Will Rick Perry's request for federal aid for TX wildfires hurt him? - Elections - Page 4 - City-Data Forum

atxcio · 09-06-2011, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots

He sent a letter?? Dirty politics are not just on the right and I never claimed so. Issues are often turned into political plays. Whether Perry requested aid or not I felt he should have been here doing all he could. Perry could have done a helluva lot more to GET the aid he wanted a long time ago. Evidently he didn't holler loud enough. I'm not buyin the "he asked for it and the feds didn't give it to him" line. Perry has the capacity to wield power. If the feds said no, what did he do then? He should have said he was going to try and move heaven and earth and he would get that aid if it was the last thing he did.

The letters were a plea to the federal government to declare the Texas counties a major disaster area so we could receive federal funds. It's the most formal and documented way of communicating with any government agency. This was all done with the same process that other states ask for federal aid for disasters. In fact, Oklahoma received such a declaration when only 9 out of 77 counties were having wildfires, and the damage to homes and property were MUCH lower than Texas: PolitiFact Texas | Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples says the Obama administration has denied Texas' request for a major disaster declaration to help fight wildfires, but it granted one for Oklahoma's wildfires in 2009

And it's not like he just didn't holler loud enough, he did -- and the feds heard him. The feds acknowledged the requests and DENIED them. They did not declare a "major disaster area" despite all the official pleas and letters from Texas. This administration did not consider the wildfires in Texas as a major disaster apparently. But it's not from lack of trying on our governor's end.

As for what he did when the feds neglected Texas? He hollered more. Everyone in Texas did. Because it was wrong for the feds to ignore their duty. Perry, Cornyn, Hutchison blast Obama for denying Texas wildfire aid request | Texas on the Potomac | a Chron.com blog

This was not hidden in the news, either; I don't know if you lived here in TX back in spring, I think you did... but certainly this was big news. The fires and the refusal by the administration to declare it a disaster area to qualify for funds. Now, we Texans don't sit around complaining, so you might not have heard too much after our governor and other political leaders chastised the feds for their failing. But it did happen.

By the way, while you were criticizing Rick Perry for taking less than 24 hrs to return to Texas for the wildfires, FEMA won't even get here until Wednesday, apparently:
Fires destroy homes in Bastrop, Magnolia - Houston Chronicle

4 days for the "emergency" agency of our federal government to get here. No hurry for them, apparently. Not like there is a fire going or anything.

Really, now... in light of the information, who do you think is doing their job better? Our governor or the feds?

oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots · 09-06-2011, 01:31 PM

First, I appreciate all your information. I did read it. The whole issue really isn't about who is doing a better job. Personally I do see the corruption on both sides and I won't apologize for it and it certainly doesn't mean I don't feel compassion or do my part to "help". lol, sorry, I was still reeling from reading the question posed about where the gov was in the politics forum, (someone posed the same question I had in the Austin forum and truly, it was enlightening to read the responses, well, actually, kinda scary but I divert). How about this: Rick Perry is great. Texas is wonderful and the people are sooo friendly!! Over and out.

TXTwizter · 09-06-2011, 04:21 PM

Well seeing as how Texas pays more into the federal government than we get back, why not?? I would much rather it be requested to help people that NEED it instead of the leeches that don't.

atxcio · 09-06-2011, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots

First, I appreciate all your information. I did read it. The whole issue really isn't about who is doing a better job. Personally I do see the corruption on both sides and I won't apologize for it and it certainly doesn't mean I don't feel compassion or do my part to "help". lol, sorry, I was still reeling from reading the question posed about where the gov was in the politics forum, (someone posed the same question I had in the Austin forum and truly, it was enlightening to read the responses, well, actually, kinda scary but I divert). How about this: Rick Perry is great. Texas is wonderful and the people are sooo friendly!! Over and out.

I agree with you on the corruption on both sides, and I don't blame you for being skeptical about politicians -- it's certainly a healthy attitude to have, because for the most part all of them are in it for themselves first. We should all have that attitude. I'm not trying to make you like Rick Perry, either. You should support the politicians who best represent your values and issues, and I can understand if that's not Perry.

I just think in this case, some of the criticism (and it's not necessarily from you) is a little off base. And like you, that's just my opinion. Nothing more.