Christie Blasts Boehner on Sandy Relief: "Only One Group To Blame For The Continued Suffering"

[bigtree]

____________________

TPM:

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Wednesday said House Speaker John Boehner and congressional Republicans are to blame for the "continued suffering" after superstorm Sandy.

"This is not a Republican or Democratic issue," Christie said during a press conference. "National disasters happen in red states and blue states and states with Democratic governors and Republican governors. We respond to innocent victims of natural disasters not as Republicans or Democrats, but as Americans. Or at least we did until last night."

Talking Points Memo ?@TPM
Christie: "I called the Speaker four times last night after 11:20, and he did not take my calls." http://tpm.ly/UIzv0v

Zeke Miller ?@ZekeJMiller
Christie: "Our people were played last night as a pawn."

Andrew Kaczynski ?@BuzzFeedAndrew
Brutal Christie quote: "You don't play games with this. Apparently that was ripped out of the House leadership manual last night."

Zeke Miller ?@ZekeJMiller
RT @GingerGibson: Christie on Congress "They got caught up in this fake crisis of the fiscal cliff"

The Washington Post ?@washingtonpost
Christie on Congress: "They're all so caught up in their own politics... that they forget we sent them there!" http://wapo.st/S5iA9f #Sandy

[peacebird]

1. Ouch! That's gonna leave a mark......

[plethoro]

15. If the Democrats were smart, right now we

could help drive the Republicans out of having a Party.

[pitbullgirl1965]

45. If the Democrats had a SPINE

they could start pulling the Republicans back to the Center and the Dems more to the left. Alas, I am not holding my breath

[dwigthreeD]

58. Ohhhh Bame!!!!!!!!!

That was the sound of Bonner's head hitting the wall....courtesy of Christie

[Chorophyll]

2. If Christie has any brains he'll have to do a little re-assessment of his own philosophy.

And I don't think he's stupid.

[Volaris]

5. If there's ONE Republican that can still pull off wearing the illusion of

"Compassionate" Conservative, it's him (because he knows how to APPEAR angry when people in need aren't getting those needs met). What's yet to be seen, is wether or not the Electorate sees it for the illusion that it is, (and then accepts it or rejects it) or doesn't see it at all.
Either way, having the Jersey Fat Man overtly pissed at you, is probably something you DON'T want right now if you're Mr. Speaker lol.

I agree with you, I don't think he's stupid, either. He's probably the closest thing to a "Liberal" Republican this country's political class has (and even that probably isn't saying much).

[Chorophyll]

20. It definitely isn't saying much. :)

It's probably way too much for hope for, but I'd love it if some of our northeastern Republicans, having seen what "small government" really means, would understand that it's just wrong.

[Volaris]

30. For that stand to be made publically,

they would first have to disavow and the southern and midwestern (mostly) Religious Protestant Establishment in America, and then DISPROVE that it has a neccessary attachment to GOP-Corprotist (see Randian) practices. THAT requires a complete de-construction of Mega-church Salvationist-type Christianity as it has been taught to us for at least 30 years.

Not saying it can't be done, but I don't think Gov. Christie is up to the task. He isn't willing to wield a big enough Stick (ala Teddy Roosevelt).

[Chorophyll]

36. You're right. Still, even a few people breaking rank here and there is nice to see...

Maybe a a few chips will break off the 30-year monolith. Change is usually gradual in this country.

[freshwest]

38. Well stated.

[pitbullgirl1965]

60. Stop the fat bashing please.

Is there really a need to bash his weight or anyone else?

[montana_hazeleyes]

67. Thank you!

Thank you very much about speaking up about that.

[dwigthreeD]

57. Christie needs to switch parties

[rocktivity]

77. He's smart enough to run the same game the McCain and the Bushes did

run to the left of Obama, come up looking like a moderate GOP, and make a sharp right turn once elected.


rocktivity

[Walk away]

3. Then why is he holding up Obama Care's exchanges in NJ?

Holding it up for a year after our State legislature voted to start it has likely cost NJ lives already. There is no reason except political ones so he has a lot of nerve blaming his friends in Congress when he is just as evil and craven as they are. He is just as much to blame for this crap as any other republican.

