Why bother governing responsibly when you can play politics instead?
Republicans blocked an effort Monday by Senate Democrats to quickly pass a $7 billion aid package for victims of recent natural disasters like Hurricane Irene, tornadoes in the Midwest and the South and floods along the Mississippi, Missouri and other rivers.
On a 53-33 vote, the Senate rejected an attempt by Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., to bring up a bill that Democrats had hoped to use to replenish the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s depleted disaster fund. Democrats needed 60 votes to advance the measure.
A better question: Why would any victim of any of 2011’s natural disasters vote Republican?

![Sen. Tim Kaine on Appropriations Bills: “we shouldn’t give [Trump’s] deranged decisions the imprimatur of congressional approval by passing this legislation without significant amendment.”](https://bluevirginia.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/kaineblasts-238x178.jpg)
![Thursday News: “Europe draws red line on Greenland after a year of trying to pacify Trump”; “ICE Agent Kills Woman, DHS Tells Obvious, Insane Lies About It”; “Trump’s DOJ sued Virginia. Our attorney general surrendered”; “Political domino effect hits Alexandria as Sen. Ebbin [to resign] to join Spanberger administration”](https://bluevirginia.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/montage010826-238x178.jpg)





![[UPDATED 1/29/26] Audio: Sen. Tim Kaine Talks to Blue Virginia About His “Five-Point Plan” to Fight Trump’s Orban-Like Assault on US Democracy; Civil Disobedience a la MLK Jr.; Trump’s Bogus “Energy Emergency”; the Crucial Importance of the 2025 VA Elections; etc.](https://bluevirginia.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/kaineinterview2-100x75.jpg)

