The most popular Republican considering a run for the White House in 2016 is New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Of course, the reason for his popularity is also the reason he is absent from CPAC this week. Apparently, a week before the 2012 election, a devastating storm hit the United States wrecking the lives of millions. Governor Christie heads the state that took the brunt of that storm. As a result, he asked for Federal help, received it, and praised the President who provided it.
Governor Christie's praise of President Obama in the wake of Hurricane Sandy is the proximate cause for his disfavor among conservatives at the moment. Some on the Right blame Christie's embrace of the President for Romney's loss. Many credit that embrace for his current popularity. He put his state's needs above his party. Shortly after the election, the governor appeared on The Daily Show.
Jon Stewart, being the liberal hack that he is, and not a serious journalist, pointed out to Governor Christie that only weeks before the hurricane, he had called President Obama ineffective and a bad leader. Now that the governor needed federal help he was praising his new benefactor. The Governor spun his flip-flop by saying that now the President had not had the opportunity to demonstrate his leadership skills. Stewart, who is saving America one show at a time commented to the governor that other people have their own "Sandy's."
When someone gets cancer, Stewart said, "That's their Sandy." Think about that for a moment. This is the fundamental question we are debating. When the hurricane destroyed a home or a business, is it proper for the government to help? If someone is stricken with cancer, do we let them die?
Republicans have been answering these questions differently depending on how they are affected. Essentially, they have been saying, "My Sandy, yes. Your Sandy, no." A Republican congressman from the south was on the House floor last year pleading for more funding for Katrina relief for his district. He later voted against funding Sandy relief efforts.
Republicans are up in arms over the cancellation of White House tours due to the sequester cuts. Why? Because the tour are set up by the congressional offices. Cutting this spending is Congress' Sandy. Republicans are complaining about closings in National Parks in their districts- their Sandy.
Senator Rob Portman of Ohio just came out in favor of same-sex marriage. He did this after his son came out as a gay man. Apparently, this made the cause of marriage equality Senator Portman's Sandy.
Pork is defined as spending in someone else's district. I propose that henceforth we call spending in your own, "Sandy." Sandy is all around us. Hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, economic catastrophes happen to everyone, regardless of party. Sandy is even referenced in the Bible, when it was written, "There but for the grace of G-d go I."