[ananda]

4. I can't figure Christie out either.

I mean, once you're actually in a tragedy, drowning in a disaster soup so to speak, you'd think you'd see the plight of others in every aspect of life.

I just don't see how he manages to separate people and incidents out like that. Healthcare is a must for everyone... just like disaster relief.

[Walk away]

12. He knows that if he doesn't call the Pukes in Congress out on this...

he will be branded one of them. The people of NJ will never forgive these republicans for denying them help.

Christie is an asshole but he wants to be a big man (figuratively). That's why he sometimes seems to be more liberal. He is the Red Governor of a Really Blue State so he often dresses up as a reasonable person.

[adieu]

13. Because he's a republican

Being blinded to others' unfortunate circumstances is par for the GOP course.

The GOP puts the "MY" in myopia.

[Volaris]

34. "The GOP puts the "MY" in myopia."

Hahahahahaha that's awesome.

is there a way to petition to set up a "Quote Rotation" at the top of the pages here, so stuff like that doesn't get lost to the intertubes?
We can vote on what goes up there, and it can change daily/hourly/whatever. Stuff like that needs to be front and center, not buried in the bottoms of threads.

[Tigress DEM]

65. The GOP puts the "MY" in myopia! OMG that is SO TRUE!

LOOK AT MY ISSUE!! MY issue's bigger than YOUR issue because it's MY ISSUE!!!!

MY MONEY! Get your taxes off MY MONEY!!

MY COUNTRY!!

MY FLAG!





Rethug --- Here, you can have this.


DEM --- What is it?


Rethug --- The bill.


DEM --- Gee thanks.

[truedelphi]

43. Regarding New Jersey and Obama ACA (Health Care) -What Christie told David Letterman recently

On the set of the Tonight Show is this - he was interested in approving the ability of the state of New Jersey to have the State-run Insurance Exchange and what not, but first, as any good governor would, he asked the WH for the numbers. How much would the Exchange cost the people of New Jersey? You know what? The WH had NO NUMBERs to offer him. This is their damn idea - their Rahm emanuel drafted this piece of shit legislation with Wellpoint executives directing the program all along the way.

The WH didn't know how many people in New Jersey would utilize the program, nor did they know how much monetary help the Federal Government would have to offer.

So like any decent elected official, Christie is waiting to find out the costs.

The Obama Administration has proven again and again that the ACA piece of crappola legislation that is much more about the ability of the health insurers to get a top return as far as profit, than in assisting Americans to have their health needs met..

If the WH had any idea at all of what the State Run Exchanges are about, they would have to hang their heads in shame or else resign.

In my case, California's State-Run Insurance Exchange, which is considered to be a "model" for the rest of the nation, would require any household of husband and wife who are over the age of 58 to have some $ 1,100 bucks a month for an insurance premium, plus two separate $ 5,000 deductibles each year. So my household would have to pay out over $ 23,000 bucks before we would have one penny spent on our health needs.

[Tigress DEM]

66. Maybe Christie should learn how to look stuff up on the White House Web Site

http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform/map#healthcare-menu

What Health Reform Means to Your State
Click on a state to find out how the Affordable Care Act is benefitting people there, and find stories from seniors, young adults, those with pre-existing conditions, and others who are now receiving better, more affordable care because of health reform.



How the Affordable Care Act
is Benefitting New Jersey

Cheaper Prescription Drugs for People with Medicare
$95,200,406 in total savings for 125,968 seniors, averaging $755.75 in savings per person in 2011

Free Preventive Services
1,694,000 people and 985,987 seniors with Medicare get preventive services for free

No more Lifetime Limits on Care
3,274,000 people no longer have a lifetime limit on their care

Health Insurance on Your Parent's Plan
68,816 more young adults under age 26 now have insurance on their parent's plan

Better Value for your Premium Dollar
2,438,000 people protected by the 80/20 rule that requires insurers to spend 80% of premiums on care & quality

Covered by Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan
794 people who were uninsured because of a pre-existing condition now have coverage

Building Affordable Insurance Exchange
$8,874,130 to help States build new marketplaces where consumers will have the same kinds of choices as members of Congress

Improving Public Health
$21,300,000 in grants to improve public health

Community Health Centers
$25,900,000 to support and expand community health centers

[Sunlei]

69. Thank you,. I wish more Americans would go to WH website first for the facts.

Was so happy when one of the first things President Obama did was set-up a decent website for Americans

[truedelphi]

44. Please see my response 43.

No one I know knows what the ACA does. And a governor has to know that before he institutes a State Run Health Insurance Program.

