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The Hands on the Wheel
Author: BobR
Date: 2012-10-31 11:56:00
UPDATED 12:30 PM EDT to add link at bottom...
It was 2004. Mitt Romney was governor of Massachusetts. Heavy rains caused flooding in his state, which required him to request Federal Disaster relief funds. Later that year, the Massachusetts legislature passed a proposal to allocate $5.7M in state funds for a flood protection project. Then-Governor Romney vetoed it. In 2006, the town of Peabody was flooded again. Local officials blamed Romney for vetoing the funds that could've prevented it.
Fast forward to the current presidential race. Last year in June during the seemingly never-ending Republican primary debates, candidate Romney was asked whether FEMA should be eliminated. He was emphatic in his answer:
Earlier this year, he continued to push the austerity idea further when he said America doesn't need any more firemen, policemen or teachers.
Of course - that was "Pre-Sandy". Now he is desperately trying to shake the etch-a-sketch and make people forget that Romney cares more about money than people.
His first move was to flip-flop on his position:
uh-huh...
His next move was to avoid any questions on his previous positions:
On this particular topic, it is useful to compare the respective FEMA budget cuts planned by the Romney/Ryan team, and by President Obama:
So how is Romney trying to deflect from all of this historical record that shows he considers emergency preparedness and disaster response and relief an unaffordable luxury? By transparently labeling a campaign rally as a disaster relief fundraiser. The problem is that Romney has no clue how disaster relief works. The Red Cross does not take donations of food or blankets. They specifically ask for money that they can spend on things they need as they need them. Mitt asked people attending hisralley fundraiser to bring canned food. So where is the food going and how is it getting there? Initially, it was going to swing state Virginia, but it's still not clear. What IS clear is how it's getting there: via his campaign bus. Yes, candidate Romney is planning to drive his campaign apparatus into the middle of a disaster relief effort to hand out canned food (with plenty of cameras in tow, no doubt).
The problem of course is the magnitude of the problem. With parts of NY and NJ looking like post-Katrian New Orleans, the magnitude of the disaster is hard for most people to comprehend, and Romney is not one to have much imagination when it comes to the struggles of the average American. Disasters like this should not be politicized by those in power, but Romney in trying to disguise a campaign stop as a disaster relief effort has done just that. He also showed his hand by only calling Republican governors. He also tried to score a photo-op with NJ Governor Chris Christie, but to Christie's credit, he shot it down while praising President Obama's response.
There are others trying to imply that President Obama's response is an attempt to distract from bad publicity over the attacks in Libya (former Bush-era FEMA "director" Brownie is just one. Check FOX "News" for more of the same). This, of course, is the Republicans' attempts to distract the electorate from President Obama's awesome leadership during this crisis. Chris Christie is not playing ball in this game, and will likely create long-term problems for him politically. But the reality is that this is textbook example of when and how Big Government works and works well when it's in the right hands. We (and the people of New Orleans) know how badly it worked in the hands of Bush. Now we see what good governance looks like. This is why it's important to keep government in these same hands for another 4 years. People's lives literally depend on it.
UPDATE (12:30 PM EDT): Romney is doubling-down on photo op. He is trying to make political points from the pain and suffering of others. What a scumbag.
It was 2004. Mitt Romney was governor of Massachusetts. Heavy rains caused flooding in his state, which required him to request Federal Disaster relief funds. Later that year, the Massachusetts legislature passed a proposal to allocate $5.7M in state funds for a flood protection project. Then-Governor Romney vetoed it. In 2006, the town of Peabody was flooded again. Local officials blamed Romney for vetoing the funds that could've prevented it.
Fast forward to the current presidential race. Last year in June during the seemingly never-ending Republican primary debates, candidate Romney was asked whether FEMA should be eliminated. He was emphatic in his answer:
"Absolutely," he said. "Every time you have an occasion to take something from the federal government and send it back to the states, that's the right direction. And if you can go even further, and send it back to the private sector, that's even better. Instead of thinking, in the federal budget, what we should cut, we should ask the opposite question, what should we keep?"
[..]
"We cannot -- we cannot afford to do those things without jeopardizing the future for our kids," Romney replied. "It is simply immoral, in my view, for us to continue to rack up larger and larger debts and pass them on to our kids, knowing full well that we'll all be dead and gone before it's paid off. It makes no sense at all."
[..]
