GOP spending cuts include tsunami preparedness and relief

[ProSense]

GOP spending cuts include tsunami preparedness and relief

by Jed Lewison

Sam Stein:

Thursday night's massive earthquake in Japan and the resulting tsunami warnings that have alarmed U.S. coasts, seem likely to ignite a debate over a previously little-discussed subsection of the spending bills currently being debated in Congress.

Tucked into the House Republican continuing resolution are provisions cutting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including the National Weather Service, as well as humanitarian and foreign aid.

Presented as part of a larger deficit reduction package, each cut could be pitched as tough-choice, belt-tightening on behalf of the GOP. But advocates for protecting those funds pointed to the crisis in Japan as evidence that without the money, disaster preparedness and relief would suffer.

The really important thing to remember is that these sorts of cuts ultimately don't save us any money, because the less prepared we are, the bigger the costs will be when disaster strikes.

Today's tsunami obviously brings this particular cut into sharp focus, but it's just one example of the GOP's short-sighted plan: cut now, pay later.

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[Mz Pip]

1. For the most part

the coastal states are Blue States, not all but most. So screw them.

[JackintheGreen]

2. An oft-quoted stat published by the IDA

Every dollar spent on pre-disaster prevention/mitigation saves $7 in relief and rehabilitation. Except those "savings" are never realized until a disaster strikes. People have short memories and shallow pockets for this sort of thing.

[vaberella]

3. And down goes Hawaii. Didn't this happen before...with Volcano eruptions & Repubs?! n/t

[Inuca]

5. It did

I posted just below before seeing your message :-)

[Inuca]

4. Remember Jindal and his comment

about volcano research?

[fugop]

6. Just came in to post the same thing!

Funny how we all remember Jindal and the volcanoes. Seeing they want to cut tsunami relief makes me think somebody better batten down the hatches. Freakin' GOP.

[vaberella]

7. That's exactly it. The Volcano was in Alaska...too wasn't it?! n/t

[toddwv]

8. I remember once reading that people in southern states have higher casualties in natural disasters.

The reason was given that people are more likely to place their faith in "God" and not seek shelter during events like this. I'll see if I can find that because this can be the only explanation of why the right-wingers hate early detection.

Apparently by warning people of imminent disasters, we are cheating God of his full wrath and fury...