Sep 5, 2011 4 min read

In 1789, the year before Benjamin Franklin died, he wrote a letter in which he said, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”

Franklin was a wise old man. And if he were still alive, he’d probably amend that famous quote to include greed and petty politics.

I’m not certain which of those two things is worse.

Allegations of greed have sparked investigations in New York and New Jersey in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.

There are some small business owners (or as Republican call them – “job creators”), who’re being scrutinized for price-gouging.

I suppose there’s nothing like a flood ravaged home that’ll get some private contractors to artificially inflate costs for flood removal.

Or, if you own a gas station or sell potable water, you just might see the opportunity to make a quick buck, by raising prices for the people who desperately need them.

There are laws against those sorts of things. But greed doesn’t read laws.

Then there’s the stench of petty politics.

Rightwing cheerleader Rush Limbaugh seized upon the occasion of Hurricane Irene to launch a cheesy cheap shot at President Obama.

Sadly, there are people in his radio audience who believe him when he says, “Obama was hoping this was going to be a disaster as another excuse for his failing economy.”

There is real human tragedy. More than 40 people have lost their lives. Thousands of families have lost everything. Millions of people are without basic human necessities. There are people who’ve been cut off from every thing that once made their lives seem normal.

What’s really important to Limbaugh is that Barack Obama needed a little diversion from his problems with the economy?

Rush Limbaugh has no shame.

I don’t think House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) has much shame or even compassion for that matter, either.

Instead of Cantor rolling up his sleeves and showing that he cares about the people in his state who’ve suffered, he appeared on Fox News in his business suit to spray the air with conservative talking points.

With storm damage across a dozen states, and cost estimates as high $20 billion, Cantor wants to focus our attention on budgetary matters.

He’s suggesting that all payments for disaster relief should first be matched by federal spending cuts.

“Just like any family would operate when it’s struck with disaster, it finds the money it needs to, to take care of a sick loved one or what have you, and then it goes without trying to buy a new car or put an addition onto the house,” he said, as if he’d never had an emergency worse than a nosebleed in his entire life.

To Cantor, when your house catches fire, you shouldn’t reach for your phone to call 911, BEFORE you reach for your checkbook.

I wish I’d said this first, but I found the following statement on an internet blog: “Now, now, if you pay for earthquake damage relief, you’re simply encouraging future earthquakes. It’s the same logic that applies to their views on unemployment insurance and poverty relief,” they sarcastically wrote.

Cantor has a history of putting spending cuts before people. He said the same thing about helping the people of Joplin, Mo. after that devastating tornado back in May.

And worse, if Cantor doesn’t get any points for his ability to understand the problems facing real Americans, at least he’s consistent.

Just a few days before Hurricane Irene laid waste to parts of the eastern seaboard there was a 5.8 magnitude earthquake that caused widespread damage.

Cantor sang the very same sad song about there having to be some kind of fiscal offset for that disaster relief too.

Yet it’s important to note, that the earthquake that struck on Aug. 23rd, wasn’t just ANY earthquake as far as Cantor is concerned.

The epicenter of that earthquake ran though Cantor’s congressional district.

He played petty politics then too.

Except, then, he played them by making props of his own constituents.

Edward A. Owens is a three-time Emmy Award winner and 20- year veteran of television news. Email him at freedoms@bellatlantic.net