Letter to Editor / Why is Help Slow for Puerto Rico?

By JT Thompson

As Harvey headed to Texas, the White House relaxed regulations and delivered troops and resources in advance of landfall… then assisted Texans quickly and efficiently after landfall.

As Irma headed to Florida, the White House relaxed regulations and delivered troops and resources in advance of landfall… then assisted Floridians quickly and efficiently after landfall.

As Maria headed to the Caribbean, the White House did little in advance. 9 days after landfall, federal regulations, bottlenecks, bureaucracy and red tape resulted in an AVOIDABLE humanitarian crisis where 3.4 million Americans waited for food, fuel and drinking water that sat locked in 3,000 shipping containers. 11 days after landfall, the mayor of San Juan tearfully begged for meaningful federal assistance or many could die and it would become “a form of genocide.” At the very least, it has been a wholly unacceptable lack of urgency by our country to help its own citizens as they struggle to survive. We should all be ashamed.

So how do Texas and Florida get immediate help, but not Puerto Rico?

Could it have anything to do with…

• TEXAS has 38 Electoral Votes (Trump won)

• FLORIDA has 29 Electoral Votes (Trump won)

• PUERTO RICO has ZERO Electoral Votes (Clinton won)?

Regardless, citizens need to pitch in to help… do what you can for Puerto Rico. With God’s grace, we still have an island… but our brothers and sisters there have nothing. Those of us who were spared… must help the rest of us. Pay it forward, always appreciating how lucky we are.