(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .



"Now is not the day": GOP Senator demands delay in discovering why so many died in TX floods [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-07-06

Just how deadly is Trumpism? MAGA doesn't want you to know.

Did DOGE cuts kill Americans? After fatal flash floods in Texas, many people are asking the question. This quest for understanding does not sit well with Republican politicians. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), for one, thinks we should wait until some unspecified time in the future to find out. Why? Will time change the circumstances? Or is Blackburn hoping the news cycle moves on until we all forget about it? (Rhetorical).

We shouldn't be surprised by Marsha's demand to postpone the investigations. Foot-dragging is a practiced Republican response to tragedies, especially those in which children die. We've seen it too often. It is the GOP's heartless SOP when gunmen slaughter innocents in school massacres. They have to do it because it is Republican policies that maximize the death toll in catastrophes.

Asking legitimate questions

In a Sunday morning CNN interview , Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) noted that cuts to agencies like the National Weather Service could leave communities unprepared for catastrophic events.

"When you have flash flooding, you know there's a risk that you won't have the personnel to make that, do that analysis, do the predictions, and in the best way, and it could lead to tragedy. So I don't want to sit here and say conclusively that that was the case, but I do think that it should be investigated, and having, you know, not having enough personnel is never helpful."

He added.

"I don't think it's helpful to have missing key personnel from the National Weather Service not in place to help prevent these tragedies. We have to figure out in the future how we make sure that it doesn't happen again."

Castro showed restraint. He didn't blame anyone. He merely said, "It should be investigated." This request is eminently reasonable when the death toll is already more than 80 . If Harris had won the election, the GOP would agree. Except that they would have already determined the outcome of the investigation before it even started. And demanded that Harris be impeached.

But Harris is not the President. So the GOP has stamped on the brakes.

Blackburn demands delay

On Sunday, Blackburn went on Fox News to run interference on legitimate questions about the role of federal weather agency cuts in the Texas floods' death toll. She slammed Castro's moderate demand for an investigation as premature. Instead, she encouraged Joaquin to take the conservative Christian approach and do nothing useful.

"Those are issues that will be addressed by DHS and NOAA and other components as they move forward. Now is not the day for that type of conversation. I would encourage the congressman to be wrapping his arms and his heart and his prayers around these families and to stand with them at this point."

How does that help "these families," Marsha? If I had lost a child in a flood and some mealy-mouthed politician's best suggestion was that a stranger wrap "his arms and his heart and his prayers" around me, instead of asking why the tragedy had happened, I would wonder WTF was wrong with them.

Please don't misunderstand me. If I were religious, I would welcome prayers and shows of concern and support from my friends and neighbors. As an atheist, I would welcome the same, with the prayers being optional. However, if a politician's response were to sweep the cause under the carpet, that expedient cynicism would piss me off.

Governor Abbott's Day of Prayer

Blackburn is not alone in this "Pray first, say you will take action later" approach to devastation. Texas Governor Greg Abbott made this philosophy official by declaring "Sunday, July 6, A Day Of Prayer For Texans Impacted By Devastating Floods."

Again, let me assure the reader that I believe everyone has the right to react as they see fit. If prayer provides comfort, then who am I to speak against it? However, let religious leaders tend to spiritual needs. Abbott is the executive of a temporal entity. He was elected Governor, not Pope. His responsibility is to take practical, not ethereal, action.

I won't hold my breath.

Sadly, as we have seen from ongoing school shootings, Republicans are not interested in solving problems. They would rather wallow in sanctimony and inactivity.

They should take their lead from Jesus. As far as I remember from my Bible, he didn't pray for the sick. He healed them.

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/7/6/2332055/-Now-is-not-the-day-GOP-Senator-demands-delay-in-discovering-why-so-many-died-in-TX-floods?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web

Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/