Let’s start by recognizing that nearly every national event that dominates the news cycle during a presidential election is inevitably, and too often, subject to dishonest political maneuvering.
Will massive hurricanes hit in quick succession in the six weeks before the country chooses between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump? Let the game begin.
How the Democrats and Republicans have approached things gives you a good idea of where they are as a party right now.
Many Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives advocated for an immediate increase in funding for disaster relief. Many Republicans, from Trump on down, have instead pushed the lie that aid is being withheld in hurricane-hit states and the exaggeration that Democrats are somehow manipulating the weather to aim the storm at Republican strongholds. I caught a conspiracy, such as a claim.
Despite all the fuss, not much is expected to happen before the election. Some political points will be scored while flooding voters with disinformation. Governance? please. There are elections to win.
Democrats are calling on Congress to provide more funding to FEMA. Republicans haven’t responded.
Sixty-three Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, on Wednesday, shortly before Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida, urging Congress to reconvene from its election vacation and calling on the Federal Emergency Management Agency to (FEMA). This was 13 days after Hurricane Helen brought death and destruction to southern states, especially western North Carolina.
U.S. Rep. Marcy Capture, an Ohio Democrat who organized the effort, wrote that “unprecedented natural disasters” have left parts of the country “in dire need of additional and comprehensive disaster relief funding.” Ta. Nine members of Congress from North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia signed the petition after Helen visited each state.
Captur said a recent continuing resolution passed the day before Helen made landfall, funding the federal government from Oct. 1 to Dec. 20, “provided initial relief funding, but those provisions are necessary.” “There is a critical shortfall in this amount,” he warned Mr Johnson.
Many Republicans, who control the House of Representatives, opposed the continuance resolution, but it passed with overwhelming support from Democrats on September 25. The bill included a $10 billion increase in funding for FEMA, which was opposed by far-right Republicans.
OPINION: Helen’s destruction leaves North Carolina election officials scrambling. Trump won’t help.
Not a single Republican in the House signed Kaptur’s letter this week. And only about 30% of House Democrats joined the effort.
This means the letter was better at drawing attention to itself and the fight over FEMA than it was at increasing disaster relief funding.
House Speaker Johnson would rather campaign for Trump
Mr. Johnson had been campaigning for Republicans to win or hold the House of Representatives so that they could maintain control and allow him to continue as speaker, but he returned to Congress to govern during a national crisis. He dismissed the idea.
He was in central Pennsylvania on Friday trying to hold back a swarm of Democratic opponents, including election denier Rep. Scott Perry, who tried to help overturn President Trump’s 2020 loss to President Joe Biden. did.
Mr. Johnson’s rationalization for not allowing Congress to resume work inadvertently exposes the lies Mr. Trump and other Republicans have told about FEMA funding under Mr. Harris and Mr. Biden.
OPINION: Trump and Vance seem very upset about the fact-check. Maybe you’ll lie less?
Prime Minister Johnson referred to the continuing resolution Wednesday during a visit to Asheville, North Carolina, to assess the damage on the ground. “This includes paying $20 billion to do so.” . ”
In short, the Speaker claimed that FEMA currently has all the funding it needs to accomplish its mission. If true, Johnson would effectively deny Trump and others’ claims that FEMA is somehow malfunctioning and is not helping hurricane victims.
Mr. Trump is doing what we all know. he is lying
President Trump repeatedly claimed that FEMA had no money, a lie that was easily debunked. His entire re-election strategy revolves around blaming Biden and Harris for illegal immigration, amplifying false claims that the federal government has exhausted all FEMA funding on immigrant assistance and detention programs. There is.
Congress controls the federal budget and allocates funds for specific causes. That’s how you have to spend your time. This year, immigration programs are being funded completely separately from disaster relief funds. It’s nothing new. The same immigration program was funded during President Trump’s only term.
In fact, Trump diverted funds from his presidency from disaster relief funds to instead pay for efforts to crack down on illegal immigration at the border.
That’s Trump – unfairly criticizing Biden and Harris for their actions as president.
Americans who need more help will likely have to wait until after the election
Finally, let’s take a quick look at how obsessed the Republican Party is with lies. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican and known conspiracy theory fan, has been claiming on social media since last week that the government controls the weather.
Biden’s response to Greene and other climate conspiracy theorists: “It’s so stupid. It needs to stop.”
He’s right about his stupidity, but I think Greene and her MAGA allies will return to a form of government based on reality, where actual governance takes precedence over the spectacle of disinformation to attract attention and raise money. is unrealistic.
The election is 23 days from now. Seven weeks left until the end of hurricane season. If it seems like forever, denounce disinformation and support for scoring political points over governing.
All we can do is hide in our bunkers and wait out the torrent of nonsense that will clearly continue to howl now, on Election Day, and probably beyond.
Follow USA TODAY elections columnist Chris Brennan on X, formerly known as Twitter: @ChrisBrennan
