I’ve never actually been convinced that Democrats particularly care about America as a country or even Americans as a people. Sure, they pander to them when they need the votes, but do they actually, genuinely care about the people who elect them? Eh, I’ve never actually seen proof.
And frankly, in light of a recent kerfuffle over Maui and Florida disaster relief, I’m pretty sure it’s obvious they care less about America than they do about pretty much any other country.
In the past month, we’ve had two very high-profile major disasters: the wildfires in Maui, Hawaii, and Hurricane Idalia in Florida.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) wants to pass a clean disaster relief aid bill, without any other supplemental requests, namely, another $24 billion for Ukraine. That makes sense, right?
Why can’t Congress show its commitment to helping its own citizens with a clean disaster relief package without loading it up with other things, particularly controversial items like even more relief for Ukraine? The United States has already given more than $75 billion in humanitarian, financial, and military aid to Ukraine. Americans’ support for continued aid to Ukraine has been softening over the past year and a half since Russia first invaded, and you can imagine another $24 billion for Ukraine would be an easier political sell when attached to aid for Hawaii and Florida.
Naturally, that’s why Democrats are looking to block funding for Maui and Florida disaster relief… unless aid to Ukraine is included.
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott plans to call for a Senate vote next week on replenishing the federal Disaster Relief Fund. But U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat, plans to object unless the bill guarantees aid to Ukraine.
It’s the latest in a monthslong standoff over supplemental funding that has taken on fresh urgency since Hurricane Idalia struck Florida’s Big Bend region. Scott, a Naples Republican, pressed for months for the Senate to replenish a largely depleted Disaster Relief Fund.
After Hurricane Idalia made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane, Scott said he intends to bring the Federal Disaster Responsibility Act to the Senate floor and seek unanimous consent to pass the bill.
The legislation would provide $12.5 billion for the disaster fund, the Hurricane Tax Relief Act and block grant funding. That’s roughly what the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) wants to replenish the fund through the year, according to a supplemental funding request from President Joe Biden’s administration.
“Unfortunately, while I’ve spent the months leading up to this storm fighting to make sure the federal government shows up, President Biden and politicians in Washington have been playing games with FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund and insisting that this critical domestic aid be tied to foreign aid for Ukraine,” Scott said. “We’ve had enough with Washington playing politics and demand that Congress does what’s right for American families, starting with ensuring our federal government has all the resources it needs to show up after disasters, now and in the future.”
“I think it’s important to include Ukrainian funding,” Duckworth told the media.
Not only has Duckworth promised to hold relief for Maui and Florida hostage for Ukraine, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also supports Biden’s latest cash cow for Ukraine.
If I were a Democrat looking to send billions of dollars to the notoriously corrupt Ukrainian government, I wouldn’t want to debate the funding on its merit either. But this debate has proven once and for all who Democrats really care about… and it’s not Americans.
