Hurrican Sandy

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-makes-request-for-hurricane-sandy-federal-aid/2012/12/07/8ef2902e-40be-11e2-bca3-aadc9b7e29c5_story.html
By Amy Gardner and Ed O’Keefe, Friday, December 7, 2012. Washington Post website
White House makes request for Hurricane Sandy federal aid
Article Analysis #2

The article, written by Amy Gardner and Ed O’Keefe, discusses Obama’s request to Congress for federal aid due to Hurricane Sandy. Hurricane Sandy occurred during the end of October and affected states such as New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. There were power outages and people waited miles and waited days for gas. Everyone knew there was a hurricane coming, but no one knew the power of it and thus not allowing enough preparation time.
The president asked Congress to approve a $60.4 billion emergency aid package to help with damages of Hurricane Sandy. Many lives were lost, many jobs gone, and homes were destroyed. Like said before, no one knew there would be this much damage. This is a more of a national and state issue because it affects the states that were affected by the hurricane and the White House is asking Congress for help. It can affect locally because it is money used for the country as a whole and it is our tax dollars. The nation is also affected because whatever happens to one state affects the whole country. Money being used for one state means that all the states money is used.
The Executive and Legislative branches are involved with this issue. The executive branch includes the president and here President Obama has asked for money to help victims affected by the hurricane. The president carries out federal laws and recommends new ones, directs national defense and foreign policy, and performs ceremonial duties. The main task of the legislative branch which includes the House and Senate is to make the laws. Its powers include passing laws, originating spending bills, impeaching, and approving treaties. The Congress is part of the legislative branch and the president has asked Congress for the money to help Hurricane Sandy victims. All the communities that were hit by the hurricane are affected such as northern states. These communities need to money in order to restore their area. There is much needed renovation and construction; buildings need to be rebuilt, jobs need to be restored, and roads still need to be cleared. The money will be a foundation to all the renovation that is needed.
The nation knew that a hurricane would be coming, but no one expected to have a big impact that it did. There were no precautions or no importance was given to it and that is why there was such devastation. My family and friends live in New York and they did not have power for more than a week. They had to wait in line for gas for miles. That affects me because they are people that I love and I wish there was something that I could do to help them. A natural disaster is hard to handle because you never know how big their impact is. I was glad that President Obama was taking a stand and wanting to help the victims of Hurricane Sandy. I appreciate his efforts to ask for help. If our nation needs help, then it is the president’s job to help and mend the problems and that is what Obama is trying to do. If a natural disaster were to happen in Texas, I would want to know that the president and Congress would help in efforts for renovation. Not everyone approved yet and some of the Congress members are hesitant to offer that much. That money will either be cut from other budgets or be added to the deficit. I do not think there should be any hesitation because part of our nation is in distress and things have not been fixed yet.
Social networking is powerful and that would be one way that I could voice my opinion. Making a page on Facebook or “tweeting” it on Twitter. A lot of people are involved in these media sites because it is not only to look at pictures and to see how others are doing, but people use it for business or getting thoughts and opinions across. I could make a Facebook page or tweet how important it is for Congress to allow for the money to be used for the Hurricane victims. I am sure that America would want the northern states to be helped out just like I do. In chapter 9, “Economic Policy: In G.D.P. We Trust,” it discusses the involvement of the government in the nation’s economy. It explains how the country uses its budget and how it is made to make all decisions for everything that needs a budget.