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Published: Monday, Jan. 21, 2013 / Updated: Friday, Jan. 18, 2013 03:20 PM

Shame on our state politicians for voting no

Failure to support storm relief effort disappointing

Mick Mulvaney, representing Dist. 5 including York County, and three other South Carolina Republicans voted earlier this month to not help support the people of New York and New Jersey by backing the Hurricane Sandy Relief Bill. This was very disappointing. Luckily, 354 U.S. House members supported the $10 billion relief effort intended for flood insurance programs vs. the 67 – all Republicans – who did not.

We were again disappointed by the quartet, and the addition of South Carolinian Tom Rice last week after voting against the $51 billion aid package designed to provide the stricken region with emergency relief and funding to undertake long-term structural repairs. The bill did pass 248-180.

To our state representatives we’d like to remind you, this is not a time for politics. This is not a time for cross-cutting numbers. This is about people – our fellow countrymen.

Here are some numbers for you to consider:

• As many as 500,000 homes in New Jersey and New York were destroyed or damaged by the Oct. 29 superstorm.

• There were 131 people killed in the storm.

• There was more than $60 billion in damage.

We take sides with N.J. Gov. Chris Christie, who blasted House Republicans for playing politics with people’s lives.

This was not a time to barter for cost-cutting measures. It was a time to help our neighbors in need.

Can you imagine if our politicians decided to play politics during time of Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Hugo?

Remember, United We Stand.