The Washington Post's Greg Sargent adds: "There’s another nugget here worth highlighting, though. In that appearance, Romney also suggested it would be 'even better' to send any and all responsibilities of the federal government 'to the private sector,' disaster response included. So: Romney essentially favored privatizing disaster response."
Earlier this year, he continued to push the austerity idea further when he said America doesn't need any more firemen, policemen or teachers.
Of course - that was "Pre-Sandy". Now he is desperately trying to shake the etch-a-sketch and make people forget that Romney cares more about money than people.
His first move was to flip-flop on his position:
"Gov. Romney believes that states should be in charge of emergency management in responding to storms and other natural disasters in their jurisdictions," Romney spokesman Ryan Williams said in a statement. "As the first responders, states are in the best position to aid affected individuals and communities, and to direct resources and assistance to where they are needed most. This includes help from the federal government and FEMA."
uh-huh...
His next move was to avoid any questions on his previous positions:
Mitt Romney repeatedly ignored questions about his position on federal funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at an event for storm victims Tuesday.
[..]
Several others again asked Romney whether he would eliminate FEMA.
"Governor, you’ve been asked 14 times. Why are you refusing to answer the question?" one asked.
Romney ignored the reporters' queries and continued loading up the truck. Earlier, during the event, he ignored similar queries.
On this particular topic, it is useful to compare the respective FEMA budget cuts planned by the Romney/Ryan team, and by President Obama:
The president has proposed cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for 2013 that would reduce overall funding by about 3 percent, with $1 billion trimmed from the Disaster Relief Fund but more money given to state and local programs.
[..]
An administration official says the drop reflects decreasing tail-costs from Hurricane Katrina and stresses that the 2013 request is $500 million beyond the disaster fund’s anticipated needs, according to a Congressional formula based on the cost of disaster aid.
[..]
Romney and Ryan (in his House budget) also propose deep cuts to domestic spending. While Ryan doesn’t single out FEMA for cuts, he doesn’t exempt it either, suggesting that the agency could still be at risk for cutbacks under the House GOP.
The Ryan budget for 2013 would cut non-defense discretionary spending by 22 percent, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. About one-third of that discretionary spending goes to state and local governments to support activities that include disaster relief.
Ryan’s 2013 budget doesn’t go into much detail about how the big domestic cuts would be distributed, so it doesn’t specify whether FEMA and its disaster fund would be spared. But if they are spared, then other programs in the non-defense discretionary category would have to be cut by more than 22 percent.
So how is Romney trying to deflect from all of this historical record that shows he considers emergency preparedness and disaster response and relief an unaffordable luxury? By transparently labeling a campaign rally as a disaster relief fundraiser. The problem is that Romney has no clue how disaster relief works. The Red Cross does not take donations of food or blankets. They specifically ask for money that they can spend on things they need as they need them. Mitt asked people attending his
The problem of course is the magnitude of the problem. With parts of NY and NJ looking like post-Katrian New Orleans, the magnitude of the disaster is hard for most people to comprehend, and Romney is not one to have much imagination when it comes to the struggles of the average American. Disasters like this should not be politicized by those in power, but Romney in trying to disguise a campaign stop as a disaster relief effort has done just that. He also showed his hand by only calling Republican governors. He also tried to score a photo-op with NJ Governor Chris Christie, but to Christie's credit, he shot it down while praising President Obama's response.
There are others trying to imply that President Obama's response is an attempt to distract from bad publicity over the attacks in Libya (former Bush-era FEMA "director" Brownie is just one. Check FOX "News" for more of the same). This, of course, is the Republicans' attempts to distract the electorate from President Obama's awesome leadership during this crisis. Chris Christie is not playing ball in this game, and will likely create long-term problems for him politically. But the reality is that this is textbook example of when and how Big Government works and works well when it's in the right hands. We (and the people of New Orleans) know how badly it worked in the hands of Bush. Now we see what good governance looks like. This is why it's important to keep government in these same hands for another 4 years. People's lives literally depend on it.
UPDATE (12:30 PM EDT): Romney is doubling-down on photo op. He is trying to make political points from the pain and suffering of others. What a scumbag.
Comments:
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Comment by 
Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 13:14:25
Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 13:14:25
Morning all.
Comment by 
Scoopster on 10/31/2012 13:16:16
Scoopster on 10/31/2012 13:16:16
Mornin' all! 
