he helped deliver Florida to President Bush by efficiently responding to the Florida hurricanes.”
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel uncovered emails from Florida Gov. Jeb Bush that confirmed those allegations and directly implicated Brown as playing politics at the expense of hurricane victims.
“As the second hurricane in less than a month bore down on Florida last fall, a federal [FEMA] consultant predicted a “huge mess” that could reflect poorly on President Bush and suggested that his re-election staff be brought in to minimize any political liability, records show,” the Sentinel reported in a March 23 story.
I have a long list of false claims paid out in counties important to the 04 election.
average james Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Allright John,
So if I understand correctly, you are basically saying that some people just won’t even help themselves, even after FEMA help.
Kinda like, you can lead an alcoholic to rehab but, you can’t keep him sober ?
I do not believe that it relieves me of the moral obligation to help.
I do believe that the outcome is not up to me.
karthiks030977 Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 3:11 pm
“I do not believe that it relieves me of the moral obligation to help.
I do believe that the outcome is not up to me.”
That is the message of the Gita, AJ.
“Karmanyevaadhikaaraste,maa phaleshu kadaachana….”
Translation:
You have the right to do your karma, but you do not have the right to the fruit of doing your karma.
“maa karma phala hetur bhooh maa tesangostvakarmani”
You are not the cause of the consequences of doing your karma, and you do not have the right to choose to NOT do your karma.
GuidoVanHorn Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 3:11 pm
So even when resettlement is permitted, many may not be able to return.
—-
why would I want to resettle in a place that just got destroyed by a hurricane???
Sarah Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Oh hell, anything’s susceptible to Mother Nature. Why would anyone live in Venice, for pete’s sake? Or California? Rivers flood and change paths. Tornadoes destroy. Earthquakes quake. Snow socks us in.
People probably have moved away from New Orleans, but more will eventually take their place.
average james Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Succint and to the point Sarah.
I agree and like the way you put it.
average james Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 3:25 pm
I gotta check out the Gita Karthicks.
I’ve been reading the Koran lately because, I speak of it in ignorance, having never read it.
I plan to read it, all of it.
Then I can at least be less ignorant.
karthiks030977 Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 3:35 pm
“I’ve been reading the Koran lately ”
GFY,AJ.
I want to read it too, some time.Wifey has put some time to it, about the same time I spent on the Bible.
Been too busy working, and beating up Jared to do this, thanks for bringing me back to perspective on my life priorities. Silly of me to get hung up on beating up Jared.
EricG Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 8:34 pm
John Galt –
Except that nobody ever advocated that and nobody ever will, in our lifetimes, advocate those kinds of policies.
I hear people on right prove they didn’t take a Civics class when they talk about “socialism”.
Perhaps I need to play the teacher because everyone seems to be confused and defining things like they are in grade school when they are clearly adults.
What you describe would be socialism, or a version of it.
But nobody wants to do that. Not Obama, not me, not the DNC … nobody. (Maybe Bernie Saunders)
What we want is for our tax payer dollars, that govt already has in it’s pocket, to go toward helping people who don’t have a home because of Katrina instead of doing nothing with it like Rep. King wants.
And this why it is un-American to mislabel ‘liberals’ as ’socialist’.
Rather than cram this issue down anyone’s throat I’d rather just make the point that every single person you hear say the word “socialist” is lying to you.
Just like if I called all conservatives “fascists” that would also be a lie.
Until we can learn to take the time to respect the views of those we do not agree with we will continue to be a nation of bitter hatred for another.
But I remind you that the rightwing media makes it paycheck off that hatred, as does the leftwing media.
So we the people have to demand they stop this slander campaign against intelligence in politics.
And frankly nobody is with me, at all.
September 22nd, 2009 at 1:23 pm
“…by expressing concern that Iowa would become “a gay marriage mecca.”
I think this guy’s afraid of being “found out”.
September 22nd, 2009 at 2:05 pm
There are so many insulting myths about New Orleans and its people. Here are but a few:
Do people know that 90% of the metro area evacuated before the storm? It was the most successful evacuation of a metropolitan area in this country’s history. Could their city do as well?
Do they know that the Lower Ninth Ward is but only 2 of the 140 square miles (in just Orleans Parish) that flooded when flood control structures fell down.
Do they know that 70% of New Orleans home owners had flood insurance? – a rate higher than almost anywhere else in the country.
Do they know that the flood, proportionally, killed just as many rich, middle class and poor as well as black, white, Hispanic and Asian New Orleanians? The only demographic that suffered more than the rest were our elderly who suffered the worst, by far. Did you know many thousands of New Orleanians died in the months after the storm from stress and depression, and are still dying?
Do they know that 50% of New Orleans is above sea level?
Did you know ships must travel 96 miles upriver from the Gulf to reach New Orleans? – we are not a ‘coastal’ city.
Do they know that New Orleans has a higher percentage of residents that remain lifelong residents of their home town than any other major metropolitan area in the US?
Why do outsiders believe these myths?
The myths seemed to stem from journalists parachuting in with preconceived notions and lazy but flowery language and they typically reported it all wrong. Countrymen and politicians used our problems as partisan political fodder. New Orleans and its residents have been ruthlessly slandered like no American city has ever experienced. Lazy media reported a ‘natural’ disaster and too many of our countrymen feel we deserved our disaster and should even be denied the right to exist. It is plenty enough to hurt your feelings. Our fellow US citizens, even folk from all over the world, don’t care that all the misinformation has seriously disillusioned and disturbed so many.
Do they know our outfall canal floodwalls fell down without even being overtopped by storm surge water (at less than half their design loads) because of negligent engineering in the design of those floodwalls’ foundations by engineers employed with the US Army Corps of Engineers as reported in the official levee failure investigation reports and reported to Congress by Corps leadership in June of 2006 and as decided by US 5th District Judge S. Duval in January 2008. – The Corps specified the sheet-piles be driven 17.5 feet below sea level rather than 60 foot as needed to hold back a storm surge rising to the top of the wall – they short-sheeted New Orleans.
Do they know the Corps is primarily responsible for the losses of our wetlands that use to serve as a storm surge buffer for New Orleans?
Do they know the vast majority of New Orleanians are honest, hard working, tax paying, law abiding US citizens and deserve their respect?
September 22nd, 2009 at 8:21 pm
King is a racist.
I just wanted to inform everyone reading about this fact.
September 22nd, 2009 at 8:24 pm