President Biden called Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ® on Thursday about the major disaster declaration he signed for the state in response to Hurricane Idalia.

On the call, Biden also conveyed that he “ordered all available federal resources to help with the continued response to Tropical Storm Idalia,” according to the White House.

And, it added, “the president reiterated that the people of Florida have his full support as they recover from the storm.” The major disaster declaration allows for federal funding to be available to affected individuals in the counties of Citrus, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Suwannee and Taylor and for additional assistance to Florida in the form of grants for temporary housing and home repairs and low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses.

  • Worstdriver@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Contrast this to Trump blocking disaster relief for California and Puerto Rico when he was President.

  • Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Why? Florida adamantly opposes relief for other states hit by hurricanes. Conservatives have worked tirelessly for the last several decades to make sure Florida has more hurricanes every year. They have done everything in their power to fuck the environment as hard as they possible can. Let them suffer exactly as they insist.

    If we insist on letting the conservative leaches continue to take and take from the normal states, let’s at least have fun with it. Let’s call the money given to them “Biden Bucks”. I bet we’d save quite a bit of money that way!

    • river@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Contrary to your opinion, an ideal President’s job is not to start or participate in civil or cultural wars. It is to help all of us. Even the ones who “don’t deserve it”. Denying aid also only plays into “their” hand. People who vote against government often complain that it’s never done anything for them. If it misses an opportunity to serve citizens, that failure only further chips away at the institution and democracy.

      Republicans want that to happen. They have shown clearly at least since Nixon and neoliberalism that they want only one thing: to overthrow the people’s government entirely and replace it entirely with corporate capitalist overlords.

      • FoundTheVegan@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        Much like I will openly criticize the Chinese or Russian governments, I do not wish harm on Chinese or Russian people who are the ones that suffer from those officials, I will also criticize Flordia and other southern states but wish only good things for citizens in those states.

        All of us are victims of gerrymandering and corporate lobbying. Individuals should not suffer because of the negligence or greed of their leaders, many of which do not support those people.

        • river@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Yes. Several articles have come out recently discussing US intel on the impact of Chinese and Russian propaganda influence on the American people. This is further proof that many people have been preyed on.

      • Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Your position is reasonable and I don’t disagree with it. But I am not going to be polite about helping dangerous people who insist we are enemies. There is no such thing as a “good fascist”.

        • Nougat@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          Florida residents are just as much - if not more - victims of fascism as residents of California.

        • river@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Thanks for engaging with my thoughts.

          I don’t support or condone fascism in any form, my point was that in times of natural disaster, aid should be extended to all citizens, regardless of their political views. Denying aid based on political beliefs can perpetuate divisiveness and mistrust in institutions meant to serve everyone. In my view, denying aid due to this would be itself a form of fascism, totalitarianism, authoritarianism, and so on.

          We may disagree on certain points, but let’s not lose sight of the larger goal: a fair and just society for all.

    • HeartyBeast@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      Because the federal system is supposed to work to provide joint support for states in extraordinary need - and example of government doing what it is meant to to do in a order fashion, irrespective of political considerations is a good reminder of why it is worth voting in a functional government

    • Laticauda@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      The rest of the country doesn’t have to stoop to the level people like Trump and Desantis. There are innocent people in Florida who don’t deserve to be thrown under the bus just because of where they live.

      • Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world
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        I agree. Let’s make the offer of aid optional per resident and label it something fun. Obama-bail-outs. Hilary-help. Biden-bucks. Let the conservatives decide if they want the help or if they want to put their money where their mouth is regarding “handouts”.

        • Laticauda@lemmy.ca
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          1 year ago

          Not the worst idea. Could take a “help those who help themselves” approach. Lead a horse to water and all that.

          The Biden-bonus, the Joe cash-flow, Biden-benevolence, Democratic-donation. There’s a lot of room for creativity there.

          Jokes aside, even if you ignore the morality of the situation, doing this is good for Biden’s PR, especially if he wants to reach across the isle for people who have been wavering, or if he wants to convince fence-sitters that his side isn’t quite as bad as the other side, or that he isn’t only pandering to his “team”.

    • Psythik@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      Because it’s the right thing to do.

      The people don’t deserve to suffer just because they’re too stupid to vote for a competent leader.

      • Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world
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        It’s not stupidity. It’s malice. Conservatives are malicious. They are proud of their malice, boasting about it at every opportunity. Pretending they are good folks who just don’t know any better is how fascism continues to grow.

        Never give a conservative the benefit of the doubt. They will use it to harm you every time.

  • ME5SENGER_24@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    I live in Florida, we don’t deserve this money. I mean we, the people, totally do. But in this stupid DickSantis pissing contest with the “Woke Dems” my state and it’s people should unfortunately lose. Bold statement, I know. “But you’re an asshole for saying that!” No, I’m not. The majority voted this guy into power and so, we should suffer from his own “sleeping” (? He’s antiwoke, right?)?agenda.

    Vote the assholes out of power!!!

    • Lexi Sneptaur@pawb.social
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      Yes they do. Everyone deserves basic human rights and decency in situations such as these. Floridians are not a homogenous group of fascists, they’re regular working class people like you and me. You’d do well to remember that.

      • eran_morad@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I am referring specifically to the fascists. I couldn’t care less about their suffering. Downvote me to hell if you feel like it.

      • gregorum@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        Thank you.

        I just lost my home in Brooklyn and was forced to relocate to Orlando because that’s where my family is who could take me in. Do I want to live here? Fuck no! But I do now. I’m gonna get out of here as soon as I can and get back to NYC the first chance I get, but I live here now, and for the foreseeable future. That doesn’t make me any less deserving of help just because of the circumstances, nor anyone else here because of where they chose to live. 

        • Lexi Sneptaur@pawb.social
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          After leaving Reddit and Twitter, I’ve committed myself to a healthier relationship with social media on the fediverse. It’s time to start using empathy and critical thinking instead of emotionality and reactionary thinking. Stay safe out there, and while you’re there, be sure to vote and help your friends and family vote too.

    • robbotlove@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I don’t think it’s fair they get handouts. they chose to live in Florida and now I have to pay for it? it’s not fair to the victims of other hurricanes who didn’t get help.

      • norapink@lemmy.world
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        Nor everyone has the privilege of choosing where to live. If you do then keep that in mind when writing ignorant comments like these.

        Also life isn’t fair. Just because victims of other hurricanes didn’t get the help that they have the right to doesn’t mean we should withhold that same right from others. We should all work to ensure that everyone can get help when they’re victims of natural disaster.

      • TokenBoomer@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Because you could say the same thing about tornado alley, the San Andreas fault, the Mississippi flood plain. Insurance will sort this out.

  • wheresmypillow@lemmy.one
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    1 year ago

    No matter what, we always step up to help each other when it matters. My heart goes out to the people coping with the loss.

    • deadtom@lemmy.world
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      Unless you are a Republican voting for hurricane relief for a blue state. Then all “we” can give is thoughts, prayers and the finger.

  • Hazdaz@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Shouldn’t approve his disaster relief until after he goes on air and publicly admits that Climate Change is a real thing and is being caused by man.