I don't know how anyone could think Romney's campaign bus being used to collect and hand out is anything more than a photo op and an attempt to buy votes with perishable goods. It's worse than when crime bosses buy turkeys to hand out at Thanksgiving or Christmas to the poor.
I don't know how anyone could think Romney's campaign bus being used to collect and hand out is anything more than a photo op and an attempt to buy votes with perishable goods. It's worse than when crime bosses buy turkeys to hand out at Thanksgiving or Christmas to the poor.
Comment by 
TriSec on 10/31/2012 13:26:11
TriSec on 10/31/2012 13:26:11
Ah, Peabody...our ancient high-school nemesis. Curious seeing it on a blog not written by me. 
I was looking around earlier for some old photos from the incident referenced, but there's not much online.
There is this...from the Peabody Historical Society.
Yay Sachems! Beat Peabody!
*ahem*. Excuse me.
I was looking around earlier for some old photos from the incident referenced, but there's not much online.
There is this...from the Peabody Historical Society.
Yay Sachems! Beat Peabody!
*ahem*. Excuse me.
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 13:44:24
So what you are saying is Peabody has a history of flooding, which Mittens didn't want to do anything to mitigate. Was this one of the 800 vetoes that was overridden?
Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 13:44:24
Quote by TriSec:
Ah, Peabody...our ancient high-school nemesis. Curious seeing it on a blog not written by me.
I was looking around earlier for some old photos from the incident referenced, but there's not much online.
There is this...from the Peabody Historical Society.
Yay Sachems! Beat Peabody!
*ahem*. Excuse me.
So what you are saying is Peabody has a history of flooding, which Mittens didn't want to do anything to mitigate. Was this one of the 800 vetoes that was overridden?
Comment by 
BobR on 10/31/2012 14:02:08
If it was overridden, then they wouldn't have had the flooding later that they blamed on him.
BobR on 10/31/2012 14:02:08
Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by TriSec:
Ah, Peabody...our ancient high-school nemesis. Curious seeing it on a blog not written by me.
I was looking around earlier for some old photos from the incident referenced, but there's not much online.
There is this...from the Peabody Historical Society.
Yay Sachems! Beat Peabody!
*ahem*. Excuse me.
So what you are saying is Peabody has a history of flooding, which Mittens didn't want to do anything to mitigate. Was this one of the 800 vetoes that was overridden?
If it was overridden, then they wouldn't have had the flooding later that they blamed on him.
Comment by 
Raine on 10/31/2012 14:04:09
Raine on 10/31/2012 14:04:09
Mom got the status of my family up on Long Island.
Toms River NJ:
Aunt & Uncle ok, No power. Cousin, No power, Her brother and is wife lost their home. Staying with Aunt and Uncle.
Long Island:
Cousins on long Island appear to be ok. Their parents were apparently on a cruise when the storm came in. I am going to assume they are alright as well.
good morning.
Toms River NJ:
Aunt & Uncle ok, No power. Cousin, No power, Her brother and is wife lost their home. Staying with Aunt and Uncle.
Long Island:
Cousins on long Island appear to be ok. Their parents were apparently on a cruise when the storm came in. I am going to assume they are alright as well.
good morning.
Comment by Scoopster on 10/31/2012 14:07:39
Scoopster on 10/31/2012 14:07:39
Hey guys.. I just thought of this and since we haven't heard anything I'm sure everything's fine..
...but I haven't heard anything during this whole Sandy mess about issues at nuclear power plants.
...but I haven't heard anything during this whole Sandy mess about issues at nuclear power plants.
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 14:07:48
Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 14:07:48
FLOTUS in JAX tomorrow. It will remove the Rmoney stench. He's in town today.
Comment by TriSec on 10/31/2012 14:09:18
TriSec on 10/31/2012 14:09:18
From Blue Mass Group:
PEABODY FLOODING
April 1-2, 2004: A massive storm drops 8 inches of rain in 24 hours, flooding downtown Peabody for the fourth time in eight years. Gov. Mitt Romney declares a state of emergency.
April 9, 2004: Romney asks President Bush to declare Essex County a federal disaster area.
April 21, 2004: President Bush declares Essex County a “major disaster area.â€
May 8, 2004: Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency official suggests trying to get state funding to address flooding problems.
May 20, 2004: Sen. Fred Berry requests state funding for flood mitigation as part of supplemental state budget.
