President Obama surveys flood-stricken New Jersey

[TomCADem]

Source: Reuters

President Barack Obama traveled to flood-stricken New Jersey Sunday to survey the damage caused by Hurricane Irene.

With rain-swollen rivers receding in the Northeast after the region suffered its worst flooding in decades, Obama arrived for a first-hand look at the disaster response in the working-class city of Paterson, one of the hardest-hit places.

* * *

Obama officially declared New Jersey a disaster area on Wednesday, making the state eligible for federal disaster aid.

He is expected to ask Congress for extra funds to help recover from Irene, but Washington's unrelenting budget battle -- and a deepening ideological divide between Republicans and Democrats over the role of government -- could complicate relief efforts.


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/04/us-storm-irene-obama-idUSTRE7831P620110904

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While House Republicans hold up FEMA funding and Republican Presidential candidates like Ron Paul argue that FEMA should be abolished, the President is working to respond to the damage caused by Hurricane Irene.

Of course, Republicans are immune to hypocrisy as ultra conservative Chris Chrisie asks for and receives federal disaster aid:

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2011/09/03/governor-chris-christie-announces-federal-disaster-aid-approved-for-additional-new-jersey-counties/

[otohara]

1. Surprised Chris Christie Let Him In The State

This president is treated with such disrespect and shear hatred by GOP politicians, it wouldn't surprise me.

[FarCenter]

2. Christie can recognize a win-win situation for him, Obama and New Jersey

He's sufficiently narcissistic that he doesn't care what other Republicans think.

[TomCADem]

3. The Key Is The Corporate Media Giving Him A Free Pass - Federal Handouts

It is a given that Christie will be a hypocrite. The real story is how the corporate media gives him an incredible free pass despite his long history bashing federal involvment. Also, why doesn't corporate media ask Christie about Republican opposition to FEMA funding or calls to abolish FEMA?

Heck, on the campaign trail, Perry is a Tea Party darling although he happily accepted Federal Stimulus money in 2009.

[FarCenter]

6. Hurricane Irene puts a dent in Christie's anti-government attitude

Prior to the devastating hurricane that swept through New Jersey this past weekend, causing massive flooding and power outages that are still being felt throughout the state, Governor Christie seemed to be taking his cues from the radically anti-government teabagger wing of the Republican party. From gutting the ARC tunnel project to his slash and burn budget cuts, Christie seemed hell-bent on following the national Republican mantra of demonizing government while gladly rewarding his millionaire Wall Street campaign donors. But then came Hurricane Irene.

Christie abruptly broke with his party’s militantly fiscal conservatives such as Virgina Rep. Eric Cantor, the fascist little elf who threatened to withhold disaster relief until other major spending cuts were made. But Christie, a prominent Republican with a lot of clout nationally, took Cantor to task by saying his state’s cleanup from the deadly storm can’t wait while lawmakers battle over the budget.

"We don’t have time to wait for folks in Congress to figure out how they want to offset this stuff with other budget cuts," said Governor Christie.

http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/commentary/hurricane-irene-puts-a-dent-in-christies-anti-government-attitude

newjserseynewsroom.com is a web site set up by former newspaper staff let go when the print media downsized.

[krispos42]

4. I think Air Force One flew overhead an hour or so ago!

I was standing on my front porch checking on my son playing basketball with the Pakistani kid next door when all of a sudden there was a big roar, and I watched a 4-engined jumbo jet fly by, maybe 2,000 feet up or so. It was on a southwest heading, which was kind of unusual because Sikorsky Airport is to the southeast... and doesn't normally take jumbo jets!


My first thought was "terrorist attack"; some fool heading towards the New York skyline.

So I did some more yardwork then came inside to check the news. I figured if it WAS a terrorist attack it would be all over the news, and I'd have the answer I was looking for.

So happy to see it was (probably) AF1. Although what it was doing flying over the Bridgeport area....

[Davis_X_Machina]

5. He's only pretending to care...

...you can tell. He didn't mention the public option even once.

[russspeakeasy]

7. Are there any pictures of them shaking hands, or did Ralph

Cramden just pretend Obama wasn't there ?:evilgrin:

[No Elephants]

8. Why do you hate Ralph Cramden?

[russspeakeasy]

9. Excellent !!

:toast:

[KoKo]

10. When will he do the "Fly Over" for NC...and Vermont? Along with Connecticut and Catskill Mtn's of

New York.

Instead he spends his time trying to convince that Fat Pig Christie of NJ...who trashed Obama and said they could do all of the clean up themselves and don't need any "Gubbmit Funding."

Whey will Obama do the OTHER FLY OVERS?