The Baltimore Sun reported yesterday that Maryland State Rep. Andy Harris was one of 67 Republicans to vote on Friday against the $10 billion emergency funding for the federal flood insurance program. The funding was approved 354-67.
(Continue reading John Fritz’s article here)
Mary Anne O'Boyle Leary says
Have you no shame, Mr. Harris? Is it more important to cling to some abstract economic principle than to help those in desperate need? Emergency funding is just that; it should require no offset.
Mary Anne O’Boyle Leary
fletcher r hall says
The vote by Congressman Harris, against the assistance for those poor folks effected by super storm Sandy was toally uncalled for and a disservice to his constituents on The lower Eastern Shore.
This vote is a prime example of members of Congress who put their political agendas ahead of the needs of their constituents.
I am for appropriate and necessary tax cuts, but not in situations where the lives and livelihoods of plain citizens have been altered by devasting acts of nature. I would gladly pay a few more tax dollars if I am assured that the money was actually going to help those in need.
In the two bills in Congress dealing with Sandy, we in Maryland are contesting the allocation of resources with New York and New Jersey. Where is our Congressman in this significant legislative battle? One no vote and a press release are not the entire the entire story
Lincoln said “you can fool some of the people some of the time but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time”. He aslso said ‘The role of government is to do those things they cannot do for themselves”. I think recoverty from super storms may be an example of this simple descriprion of the role of government.
Perhaps Congressman, who professes to be of the party of Lincoln, should remeber and heed the words of the first Republican President.
I am still awaiting an answer from the office of Congressman Harris on just how many resources will be allocated, by federal legislation, which will affect the lower Eastern Shore, especially Somerset, Worcester and Wicomico counties. It may be a long wait, unfortunately.
Robert Sweetman says
Mr. Hall –
My understanding is that the republicans who voted against the measure did so in order to make a point to attempt a reform to the National Flood insurance program. Now maybe it was wrong timing in an attempt to do so, but it does point out that the Flood Insurance program needs some fixing, eliminated, or limits placed on it.
And before anyone flys off the handle, this event occurred in October. The Emergency is Over. And by a large part, Public Service Utilities have been restored, clean up has been underway, and most are beginning the rebuilding process. And I’m talking about the event as a whole, not individual particular situations. If anyone wants to go that route, heck people from Hurricane Katrina are still suffering…
Like it or not we’ve had disasters and catastrophes occur in this country since it’s founding. Only in our most recent history has the government been continually looked upon as the ‘Savior” whenever something happens. Earthquakes, Landslides, Wildfires, Tornado’s, Hurricanes… and the list goes on…And it even occurs when an area is hard hit by drought…
It’s getting to the point that “Anything” anymore qualifies for some type of disaster aid and recovery. If a hard hitting thunderstorm rolls through an area and knocks out power to hundreds of thousand of people for a few days as occurred this past summer in our metro areas the politicians want to show “They care for the People” and push for monies to alleviate the hardships. People in our society are ever increasingly looking to the government to make life “Fair”. And that perspective needs to change because Life is not fair.
People who live in Flood prone areas need to assume a higher level of risk when building. Having the government bail them out every few years after a storm in some hurricane prone coastal areas is insane in my mind. I had a co-worker who bought and retired to a home in Florida and had to replace the roof twice in the first 3 years he lived there because of Hurricanes. Same goes for folks who build in high wildfire and landslide risk zones in the western part of the country. If an Insurance company will not take the risk to cover property in a high risk area, and you yourself can’t afford it, then why require the government to guarantee it?
You cannot throw the whole blame for this debacle on a republican who voted against the measure. what about all those democrats who basically have a majority of the control in those heavily populated areas up north? Did they prepare their constituents for the possibilities of a catastrophic event knowing full well that major hurricanes in the past had hit the areas? There was more than 600 people killed in a storm that hit the same area in 1938. There have been 57 Hurricane and sub tropical storms that have made landfall in New York since 1938 of varying degrees of death and property destruction. Emergency Management agencies were fully aware of the risks, but as is always the case, budgetary requests and long time event planning for resources is always relegated to the lower tier of necessities by those in higher authority. So now, lets make someone the “Bad Guy” who wants to reform the system instead of writing a blank check because we didn’t have the foresight enough to see and say that something will happen, instead of “that’ll never happen here!”…
Enough of the reactive reactionary blame games. The Government can help, but people need to assume some degree of responsibility by purchasing flood insurance in areas where it’s needed. A lot of people in the New York and New Jersey areas failed to do just that…
fletcher hall says
Let’s not confuse the issue by blaming others and recalling history.
