ISBL Asshat of the Week: Republican Mike Lee

Mike Lee, the Republican Senator from Utah has decided that Michigan doesn’t need any help at all with their water crisis, thankyouverymuch, and so he is blocking a measure that would send $100 million federal dollars to the state even though both parties — yes, the GOP and the Democrats — agree on it and it’s already paid for.

“Michigan has an enormous budget surplus this year and a large rainy-day fund. Relief and repair efforts are already in the works. The people and policymakers of Michigan right now have all the government resources they need to fix the problem. … The only thing Congress is contributing to the Flint recovery is political grandstanding.” — Mike Lee, grandstanding politically, dontcha know

Yup, all sides agree that the money should go to Michigan, and all the money is there, and it does not increase federal spending but Mike Lee says:

“What’s really happening here is that Washington politicians are using the crisis in Flint as an excuse to funnel taxpayer money to their own home states, and trying to sneak it through the Senate without proper debate and amendment. I respectfully object.”

The part of this story that makes Mike Lee an asshat of epic proportions is that, back in 2011, when Utah had suffered damaging floods, Lee held out his hands for federal disaster relief:

"That money is there. It's been appropriated for disaster relief, and I see no reason why Utah ought not be entitled to receive such federal funds."

Yup, when his constituents suffer flood damage he wants the money to come right away, but when the people of Flint, Michigan have no drinkable water, and the children there are suffering long-term side effects for the poisoned waters, Mike Lee doesn’t see the need to spend a dime.

Asshat of the Week.

Oh, and he can f**k off, too.

Daily Kos