Ayotte's Vote Against Sandy Relief Just Plain Wrong
Actions have consequences. That rule is as true in politics as it is in physics.
New Hampshire's junior Senator might remember that when she votes against things like disaster aid for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.
By voting "no" for even the reduced disaster aid brought to the floor this week, Senator Ayotte has delivered a message to the people of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. Her message is this: "When disaster strikes, no whining. You are on your own."
I remember the pictures out of Alstead, when the floods took lives and property value on a scale that was big for New Hampshire, but tiny compared to the ravages of Sandy. Does Sen. Ayotte think the people of our neighbors to the south won't remember her vote the next time disaster strikes us? Does she think Granite State voters feel comfortable to be represented by someone who doesn't care when our fellow citizens have faced devastating loss?
I think the community based traditions of New Hampshire are better than whatever principle Senator Ayotte was endorsing through her vote. It is too bad that her action in voting against hurricane relief may have consequences for the rest of us.
Nathan Page
11:02 am on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Why not pass a bill with out all the pork in it, just do just what it said provide relief for the hurricane victims and keep the bills clean! Then I bet She would vote it.
Atlant Schmidt
11:35 am on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
When it came time for Hurrican Katrina relief, the Senate voted 97-0 in favor.
On the other hand, when it came time for Superstorm Sandy relief, 36 Republican Senators opposed the bill.
There's more going on here than just "opposition to pork".
Here are the "Nays", by-the-way:
Ayotte (R-NH)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Blunt (R-MO)
Boozman (R-AR)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coats (R-IN)
Coburn (R-OK)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
Cruz (R-TX)
Enzi (R-WY)
Fischer (R-NE)
Flake (R-AZ)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Hatch (R-UT)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Johnson (R-WI)
Kirk (R-IL)
Lee (R-UT)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Moran (R-KS)
Paul (R-KY)
Portman (R-OH)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Rubio (R-FL)
Scott (R-SC)
Sessions (R-AL)
Thune (R-SD)
Toomey (R-PA)
One Man Wolf Pack
1:16 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
They were unanimous in saying that thier opostion was due to the fact that this entire bill was not funded at all and completely done with debt, unlike the Katrina bill. Furthermore there were all sorts of pork sandwhiched in that had nothing to do with sandy aid. But you know that Atlant don't you?
It is nice to live in a world where everything is free and nothing has to be paid for; kinda like when this generation racks up a bill and leaves it to the next. Hip Hip Horray we can now spend our kids money that they have not even made yet!
Atlant Schmidt
1:20 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
And there was no pork at all in the Katrina bill, right?
More likely, the problem was that the Katrina pork was going to mostly-Republican places whereas the Sandy pork is going to mostly-Democratic places and *CERTAINLY* not the South!
Richard C Barnes
9:10 am on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Atlant, Katrina did have pork but since Ayotte wasn't in office at the time you cannot fairly blame her for the failures of the Republican party prior to her taking office. That would be like blaming Obama for what Clinton or Carter did as president.
That said, pointing out that Democrats had no problem with pork in Republican bills or their own bills is not exactly putting them into a good light. You are basically arguing that Republicans are hypocritical in their integrity and Democrats have no integrity at all.
steve forte
9:33 am on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
So every dem voted for an emergency bill where 70% of the money will not be spent for another 2 yrs? You are not proud of this fact are you?
Keith F Thompson
1:40 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Nice attempt by conservatives to divert attention away from Senator Ayotte's hypocrisy.
The fact remains, Senator Ayotte secured disaster relief for NH, then voted against it for the areas hardest hit.
If the bill from the Republican-led House was full of pork, the responsibility lies with the Republican leadership, does it not?
How many of these Senators (to be fair, excepting Ayotte, who was not yet elected) voted for two unfunded wars, unfunded tax breaks and the unfunded Medicare Part D?
The continual hypocrisy from the right wing is breathtaking. The jabbering of their apologists here on Patch is pathetic.