The fact is that Congressman Harris should have voted for the Sandy relief bill. It is definatrly in the best interest of a large portion of his constituents.
Flood insurance reform may be needed, so is help for victims of natural disasters.
Joe Diamond says
Fletcher,
Don’t hit that party of Lincoln too hard. President Lincoln declared martial law in MD and locked up the mayor of Chestertown.
And I don’t think it was Lincoln with the fool the people line…………I’ll look. Besides there is a lot of “you can ignore most of the people most of the time inside the beltway>”
Joe
Joe Diamond says
It was “all the people some of the time…………but nevermind.
Forgot about: Along with a declaring martial law, President Abraham Lincoln ordered the suspension of the constitutionally protected right to writs of habeas corpus in 1861, shortly after the start of the American Civil War. At the time, the suspension applied only in Maryland and parts of the Midwestern states.
In response to the arrest of Maryland secessionist John Merryman by Union troops, then Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Roger B. Taney defied Lincoln’s order and issued a writ of habeas corpus demanding that the U.S. Military bring Merryman before the Supreme Court. When Lincoln and the military refused to honor the writ, Chief Justice Taney in Ex-parte MERRYMAN declared Lincoln’s suspension of habeas corpus unconstitutional. Lincoln and the military ignored Taney’s ruling.
On Sept. 24, 1862, President Lincoln issued the following proclamation suspending the right to writs of habeas corpus nationwide.
Politicians will suspend the law if they think they are right or can get away with it.
Joe
fletcher hall says
I am not sure what these facts have on the present day situation where a portion of our fellow Eastern Shoremen need disaster relief from a storm which occured over 60 days ago.
Mike Hunt says
Ex parte Merryman was perhaps the finest bit of jurisprudence ever to leave to Court. Thank you Joe Diamond. Too few people remember these days.
fletcher hall says
Not hitting the party of Lincoln. Just reminging our Republican Congressman of his heritage and the need to recognize and act properly on constituent needs.
Kevin Shertz says
If only we could get Kanye West to say on-air, “Congressman Harris doesn’t care about Crisfield.”
Alex Smolens says
Yo Kevin, I’m really happy for you, and Imma let you finish, but Fletcher Hall had the best post in this thread. In this thread!
Jane Ann Martin says
There’s an old expression that says what is important to someone depends upon “whose ox is being gored”. Apparently for Dr. Harris, not even the distress of his constituents on the Eastern Shore was inportant.
For another quote, this time from Marie Antoinette when told that people in Paris had no bread, she said, “Let them eat cake.” Some of your constituents have no home, clothes or food, Congressman Harris, but you could care less. It doesn’t bother you. I hope those who reelected you take note of your response to this emergency and begin to wonder if you would do anything if they had no bread!
Norm Dulak says
Just whom does Harris purport to represent? It’s certainly no one that I know.
fletcher hall says
I cannt help but congecture if Congressman Rogers C.B. Morton or Congressman Wayne Gilchrist would have voted against the initial Sandy relief bill?
I think not. And, they who have been reelected for doing the correct thing for their constituents.
Aah, how times change.
Ed Plaisance says
Well, well, is this how our Representative looks after OUR interests? That old Irish saying just came to mind: “Give a fool enough rope….”
Joe Diamond says
Where were all these bean counters when it was decided that Iraq could be attacked….off budget & no offset?
How about for every teacher or cop that gets laid off one TSA wonk gets sent to Afganistan or Africa?
Failing to aid those in need is just wrong. But if anyone wants to try………………the barrier islands and dunes from NJ to TX are prone to storm damage. Likewise the mid west gets tornadoes all the time. Blizzards shut down northern states. Stop allowing insurance in these money pits. No more federal aid. All federal spending comes from dismantling government agencies.
And We, the people, need to change the sign on the door. Where it says “. . .establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity. . .” All that has to be changed!
Grrrrrrr!
joe
fletcher hall says
Joe:
Let’s not look past the present issue and necessity of relief action. The poor folks of the lower Eastern Shore have beeen waiting over two months for assistance.
There are some misguided souls in America today who are ignoring reality and the PROPER role of government for harsh political beliefs.
I continue to believe that the proper role of government is to assist the trurly needy and eliminate expensive “do good” programs which do not really help anyone and add to the national debt. That should be real Republican policy and not cut and slasn for its own sake.
