As I sit here and hear about what so many people are dealing with in the wake of Hurricane Helene, I feel pretty terrible.
Yes, I feel bad for what they’re going through, but I also feel relief, and that makes me feel terrible.
You see, the forecasts told us that we would be hit and hit hard by the storm. For whatever reason, though, it went much further east and we didn’t even have our power interrupted. I’m glad we avoided the devastation, but part of me feels awful for that since at least 130 people died.
But I don’t feel bad about being furious at the federal government and their “response” to what happened. Or, more accurately, the lack thereof.
Even a Democratic operative is calling them out for it.
As we've highlighted here at PJ Media, the Biden-Harris administration's response to Hurricane Helene has been nothing short of catastrophic. It’s deeply concerning to witness the minimal action it has taken in the face of such profound loss and devastation.
While people grapple with the aftermath of the storm, the federal government appears to be indifferent, offering only the barest semblance of support, as if to create the illusion of action without genuinely addressing the suffering of those affected. And the criticism of the administration's actions — or lack thereof — is coming from both sides.
During an appearance on “The Faulkner Focus” on Fox News, former Clinton advisor Doug Schoen expressed disbelief at the administration's response, contrasting the current leadership with that of the past.
“I'm speechless, having worked in a White House that was responsive […] Vice President Harris and President Biden should have been in North Carolina," he said. "They should have been there for substantive reasons. They should have been there for political reasons and personal reasons.”
However, I can’t say that I’m surprised.
Why?
Because of something that happened back in 2017.
That was when Albany, Georgia was devastated by two particularly nasty storm systems that came with what was first reported as “straight-line winds” and later were determined to be tornados.
The timing, however, was interesting. Why? The storms bracketed Donald Trump’s inauguration.
After the second storm, I wrote a piece for PJ Media about the differences between the federal response after the two storms.
For residents of Albany, Georgia — like myself — this month has been rough.
As you may have heard, Albany was one of several places hammered by a deadly tornado yesterday. However, you may not have heard about the devastating storm that rocked Albany on January 2.
…
In his last days in office, the silence from President Obama’s office was deafening, despite Georgia Governor Nathan Deal declaring the region a disaster area.
Commuting Chelsea Manning’s sentence? Plenty of time for that. However, providing aid in accordance with his belief that government can accomplish so much good?
Nope.
Did Georgia being a Trump state have a bearing on this?
Enter Sunday’s storms. Already, President Trump has contacted Governor Deal offering federal assistance to our beleaguered community.
So two different Democratic administrations managed to completely screw the pooch.
Many of the states devastated by Helene are red states that are firmly in Trump’s come next month. I can’t say definitively that it’s playing a factor, but I rule nothing out.
What’s more likely, though, is just general federal incompetence.
Another example of this is over at Hot Air, where David Strom has a piece about how regular people are getting Starlink terminals into the disaster areas while the feds can’t even figure out how to spell the first syllable correctly.
I’m not shocked by any of this because of gross federal incompetence, which seems to grow even worse under Democratic administrations. (Note that I said “worse.” It doesn’t vanish under Republicans by any stretch. The response to Katrina makes that clear.) It might not be quantified as such. It’s just a feeling, but those two examples—which are far from complete, to be fair—really do color my view of Democrats during disasters.
This is sad considering Democrats are the ones who view the government as the solution to our problems. They want to use the power of the state to try and solve poverty. They want to use it to address healthcare, income inequality, and literally every other problem that presents itself.
But when a disaster rolls around—the prime moment for government to shine—they’re dragging ass while regular folks step up and get things done. At least when Bush seemingly miffed it on Katrina, he was a Republican. He was a member of a party that generally figures the government is less than perfect.
Regardless of the party in charge, though, the truth is that people make things happen, not the government. It’s true in disaster response and it’s true in just about every other aspect of society. It just seems to be worse under Democrats.
So no, I don’t see why anyone is shocked that the Biden/Harris administration is screwing the pooch. It’s what they do.
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Some people are wondering if the Fed lack-of-action is because the areas badly hit are "Red Areas". [Frown]
I'd hate to believe that, but you have to wonder.
This morning, I watched an instagram where a guy talks about a lot of private helicopters helping out in North Carolina. Military helicopters, by contrast, are few and far between. One military guy told him they are waiting for orders that just don't come.