Aid For Thee But Not For Me

Foreign Aid vs. Hurricane Victims

In recent months, much attention has surrounded the disparity in federal aid and lack thereof, leading to increased criticism of the Biden-Harris administration’s neglectful response to the American working class following Hurricanes Helene and Milton. This situation has reignited debates about governmental priorities, reminiscent of Kanye West’s post-Katrina remark that “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people” as Americans wonder whether the Biden-Harris administration genuinely cares for its citizens, particularly those struggling after national disasters.

On October 2nd, Vice President Kamala Harris announced hurricane victims would receive a paltry $750 in relief from FEMA. The announcement struck a nerve, especially as it followed a September 26th declaration from President Biden of a $5.5 billion aid package to Ukraine, and an additional $8.7 billion pledged to Israel on the very same day.

The contrast is stark: Congress swiftly allocated billions in foreign aid yet Americans recovering from hurricanes received less than $1,000 in assistance. This disparity recalls the painful memory of Maui residents, who were offered only $700 per household following the devastating wildfires. Despite the extensive destruction in Maui, the U.S. provided $3.8 billion in annual aid to Israel and $250 million in military assistance to Ukraine in August 2023. This came on top of July 2023’s announcement of an additional $425 million in military aid to Ukraine, part of the U.S.’s ongoing support, coinciding with the onset of the wildfires in August.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warned FEMA is running out of funds for disaster relief as hurricane season continues, an outrage compared to the billions Congress allocated to foreign aid. Now, FEMA faces accusations that funds were diverted to resettle immigrants, adding to frustrations among Americans who feel neglected in favor of policies benefiting finance capital. Vice President Kamala Harris was called out for attending a Hollywood fundraiser on September 28th as Hurricane Helene struck Appalachia.

Driving home the message that foreign interests are more pressing than local disaster relief, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said, “I’ve been going all over South Carolina, like most people I haven’t slept much. But look what’s going on in Israel. We have to help our friends to keep the war over there from coming here.”

Hurricane Helene 

Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region on the night of Thursday, September 28, 2024, as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph. The storm quickly evolved into a major weather event, leaving a path of destruction across the southeastern United States. 

The impact of Helene was catastrophic, resulting in at least 64 confirmed deaths, across Florida, Georgia, Virginia and the Carolinas. This marked Helene as the deadliest tropical storm in South Carolina since Hurricane Hugo, which claimed 35 lives in 1989. The National Weather Service warned of historic flooding in northern Georgia, the Carolinas, and eastern Tennessee due to the storm’s heavy rainfall. Atlanta recorded an unprecedented 11.12 inches of rain over 48 hours, the highest for a two-day period since records began in 1878.

In the Appalachian Mountains, severe mudslides caused significant disruptions, washing out parts of an interstate at the North Carolina-Tennessee border. Rescue efforts faced challenges, with residents affected by a mudslide in North Carolina experiencing delays of over four hours for assistance. Forecasters in North Carolina issued warnings of potentially unprecedented flooding, leading to widespread evacuations and around 300 road closures statewide. 

By late Friday, September 29, Helene was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone near Louisville, Kentucky, with ongoing threats of flooding in the southern Appalachians and the Tennessee Valley. Helene’s rapid intensification from a Category 2 to a Category 4 hurricane was remarkable, with its expansive wind field noted as one of the largest to impact the southeastern U.S. in years.

The remnants of Hurricane Helene dissipated on Saturday, but millions remained without power across the Southeast, while officials warned of ongoing record-breaking river flooding in parts of southern Appalachia. The storm’s aftermath caused widespread infrastructure damage, leading to 1,400 landslides, damage to more than 160 water and sewer systems, and destruction of over 6,000 miles of roads and more than 1,000 bridges and culverts. A month later, around 220,000 households are expected to seek federal assistance.