Sept. 9, 2004: State Legislature passes supplemental budget, including $5.7 million for Peabody flood control.
Sept. 17, 2004: Romney vetoes Peabody flood aid. Romney spokeswoman later claims governor was unable to reach city officials. An angry Mayor Michael Bonfanti notes that City Hall was closed for former Mayor Peter Torigian’s funeral.
Sept. 30, 2004: Bonfanti and other city officials visit the Statehouse; Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey promises to look for “creative solutions.â€
January 2005: Romney unveils budget that includes $2 million for flood aid, but money is later cut by House Ways and Means Committee.
November 2005: State Senate passes economic stimulus package, including $2 million for Peabody flood aid, but bill remains stuck in House-Senate Conference Committee.
May 12-14, 2006: Torrential rains again flood Peabody. Romney visits and pledges state help.
PEABODY FLOODING
April 1-2, 2004: A massive storm drops 8 inches of rain in 24 hours, flooding downtown Peabody for the fourth time in eight years. Gov. Mitt Romney declares a state of emergency.
April 9, 2004: Romney asks President Bush to declare Essex County a federal disaster area.
April 21, 2004: President Bush declares Essex County a “major disaster area.â€
May 8, 2004: Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency official suggests trying to get state funding to address flooding problems.
May 20, 2004: Sen. Fred Berry requests state funding for flood mitigation as part of supplemental state budget.
Sept. 9, 2004: State Legislature passes supplemental budget, including $5.7 million for Peabody flood control.
Sept. 17, 2004: Romney vetoes Peabody flood aid. Romney spokeswoman later claims governor was unable to reach city officials. An angry Mayor Michael Bonfanti notes that City Hall was closed for former Mayor Peter Torigian’s funeral.
Sept. 30, 2004: Bonfanti and other city officials visit the Statehouse; Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey promises to look for “creative solutions.â€
January 2005: Romney unveils budget that includes $2 million for flood aid, but money is later cut by House Ways and Means Committee.
November 2005: State Senate passes economic stimulus package, including $2 million for Peabody flood aid, but bill remains stuck in House-Senate Conference Committee.
May 12-14, 2006: Torrential rains again flood Peabody. Romney visits and pledges state help.
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 14:09:44
Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 14:09:44
Bob Kerry might win Nebraska
Comment by Scoopster on 10/31/2012 14:10:34
Ah here we go.. found an article on ABC News.
Scoopster on 10/31/2012 14:10:34
Quote by Scoopster:
Hey guys.. I just thought of this and since we haven't heard anything I'm sure everything's fine..
...but I haven't heard anything during this whole Sandy mess about issues at nuclear power plants.
Ah here we go.. found an article on ABC News.
Comment by TriSec on 10/31/2012 14:11:45
Trouble at five plants
Worth noting, they all seem to be non-nuclear, related to power grid interruptions or flooding, or safety parameters being exceeded. No mutants are expected.
TriSec on 10/31/2012 14:11:45
Quote by Scoopster:
Hey guys.. I just thought of this and since we haven't heard anything I'm sure everything's fine..
...but I haven't heard anything during this whole Sandy mess about issues at nuclear power plants.
Trouble at five plants
Worth noting, they all seem to be non-nuclear, related to power grid interruptions or flooding, or safety parameters being exceeded. No mutants are expected.
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 14:21:53
TriSec you are a helper!
Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 14:21:53
Quote by TriSec:
From Blue Mass Group:
PEABODY FLOODING
April 1-2, 2004: A massive storm drops 8 inches of rain in 24 hours, flooding downtown Peabody for the fourth time in eight years. Gov. Mitt Romney declares a state of emergency.
April 9, 2004: Romney asks President Bush to declare Essex County a federal disaster area.
April 21, 2004: President Bush declares Essex County a “major disaster area.â€
May 8, 2004: Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency official suggests trying to get state funding to address flooding problems.
May 20, 2004: Sen. Fred Berry requests state funding for flood mitigation as part of supplemental state budget.
Sept. 9, 2004: State Legislature passes supplemental budget, including $5.7 million for Peabody flood control.
Sept. 17, 2004: Romney vetoes Peabody flood aid. Romney spokeswoman later claims governor was unable to reach city officials. An angry Mayor Michael Bonfanti notes that City Hall was closed for former Mayor Peter Torigian’s funeral.