Super storm victims really deserve assistance.
Joe Diamond says
Fletcher,
The article impacts at least three different issues:
1. What to do for those who are homeless or without a business after a storm. That answer should be the easiest one; help them.
2. As I mentioned above….. there are places that are prone damage from various types of natural disasters. The hard question is what to do about the repetitive damage claims? Does the nation have a responsibility to support otherwise uninsured settings….like Ocean City, MD.
3 Finally, what else is in the bill Dr.Harris voted against? Congress views legislation as a passing bus. They load any bill with completely unrelated ammendments as it goes through the lawmaking process. Why would an otherwise compassionate person oppose aid to those suffering from a storm? Was the budget balancing principle the only motive for his vote?
That was my thinking,
Joe
Robert Sweetman says
Hmmm…Maybe a better way to explain my reasoning is like this..
If my neighbors house catches fire, I’ll grab my garden hose, stretch it to his house
and help him fight it until the Fire Dept. get’s there.
If a Hail storm comes through the area and smashes out the neighbors and my
windows, I’ll fix mine and help my neighbors fix theirs.
In both situations Homeowners insurance should help alleviate any damages
and loss, help the families pick up the pieces and hopefully resume living their lives…
HOWEVER..
If My neighbors house catches fire and burns to the ground, no matter
how valiant we were in attempting to put the fire out, does that mean
that the neighborhood has an obligation to rebuild that persons house
for them if they had no insurance?
I think not…
Joe Lill says
After the San Francisco earthquake in 1906 the US Government responded with help immediately. San Francisco was an important military city and the US Army helped put out fires and by feeding and providing the citizens with lodging. Both the US Senate and House Appropriations Committees authorized Federal funds for the disaster. That was over 100 years ago.
Michael Hildebrand says
I support having aid go to the people for the clean up of Sandy, but I think Harris in this case did the right thing. What the real shame and disgust should have been with this story is the fact that the Democrats, again, used a tragedy in order to further other wants. The bill was to send aid to the victims of a very devastating storm but was amended to spend money on other projects in Alaska and so on. Why? Why should ANY politician use a tragedy to further an issue that won’t stand on its own? Adding those spending plans to this kind of aid bill should have been punishable by law! It shows just how low these so called public officials can get.
Oh, and other thing, it is VERY easy to say the “emergency” is over when you are not living in the massive destruction of a disaster like this. I was in New Orleans one year after Katrina and that situation was still an emergency. When you don’t have a home for you or your family, when you look into your children’s eyes who where also displaced and there is very little you can do to help the situation, it is still very much an EMERGENCY! If anyone thinks different, take some time and go there and volunteer, not for a day, but for a month. Take the time to see and live in that situation and you will soon change your mind.
Jim Dissette says
Is this subject not about the debt the government accepted when flood insurance premiums were accepted? Maybe the Fed should get out of the Flood Insurance business, but that’s for another day. Today, people are still trying to recover their lives and businesses. Yes, the NFIP is in debt after taking decades of premiums and paying out for enormous catastrophic events. If you had a car accident yesterday, were fully insured for collision, wouldn’t you rest assured that your damage would be covered? All those years of safe driving, thousands of dollars for insurance…
When Paul Ryan votes against Sandy flood relief, while in 2008 he gladly voted for and accepted millions for Midwest disaster relief in a $162 billion appropriations package, I find this sort of sudden ‘austerity championing’ an idealogical cold shoulder to those in need. There’s also the sense that meeting this responsibility is tainted with the notion of “entitlement,” a war the austerity hawks will wage in the coming months with threats to once again “shut the government down.”
Lainey Harrison says
I cannot find any pork or earmarks or any other wasteful spending in the bill that was signed by the President. The senate did propose a bill with those earmarks in it, but that is not what Andy voted NO on. Andy did the wrong thing. He voted against relief aid in his own district.
Mike Hunt says
Guys, I’ve had my differences with Harris in the past, but I can’t help but defend someone who’s a victim of slurs. The House voted 403-0 to fund disaster aid for Sandy victims. The Senate then quadrupled the bill with pork–much of which wouldn’t even be spent for several years (i.e. it is not disaster aid). Andy Harris co-sponsored a bill (with 10 others) to provide Sandy relief more quickly, H.R. 219.
We’ve dealt with the pork and unsustainable Flood Insurance problems before and unfortunately, everyone with a bleeding heart pretty much ensured that we would never actually deal with the real problems. Remember Hurricane Katrina?