Dem 47
image description
   
GOP 53
image description

Two Republican Senators Oppose Attaching Strings to Aid to California

Some members of Congress, including Mike Johnson and Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), have said that aid to California on account of the wildfires should be conditioned on "better behavior" on the part of the state. This could cover anything from brush clearance to banning the teaching of CRT. Johnson and Barrasso see it as leverage to force the state to beg for mercy and humiliate itself, something that will make them heroes in the red states. After all, the main policy goal for many Republican voters is not really tax cuts for billionaires, but owning the libs. The idea here is when they are down, stomp on them. What's not to like?

A couple of Republican senators, though, have somewhat better memories and knowledge of meteorology. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who is running for reelection in 2026 in a swing state that just suffered from visits by power couple Helene and Milton, said: "You got to be consistent on disaster supplement, period. I'm unequivocal—you fix the problems of those folks out there; we can talk about the problems we've created here." What he means is that Congress just provided $100 billion in aid to Western North Carolina, where entire towns were wiped off the map, and Democrats did not demand any changes to abortion laws, election laws, or anything else as a quid pro quo. He appreciates that.

Even Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), one of the most conservative members of the Senate, agreed. He knows that Prof. Henry Higgins was wrong when he said: "Hurricanes Hardly Happen." Scott knows that hurricanes happen all the time in Florida. And they cause massive damage. And he wants federal aid after each one. What he does not want is a future Democratic president who says: "What's good for the goose is good for the gander. I think this would be an excellent time to discuss your abortion laws."

Other Republican senators have kept quiet, but many states are potentially subject to hurricanes, wildfires, flooding, tornadoes, and other natural disasters, and they know that if they set a precedent attaching strings to the money (other than items related to fires, like brush clearance and having the Space Force shoot down the Jewish space lasers), the shoe might be on the other foot some day. (V)



This item appeared on www.electoral-vote.com. Read it Monday through Friday for political and election news, Saturday for answers to reader's questions, and Sunday for letters from readers.

www.electoral-vote.com                     State polls                     All Senate candidates