GOP Congressman Pays For Emergency Disaster Relief With Cuts To Clean Cars Program

In a stunningly heartless move, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) put strings on emergency relief for the victims of the killer Joplin tornado, saying that other government services would have to be cut to offset aid spending. Yesterday afternoon, the House Appropriations Committee passed an amendment by Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL) to add $1 billion in funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) disaster relief fund, offset by cutting $1.5 billion from the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program at the Department of Energy. On MSNBC’s Ed Show, Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO) called the decision “just plain wrong”:

When you talk about cutting clean energy programs versus cutting subsidies for big oil, let’s have that debate here in Washington. But not on the backs of the people of Joplin.

Scientists have warned for decades that our climate system would grow deadlier as greenhouse pollution from coal and oil increases, with greater floods, heat waves, droughts, wildfires, and storms. Instead of responding to reality by mobilizing our nation to protect people from climate disasters and build a resilient, green economy, Republicans are keeping us tethered to big oil.

http://thinkprogress.org/?p=169512

Imagine looking down onto a sewage plant and seeing and smelling the scum floating along the top ......... now you have a visual of eric cantor

Firefighter and other emergency related funding.

WTF is wrong with them?

Republicans cannot stop themselves from looting bank accounts and programs they see with funds in them. They just can't stand it and they get all crazy and rabid and go on a shopping spree. Gawd, I hate these people. Is that wrong?

I've had differences with R's, but I figured that was part of the process, and if you go back a lot of years the R's just had differing opinions. But the R's today are a whole different breed. I hate them too, they are really really sick and frankly many of them are really off their rocker. The system has created these monsters called republicans.

without the Democrats in the Senate or the White house?

I hate to break it to you but he did this with help - he does not have the power as a single republican congressmen to decide where all of the money should come from without the agreement of our Democrats.

The blame also belongs to everyone who went along with it (while oil welfare was right there to cut presumably possible via a single democratic congressman following the logic here that blames only one Repig)

Who agreed with him and made it official?
That is a question one should at least ask.

Before someone yells at me and says this is just the house version all I can ask is, "will they just give him what he wants because he added a fucked up amendment in the house by passing it and SIGNING it into law while pretending they are not on board with it?"

I would like just one Democrat to be able to wield such power over all three branches of government, hell I hear even the Democratic President has little to no power and has to give in to any one Republican with a bad idea.

I have heard a great deal about how little power the President has, I am beginning to think it is just a honorary position like the queen of England.