Eric Cantor and Virginia Governor Split Over Disaster Relief Having to Be Offset in Budget
House Majority Leader and Tea Party movement favorite Eric Cantor is now effectively at odds with his state’s Republican Governor over the idea that providing emergency federal disaster relief should now be given on the condition that there are budget cuts elsewhere in the budget. It turns out that Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is where the vast majority of American leaders of BOTH parties have been throughout our history: in times of disaster the government responds and disaster relief is not used as a political bludgeon:
Virginia GOP Gov. Bob McDonnell, breaking with Cantor, on Tuesday suggested that deficit-spending concerns should not be a factor as Congress and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) respond to the hurricane.
“My concern is that we help people in need,” McDonnell said during his monthly radio show. “For the FEMA money that’s going to flow, it’s up to them on how they get it. I don’t think it’s the time to get into that [deficit] debate.”
Cantor’s recent comments may earn him cheers from those who seem to see every development as part of the 24/7 partisan and ideological war, but I am betting that a good number of independent voters — even the chunk that leans decidedly Republican — will be turned off by them. There are certain times when we need to forget about party.
3 Responses to “Eric Cantor and Virginia Governor Split Over Disaster Relief Having to Be Offset in Budget”
So, Joe, your position is that because this is a worthy cause, we should forget about figuring out how to pay for it? And any other position is partisan gamesmanship?
Since Cantor has never held this position prior to Obama it is pretty obvious that this is about setting up another political battle. How about representing his constituents first before his party? I’m in his district. I honestly do not feel represented. I find it disgusting and yet another signpost that party has triumphed over country.
Politicians say what they think their constituents want them to say and nothing else.
If you’re looking for integrity from them, you’re in serious trouble.