Reality Geezer
1:49 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Typical vote from Republicans. They have a very real fear that there will be no money left for them or their pork......................................
steve forte
9:32 am on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Thats what half this bill is is pork. Had she voted yes you would say she supports pork. When she voted no you claim she wants her pork elsewhere. Obviously a partisan hack you are.
Rick
9:06 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Remember, Senator Ayotte is a follower of Grover Norquist and has signed his pledge. No doubt, her staff must have to call Grover to find out which way she is supposed to vote on any financial bill.
Richard C Barnes
9:17 am on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
So I assume you also have a problem with Carol Shea Porter voting in line with her party 98.9% of the time?
steve forte
6:52 am on Thursday, January 31, 2013
$112 million for amtrack upgrades? Thank you Kelly for not wanting to waste my money. Also keep in mind flood ins payments are due every 3 yrs. Anything in the bill to change that to every 6 months? That way when it is broke you can raise rates acordingly without needing a pork filled "Sandy releif bill"
Seamus Carty
11:59 am on Thursday, January 31, 2013
Pork in the Sandy bill:
- $150 million for Alaska Fisheries
- $3 million for oil spill research;
- $3.9 billion for a new HUD disaster program
- $16 billion for HUD to spend on any disaster "emergency" that was declared in 2011 and 2012, and any that will be declared in 2013 (meaning in 47 states plus Puerto Rico at the moment).
- $561 million for the Corps of Engineers to spend outside of areas affected by Sandy, including $10 million for a national Water Resources Priorities Study
- $100 million for Head Start
- $86 million for AMTRAK on non-Sandy capital improvements;
- $40 million for military base repair and maintenance, which includes spending for Guantanamo Bay
- $25 million for NOAA to improve weather forecasting
- $10 million for FBI salaries and expenses
- $2 million for Smithsonian roof repairs.
- $8 million to buy cars and equipment for the Homeland Security and Justice departments.
- $10.78 billion for public transportation, most of which is allocated to future construction and improvements, not disaster relief.
- $17 billion for wasteful Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), a program that has become notorious for its use as a backdoor earmark program.
If something is not directly benefiting the people impacted by Sandy, it should not be in a Sandy Relief Bill. I support Ayotte's vote.
Proud Conservative
1:04 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
AMEN! This relief bill was so packed with pork that it should have been renamed "Pork with a crumb for Sandy victims". Kudos for all those who voted against it.
Atlant Schmidt
1:57 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
Seamus:
> - $86 million for AMTRAK on non-Sandy capital improvements;
Here's the actual language of the law:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113hr152rds/pdf/BILLS-113hr152rds.pdf
FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION
GRANTS TO THE NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION
For an additional amount for ‘‘Grants to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation’’ for the Secretary of Transportation to make capital and debt service grants to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation to advance capital projects that address Northeast Corridor infrastructure recovery and resiliency in the affected areas, $86,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That none of the funds may be used to subsidize operating losses of the Corporation: Provided further, That as a condition of eligibility for receipt of such funds, the
14 Corporation shall not, after the enactment of this division, use any funds provided for Capital and Debt Service Grants to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation in this division or any other Act for operating expenses, which includes temporary transfers of such funds: Provided further, That the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration may retain up to one-half of 1 percent of the funds provided under this heading to fund the award and oversight by the Administrator of grants made under this heading:
<more>
Atlant Schmidt
1:59 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
<continued>
Provided further, That for an additional amount for the Secretary to make operating subsidy grants to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation for necessary repairs related to the consequences of Hurricane Sandy, $32,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided further, That each amount under this heading is designated by the Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
-=-=-=-=-=-
The law clearly states:
"to advance capital projects that address Northeast Corridor infrastructure recovery and resiliency in the affected areas,"
So where does your claim that the $86 million is being spent on "non-Sandy capital improvements" come from?
Seamus Carty
12:19 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
The Northeast corridor stretches from Boston to DC. Some of that money is sure to be spent outside of the area significantly impacted by Sandy...
