Again: No to Public Safety!

So...after displaying more concern for defending right-wing extremists than for Homeland Security, and after voting against a hugely popular measure designed to improve public safety, Rep. Carter has now (again) voted against public safety.

Seriously: what is this guy thinking?

HR 1746 ("Pre-Disaster Mitigation Act") amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to: (1) increase the amount guaranteed to each state under the pre-disaster mitigation program; (2) require the President to award financial assistance under the program on a competitive basis; (3) eliminate the current termination date for such program (September 30, 2009); and (4) authorize appropriations for the program through FY2012.

In other words, this Act provides government assistance to help prevent and/or mitigate the effects of disasters before they occur. Gee, I wonder how useful that might have been in, say, Louisiana, a couple years ago...? And the Act provides for competitive awards of the aid -- something free-market conservatives should appreciate. (Unless they really do prefer no-bid contracts, as demonstrated by the Bush Administration.)

Yet John Carter chose to oppose the bill. Was he joining with a massive GOP opposition that might indicate there is something worthy of concern, hidden somewhere in the legislation? Nope. The Act passed 339-56, or with 86% of the vote.

That's right. A hugely popular Act designed to provide for better public safety was passed -- and our John Carter voted against it.

We need a candidate to emerge -- NOW -- to run against Carter in 2010. Please.