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Running mate Paul Ryan is squarely on the side of cutting other spending to pay for disasters. Earlier this year, he tried but failed to scrap a new system, established in the 2011 debt ceiling-deficit cuts deal, that boosts disaster spending and budgets help for victims of hurricanes, tornadoes and floods before they occur. House leaders rebuffed him, siding with Appropriations Committee members of both parties who like the new system. What Ryan proposed is that when disaster strikes, lawmakers first scour the rest of the budget for savings to pay for rebuilding homes, roads and schools and helping small businesses. That's easier said than done, especially since it can mean delays in getting aid out the door. Disasters like Hurricane Katrina
-- and perhaps Sandy -- can prove so costly that it's difficult to find cuts in other programs big enough to pay for the aid. As has been shown time after time -- especially as tornadoes and hurricanes rip through politically conservative states
-- even the sturdiest tea party supporters become fans of government when it's doling out money to storm victims for motel rooms and other temporary housing or helping with house repairs. That role fell Tuesday to New Jersey GOP Gov. Chris Christie, who was effusive in his praise for Obama and the federal government's initial response. "The president has been outstanding in this and so have the folks at FEMA," Christie said on NBC's "Today." It'll take several weeks to come up with damage cost estimates to determine whether FEMA's main disaster account will need more money. FEMA has enough cash available to deal with immediate disaster relief, almost $8 billion, thanks to a six-month government funding bill passed in September and the new disaster financing system.
[Associated
Press;
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