Atlant Schmidt
12:38 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
Seamus:
I see. Now that you were caught lying (or at least, attempting to mislead), you're attempting to move the goalposts.
Seamus Carty
2:12 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
Atlant calling me a liar? Atlant, who as Jan Schmidt's (D-Nashua) campaign manager and husband, refuses to use his real name on this site as he supports her liberal causes and trashes every conservative that comes on this board. Ironic that he'd call someone else less than honest....
Found this interesting tidbit as well.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2209&dat=19921014&id=P4lKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=85MMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5227,3429880
Been accused of harassment recently? And this was done to a parent while you were a member of the school board in Nashua. Shameful.
Take a look at the list. Not enough obvious pork in there? How the hell is $150M for Alaskan fisheries related to sandy? $2M for repairs to the Smithsonian roof? Meanwhile there are people in NY/NJ that don't have power or water...
Bill from Merrimack
2:20 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
I'm just laughing at the 20 year old newspaper article being called recently.
Atlant Schmidt
2:42 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
Seamus:
> Atlant, who ... refuses to use his real name on this site
"Atlant" *IS* my real name as you full-well know. And you're Google-Fu is weak, indeed, if you can't find literally thousands of references on the Web that will confirm that.
And as you also doubtless guess, there was another side to that twenty-year-old story that had something to do with that parent's vehement opposition to our sex-ed program and her willingness to do *ANYTHING* to stop it. (Not unlike certain folks on your side of politics today.)
Seamus Carty
7:01 am on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
"I'm just laughing at the 20 year old newspaper article being called recently."
Never stated that it was recently. Asked if he had done it again.
Seamus Carty
7:04 am on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
"Atlant" *IS* my real name as you full-well know."
The liberal ego knows no bounds. I guess Atlant expects people to figure out that is a first name and then determine that his last name is Schmidt and that he was the campaign manager of a Democratic state rep and her husband. Maybe he is like Beyonce or Bono in that all he needs is a first name...
Atlant Schmidt
8:03 am on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Seamus:
You're a truth-bender par excellence.
You know who I'm married to.
You think you know my license plate.
You're sure you know my politics.
But you can't figure out my name even though *EVERY PLACE I POST ON THE WEB*, I use the same name and the same photograph and, as far as I know, there's only one other person in this country with that name.
Face it: you've been caught-out as a truth-stretcher time and time again.
Seamus Carty
10:11 am on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
"You think you know my license plate."
What is Atlant raving about now? I have never mentioned anything about anyone's license plate on this forum or any other. He should provide some evidence on this allegation or apologize.
This is not about what I know. It is the irony that Jan Schmidt consistently chides conservative posters for not using their full names (ex. "JIM") or non-names (ex. "Proud Conservative"), yet her own husband and ardent supporter uses just his first name and assumes that everyone will know who he is... No regard for the casual user or the new user...
Atlant Schmidt
11:26 am on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
> This is not about what I know. It is the irony that Jan Schmidt consistently
> chides conservative posters for not using their full names (ex. "JIM") or
> non-names (ex. "Proud Conservative"), yet her own husband and ardent
> supporter uses just his first name and assumes that everyone will know
> who he is... No regard for the casual user or the new user...
You might have a point if my name were not almost-completely-unique in the English-speaking world. If, for example, my name were "JIM".
But it's not "JIM" and it is nearly-unique.
And you're just going to have to get over it.
Or petition Carol Robidoux to change my displayed username.
Mike black
11:59 am on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
"You think you know my license plate."
Wooooh Mr Jan is all socialist-defensive today ! Why are they so twisted, didn't you get the president you campaigned for, and the tax increases for the rich you and the other bums were occupying for ?
Really??
1:46 pm on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Like "Seamus Carty" is a real name????
Really??
1:48 pm on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Boy Con's are a bunch of little children, you are a saint, Atlant, for engaging with these morons.
Hilltopper
3:51 pm on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Mr, Ms "Really??,
"Like "Seamus Carty" is a real name????"
