The mainstream media is at again: walking their well-worn propagandist path between fact and a fiction they hope seeps into public consciousness. This time the target is Texas lawmakers who are requesting federal aid in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.The intent is to paint Republican lawmakers as “hypocrites” because they voted against the hideously pork-laden Hurricane Sandy relief package, yet are now requesting federal aid.As a quick reminder, the Sandy aid package included taxpayer money earmarked for Alaska fisheries, Amtrak “expenses,” new vehicles for assorted federal agencies, and a range of other pork projects completely unrelated to the hurricane.Headlines blast a fact but purposefully avoid context or explanation.
Dallas Morning News: Texas lawmakers, now bracing for Harvey, voted against Sandy spending
New Jersey.com: Texas Republicans hit by Hurricane Harvey voted against Sandy aid for N.J.Bloomberg: Hurricane Harvey Puts Cruz, Cornyn in Political Bind Over AidThe Hill: Cruz, Cornyn back Texas gov’s request for disaster declarationhttps://twitter.com/thehill/status/901215640614252545A “culture writer” for the New York Times tweeted out the Dallas Morning News story and was called out for the lack of context.https://twitter.com/SopanDeb/status/901506309547339779https://twitter.com/sarahmquinlan/status/901746772296552448The Sandy disaster relief bill was so pork-laden that it was impossible for fiscal conservatives to vote for it (as Democrats well knew at the time).The Inquisitr reported in 2013:
Hurricane Sandy relief bill “pork” complaints is reportedly a sticking point fiscally conservative lawmakers. The $27 billion relief legislation crafted to offer Super Storm Sandy disaster aid will reportedly be stalled until after the Congressional session, which ends on Wednesday, resumes.Republican Representative Darrell Issa had this to say about the spending initiatives in the Hurricane Sandy relief bill:
“Your two senators packed this with pork. They had the opportunity to have a $27 to $30 billion dollar legit relief packages, packed it with pork, then dared us not to vote for it.”
Representative Issa was referring to New York Senators Kristen Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer. Some of the disputed items in the Super Storm Sandy disaster aid bill include a $150 million in funding for Alaskan fisheries. The bill would also have reportedly increased spending to the national flood insurance program, which is expected to max out its borrowing limit next week. If the flood insurance program cannot borrow more money, it will reportedly only be able to pay 12,000 of the estimated 139,000 of the Hurricane Sandy related claims, according to The Atlantic Wire.
The Bennington Banner notes multiple “pet projects” which have caused angst among Republican lawmakers who likely want to help Hurricane Sandy victims. Some of the disputed hurricane relief bill pork measures in $336 million in Amtrak expenses and $2 million in taxpayer funds to repair a room on one of the Smithsonian buildings in Washington D.C.
The publication also reports that the Super Storm Sandy relief legislation also includes $8 million to purchase new vehicles for federal agencies. A total of $4 million for repairs to the Kennedy Space Center were also added to the disaster relief bill.
In 2013, Democrats hammered the GOP for not voting for a Sandy aid package that had more federal monies going to pork than it did to actual assistance for those affected by the hurricane. Republicans were cold and heartless and wanted Sandy victims living in the streets . . . you know the drill.
In 2017, the media is hammering the GOP for not voting for the Sandy “aid” package. Republicans are not only cold and heartless, but hypocrites, as well.
This is exactly the sort of the thing that reinforces and legitimizes the public’s distrust of and disdain for the media.
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