OK, so you're a Republican Congressman, and your coastal district has just suffered a direct hit from Hurricane Ike. Entire communities have been obliterated, more than 300 of your constituents are still missing, and many are dead. You'd think that you'd hightail it back to your district in order to make certain that those who sent you to Washington in the first place are being taken care of...right? Well, if you're Ron Paul, it's business as usual, which means that principle trumps people. And when you're a wingnut, it really is all about the priniciple. Same as it ever was.
In fairness (and to beat Bob to this), I should mention that Paul did vote for the Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2008, which does provide for expanded IRS tax deductions and other benefits to businesses and individuals. Nonetheless, Ron Paul's district has been devastated and people are suffering...and he's voting AGAINST disaster relief intended for people who desperately need it- people in his district? Here's a memo from the "Department of Get a (&^%$#@ Clue" for Rep. Paul: sometimes, principles need to take a back seat to the realities on the ground. You may not believe in the remedy being offered, but when people are suffering like his constiuents are now, any assistance looks like a lifeline. Voting against disaster relief only makes you look like the clueless, out of touch ideologue you truly are.
Then again, the maroons in Paul's district have continually returned him to Congress for you...so perhaps you could argue that they're getting exactly what they deserved, eh??
