OPINION: When hypocrisy trumps ‘fiscal responsibility’

March 24-- Mar. 24--You've probably read or heard the news about an Iowa congressman's remarks deriding Katrina victims in New Orleans.

Rep. Steve King brought up the issue Thursday during a town hall meeting in Charter Oak, Iowa, a state dealing with widespread, destructive flooding after rain and snow melt caused rivers to overflow.

King, according to a video his office posted to his Facebook page, tells constituents he made four trips to New Orleans after the 2005 hurricane and notes that he is proud Iowa has a better reputation for dealing with disaster.

"Here's what FEMA tells me: 'We go to a place like New Orleans and everybody's looking around saying, Who's gonna help me, who's gonna help me?' " the nine-term Republican congressman tells the audience. "They're just always gratified when they come and see how Iowans take care of each other. It's a point of pride that spreads across the country."

Politicians, pundits and others rightfully condemned his comments. Some denounced the racial overtones of a white politician from a 95 percent white district making generalizations about the victims of a storm that hit a majority-black city and affected blacks and poor people disproportionately.

King has earned that criticism since, according to numerous media reports, he has had a habit of making racist statements, including some embracing white nationalism that cost him his congressional committee seats earlier this year.

Another problem is King's hypocrisy. If, as he suggests, Iowa residents are so good at taking care of each other instead of looking for handouts, he can put his words into action by insisting the federal government reject the $1.6 billion in disaster aid Iowa's Republican governor, Kim Reynolds, has requested so far. Or King could at least insist that Iowans who failed to buy federal flood insurance be denied taxpayer money that would help them rebuild their damaged homes and lives.

King, you may recall, is one 11 members of Congress who voted against a bill providing $52 billion in federal aid to New Orleans after Katrina. In fairness, he did vote for an initial $10.5 billion emergency aid package after the 2005 hurricane.

But, as we now know, Katrina killed at least 1,200 people and caused an estimated $108 billion in property damage, making it still the costliest hurricane in U.S. history. Wasted money? There was definitely some of that. But it was obvious even back then that the initial $10.5 billion wasn't going to do the job.

The Sioux City Journal, in his home state, quoted King at the time as saying he based his vote against the larger Katrina aid package on the principle of "fiscal responsibility."

"We cannot tolerate the kind of blank check spending without accountability that grows government, that grows taxes, that puts the burden on working people," King was quoted as saying.

The Journal, in a Sept. 13, 2005, editorial, suggested it was the wrong time for King to make such a point, especially given the devastation and human suffering Katrina inflicted.

"We suspect King would not look kindly on a fellow House member who voted against an aid package for Iowa were a catastrophic disaster to strike the state," the newspaper opined. "He would, we believe, expect support for his state from his colleagues."

It's sure looking like those words have proven prophetic now that a significant chunk of King's state is under water.

Here's what King told the Sioux City Journal in a story Friday about the fallout from his statements the day before: "As the dean of Iowa's House delegation, and its only Republican, I will not hesitate to use my influence with President Trump to help Iowans gain access to federal flood relief programs." And King's website includes the letter he sent to Trump asking the president to "expeditiously" approve the governor's aid request.

So much for fiscal responsibility.

-- Executive Editor Keith Magill can be reached at 857-2201 or keith.magill@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter @CourierEditor.

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