Staff Reports
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris made their way to North Carolina and Georgia to survey the damage caused by Hurricane Helene, but they brought along a remarkable absence of understanding about what Americans facing disaster truly need. In a moment that can only be described as tone-deaf, Harris announced a flimsy $750 payment for affected individuals, a sum so insignificant that it wouldn’t even cover a week’s worth of food and lodging for a displaced family. The timing of her comments raised eyebrows, especially when juxtaposed with the staggering amounts funneled to foreign nations and concerns unrelated to American citizens.
While families were coping with devastation, Harris’s remarks were met with backlash. Many pointed out the outrageous contrast of prioritizing aid overseas rather than addressing the immediate needs of Americans on the ground. Questions arose about the colossal funds sent to Ukraine and other global initiatives, leading to frustration among citizens who feel overlooked by their government. This meager offering does nothing for those who have lost everything, and suggesting that people can apply online—assuming they have power—only highlights the administration’s disconnect from reality.
Meanwhile, Biden continued his well-established pattern of aloofness, resembling little more than a mannequin while the world moved past him. His slow gait as he took his seat should have come with a sign reading “Lost: Please return to the Oval Office.” Inappropriately, Biden seized the opportunity to push his climate change agenda, lecturing anyone who didn’t fall in line with his ideology instead of focusing on the disaster at hand. His customary attacks on dissidents were misplaced, especially when there were far more urgent matters to address.
Biden waited days to visit the devastated parts of North Carolina and says: you are “brain dead” if you attribute this disaster to brain climate change. I don’t know what’s more insulting; his bromide on climate change or his $750 penny ante offer of help? https://t.co/2gEDIVvcne
— Pasquali Pellegrino (@pellegrp23) October 3, 2024
Adding insult to injury, Biden made claims about deploying Starlink systems to assist communication in the hurricane-stricken areas, an idea rich with irony given that his administration had previously revoked SpaceX’s award for those very systems. This left some to wonder whether they could receive any relief or connectivity in their crisis. With a staggering $42 billion allocated for broadband initiatives that has yet to show any results, the Biden team has proven time and again that they are more proficient at grandstanding than actually helping.
In stark contrast, private citizens and organizations are stepping up to fill the void. Figures like Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and even Ivanka Trump have mobilized resources and efforts to assist those in need. The discrepancies are glaring; while the administration fiddles with rhetoric, it is the private sector that is becoming the true lifeline for disaster-stricken communities. Good on these individuals for recognizing the urgent needs of Americans, all while the leaders ostensibly in charge appear disinterested or out of touch with the reality that so many are facing.
