Israel Matzav

America's liar in chief voted against Stafford Act waiver

I am sure that many of you will recall that just last week, I posted video from the Daily Caller that showed President Obama in 2007 accusing Congress of treating the blacks of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina differently from New York after 9/11 and Florida after Hurricane Andrew.

It came out that President Obama was trying to incite a black-dominated crowd against the US government. Obama accused Congress of refusing to waive something called the Stafford Act in the case of Katrina. The Stafford Act requires local governments to spend 10 cents for every dollar the Federal government spends on disaster relief. Then-Senator (and Presidential candidate) Obama claimed that Congress waived the requirement for 'white' New York and Florida, but not for 'black' New Orleans.

Thomas Sowell reports that Obama told a number of serious lies by making this claim, and that Obama knew he was lying (Hat Tip: Mrs. Carl).

Why is the date of this speech important? Because, less than two weeks earlier, on May 24, 2007, the United States Senate had in fact voted 80-14 to waive the Stafford Act requirement for New Orleans, as it had waived that requirement for New York and Florida. More federal money was spent rebuilding New Orleans than was spent in New York after 9/11 and in Florida after hurricane Andrew, combined.

Truth is not a job requirement for a community organizer. Nor can Barack Obama claim that he wasn't present the day of that Senate vote, as he claimed he wasn't there when Jeremiah Wright unleashed his obscene attacks on America from the pulpit of the church that Obama attended for 20 years.

Unlike Jeremiah Wright's church, the U.S. Senate keeps a record of who was there on a given day. The Congressional Record for May 24, 2007 shows Senator Barack Obama present that day and voting on the bill that waived the Stafford Act requirement. Moreover, he was one of just 14 Senators who voted against -- repeat, AGAINST -- the legislation which included the waiver.

When he gave that demagogic speech, in a feigned accent and style, it was world class chutzpah and a rhetorical triumph. He truly deserves the title Phony in Chief.

Unbelievable. 

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:08 PM