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The infamous "October surprise" – the black swan event that could bend the arc of the 2024 presidential election -- has arrived.
Hurricane Helene, which clobbered the Southeast recently, is not the surprise; after all, October is hurricane season, and we expect big storms. Rather, it is the disgraceful aftermath – the shockingly poor and tone-deaf response from Vice President Kamala Harris and the White House, the administration lying about FEMA spending hundreds of millions of dollars on illegal immigrants and then warning that emergency funds for hurricane victims may run short. The frantic warnings from liberal news organizations that complaints about the government’s relief efforts are "misinformation" and speculation that the tardy recovery effort might prevent Trump voters from participating in the upcoming election.
For Harris’ campaign, it was the perfect storm. And, it could get even worse as monster Hurricane Milton barrels into Florida, creating even more challenges for the incapable White House.
KJP SLAMMED AFTER HURRICANE HELENE OVER MIXED MESSAGES ON WHETHER FEMA RESOURCES USED FOR MIGRANTS
As early rescue efforts began, Homeland Security head Alejandro Mayorkas announced the federal government was close to running out of funds to help hurricane relief efforts. He said FEMA was "meeting immediate needs" but that "FEMA does not have the funds, to make it through the season." That, despite President Biden recently signing a stopgap funding bill that included an extra $20 billion for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund. And, despite Mayorkas three months ago assuring the nation that FEMA was "tremendously prepared" for hurricane season. Now that Milton threatens even more damage, where will Mayorkas find the funds necessary for the recovery of yet another blockbuster storm?
Soon after, Mayorkas issued that ominous warning about federal fund running low, as bodies were still being discovered in the western towns of North Carolina and thousands were without power or water, Harris posted this on X: "I am concerned about the security and well-being of civilians suffering in Lebanon and will continue working to help meet the needs of all civilians there. To that end, the United States will provide nearly $157 million in additional assistance to the people of Lebanon for essential needs such as food, shelter, water, protection, and sanitation…"
Talk about tone deaf!
The idea…the idea, as an irate Joe Biden might say, that suffering Americans might take second chair to war victims in the Middle East is repugnant and ignited a firestorm on social media. Yes, the federal government budget is vast – too vast– and agencies that send aid overseas are separate from those that help with emergencies at home. But the impression given those trying to dig out from Helene is that their needs were not Kamala’s priority.
That impression was reinforced by Harris and President Biden taking five days to finally visit the storm-damaged Southeast. That’s the same number of days it took President George W. Bush to travel to Texas in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Voters read Bush’s delay as a sign of indifference; his popularity never recovered.
When Kamala Harris finally arrived at the scene, she announced that FEMA would be giving out $750 checks for immediate aid. Families whose homes and lives had been swallowed by a tsunami of mud were incredulous; $750 does not go very far. FEMA was further mocked for putting out a statement encouraging people, who had no power or cell service, to apply for assistance online or by phone.
Critics were outraged by the paltry sum. Donald Trump Jr. posted on X: "$750 for Americans in desperate need... $250 BILLION spent in Ukraine with a population of +\- 38 million equals a bit more than $6500 per person in F$&?ing UKRAINE!!! For what? Enough of this madness!"
To be fair, Harris also announced that the feds would in the future provide "tens of thousands more dollars for folks to help them be able to deal with home repair" and other needs. In the future.
Our government is not only spending billions on the people of Lebanon and the war in Ukraine; it is also supporting the millions of migrants that Border Czar Harris allowed to enter our country illegally. The Biden-Harris White House and sanctuary cities rolled out the welcome mat, encouraging illegal immigration with free housing, free food, cell phones and other goodies. FEMA has helped fund that effort, leading critics to charge that the Biden-Harris White House is putting people in the country illegally ahead of our own citizens.
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White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre has adamantly denied that FEMA money has been spent on illegal immigrants. But there is video of her saying on September 16, 2022, that funding was available "through FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program…. to support humanitarian relief for migrants." In fact, the agency’s Shelter and Services Program (SSP) spent $650 million in fiscal 2023 to assist migrants.
Unhappily, it is not just money that has been in short supply. Help has come too slowly, and some blame the federal government. Reports have circulated of hundreds of GIs arriving in North Carolina but remaining idle awaiting FEMA orders. Some, including Elon Musk’s team, have complained that FEMA officials have barred them from delivering critical goods to stranded towns without water or food. The tiny town of Bat Cave, which was almost entirely demolished, was told by FEMA they were on their own because rescue workers could not drive around a "road closed" sign, though many helpers managed to do so.
As complaints have rolled in, panicky members of the legacy media have rushed to defend the White House, accusing critics of spreading "misinformation." Amazingly, they are even blaming "misinformation" for impeding the relief work!
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None of this is surprising. The Biden-Harris White House contains few individuals with private sector managerial experience; stories about $8 billion spent to build one charging station or Harris being allocated $42.5 billion to deliver broadband to rural communities but not managing to break ground on a single project, are instructive. The Biden-Harris White House is, at its core, incompetent.
As Milton crashes ashore in Florida, will the Biden-Harris response improve? Or will this be, for Harris campaign, another perfect storm?
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