Hurricane Milton

Hurricane Milton has etched itself into meteorological history as a significant weather event of 2024. This year’s hurricane season was marked by crossover tropical cyclones, which are rare meteorological phenomena that transition between ocean basins. Since 1851, only 21 crossover storms have been documented, accounting for about 2% of all recorded Atlantic hurricanes. Notably, this year saw two crossover storms occur in a single season: Tropical Depression Eleven-E formed in the Pacific near southern Mexico, crossed into the Gulf of Mexico, and became Hurricane Milton.

Milton’s peak strength rivaled some of the most disastrous Atlantic hurricanes in recorded history, rapidly intensifying from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane within just 24 hours. However, as it lessened to a Category 3 storm, as it landed. Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, on the evening of October 11, 2024, with sustained winds of 120 mph.

In preparation for the storm, Governor Ron DeSantis issued emergency orders for 51 counties, urging residents to prepare for power outages and mandatory evacuations. Travel disruptions followed, with Florida airports canceling flights and closing ahead of the storm. United Airlines added extra flights out of Florida, deploying larger aircraft to accommodate more passengers. Reports indicated that 80% of flights from Tampa were canceled on the day before Milton’s landfall.

As Milton approached, nearly 30% of Florida gas stations faced fuel shortages, especially in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area. GasBuddy reported that over 23% of Florida gas stations were out of fuel as of October 9, with that number climbing as the storm drew nearer. The mass evacuation led to challenging driving conditions, with traffic surging to 150-175% of highway capacity.

Upon making landfall, Hurricane Milton wreaked havoc across central Florida. The worst storm surge occurred in Sarasota County, where water levels rose over 8 feet, and parts of central Florida experienced up to 18 inches of rain. Wind gusts reached 100 mph in St. Petersburg, causing significant damage, including the roof of Tropicana Field being ripped off and a 500-foot construction crane collapsing onto the Tampa Bay Times office building. As a result of both Hurricane Helene and Milton at least 240 people have died.

Funding Disaster

The day after Helene hit the mainland U.S. on September 27th, Department of Homeland Security head, Alejandro Mayorkas warned that funding for disaster relief would run out before the end of hurricane season, stating, “Without additional funding from Congress, we will not be able to continue our disaster response efforts.” 

In an outrageous exchange, President Biden, quickly damped hopes for further funding, when a reporter inquired about it, by deflecting blame onto the local government. The exchange went as follows:

BIDEN: “No, we’ve given them all that we have, we’re on the ground so we’re working hard.

Reporter: “Are there any more resources the federal government could be giving them?”

BIDEN: “No, We’ve given them-we preplanned a significant amount even though they didn’t ask for it yet-hadn’t asked for it yet.”

In response to the widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Helene, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced that the storm is likely to result in a record $53 billion in damages and recovery needs, significantly exceeding the previous record of $17 billion set by Hurricane Florence in 2018. Governor Cooper provided a preliminary estimate of the damage, which includes potential investments aimed at preventing similar destruction from future storms. Just two weeks earlier, lawmakers had unanimously approved a $273 million aid package for state agencies and displaced residents.

As officials review Governor Cooper’s funding request for $475 million in recovery funding for businesses compared to only $325 million for homeowners and renters, we see disaster recovery once again serving capitalist interests at the expense of working communities. With nearly 93% of homes suffering flood damage uninsured, this gap in coverage is no accident—it reflects a system built for corporate profit rather than human needs. In a just society, basic protections would be accessible to all, not a privilege reserved for the few.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell acknowledged that while FEMA has sufficient funding for immediate needs related to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, additional support will soon be necessary. Kamala Harris suggested disaster relief should be equity based, prioritizing marginalized communities on August 21st 2021 during a discussion on climate change.

Despair and Disparity

Aid disparities are a source of major frustration, as the government allocates billions to foreign conflicts while domestic relief lags. The measly $750 relief payment for hurricane victims symbolizes a failure to prioritize American lives and infrastructure over for profit-driven wars.

With the 2024 election just days away, the Biden-Harris administration faces backlash over its handling of crises. Many see the administration’s disastrous responses to the Hurricanes as well as the Maui wildfires as indicative of Bush’s mismanagement of Hurricane Katrina, as the American working class continues to be neglected in favor of imperialist misadventures.