While assuring critics that he will "snipe" at them later, 2016 Presidential candidate Ted Cruz wants funding for the victims of Hurricane Harvey, which has ravaged parts of Texas, including Houston, with floods of up to five feet of water. Despite his 2013 vote not to approve funding for the victims of Hurricane Sandy in New York and New Jersey. Cruz, and the entire Texas GOP delegation except one person, voted not to approve the much-needed relief funds after the previous hurricane.
Cruz's denials
Despite the appearance of blatant hypocrisy in his positions on the two hurricanes and the distribution of money to help save people's lives, Cruz insists that his position is the same and that the circumstances surrounding the two storms were different.
Cruz stated that the 2013 bill encompassed a lot of "waste" and "pork" and that he was voting to save money. As it were, only $17 billion of the proposed $50.5 billion was earmarked for "immediate relief" and recovery; however, the rest of the money was slated for "longer term projects," according to The Huffington Post on Monday.
Although roughly $33 billion of the proposed Sandy relief funds were not slated for distribution for immediate emergencies and relief, the money was not being "wasted." Some of the resources for which the remaining $33 billion was to be utilized included community assistance programs, FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), transportation programs, social service programs and repairing national parks and their facilities.
Ted the hypocrite
Ted Cruz, who was defeated by Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential primaries, knew that the proposed Hurricane Sandy funds were not being wasted. He was aware that the programs for which that money was earmarked were necessary. Cruz, who stated that there would be time for "sniping" later, voted against funds for Hurricane Sandy relief for only one reason: Hurricane Sandy did not occur in his state.
Now that the hurricane is in his home state of Texas, Cruz is requesting the funds and claiming that the funds are not being wasted, even though the money is earmarked for the same kinds of programs as was the money in the Sandy Hurricane relief bill.
As with Donald Trump, Cruz must convince the People of Texas that the government cares about them and is watching out for their interests.
As long as the Texas Senator plays politics on matters such as disaster relief, his credibility with his Texas constituents will be marginal at best. If he has not won the acclaim of his fellow Texans as the deliverer of all the resources and assistance that they need, Cruz will be of little help to President Trump when he comes to visit Texas on Tuesday. The President has assured Texans that promised federal funds would be forthcoming.
Ryan criticizes Arpaio pardon
Meanwhile, House Speaker Paul Ryan has let it be known that he does not approve of Trump's recent pardon of Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Texas. Arpaio, 85, disobeyed a federal order not to enforce outdated Arizona immigration laws.
He was convicted on one charge of racial profiling. President Trump pardoned Arpaio, stating he was convicted for "doing his job."
Now Trump and Cruz have a job to do on their own. And the American People, especially the People of Texas, will be looking to see that they do it.