Sept. 30, 2004: Bonfanti and other city officials visit the Statehouse; Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey promises to look for “creative solutions.â€
January 2005: Romney unveils budget that includes $2 million for flood aid, but money is later cut by House Ways and Means Committee.
November 2005: State Senate passes economic stimulus package, including $2 million for Peabody flood aid, but bill remains stuck in House-Senate Conference Committee.
May 12-14, 2006: Torrential rains again flood Peabody. Romney visits and pledges state help.
TriSec you are a helper!
Comment by Raine on 10/31/2012 14:25:12
I tell ya, Indian Point scares me.
Raine on 10/31/2012 14:25:12
Quote by Scoopster:Quote by Scoopster:
Hey guys.. I just thought of this and since we haven't heard anything I'm sure everything's fine..
...but I haven't heard anything during this whole Sandy mess about issues at nuclear power plants.
Ah here we go.. found an article on ABC News.
I tell ya, Indian Point scares me.
Comment by TriSec on 10/31/2012 14:31:05
TriSec on 10/31/2012 14:31:05
Romney's platform, succintly wrapped up in song:
Jack Skellington: [singing] Just because I cannot see it, doesn't mean I can't believe it!
Jack Skellington: [singing] Just because I cannot see it, doesn't mean I can't believe it!
Comment by TriSec on 10/31/2012 14:37:10
From Waltham:
Plymouth - 50 miles
Seabrook - 52 miles
Seabrook had one incident, no outside leakage. Pilgrim is listed as "no incidents".
TriSec on 10/31/2012 14:37:10
Quote by Raine:
I tell ya, Indian Point scares me.
From Waltham:
Plymouth - 50 miles
Seabrook - 52 miles
Seabrook had one incident, no outside leakage. Pilgrim is listed as "no incidents".
Comment by Scoopster on 10/31/2012 14:37:12
Scoopster on 10/31/2012 14:37:12
Comment by Scoopster on 10/31/2012 14:39:51
In this case I'm probably more concerned about Oyster Point since it was more exposed.
I would've also said Millstone, but it's got the world's largest sandbar in front of it.
Scoopster on 10/31/2012 14:39:51
Quote by Raine:Quote by Scoopster:Quote by Scoopster:
Hey guys.. I just thought of this and since we haven't heard anything I'm sure everything's fine..
...but I haven't heard anything during this whole Sandy mess about issues at nuclear power plants.
Ah here we go.. found an article on ABC News.
I tell ya, Indian Point scares me.
In this case I'm probably more concerned about Oyster Point since it was more exposed.
I would've also said Millstone, but it's got the world's largest sandbar in front of it.
Comment by Raine on 10/31/2012 14:45:34
Raine on 10/31/2012 14:45:34
There have been many efforts to get Indian point shut down over the years. Up in the Valley they call it Chernobyl on the Hudson.
According to calculations by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, out of all the nuclear reactors in the country, the one with the highest risk of core damage from an earthquake is reactor number 3 at Indian Point, the facility in Westchester that provides about a third of New York City's power. The risk is still small — a 1 in 10,000 chance each year — but it's apparently large enough to be "right on the verge of requiring 'immediate concern regarding adequate protection' of the public." [snip]
In the 35 years since Indian Point 3 got its license to operate in 1976, the same era when most of today's U.S. nuclear reactors were built, geologists have learned a lot about the dangers of earthquakes in the eastern and central U.S.
Indian Point's operating license expires in 2013, and Governor Cuomo has said he doesn't think it should be renewed. With the plant's potential dangers now in focus because of the nuclear disaster in Japan, that's probably a battle he'll be happy to wage.
Comment by TriSec on 10/31/2012 14:46:20
TriSec on 10/31/2012 14:46:20
Well, that's common...Seabrook is called "Chernobyl by the Sea" around these parts.
Comment by Scoopster on 10/31/2012 14:50:14
Scoopster on 10/31/2012 14:50:14
Well now.. this is quite a rare occurrence! A lunar rainbow!
Comment by Raine on 10/31/2012 14:55:19
That's beautiful!
Raine on 10/31/2012 14:55:19
Quote by Scoopster:
Well now.. this is quite a rare occurrence! A lunar rainbow!
Comment by BobR on 10/31/2012 14:56:35
so beautiful, man... how do they do it?
BobR on 10/31/2012 14:56:35
Quote by Scoopster:
Well now.. this is quite a rare occurrence! A lunar rainbow!
so beautiful, man... how do they do it?
