GOP spending priorities disgraceful

HOW DARE conservative Republicans like Texas Rep. Jeb Hensarling push back on providing federal help for Florida’s cleanup following hurricane Irma by insisting on corresponding budget cuts elsewhere. (“Fla.’s call for cash falls on deaf ears,” Sept. 13). Legislators like him are a disgrace to the otherwise goodness of this once benevolent and caring nation.

Where were these insensitive representatives when President Bush started his unapproved wars years ago? Bush’s refusal to place the necessary funds to pay for them in the budget went virtually unquestioned by Congress. How long will these wars continue before these conservatives demand an offset against the costs of these never-ending hostilities that do little but kill and injure our American front-line soldiers, most of whom come from middle- or low-income families? At this point we have spent over one trillion dollars to fund two long wars without a peep from these legislators concerning offsets. Why don’t they bring up this issue when it comes to funding wars? ...

Today, the apparent policy of our country would seem to favor federal funding for ongoing, never-ending unconstitutional wars over providing emergency federal help to communities severely affected by natural disasters. Unfortunately catastrophes such as hurricanes, floods, fires and earthquakes tend to fall most severely on the shoulders of our middle- to lower-income earners economically, as Hurricane Katrina made clear in New Orleans. If this is not an obvious example of Republicans’ lack of concern for the 98 percent, I don’t know what is.

STEPHEN FELDMAN Albuquerque