Sandy Republicans Pig Out | Doug Bandow | Cato Institute

Sandy Republicans Pig Out | Doug Bandow | Cato Institute: "In Washington political fraud rules. The $60 billion bill did not live up to its sales pitch. Much of it had nothing to do with helping hurricane victims."

"$17 billion was for “Community Development Block Grants,” "

"Alaska fishermen several thousand miles away from Hurricane Sandy would have gotten $150 million"

"Almost $11 billion was targeted for future public transportation construction and maintenance."

“They had the opportunity to have a $27-to $30-billion legit relief package, packed it with pork, then dared us not to vote on it.”

Half pork?!?!

“every disaster has become a Washington political opportunity. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is fully funded but does an incompetent job. Federal flood insurance encourages overbuilding in storm zones, so taxpayers pay first to subsidize the insurance and then to save the homeowners who overbuilt. And politicians use the public sympathy after any disaster as an excuse to throw even more money not merely at victims but for pent-up priorities they should be funding out of regular state and local tax dollars.”

“nearly half of all disaster relief is motivated by politics rather than by need.”

"genuine compassion is not compulsory. Giving away other people’s money is not being generous"