The nation's attention continues to be hyperfocused on Southern California as devastating wildfires continue to burn in and around Los Angeles. The fires have displaced thousands of people and destroyed entire towns. There is an overwhelming need for immediate aid, and the recovery from these disastrous fires will take years.
With less than two weeks left in office, President Joe Biden has informed California Governor Gavin Newsom that the federal government will be picking up the tab for California's recovery for the next six months. Biden has told them to spare no expense.
I'm announcing that the federal government will cover 100% of the cost of measures to protect lives and property in Southern California for six months.
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 10, 2025
I’ve told the Governor and officials to spare no expense and do whatever they need to contain the fires and protect families.
The President just committed to covering 100% of the fire management and debris removal costs for the next 180 days.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 10, 2025
Thank you @POTUS for taking my call and having the back of Californians in our time of need. pic.twitter.com/1FW1QF6JXg
Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, the residents of Western North Carolina have been all but forgotten. Thousands remain displaced from flooding caused by Hurricane Helene. Entire neighborhoods were washed away, and many of the buildings that survived the flooding are unlivable because of dangerous mold.
FEMA has been on the ground in North Carolina for months—not that you can tell. Many North Carolinians live in tents because assistance has been scarce, difficult to obtain, or unreachable.
This is what surviving looks like in relief areas of North Carolina today. pic.twitter.com/aJVNspaOI1
— MB (@Faydren_77) January 8, 2025
No blank check has been offered for disaster relief in North Carolina. In fact, FEMA has just announced that many displaced residents who have been living in hotels are essentially being evicted on January 12th.
#NorthCarolina: Due to the incoming winter storm we are extending our Transitional Sheltering Program stays for 24 hours to those households who are scheduled to check out of their hotels/motels Jan. 11.
— FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) January 9, 2025
If you STILL need assistance with housing, call 1 (800) 621-3362.
You read that correctly. They are getting an additional twenty-four hours because of a winter storm. Forecasts in the area call for snow and high temperatures in the twenties. The problem for many in the transitional sheltering program is that because of the extensive damage caused by the storm, in some areas, there is no shelter to transition to. They are literally being thrown out into the cold.
An 800 number was provided to call for those who need assistance, but because of the incoming winter weather, FEMA is taking the weekend off.
THERE ARE LINES 3 MILES LONG EXTENDING ALL THE WAY ONTO THE FREEWAY FOR PROPANE TO HEAT FAMILIES LIVING IN DONATED RV'S IN #WNC TODAY AND FEMA CLOSED ALL OF IT'S DISASTER RELIEF CENTERS UNTIL MONDAY?!!!!!!!!!!
— Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) January 10, 2025
WTF IS HAPPENING?!!!!!!!!pic.twitter.com/7oymscJ6ce
All Helene Disaster Recovery Centers in North Carolina will be closed on Friday, Jan. 10, and Saturday, Jan. 11, due to an expected winter storm.
— ZitoSalena (@ZitoSalena) January 10, 2025
The centers are set to reopen on Monday, Jan. 13, at 8 a.m.
Incompetence & lack of humanity is chilling. https://t.co/f0TzUBExeg
Incompetence and a lack of humanity have become FEMA's de facto motto. From Katrina to Maui, there seems to be no disaster that the federal agency tasked with managing disasters doesn't mismanage spectacularly.
It’s enraging 🤬 https://t.co/imQzm2IvMD
— ZitoSalena (@ZitoSalena) January 10, 2025
Why would the Biden administration offer the West Coast unlimited federal resources while denying continued assistance on the East Coast?
No reason he can’t do this for North Carolina. It went for Trump though, so https://t.co/wblNPneiIN
— Jon 🔬 (@JonnyMicro) January 10, 2025
Legitimate question, because maybe I’m missing something:
— Zeek Arkham 🇺🇸 (@ZeekArkham) January 10, 2025
But when Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and other cites were hit by natural disasters, Biden kinda sat back and let FEMA do its thing. Most places, he didn’t even bother to visit.
This is the first…
Zeek's entire post.
Legitimate question, because maybe I’m missing something:But when Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and other cites were hit by natural disasters, Biden kinda sat back and let FEMA do its thing. Most places, he didn’t even bother to visit.This is the first time I’m ever hearing that he wants the federal government to completely cover the cost of rebuilding California.Why the sudden urgency? Why does he seem to care all of a sudden? Why is this a priority to him now?Like I said… maybe I’m missing something. Or maybe I’m not.
Newsom has been a strong supporter of the administration, and it's no secret that he has aspirations for the Oval Office. California raises a lot of money for the DNC.
North Carolina voted for Donald Trump.
If nothing else, the optics of offering SoCal everything they need while ignoring people in Western NC are terrible.
Is Joe Biden so petty that he would withhold disaster aid to a state because they didn't vote the way he wanted? We wouldn't put it past him. He has shown himself to be a petty, shallow, small man, but if we are being completely honest, the real reason behind Biden's recent actions is he really sucks at his job.
After all, he made some big promises to the residents of North Carolina too.
I'm on my way to South Carolina and North Carolina.
— President Biden (@POTUS) October 2, 2024
Once there, I'll take an aerial tour of areas impacted by the storm, receive briefings, and meet with first responders and local officials.
The Biden-Harris Administration is here. And we're not leaving until the job's done.
Biden will leave office with the lowest approval ratings in modern history, tied with Nixon. From the economy to disaster response, his entire administration has been a model of government incompetence. The people of California should not be resting comfortably just because Dementia Joe has promised to help.
“The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.
— Ronald Reagan Quotes (@Reagan_Quote) April 4, 2023
Be it incompetence or petty vengeance, there is no excuse for what is happening in North Carolina.
Twitchy favorite Salena Zito has not forgotten the residents of Western NC. She intends to hold the administration's feet to the fire to get those residents the assistance they need.
Appalachia North Carolina: A ballad of the unseen; it is grotesque, cruel, enraging & yet not unexpected the way the people of Appalachian North Carolina has been unseen by Biden admin since hurricane Helene #WNC We need more outrage people get after it https://t.co/N946FhoIIM
— ZitoSalena (@ZitoSalena) January 10, 2025
We should all be outraged at what is happening to the forgotten people in Appalachia. Nor should we be naive enough to believe that the same fate doesn't await the residents of SoCal once the fires are extinguished and the TV cameras have left.
The people of Western North Carolina and Southern California have both suffered immensely because of natural disasters. Both will need enormous amounts of aid for a long time to come, and both deserve someone competent enough to deliver that aid.
Given the performances of Newsome, Bass, FEMA, and President Biden, one thing is crystal clear.
January 20th can't get here fast enough.
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