They have done this before, but, never to the Former Governor Bush of Florida.
President Obama needs to examine what can be done through the Executive Branch and even through Executive Order. This is no joke, New Jersey and New York is important to the economy of the USA.
In 1999, while President Clinton was in office, there was a Republican leadership in the House. In 1999, Hurricane Floyd hit North Carolina. It was a huge and damaging storm costing 20 Americans their lives. The state was abandoned by a Republican legislature while President Clinton went to North Carolina and told residents to set aside their pride and priorities and accept the help the federal government could give them including emergency Food Stamps.
Hurricane Floyd was not Hurricane Sandy, but, it was substantial. It was not Hurricane Katrina either. But, the federal help sought by North Carolina was rejected sending the state into significant turmoil and debt. The reason? There was a Democratic majority in the North Carolina legislature and governorship. One might look at that dynamic today, where the state now has no liability for emergency room physicians. Don't tell me the GOP cruelty on people doesn't work, it works just fine. Fear and suffering seeks resolution in the human condition and the GOP has mastered it.
Hurricane Katrina was a huge embarrassment to the GOP. It was that embarrassment which compelled the relief for Louisiana and New Orleans. Believe me when I say the Republicans wanted 'The Big One.' All one has to examine is how the Army Corp over the decades warned about it and how those warnings were rejected. Why? Ah, come on, anyone can guess that. Who died, who profited and who is building there now?
The wetlands were destroyed by the petroleum industry. It was that destruction that allowed the storm surge. American needs to put on their thinking caps. Seriously.