And according to what Christie said on the David Letterman show, the WH doesn't know much either!

He is not disapproving of the idea of having a state-run exchange program, he wants the details. Including the costs of the program for the state to run it. And so far, the WH has had no real answers.

[Lordquinton]

48. Key phrase there

"according to what Christie said"

[truedelphi]

54. Okay, according to what Christie said. But he is believable.

He has the Republican tag after his name, but then so did Schwartzennegger. And that style mod Republican is a welcome relief to the Ryans, Scotts and Boehners of that Party. Or would you want to have more of the Ryans, Scotts, and Boehners?


And according to what the model program, the "state exchange insurance program" run by the State of California, where I live, it will cost my household of two people some $ 23 K a year, before we get one penny of help from the State.

Christie has the right to ask what it will cost.

According to experts herein California are saying, the main thing most health policy experts are afraid circa 2014 when the ACA will be fully implemented is that the poor people community clinics now up and operating in California will be flooded beyond capacity,with the result that many of them will close.

[Lordquinton]

64. They were both (r)'s through and through

I did not enjoy suffering through the years of Arnold, and I don't enjoy the sudden acceptance that Christy is enjoying. It has problems, but it is a start, better than "Just hurry up and die" which is what all those (r)'s propose.

the bad parts of it were forced in by them when they couldn't kill it completely, now they are turning around and saying "See what Obama has done to you helpless people?" when they would otherwise just be happy to ignore us all.

Christie has the right to ask what it will cost, but he doesn't have the right to keep asking it when the answers are out there. doing only modest research I saw most reports saying modest costs to states.

As for the cost you cited in CA? that could be more than twice that without ACA. no, it's not perfect, in fact, it's a poor attempt, but it is an attempt, which is more than we have had in years.

[Walk away]

56. Maybe Christie could look into what New York State is doing...

they have begun to ramp up their program early. The point of giving states the ability to design their own programs and give them grants to implement them is to set up programs that address each states current programs and needs. I am not surprised to hear that Governor Christie is too stupid to know what New Jersey needs. He has proved himself to be a real dim wit when it comes to losing our state money and opportunity.

He started off his governorship fumbling nearly $400,000,000 in school funds out of shear stupidity and tried to blame it on the President.

He claimed NJ would lose money (not true) if the NJ/NY tunnel project went through. He lost our state millions and possibly billions of dollars and a desperately needed access to NYC.

Almost every word that comes out of this man's mouth is a lie except when he is put on the spot and then he either acts like a fool or bullies his way out.

[truedelphi]

62. His state is facing some 25 billions of dollars in

Deficit spending. It makes things such as setting up yet another state program that needs funding very very very tough to deal with.

New Jersey state budget
From an article on the internet:

Gov. Chris Christie signed the $31 billion FY2013 budget into law on June 29, 2012, after vetoing $361 million in spending proposed by the legislature.[1] New Jersey budgets it monies on an annual cycle and the fiscal year begins on July 1.[2] The state is now in FY2013.

New Jersey has a total state debt of approximately $25,8034,922,000 when calculated by adding the total of outstanding official debt, pension and other post-employment benefits (OPEB) liabilities, Unemployment Trust Fund loans, and the FY2013 state budget gap.[3] The state debt total for FY2012 was $281,544,674,000.[4] New Jersey's total state debt per capita is $29,251.83.[5]

According to a 2012 study by 24/7 Wall Street, New jersey is the 46 worst run state taking into account debt per capita, budget deficits, unemployment, median household income, and the percentage of the percentage of the population below the poverty line. The best run state is North Dakota and the worst run state is California. [6]

Read more: http://sunshinereview.org/index.php/New_Jersey_state_budget#ixzz2GsYXrZm3

[Walk away]

