Blowback for Chris Christie

Following up on my post on the incredible exploding governor, the Wall Street Journal gives a special prize to Chris Christie for his “unmoored political bluster.”

I’m not sure what “moored” political bluster would sound like, but, no one is perfect.

Predictably, Christie’s rush to blame John Boehner for not taking up Sandy relief has elicited positive reaction from the liberal media. Peter Beinart says that the Christie rant augurs a bright new day for centrist Republicans.

Keep in mind, Beinart believes that Israel’s future can best be assured by appeasing terrorists. If he not merely a surrender junkie, Beinart is an inept strategist. 

The Journal, however, shines the light of reason on Christie’s intemperate outburst:

We've appreciated Mr. Christie's outspoken style, and he has to advocate for his battered state. But he's also supposed to care about the public fisc. His advocacy would have been more accurate, and more effective for New Jersey in the long run, if he had also pointed out that Democrats from the rest of the country have jeopardized the aid by cynically using the bill for their own parochial interests. Mr. Christie is running for re-election in a Democratic state, but that doesn't mean he has to compete to be the next Charlie Crist.

Look at some of what was in the $60 billion bill: $150 million for Alaskan fisheries; $2 million for roof repair at the Smithsonian in Washington; and about $17 billion for liberal activists under the guise of "community development" funds and so-called social service grants. Far from being must-pass legislation, this is a disgrace to the memory of the victims and could taint legitimate efforts to deal with future disasters.

Unfortunately, when these ginormous spending bills get rammed through Congress, no one pays attention to how much of the money is being funneled to liberal activists.

Thanks to the Journal for clarifying an issue that Chris Christie has done his best to obscure:

Beyond the recriminations is the larger problem that every disaster has become a Washington political opportunity. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is fully funded but does an incompetent job. Federal flood insurance encourages overbuilding in storm zones, so taxpayers pay first to subsidize the insurance and then to save the homeowners who overbuilt. And politicians use the public sympathy after any disaster as an excuse to throw even more money not merely at victims but for pent-up priorities they should be funding out of regular state and local tax dollars.

Mr. Boehner's sin was ensuring that the House had time to sort the pork from the parochial. Mr. Christie should thank him on behalf of New Jersey taxpayers.

A real leader would not have rushed to the microphones in a fit of self-righteous outrage to demagogue the issue.