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Helene Makes Clear the Need for America First

Posted on Sunday, October 6, 2024
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by David P. Deavel
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Although the Trump campaign hasn’t used the “America First” tagline as much as it used to, it may be time to dust it off again. As the journalist Lee Smith tweeted this week, “What distinguishes Trump from everyone else who has governed this country the last several decades is that he recognizes the primary job of the US President is to protect Americans.” That Smith is correct has been proven again this week in the revelations about what American governmental priorities are. Americans seem pretty far down the list.

The news that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is short on resources to offer the residents of Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee—all affected by Hurricane Helene—but that our government has doled out nearly $1 billion to settle illegal immigrants in the last year through the agency was a bit shocking. Though defenders of FEMA have been arguing that the funds come from different governmental buckets, the question is why are illegal immigrants getting money from these buckets at all when our own citizens have needs?

This isn’t just a question for our federal government but also states run by Democrats. Earlier this year, residents of the state of Maine, where there is a housing shortage, were informed that a new 60-apartment complex in the town of Brunswick would be housing immigrants who would be able to live there for free for two years due to government money. That Mainers themselves were having a hard time is an understatement. The Maine Wire reported in June, “According to MaineHousing’s ‘Affordability Index,’ which measures the ratio between median home price and median income required to buy a home at that price, 79.1 percent of Maine families were unable to afford a home in 2023.”

And yet Brunswick, part of Cumberland Country, which received over $6 million from the Shelter and Services program that FEMA administered to settle immigrants, is using a combination of private and public funds to allow immigrants to rent the apartments for free for two years. As Savanah Hernandez of The Post-Millennial reported this week, ordinary people can rent in the Brunswick Landing apartment complex for an average of $1800 per month for one-bedroom apartments and $2300 per month for two-bedroom units, even as immigrants are living in these “luxury apartments” in a building locals are calling the “Taj Mahal” without paying rent, water, or electricity bills.  

This resettling of immigrants on the public dime in the middle of a housing crisis is bad enough, but why is our government also boasting about help given to people in other countries? At the same time the Biden-Harris Administration was announcing what can only be seen as a paltry sum of $2 million dollars for South Carolina, Secretary of State Antony Blinken was tweeting about what our government is doing for the people of Lebanon. The dollar figure was considerably larger: “The U.S. is at the forefront of humanitarian response to the growing crisis in Lebanon, announcing nearly $157 million in assistance today. We are committed to supporting those in need and delivering essential aid to displaced civilians, refugees and the communities hosting them.”

Kamala Harris herself tweeted about this, noting that “This additional support brings total U.S. assistance to Lebanon over the last year to over $385 million.” As Clint Brown, former director of the U. S. Senate Steering Committee, responded: “For $100 million you can provide 200,000 people with: 3 liters of water per day, for 1 week 3 meals per day, for 1 week 40,000 portable generators, and 100,000 medical kits. With $57 million, you could run 78 Black Hawk helicopters for Search and Rescue continuously for 1 week, including the cost of paying pilots and crew. For $157 million, combined with civilian efforts which your administration is impeding, you could have stabilized NC and saved countless American lives.”

That last bit is important. Countless people on the ground are claiming that FEMA and our government are not only not doing a great job managing this emergency; they are in fact impeding those Americans who are using their own resources to help people affected by this disaster. While our media are lining up to call such claims lies, the New York Post reported on Jordan Seidhom, a South Carolina volunteer firefighter and pilot who was threatened with arrest if he continued using his helicopter to rescue stranded Americans. Elon Musk reported that one of his SpaceX engineers was claiming that FEMA officials were “actively blocking shipments and seizing goods and services locally and locking them away to state they are their own.” Others are reporting, using sources inside FEMA, that politicians such as North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper are “impeding the deployment of military aid” to the affected areas.

Perhaps some of these stories will be explained or explained away as bureaucratic or political inefficiency. But a great deal of it sounds sinister. And the DNC-MSM reactions to the situation do not inspire confidence for those who believe that Appalachian lives should matter to our government. Many Americans have been shocked by the minimalist coverage of Helene, its massive damage, and the very odd and indifferent behavior of public officials—something unthinkable if Republicans had power in our government. Barack Obama and the media blasted George W. Bush for failing to get to New Orleans quick enough after Hurricane Katrina because it took him three days. Yet Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took longer than that—and longer than it took Donald Trump—to visit the site of Helene’s destruction. 