71. You do understand that Christie has been raiding the pension funds etc for his entire...

time in office. One of the reasons he enjoys any popularity at all is because he froze property taxes. What has been happening to the country is about to happen to NJ when the coffers run dry and we have to pay the bill. In an attempt to stave off the day he has been taking the money out of the benefits of state employees and cutting services to the poor (especially health care). A family of 4 making over $6,000 a year is no longer for state assisted healthcare for the adults. This is destroying our hospital system. Without Obama Care hundreds of thousands of people in NJ are being thrown off of any type of health care and costing the state billions and billions of dollars as well as costing the poor and working class their health and lives.
The problem is that we will have to pay the piper and when we do Christie will likely be gone on to national office because so many gullible Democrats will enable him to move on to screwing the country.
I don't really understand why people who call themselves Democrats love, like, promote and make excuses for a man that represents the worst of the republican party. This is something new to me. Could this bizarre phenomenon result in Christie as President in 2016? He sure hopes so and he is grateful for your support!

[truedelphi]

74. Look I really don't want to spend so much time defending

Christie. But nothing he said on Letterman rubbed me the wrong way.

As far as robbing pension plans - I know a lot of people who think they are Democrats and they too stole the worker pension plans out from under the workers. Often they did this as soon as it dawned on them that this was a good scenario for them": to put the company they inherited from their mommies and daddies and go into bankruptcy court -so they get their half million dollars of Golden Parachutes and what not, while the workers get jack squat. All of this is just now part of "a decent business plan." It is condoned by Democrats and Republicans alike. Although Democratic leadership always puts the meme out there that they oppose such things. (If this wasn't the case, then we wouldn't have had the Catfood Commission being selected by Obama but filled to overflow with people who think raiding Social Security is okay.)

If you think that poor people are going to be saved by Obama's ACA - good luck with that.

Right now, in California, the only way that a newly minted poor person would get health care would be to be lucky enough to be able to visit Canada and get health care there. It takes some 75 days just to get your application approved for MediCal. That is a full thirty days longer than any of the state and county advisory guidelines allow for.
So let's say you are finally through your retirement savings. Your unemployment is up. You have barely enough left for a trip to the grocery store. Your spouse has been complaining about shortness of breath, and you've run out of their meds.

Now you can just sit back and friggin wait till they have the heart attack. If you and your spouse are lucky, that will happen on Day 76, after MediCal has been approved. But if it happens at any point before that, you will have now amassed a small fortune in debt, which friggin is allowed to ruin your credit, so good luck with ever ever getting work after that.

There is also the huge problem that the chosen private Health Insurance company that handles the MediCal claims makes it almost impossible to get any new "experimental" treatments done. They can also amke it nigh impossible to receive help with billing, so some people still get stuck with a huge bill.

[bigtree]

6. believe it

. . . it's always a cynical game for them until they need something.

If I were the Prez, I might have mentioned that when he called . . .

[ProSense]

8. Exactly. n/t

[CTyankee]

37. You are absolutely right! I hope he is talking a long, hard look right about now at his

own contributions to this mess, so now he's crying since he's getting the shaft.

Just desserts.

[truedelphi]

75. But in terms of this one mess, Hurricane Sandy -

It wouldn't be Christie getting the shaft, but the victims of the storm.

[CTyankee]

76. Of course, you are right! Christie is a self serving jerk...

[freshwest]

40. Wow, that's ugly. Didn't know he'd done that. Add to that the GOP converntion diatribe... hum.

[leftyohiolib]

7. neither is the teacher pension fund but you defrauded it for political purposes anyway didnt you

"disaster relief isnt a red or blue issue" untill you make it one.

[Jefferson23]

9. In other words, I intend to run for POTUS 2016....like me everyone.

I can't stand this guy.

[Moonwalk]

22. I don't care why he's doing it, so long as he's doing it.

When Repukes are taking out Repukes on Fox news and tweets, it's a win-win for us. We can sit back and watch the party implode.

[rivegauche]

26. I definitely agree

I LOVE IT when they attack each other.

[Jefferson23]

32. That does not escape me..I enjoy that too. lol

But I can't stand the guy, and he's only positioning himself imo..he's a schmuck.

[demokatgurrl]

33. Exactly

I see right through his bogus outrage.

