This was all so predictable.
The water has not yet receded in much of the storm damaged region, yet the big government straw man arguments survived and are flourishing.
On CBS this morning a correspondent (don’t remember his name) was asked by one of the anchors what the storm means in terms of how the public views the “role of government.” Needless to say, the correspondent pointed out that the Obama campaign could, but might chose not to, highlight Romney’s arguments for lessening the role of government in light of the federal response to Sandy.
The New York Times has an editorial this morning making the same argument, A Big Storm Requires Big Government:
Does Mr. Romney really believe that financially strapped states would do a better job than a properly functioning federal agency? Who would make decisions about where to send federal aid? Or perhaps there would be no federal aid, and every state would bear the burden of billions of dollars in damages.
A Romey quote from a 2011 debate about enabling states to deal with disasters is being taken out of context, as if Romney was saying You’re On Your Own When Disaster Strikes. Expect this argument to spread like wild fire today among Obama supporters.
(added) This is the clip (h/t Jean R) Obama supporters are relying on for Romney wanting to eliminate any federal role in disaster relief, but it says nothing of the sort:
Yet even under the current formula, the states will play the primary role in dealing with Sandy, and the federal government will assist mostly through coordination and financial assistance in the form of loans. This type of multi-state regional problem is precisely the type of situation where a coordinating role for the federal government is appropriate.
That does not mean we need an army of FEMA employees, and such bloated bureaucracies can be counter-productive.
It is the classic Obama straw man — the choice between “no government” and their version of government which creeps into every aspect of your lives, including your health care. You don’t like the Nanny State, then you must want no government at all.
This is, of course, a false choice. But with days until the election and the momentum having shifted to Romney, it’s about all Obama supporters have.
Update:
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