Don’t Mess With Texas Hypocrites like Sen. Ted Cruz

Senator Ted Cruz and nearly all of the other members of Texas’ Congressional delegation opposed any federal relief for the Mid-Atlantic states damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Posing as true believers in reducing federal government aid, even in catastrophes like that hurricane, they were utterly indifferent toward East Coast citizens, many of whom they dismissed as darn “liberals” responsible, in effect, for their own fate.

Now that the tables have turned, Sen. Cruz and his fellow Texas lawmakers are insisting that the federal government attend to the catastrophe in Texas and perhaps Louisiana. Even Cruz’s fellow Republicans, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie above all,have denounced such hypocrisy.

But most Democratic Senators and Representatives, perhaps all, will vote for some version of the huge sums sought by Sen. Cruz and his ilk. What choice do they have? It would be political suicide to oppose those funds.

If, however, a future natural disaster were to befall the Middle Atlantic states and/or New England, rest assured that Sen. Cruz and his fellow shameless right-wingers would be first in line to try to deny substantial relief.

I tried explaining this inconsistency in my US history courses that began this week. It has no logic in terms of government policy, much less morals. But it is the nature of American politics these days.