When Cable TV And Twitter Let You Down

JD Vance criticizes the media for not digging into the details of the Ohio train derailment and says he doesn't know some basic facts himself. He's a US senator! You have a staff to help you figure this stuff out! pic.twitter.com/K4HSF2RT4Z

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 14, 2023

When Ted Cruz ran to Cancun during the winter storm of 2021 that left most of Texas without power or water, he at least had the sense to come back and do a photo op handing out bottled water for a few hours.

Has Vance even visited Ohio? He is one of 100 very privileged people in the United States. He can easily access information from the city level in East Palestine, to the Department of Transportation. Instead, he goes on Tucker Carlson to bitch about TV news and Sec. Buttigieg.

He has a privileged and highly responsible government position. Could he prove himself any more unqualified for it?

As for why Buttigieg hasn’t done anything; well, that’s down to federalism and state sovereignty.

If you check presidential actions on https://t.co/d8Q680Q9cr, you'll notice that Biden hasn't approved a disaster declaration for East Palestine. That's because DeWine hasn't requested one.
No federal assistance has been asked for.

— David Dayen (@ddayen) February 14, 2023

The way America works is that railroads do as little as possible to transport materials safety, one of them fucks up and nukes a city, & then a consultant on behalf of that railroad tells the government how much they'll do to clean it uphttps://t.co/qq69vnH6H2 pic.twitter.com/4yKWzC3u4J

— David Dayen (@ddayen) February 14, 2023

This is stuff Vance (or his staff) are supposed to know.

Here's the relevant portion of the EPA letter pic.twitter.com/DUhg7rIWRH

— David Dayen (@ddayen) February 14, 2023

Hey JD, here's a hint: look up 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5207 (the Stafford Act) §401, where it says "All requests for a declaration by the President that a major disaster exists shall be made by the Governor of the affected State"https://t.co/89vZYK8k8z

— David Dayen (@ddayen) February 14, 2023