I have a nephew named Seamus - its Gaelic for James (A great deal of Irish parents honor their proud heritage with bestowing the Gaelic name onto their children)
As far as Carty goes--I remember a very fine baseball player for the Atlanta Braves named Rico Carty. (Good hitter)
Based on Mr. Carty's past posts, it is a very real name of a very proud person--just because you don't like or agree with him, why dog him for his name? ---and yet you call him (and others) a child??? Really? Really???
ForThePeople
6:30 pm on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Did you really bust Atlant for defending sex-ed IN 10TH GRADE?
You right-wingers are horrible people. Just saying.
Really??
8:22 am on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Mr, Ms "Hilltopper",
"Like "Seamus Carty" is a real name????"
You Know a guy with the name "Seamus" and another with the name "Carty" so if someone puts them together, they must be a real person. I love you you crazies think.
"Based on Mr. Carty's past posts, it is a very real name of a very proud person" Oh based on HOW HE POSTS he is a real person? oh boy....
steve forte
1:04 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
Finally, if a main goal of the Sandy relief legislation that passed the Senate was to quickly get resources into the hands of those who need it most, the final product fell short. Under the measure that passed, only seven percent of funds - about $3.6 billion - would be spent over the next nine months. Seventy percent of the funding wouldn't be spent until 2015 and beyond.
Real emergency huh?
Really??
8:17 am on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
You right wing radicals are so damn dramatic
SoxPats
5:23 pm on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Don't know what all the above has to do with Ayotte's vote against Sandy Relief.
Besides it's over and done and she most likely will not see a second term.
Stephen D. Clark
6:12 pm on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
What's so hard to understand? "Fiscal responsibility," for Republicans, means that people must suffer so the rich can get lower tax rates. It's really that simple.
ForThePeople
6:33 pm on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
I'm not sure it's completely about lower tax rates. I think, specifically, it's about regressive tax rates. Republicans still want the fire and police department, they just want to pay less of the bill while everyone else pays a little more. This is why you see the flat tax appear every election on the right wing side.
steve forte
7:50 am on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
You liberals are so damn dramatic. No one needs to suffer. Just pass a simple bill providing money to support flood ins payments that these folks payed into for the last 20 yrs. Then change how ofton they pay it to keep a balanced account so we dont have to do this everytime there is a storm and fed flood ins is broke again.
It realy is that simple.
Atlant Schmidt
8:13 am on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Steve:
There's a lot more to it than just making sure that Federal flood insurance is fully funded.
For example, with storms growing more frequent and more serious, there's a pressing need to improve our infrastructure to harden it against future disasters. This means doing things like building flood gates to close off the road and rail tunnels in and out of Manhattan. And moving building HVAC equipment from the basements to higher floors. And moving electrical substations to higher ground. And improving drinking water and sewer treatment infrastructures. And ensuring that the Northeast Corridor doesn't get shut down in high water.
There's tons of work to do to ensure that our part of the country remains habitable even through just the next fifty years or so.
Maybe PSNH could even harden some of its frequently-destroyed local distribution infrastructure? ;-)
Apljak
8:42 am on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Listening to Sen. Ayotte on Fox. She is doing an awesome job!!
steve forte
9:00 am on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Atlant I undewrstand all that. That should be in a different bill. The idea was to get help to folks who need it as fast as possible.These people have waited months for something that they thought they had already paid for. Fix the flood ins program , get these folks back in their homes. Then work on the rest.
As far as PSNH goes its time to rewrite logging set back laws. Definatly keep the river setback but the road setback portion is outdated and counterproductive at this point.
Jim U Lacrum
10:24 am on Thursday, April 18, 2013
Ms. Ayotte lost any shred of support she might have had from me when she stood up in support of indefinite military detention and assassination of people unilaterally accused of "terrorism" by the Executive Branch. (And it was slipped into what ought to only be a simple budgeting bill. For shame.)
Mike M
10:40 am on Thursday, April 18, 2013
Good job Senator! Please keep voting against the pork and waste that are stuffed into these type of bills. No wonder the country is broke - too many people with their hands out!