How’s Voting for Republicans Working Out for Red States?
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Since disasters only happen in blue states, what could go wrong with electing ideologues who see everything government does, outside of killing people and engaging in ethnic cleansing, as a problem?
When forecasters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the start of hurricane season in June, more than a few state and local officials were worried by predictions of as many as five major hurricanes.
But the primary concern, officials said, was not just the storms. It was the lack of a leader at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is responsible for coordinating the government’s relief efforts after natural disasters.
Those fears were eased a few weeks later when President Trump’s choice to head FEMA, Brock Long, the former Alabama Emergency Management Agency director, was confirmed by the Senate, 95 to 4.
While Mr. Trump has been criticized for being slow to fill top posts throughout his administration and the experience of several of his choices has been questioned, the selection of Mr. Long, state disaster relief officials say, inspires confidence.
“Brock has relationships with state emergency managers across the country. He can put himself in their shoes,” said Art Faulkner, the current director of the Alabama agency. “He knows what we go through in dealing with these issues.”
OK, not so bad, although no one should ever trust an official from Alabama. But then, not so good.
The Trump administration has proposed cutting a number of programs and grants at the agency that many cities and states say will leave them unprepared to deal with disasters. And despite Mr. Long’s extensive experience as a state emergency manager, the federal agency has yet to face a major disaster under his leadership.
Oh, well, I’m sure when a major hurricane hits Florida or Louisiana, a Trump FEMA will respond effectively! Just look at Montana.
U.S. government officials have rejected Montana’s request for aid in battling a group of wildfires that have been classified as the nation’s top firefighting priority.
Gov. Steve Bullock spokeswoman Ronja Abel said Tuesday the state is appealing Sunday’s rejection of a grant application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The fire management assistance grant would allow the state to recover 75 percent of its costs to suppress the four fires that have burned nearly 400 square miles and destroyed at least 16 homes in eastern Montana.
The Lodgepole Complex is burning through a mix of private, state and federal land.
Abel says the governor spoke with FEMA administrator Brock Long, who assured Bullock that he would personally review the appeal.
Well, no doubt that the voters of rural Montana will respond to the government letting their forests and houses burn by voting for Democrats!