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 14:58:11
God does it!
Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 14:58:11
Quote by BobR:Quote by Scoopster:
Well now.. this is quite a rare occurrence! A lunar rainbow!
so beautiful, man... how do they do it?
God does it!
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 15:03:26
All smart assery aside, that is really beautiful
Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 15:03:26
Quote by Scoopster:
Well now.. this is quite a rare occurrence! A lunar rainbow!
All smart assery aside, that is really beautiful
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 15:05:27
Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 15:05:27
Anybody else having problems accessing alternet today?
Comment by TriSec on 10/31/2012 15:05:29
Well, maybe Allah helped a little.
TriSec on 10/31/2012 15:05:29
Quote by Mondobubba:
God does it!
Moonbows are most easily viewed when the moon is near to full (when it is brightest). For true moonbows, other than those produced by waterfalls or sprays, the moon must be low in the sky (less than 42 degrees and preferably lower) and the sky must be dark. And, of course, there must be rain falling opposite the moon. This combination of requirements makes moonbows much more rare than rainbows produced by the sun.
Well, maybe Allah helped a little.
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 15:10:07
The last thing we want are the 28 Days Later, super fast zombies. I just want the slow shambling Night of the Living Dead virus made zombies.
Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 15:10:07
Quote by TriSec:Quote by Scoopster:
Hey guys.. I just thought of this and since we haven't heard anything I'm sure everything's fine..
...but I haven't heard anything during this whole Sandy mess about issues at nuclear power plants.
Trouble at five plants
Worth noting, they all seem to be non-nuclear, related to power grid interruptions or flooding, or safety parameters being exceeded. No mutants are expected.
The last thing we want are the 28 Days Later, super fast zombies. I just want the slow shambling Night of the Living Dead virus made zombies.
Comment by Will in Chicago on 10/31/2012 15:18:25
Will in Chicago on 10/31/2012 15:18:25
Good morning, bloggers!! I am glad to hear that everyone here is safe, but sad that some of us are seeing family still suffer from the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
I am getting ready for my job interview a little later this morning. I will check back in this afternoon.
I am getting ready for my job interview a little later this morning. I will check back in this afternoon.
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 15:19:15
Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 15:19:15
Can I rant for a moment?
Please let's stop comparing American nuclear power plants to Chernobyl? This is comparing apples to oranges. The only things they have in common are the U-235 fuel rods. Otherwise they are totally different in design, the way the reaction is moderated, that Soviet era reactors were build without the same kind of containment vessels commonly found in nuclear plants in the US and of course the most important, US nuclear plants weren't build by the most corrupt, half-assed, inept entity in the history of the world, the Brezhnev era Soviet Union.
Please let's stop comparing American nuclear power plants to Chernobyl? This is comparing apples to oranges. The only things they have in common are the U-235 fuel rods. Otherwise they are totally different in design, the way the reaction is moderated, that Soviet era reactors were build without the same kind of containment vessels commonly found in nuclear plants in the US and of course the most important, US nuclear plants weren't build by the most corrupt, half-assed, inept entity in the history of the world, the Brezhnev era Soviet Union.
Comment by Raine on 10/31/2012 15:21:03
Raine on 10/31/2012 15:21:03
Ryan pulled a Romney.
In Hudson, the packing was proceeding too quickly, and the supporters wearing red "Team Wisconsin" t-shirts were given the order to slow down and then to stop to be sure there were still goods to be packed when Ryan entered.
One by one the boxes were filled and loaded into a waiting U-Haul, and then they stopped to wait for the candidate. [snip]
"Go home, and if you can, donate to the Red Cross," Ryan said outside, standing on a metal chair next to the truck. He noted that victory centers across the state and the country are accepting donations of non-perishables.
As Ryan walked back through the office to the motorcade volunteers finished packing the supplies, which are being driven to a Red Cross facility in New Jersey.
As supporters walked out the door they were handed a flier about the GOP's election night party.
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 15:24:11
Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 15:24:11
My previous post does not endorse of address any valid safety concerns about nuclear energy. I was just trying to point out that that there is a huge difference in design philosophy between reactors in the former USSR and the US, Europe and Japan.
Comment by Will in Chicago on 10/31/2012 15:24:42
I hope that the inauthenticity of Ryan and Romney will cost them much at the polls.