[Cha]

10. Another Tweet about Christie on Sandy

Nerdy Wonka

@NerdyWonka Christie says the one person who's given him positive feedback about #SandyRelief is Pres. Obama not Boehner and House GOP.

http://theobamadiary.com/2013/01/02/chat-away-or-body-surf-whichever-you-prefer/

Read Peter King was musing about "changing parties".

Thanks bigtree

[bigtree]

11. nice

great find, Cha!

[Berlum]

14. Republicans show once again that they HATE America

...and will gladly crap all over Americans if it will please their 1% Republican Overlords.

[Boomerproud]

16. He also said in the presser that he had called Boehner 4 times after 11:00 last night

and Boehner didn't answer his calls. Tan Man has given the President the same treatment hasn't he? I guess there was a reason why Andrew Cuomo wasn't side by side with him at the presser-I didn't know about the other political shenanigans Christie has pulled untill this thread. I do hope Cuomo comes out to speak up for the folks in NY.

[ReRe]

17. All of a sudden, Christie wakes up?

.... Yeah, but what bout all those things he has done in his state, especially firing all those teachers? This is great that he's speaking up on the Sandy issue. He should.
But I don't trust him any farther than that.

[tblue37]

18. Anyone think he's gonna re-register as an Independent soon? nt

[MADem]

25. If he has national ambitions, he's going to have to make the full jump.

He's not going to run for President or be selected as a VP candidate with (I) after his name.

Well, he could try, but he would not be noticed.

His other strategy might be to position himself as the leader of the "Not Asshole Republican" Party. That's a 20 year exercise, though. They've done a LOT of harm...

[tblue37]

73. I think you are right on both counts. nt

[Last Stand]

19. Payback for sleeping with the enemy 2 months ago.

"How dare you get friendly with Barack Obama just to help disaster victims when Mitt needs votes. You'll never get another dime from us. We'll show you."

[AnotherMother4Peace]

21. Yep - he sure pissed off Limbaugh - GOP Godfather to whom accolades & apologies are given NT

[2on2u]

23. I don't know if Boehner has a yacht or not...... but if he does he should name/rename it

My Fiscal Skiff

[WinstonSmith4740]

27. Good one!

n/t

[CakeGrrl]

24. Good. Let the GOP call itself out.

It's harder for the MSM to ignore, and the more GOP infighting to weaken their structure, the better.

[Revolutionary Girl]

28. At this point, Christie just needs to defect to the Democrats.

He makes too much sense too often to remain in the party of lunatics. I honestly like the guy. I'd welcome him to our side.

[Lex]

29. "Christie: "I called the Speaker four times last night after 11:20, and he did not take my calls."

Christie's not going to forget that soon.

[George II]

31. An old saying goes.....

"There are no atheists in foxholes", that could be modified to be "there are no conservatives in foxholes".

[DainBramaged]

35. THAT was an amazing speech

fuck Boner

[LynneSin]

39. This is New Jersey Congressional District 3

It goes from the board of Pennsylvania all the way to the NJ Coast middle coastal section that includes many beach towns that have high residential populations. This was one of the hardest hit districts from Hurricane Sandy

Jon Runyan is a republican and he better be the first GOPer in line to help get financial support for the cleanup after Sandy. If he votes 'No' to this or any other disaster relief then his district should unload him!

[SkeeterVT]

41. Christie Isn't the Only Northeast Republican Mad at Boehner . . .

. . . New York congressman Peter King was so angry with the House GOP's failure to pass th Sandy-aid bill that he actually called on people from New York and New Jersey to stop contributing to House Republicans. Gotta wonder if this is a hint that King finally woke up to the reality that House Republicans have a deep-seated antipathy toward the Northeast that dates back nearly 50 years -- and is so ticked off about it that he might actually DEFECT TO THE DEMOCRATS?

Would Gov. Christie do the same? If King and Christie both defect, the GOP -- already an endangered species in the Northeast -- will be totally extinct that part of the country by 2016, if not sooner -- hastening the party's demise nationally. The Republicans already are nearly extinct in California.

[Scurrilous]

42. @#$% the GOP!

[Liberalynn]

46. WOW. I'm glad some of their own are calling them out on this.

Given their motives probably relate to furthering their own careers, but still it matters.

