Yes, they really do want to end federal disaster relief.

Yes, they really do want to end federal disaster relief.

Mitt Romney says he wants to give states more power to deal with disasters like Hurricane Sandy. But his running mate’s budget plan would threaten states’ ability to respond to massive storms, some experts say.

Check out this headline : "Paul Ryan budget hits storm aid,." And the lede:The article goes on to quote analysis from the "liberal-leaning" Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. And it actually does a pretty good case of demonstrating that the massive cuts that the Ryan budget would impose wouldto include big cuts to disaster relief, because there's no way it's not included with the cuts being as deep and as broad as they are. That's backed up in the article by both the CBPP staff interviewed, and by a Third Way analyst.

The article doesn't include any expert that argues that the Ryan math somehow works to protect disaster funding, so why the qualification that only "critics" and "some experts" make this argument? The Politico reporter could have figured it out himself, without even needing a calculator or really any in-depth economic expertise. So why is it only "some" experts, and "liberal-leaning" ones at that?

And why, after detailing Mitt Romney's comments about deficit spending now on disaster relief is "immoral," does the Politico reporter have to insert this:



While it is unclear exactly what Romney meant to say in the exchange, the comments came as Republicans in Congress were insisting that money allocated for hurricane relief be offset by spending reductions elsewhere.

Mitt Romney meant exactly what he said: “[E]very time you have an occasion to take something from the federal government and send it back to the states, that’s the right direction. And if you can go even further and send it back to the private sector, that’s even better."

There isn't some kind of balance to be struck here. Ryan's budget would be devastating to most non-defense programs. Mitt Romney wants the states, and ultimately private enterprise, to take over most functions of government, including disaster relief. Neither of those things have been kept secret by Romney/Ryan over the long months of this campaign. Why Politico is pretending otherwise is sort of a mystery. Maybe Romney's promised them a really good table at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, or something.

Sign our petition telling House Republicans to not take Hurricane Sandy relief hostage in lame duck negotiations.

