This disastrous Hurricane Sandy has demonstrated already the difference in leadership of President Barack Obama and his Republican Presidential opponent, Mitt Romney.
Obama has conducted himself fabulously, and has been praised by Republican Governor Chris Christie for his leadership in the crisis. He has demonstrated a steady, calm, cool hand, as he always has in every tough moment of his Presidency, including the operation to eliminate Osama Bin Laden.
Meanwhile, we are reminded that Mitt Romney has advocated getting rid of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and farming its operations back to the state and local governments, and even promoting privatizing its activities. He constantly said this during the Republican primary campaign, as he rushed to please the far right wing of his Republican Party.
Now he is caught in a bind, and has avoided direct comment about the situation caused by Hurricane Sandy.
But he has also, this quickly, shown partisanship, instead of bipartisanship, by calling and consulting with Republican Governors Chris Christie of New Jersey, and Bob Mc’Donnell of Virginia, but NOT calling and consulting with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, and Delaware Governor Jack Markell, all Democrats.
This is evidence, and not good, that shows that Mitt Romney would NOT be a good crisis President, and would play political games, similar to what George W. Bush did with Hurricane Katrina, and the Democratic Mayor and Democratic Governor of Louisiana, and thus giving a bad image to FEMA, which had been effective before Bush, and is again under Obama!
FEMA can be effective IF we have the right crisis President, and the proper people put into the agency to operate it efficiently. And if there is a need to fund more money for FEMA, by raising taxes, so be it, as we cannot afford to leave the management of a natural or man made disaster to 50 state governors alone, and certainly NOT to private companies, whose only purpose is to maximize profits at the expense of their employees and the general public!
To be fair, the power of the incumbency gives Obama the duty to call Republican Governors Chris Christie of New Jersey, and Bob Mc’Donnell of Virginia. Mitt Romney, as titular head of the national party would have Republican in common with Christie and McDonnell, and not with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, and Delaware Governor Jack Markell.
If he did call them, they would have every right, to coin a phrase, to “go pound Sandy, Governor Romney, we’re working with the proper federal authorities”.
There are enough things to criticize the Republican nominee; we shouldn’t demonize every situation, especially with a such a widespread regional disaster as earning, to coin another phrase, as “Brownie” points. (as in ‘Ya did a helluva job, Brownie’). Just a thought.
Ok, I understand your point, but Romney today holding a political rally in Ohio and sending canned goods shows he has no clue on emergency relief, as the Red Cross always makes it clear that canned goods are the last thing needed in a crisis. It is simply the cheap way out of not wanting to really deal with the crisis faced by victims of disasters!
Romney’s speeches are always “canned”, so at least he’s consistent ; )
Paul, you are great at being sarcastic! 🙂
Professor Feinman what I would like people to take away from watching the President work with Christi and your comments is this. Imagine where our country would be right now if Republicans had been willing to WORK WITH our President from day one! Instead of obstruction and hate rhetoric from the do-nothing congress, we could have REBUILT OUR ECONOMY even more! There comes a time the adults need to roll up their sleeves, put politics aside, put THE PEOPLE FIRST and get the job done!
Today we saw how the federal government and states must partner for the common good. Where as Romney called FEMA immoral I say it’s the moral thing to do to work together.