Even more worrisome, many Americans could also sense delight in the mainstream media that those hit by the hurricane were mostly deplorables. Politico’s framing of an article about challenges to voting this fall in affected areas clearly communicated a kind of glee about it: “Helene hit Trump strongholds in Georgia and North Carolina. It could swing the election.”

Gone is that concern about how “every vote ought to count” that animates Democrats when anything stands in their way—including requirements for proper identification for voters. Gone are the slogans about “country over party” that animate so many Democrats when they get some Republican or former Republican such as Liz Cheney to endorse their candidates. No, when it gets down to it, Democrats (and too many Republicans) are less concerned about America and Americans than they are about the citizens of other countries, their own political fortunes, and their own pocketbooks.

The late scholar Angelo Codevilla used to say that “America First” would have been unthinkable in the first century of U. S. history. After all, what on earth would be the point of American policy or statecraft other than the benefit of the United States of America? But, today, our government is more interested in and spends much more money on people who are illegally entering our country or who live in places such as Ukraine and Lebanon than on our own citizens.

The hard reality is that America is still (barely) a superpower, but it cannot take care of all the world’s problems. Nor ought it. Parents who take care of other people’s children while having no money or energy left for their own are not charitable but negligent. So, too, for governments that take care of other nation’s problems first and have little left for their own. “America First” is still the only sane way to approach policy here in America. Though some voters don’t like Donald Trump, it is incumbent on them to realize what Lee Smith realized. Trump understands the primary task of American politicians to protect, to govern, and to seek the welfare of America and Americans first. Anything else is hubris at best and negligence at worst. Both are extraordinarily dangerous.

David P. Deavel teaches at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. A past Lincoln Fellow at the Claremont Institute, he is a Senior Contributor at The Imaginative Conservative. Follow him on X @davidpdeavel.   

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PaulE
PaulE
2 months ago

Listening to both Elon Musk and Donald Trump yesterday at Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania, where they both laid out the specifics of how FEMA tried to stop Elon from suppling Starlink to restore communication and other volunteer groups from supplying rescue aid and disaster relief to the impacted states of this hurricane demonstrates the complete contempt the federal government under Biden and Harris has for anyone but their rabid Democrat voter base. This isn’t just limited to Biden and Harris by the way. This is the prevailing attitude that seems to permeate the entire Democrat Party views who gets help and who gets left to suffer.

Elon Musk had to actually publicly shame Mayor Pete into allowing Musk’s helicopters to fly into the disaster zones to deliver and setup Starlink so local rescue personnel would have communications to look for the over 600 people still missing. The callous disregard for life of the Democrat Party, when the people impacted aren’t likely Democrat voters, is insane and disgraceful. If a hurricane had hit New York city, Boston, Connecticut, any of the major Democrat strongholds in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, you would have seen thousands of FEMA workers pre-positioned on the ground ready to provide immediate assistance and distribute aid before the first rain drop hit the ground or first wind gust blew through.

Kim
Kim
2 months ago

In case anyone gets the idea that it cost the federal government only $1 billion to house the illegal immigrants, we should understand that it cost a whole lot more than that. Each year, the cost of housing, food, transportation, medical needs, utilities, education, and everything else the feds are giving these people who don’t belong here amounts to hundreds of billions of dollars.

That make my blood boil, hearing harris offer victims of Hurricane Helene only $750 when they’ve lost everything. These are law abiding citizens desperate for basic needs…and yet, the feds refuse to help them. This is shameful. Our priorities have been turned inside out, and the dems should be voted out next month.

David Millikan
David Millikan
2 months ago

Excellent article. Want to know when the Federal Reserve, Communist harris and Dictator Beijing biden are going to admit that we have been in a Recession for quite some time thanks to their ‘FAILED’ policies? They spend our money on their Illegal Alien Terrorist Invasion and foreigners but not on Americans. As usual, Dictator Beijing biden and Communist harris put Americans last and keep raising taxes, send our jobs and companies overseas, including they keep attacking our Constitutional rights.
Another excellent reason why I am voting for President Trump.

Tim Gardner
Tim Gardner
2 months ago

If you wait for Biden or even Harris to learn to run a disaster scene the correct way, you will be old and gray. Neither one cares about the people enough to put campaigning and fund raising aside long enough to head to disaster areas for a day or two.

