1. United States
2. La.
3. Letter

The Times-Picayune/Advocate just released a story headlined “Trump's FEMA ends grants that help prepare for hurricanes. Louisiana hoped to get $721M.” As representatives of the great state of Louisiana, you should be outraged. These funds were not allocated to “wasteful and ineffective” endeavors. These funds were going to help prevent already disastrous hurricanes from becoming even more so. This comes on top of slashing research on women’s health, the study of anything not related to pretty much just white men, the people that promote the safety of nuclear plants, the protection of consumers, etc., etc., etc. How any of you can continue to support policies that are targeted to cause irreparable damage to not just this state but the people in it who elected you to be their voice to protect them and their interests is beyond me. It is past time for our elected representatives to stand up and shout out that the emperor has no clothes. Stand up to the executive branch and to DOGE (who no one elected or had any chance to oppose by the way) and stop this uneducated, unwarranted, shortsighted rampage through the people’s coffers. They are the legislative branch’s purse strings, not the executive branch’s. The policies of the late 18th and 19th century are no longer applicable, unless the plan is to truly go back to the days when government’s primary function was the military and tax/tariff collections. There is a reason that government became involved in regulating businesses, wages, and safety. It was necessary to check the unbridled greed of capitalism to protect people and the environment. Capitalism left unchecked does not improve a nation, it only improves those who only see profits. To quote Charles Dickens’ Marley, “Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were all my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!” Do not condemn this country to bear the chains of unbridled capitalism and greed. Do not forget that the people who elected you are your business. Charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence are your business. The Party is not more important than the people. Staying in office is not more important than the people. Staying on the right side of the executive branch and the oligarchy that is taking shape is not more important than the people. The people are what makes this country great. And despite the take on the last election, there was no mandate, the was no huge majority that supported that candidate. And many that did now have buyer’s remorse. Speak for the people! Not the party! Not the President! The people. Please, before we lose what makes this country so great - its “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Thank you for your time and consideration.