It's one thing for the criticism to come from we Dems and Editorialists but its another when it's coming from within their own party.

Maybe people will finally wake up to the fact that the PUKES are nothing but a bunch of self aggrandizing heartless bastards.

[cstanleytech]

47. Christie and other like minded republicans need to resign from the party

and they should either go independent or become democrats as its clear that their version of the republican party is dead.

[coalition_unwilling]

49. Holy Shit! Well, so much for Reagan's 11th Commandment. Christie

should now leave the Rape-publi-scum and join the Dems.

[Doctor_J]

50. Nice try, asshole, but it's YOUR entire PARTY that's to blame

hypocrite

[ecstatic]

63. I caught that too. Calling out Boehner by name

without ever identifying which party Boehner belongs to won't exactly be devastating for republicans. Unfortunately, most Americans have no idea who Boehner is. If Christie was serious, he and others would say the word REPUBLICANS when dissing congress. It's not 'CONGRESS' it's the repubs in congress!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

51. hasn't effected repukes...they hate Christie -- think he gave the election to Obama by

loving up on him

[Nye Bevan]

52. I'm liking Christie more and more.

About time a fellow Republican had the guts to call out those bloviating assholes in Washington.

[calimary]

53. Yeah, asshole. WHO WAS IT who stood by you in time of need?

WHO WAS IT who ordered that everyone in his administration who was in ANY position to help MUST take his calls - OR return those calls within 15 minutes?

AND WHO WAS IT who turned his back on you and does the IGMFU (I Got Mine, F-U) on you in your state's time of need? WHO WAS IT who put you on ignore?

REMEMBER WHO YOUR FRIENDS ARE, AND WERE, IN YOUR TIME OF NEED, christie. REMEMBER WHO HELPED YOU AND WHO WAS MORE INTERESTED IN THE NICKEL-AND-DIME TREATMENT ON YOU.

Wonder if he will or if he'll still be a "good little republi-CON"? I don't care how cool and loveable and reasonable he seems to be - now. I don't trust him as far as I can throw my house.

[bigtree]

55. .

[Trailrider1951]

59. Yup, I think I know who Gov. Christie represents

and it aint the party line. It's his neighbors...........

[EmeraldCityGrl]

61. Sure sign Boehner is going down.

I don't believe Christie would be quite so vocal
if he didn't see the writing on the wall.

[tclambert]

68. The Fiscal Cliff embarrassment wasn't bad enough. Republicans had to find a way to look stupider.

It's a matter of principle. They have to do something to show how mean they are. Maybe something insulting to women next. (It's been a couple of weeks since a Republican said something really stupid about rape.)

[CanonRay]

70. Maybe if they worked more than three days a week

they could get some of this shit done. Repugs did the same thing last time they controlled the house, a 24 hour work week.

[vaberella]

72. This guy is going to go Independent and caucus with the Democrats. I feel it in my bones. n/t

[tilsammans]

78. For those on DU who've got Christie Love:

OK, he got it right when it comes to Sandy. And he did the right thing by giving credit where credit was due, to President Obama. And also when it comes to calling out members of his own party after they decided it was payback time.

He can be his own person, I'll give him that.

But the guy's no Democrat. Not even close. Charles Pierce nails it here:

The fact is that he's still the same guy he always was. Somebody who would pull the wings off flies if he thought it meant 15 minutes on CNN. Someone who almost never picks on anyone his own size. Someone who kicks down, always. Someone who was OK with federal storm relief, but ostentatiously refused federal money for another tunnel connecting New Jersey and New York. He's still the same megalomaniac who stunned the party in Tampa by giving a keynote address at the Republican National Convention in which he barely mentioned the nominee. He's the guy who put the bully in the bully pulpit. And he has not changed, any more than Washington has. Be advised. The aurora's rising behind him.

Read more: Chris Christie Sandy Relief - Mooning Over St. Christopher - Esquire http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/chris-christie-sandy-relief-010313#ixzz2HRiJQ8SU

Same as it ever was.

BTW, I'm a former New Jersey resident who moved away during at the end of Christie's first year in office. I miss a lot of things about my home state, but him? No.