Will in Chicago on 10/31/2012 15:24:42
Quote by Raine:
Ryan pulled a Romney.In Hudson, the packing was proceeding too quickly, and the supporters wearing red "Team Wisconsin" t-shirts were given the order to slow down and then to stop to be sure there were still goods to be packed when Ryan entered.
One by one the boxes were filled and loaded into a waiting U-Haul, and then they stopped to wait for the candidate. [snip]
"Go home, and if you can, donate to the Red Cross," Ryan said outside, standing on a metal chair next to the truck. He noted that victory centers across the state and the country are accepting donations of non-perishables.
As Ryan walked back through the office to the motorcade volunteers finished packing the supplies, which are being driven to a Red Cross facility in New Jersey.
As supporters walked out the door they were handed a flier about the GOP's election night party.
I hope that the inauthenticity of Ryan and Romney will cost them much at the polls.
Comment by Raine on 10/31/2012 15:31:10
Fingers crossed, Will.
Raine on 10/31/2012 15:31:10
Quote by Will in Chicago:
Good morning, bloggers!! I am glad to hear that everyone here is safe, but sad that some of us are seeing family still suffer from the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
I am getting ready for my job interview a little later this morning. I will check back in this afternoon.
Comment by Raine on 10/31/2012 15:33:31
Raine on 10/31/2012 15:33:31
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 15:43:10
Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 15:43:10
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 15:49:50
Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 15:49:50
Can't go see FLOTUS tomorrow. Event is during the day and it neigh impossible for me to get time off on short notice. :kick:
Comment by Raine on 10/31/2012 16:02:51
Well that bites.
Raine on 10/31/2012 16:02:51
Quote by Mondobubba:
Can't go see FLOTUS tomorrow. Event is during the day and it neigh impossible for me to get time off on short notice. :kick:
Comment by Raine on 10/31/2012 16:17:35
Raine on 10/31/2012 16:17:35
Quote by Raine:
So, this is just the damn cream on top of a shitpile.
Empty-handed supporters pled for entrance, with one woman asking, “What if we dropped off our donations up front?â€The volunteer gestured toward a pile of groceries conveniently stacked near the candidate. “Just grab something,†he said.
Two teenage boys retrieved a jar of peanut butter each, and got in line. When it was their turn, they handed their “donations†to Romney. He took them, smiled, and offered an earnest “Thank you.â€
Comment by Scoopster on 10/31/2012 16:20:43
Scoopster on 10/31/2012 16:20:43
Comment by Raine on 10/31/2012 16:27:24
Raine on 10/31/2012 16:27:24
Comment by BobR on 10/31/2012 16:32:19
Thanks. I updated the blog to add the link.
BobR on 10/31/2012 16:32:19
Quote by Raine:
So, this is just the damn cream on top of a shitpile.
Thanks. I updated the blog to add the link.
Comment by Raine on 10/31/2012 17:06:15
Raine on 10/31/2012 17:06:15
Where is Mala?
Comment by 
clintster on 10/31/2012 17:49:58
clintster on 10/31/2012 17:49:58
The snow has finally stopped falling here, but it's still here and the roads are icy. I just saw this on my FB feed:
This is an announcement from David Burleson, Superintendent of the Avery County Schools and Kevin Frye, Avery County Sheriff. Due to the cold weather, hazardous conditions which remain on the side roads and the possibly of deteriorating conditions as temperatures fall afte
r dark, we are asking all parents and children to postpone Halloween until Friday night. Many towns, communities and churches in our area have already postponed their activities for these reasons, and we feel it is in the best and greatest interest for the safety of our children and motoring public to follow this action county wide. At this time it appears the towns of Newland and Banner Elk will hold Halloween festivities on Friday evening as was planned for tonight. We urge everyone to contact the various churches and other organizations for their scheduled events, as these may be set for different dates. Again we are asking all parents and children postpone Halloween until Friday, November 2nd, so please help us to keep all the children and citizens safe by following this request.
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 18:09:47
Okay I can't take it any longer. Hanging out with Waldo!
Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 18:09:47
Quote by Raine:
Where is Mala?
Okay I can't take it any longer. Hanging out with Waldo!
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 18:16:13
Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 18:16:13
In seriousness, when I was checking FB at lunch she showed as being on her mobile book of faces. So, maybe out doing errands?
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 18:18:10
Mondobubba on 10/31/2012 18:18:10
Hmmm when I go to alternet, I get a message that says "not found"