Tim Gardner
Tim Gardner
2 months ago

I was in the middle of Hurricane Wilma Cat 5. Bush had FEMA stationed 100 miles away with truckloads of generators, chainsaws, and water. Truckloads. The minute the wind was below 35mph, the trucks drove the last 100 miles into Palm Beach and Ft Lauderdale to hand out the supplies as needed. We were cutting trees as the winds subsided. No delays. In fact it was nice working with the last 2 days of the breeze and before it got hot again. Gov Bush had FPL stationed close by with borrowed crews from Ohio, Tennessee, and Alabama, to help with power lines. An Ohio crew fixed our lines. A month later you wouldn’t know a hurricane had ever hit. FEMA as well as our state was well run.

Bernard Paul Giroux
Bernard Paul Giroux
2 months ago

Helene speaks to the incompetence and treachery of the Biden-Harris Administration. Same week: I had a visit from the dad of a Navy helicopter pilot deployed on a carrier in the Mid-East. Son called him: 5 of 9 helicopters in the squadron are grounded for lack of parts: for the better part of one month! They send our front line troops to war with no support. These people are traitors. It is their ideology and pocketbooks first, the American people last. Time to exercise the 2nd paragraph of the Declaration of independence.

Wayne
Wayne
2 months ago

As long as you got the communist party known as demokrauts in charge America will never come first.

kit
kit
2 months ago

we owe illegal aliens NOTHING!
we owe jordan and ukraine and taiwan NOTHING,

Rob citizenship--
Rob citizenship--
2 months ago

The America First idea is a moral issue and those of us who favor doing what is needed for American citizens first — we have won , the victory of good over evil is in declaring America First — those who support the corrupt ideas that illegal aliens should be given priority with housing and other necessities have lost the moral issue. What needs to be done is to provide the physical needs for American citizens ,such as those effected by Hurricane Helene . That mindset of taking the high ground, having the high ground in the moral sense is very important. It is the spirit that was felt after the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001 and after the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan in December 1941. These domestic enemies that do not believe in America First are last in the ethical matter involving how a sovereign nation should operate. Those who care about the United States of America will understand the value of doing what is needed to enhance the National Character . And it has much to do with how adversity is dealt with and how the principles of Faith, Family and Freedom are aids to navigation on the course to an honorable sense of purpose for the U.S.A. .

Glen
Glen
2 months ago

I send emails to my “representatives” weekly asking none too politely to balance the budget, STOP giving free phones, free healthcare, free lodging, free $$$$$$, birthright citizenship, ETC ETC. TO ILLEGAL ALIENS. GIVE THEM one thing free: A trip to the southern tip of SOUTH AMERICA or BACK where they came from!!!!! THEN we would not need to spend BILLIONS building a wall and pay people to stand GUARD to this I get NO ANSWERS, COMMENTS, NOTHING from them to date, and I have been doing this for three to four years. We are getting covered with ALUMINUM covered plastic daily in the name of SAVING the PLANET from “CLIMATE CHANGE” / “GLOBAL WARMING” SEE GEOENGINEERINGWATCH.COM for information on why you need to filter any water you drink to take metals out before drinking, and if you are in the mountains DON’T eat the snow. Our government is being controlled by GLOBALIST CLIMATE DOOMSAYERS who want to shrink the global population and control the world. As the lady who lost the 2016 election just said “If we don’t censure the social network we will lose all control” at this point our government is not our friend unless you kowtow to see things their way. I have heard it said that we are in a SPIRITUAL WAR. THAT is just a polite way of saying THE DEVIL IS IN CONTROL!! As one person on SUBSTACK says at the end of their articles “they want you DEAD – do not comply”! That’s my RANT for today

Greg
Greg
2 months ago

The obiden regime can’t spend enough money on Ukraine, Iran, the “palestinian” and hezbollah terrorists, and illegals in the U.S., but they won’t do a thing to help American citizens. If Donald Trump is not re-elected in November there is something deeply wrong with the American people and we may no deserve to be saved, or the demoncrats manipulated the election results again.

Rodney Ernst
Rodney Ernst
2 months ago

Was just reading this piece, and it is spot on.i cannot understand why this country wants socialism. People should wake up and see what is going on. If this doesn’t change, then we got what we deserve.

ron
ron
2 months ago

You only need to look at The communist manifesto submitted to congress back in the 60’s or the spy who defected to tell whats going on. One communist knows another communist by his or her action taken against people and nation.

Jim Johnson
Jim Johnson
2 months ago

Re: previous comment
You failed to mention the so-called new media. But then you did say Democrats,so maybe it’s redundant.

