Leave it to Mother Nature to get her daughter, Hurricane Sandy, to help the Republican Party get its wish to shut down government and cast further doubt that Barack Obama will get re-elected on Tuesday.
Frankenstorm crippled much of the East Coast Monday and Tuesday, closing state, local and federal government offices and putting power companies to the test. It also canceled early voting in a few states.
Curbing government and making voting difficult are music to the ears of many in the Republican Party who despise President Obama, including Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who said his top legislative priority was to deny Mr. Obama a second term. His party’s senators have used a record number of filibusters to block votes on virtually every economic-development and jobs bill supported by Mr. Obama — just to make him look bad to the nation.
The Not-so-Grand Old Party is also home to Senate candidates who {a} think women who become pregnant from rape should not be allowed to have abortion because the pregnancy is God’s will (Richard Mourdock in Indiana) and {b} think women who are raped can’t get pregnant (Todd Akin in Missouri); a vice presidential candidate who thinks rape victims should not be permitted to have abortions and who this year tried to cut $10 billion a year in federal disaster aid (Rep. Paul Ryan), and a presidential candidate who wants disaster-relief responsibilities to be stripped from FEMA and given to private industry (Mitt Romney)
So, ladies and gentlemen of the voting jury, if you’re thinking of not voting next Tuesday because you don’t care about politics or you think your vote doesn’t matter, think again. The recovery from Hurricane Sandy is just one reason you need government in your lives. Don’t you dare sit on your hands on Election Day.
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Editorial: Speak up on Tuesday
Philadelphia
clear sky
45.5
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47.2
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42.9
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73 %
1.6mph
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