Kyle Buy you some guns,and learn how to shoot
Kyle Buy you some guns,and learn how to shoot
2 months ago

WELL WELL. Let the poor U S Citizens do without. WE gotta take care oif our wetbacks. You folks in Main can go out in the woods and build yourselves some huts. We gotta take care of our wetbacks by putting them up in 500 dollar a nite hotel rooms. All on the taxpayers dime. The dime should be changed to dollar. Inflation needs to be allowed. My question is why not prison fo all these people for what they have done. ?? Kyle L. P.S. Whats theser main people gonna do this winter. ????

michael
michael
2 months ago

while so very true, sadly the real American people/voters see thru the dumb as crap bull s_it and lies and do not tolerate the traitors’ actions. you shouldn’t either but you do. shame on you. what are you going to do when the government does not send you your welfare check? by then it is too late to change government policies. vote trump, let him clean house and get America back on the right track and rightful place in the world. vote for trump, just do it.

David P Nelson
David P Nelson
2 months ago

As a Taxpayer for 57 years this situation with FEMA not (our) money to help our own people is discussing!
…and to hinder others from trying to help is inexcusable!
Thank you to all of the non-governmental groups that are helping.

Elizabeth Misa
Elizabeth Misa
2 months ago

The government is a total disgrace! Every one of them is incompetent!! This should not be about what party you belong to. It is about being a human!! We can’t fight them with using our tax dollars, but we can stop paying FEMA for flood insurance. Especially when they won’t or can’t help in a disaster. I live in Florida and do not live in a flood zone but I have been paying into that fund for the last 10 years! I am done with the criminality of the Democrats!

Stephen Russell
Stephen Russell
2 months ago

Then next Hurricane Milton same locale

Joe Blow
Joe Blow
2 months ago

What are you, like 12?

Robert Zuccaro
Robert Zuccaro
2 months ago

“Different buckets” like how Planned Parenthood only uses the annual $500M from Congress allocations for “bandages” but not abortions? Its ALL the same wallet!

TRUTH
TRUTH
2 months ago

The Trolls like mike z and electricity 2 are at it again with their FANTASY WORLD comments. Go back to aarp.

Truc
Truc
2 months ago

“… Fema money helps immigrants who are people just like the rest of us…” I migrated to the US 42 years ago “LEGALLY”. So “those people are not “like” me, illegally enter the US are against the US law, no matters what some one try to ignore the term “illegals”, they are not belongs here. Deport them ASAP, please.

Veteran John Victorine
Veteran John Victorine
1 month ago

Agree Yes Yes Yes !!!
Wake-up People ! Wake-up1 Wake-up!
Go “Trump”” !!!!!!! ????????????

PapaGrouch
PapaGrouch
2 months ago

Doggone well written article. What will it take for America to wake up and see what brutal filth the democrats have become? Rhetorical. It won’t happen because so many people are consumed by that same evil instead of thinking for themselves. Back to the “useful idiots” mantra. Proven again and again.
Great and timely article. (Unlike Biden/Harris’ FEMA)

PapaGrouch
PapaGrouch
2 months ago

What Helene has made even more crystal clear is the complete and total waste and corruption of the satanic Myorkas and the demon-crat Soros/Biden/Harris/Obama/Clinton administration.

Rob Allen
Rob Allen
2 months ago

You sound like an idiot making more hurricanes? These people are not immigrant’s they are illegally here Biden broke the law and illegally paroled these people into the country. They are getting better services than citizen’s.

Marcos Amine
Marcos Amine
2 months ago

How are their charging stations doing in North Carolina? Oh that’s right you can’t store electricity in a plastic tank.

Mickey Cashen
Mickey Cashen
2 months ago

Good Points.
Note that when Trump was slow getting testing kits for Covid in 2020, Maryland GOP Governor Larry Hogan, with the help of his Korean-American wife, got testing kits for S. Korea.
Trump thought this showed him up and block Maryland from using the nearby national testing centers to process kits.
America first? Trump is always Trump first, no matter who it hurts.

GenZBiden
GenZBiden
2 months ago

Propaganda at it’s finest. Blaming the a-political disaster response from the Republican Party that denied climate change for half a decade is mind boggling.

Daniel Penny
biden and harris speaking in black and white
A row of supercomputers running simulations of quantum cryptography algorithms to test their efficiency and effectiveness
President Joe Biden, son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden walk across the South Lawn of The White House on July 28, 2024 in Washington, DC. President Biden is returning from a weekend trip to Camp David. (Photo by Michael A. McCoy/Getty Images)

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