# Lindsey Graham for president thread. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 7, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913 "2015-06-07T18:35:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/41 "2015-10-06T15:13:14Z")
If South Carolinians think that the federal government is evil and should do as little as possible, which they do judging by the way they vote, then we should not stain their honor by giving them disaster relief money. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/42 "2015-10-06T15:28:24Z")
Graham has no support left to alienate, so he can say what he thinks now. Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/43 "2015-10-07T04:11:15Z")
Completely false accusation. Graham did not oppose Sandy aid, he opposed the bloated Sandy aid bill that later got cut down to a less unreasonable size. Politicians like to use disaster aid as an excuse to lard up bills. Graham has always been against that kind of thing and presumably would not try to do that in a South Carolina disaster aid bill. > [@](#): > > “I really didn’t quite understand his question,” Graham told The Washington Post. “The Hurricane Sandy package was $60 billion. Forty-seven states got community development funding. They repaired Amtrak corridors unaffected by Sandy. It was a pork-fest. We had a $24 billion alternative that was focused on Sandy. What do we know now? We know that of the money appropriated, only 11 percent was appropriated in the first year. A lot of this money was unaccounted for and mismanaged. When I put together a package, if one is needed, it will be detailed for this event. It won’t have anything to do with other needs in South Carolina, and I will fight like a tiger to make sure somebody doesn’t use our tragedy for their advantage. You’ll see how it should be done.” [http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/10/06/lindsey-graham-defends-his-vote-against-hurricane-sandy-package-while-mulling-south-carolina-flood-relief/](http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/10/06/lindsey-graham-defends-his-vote-against-hurricane-sandy-package-while-mulling-south-carolina-flood-relief/) ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/44 "2015-10-07T15:25:23Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Completely false accusation. I think that remains to be seen. > [@](#): > > Graham did not oppose Sandy aid, he opposed the bloated Sandy aid bill that later got cut down to a less unreasonable size. That should be “Graham **said he** did not oppose…” because if the WaPo made any effort to track down what he was saying _at the time_, I don’t see it in the linked article. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/45 "2015-10-07T15:26:57Z")
I’d challenge any media outlet to find a single person who opposed Sandy aid. The Republicans did put out a $25 billion alternative. Someone has to look out for the taxpayers. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/46 "2015-10-07T15:28:45Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > I think that remains to be seen. That should be “Graham **said he** did not oppose…” because if the WaPo made any effort to track down what he was saying _at the time_, I don’t see it in the linked article. He also doesn’t remember the vote. > [@](#): > > South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is seeking federal aid after his home state was ravaged by deadly floods amid historic rainfall triggered by Hurricane Joaquin. > > **“Let’s just get through this thing,” Graham said in an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on “The Situation Room” Monday. _“And whatever it costs, it costs.”_** > > But in 2013, Graham was among 36 Senate Republicans who voted against giving similar aid to New Jersey in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. (The bill passed in a 62 to 36 vote.) > > **Graham told Blitzer he didn’t remember opposing the $50.5 billion Sandy relief bill.** Here comes the pork. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/47 "2015-10-07T15:31:27Z")
> [@](#): > > I’d challenge any media outlet to find a single person who opposed Sandy aid. The Republicans did put out a $25 billion alternative. Someone has to look out for the taxpayers. The Republicans put out a $27 billion alternative, and most of the difference was a reduction in underwriting for the National Flood Insurance Program (which was projected to be exhausted from claim payouts in about a week from the date the bill was introduced). They also withdrew their “alternative” after a week before ever putting it (or the $33 billion amendment that was introduced alongside it) up for a vote. You can spin history, but you can’t rewrite it. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/48 "2015-10-07T15:37:36Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > I’d challenge any media outlet to find a single person who opposed Sandy aid. The Republicans did put out a $25 billion alternative. Someone has to look out for the taxpayers. …unless the expenditure is in the $trillions for a war of choice, that is. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/49 "2015-10-07T15:40:45Z")
Seems that you’re spinning. it is a pretty undisputed fact that a lot of that bill paid for things unrelated to Hurricane Sandy. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/50 "2015-10-07T15:51:37Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Seems that you’re spinning. it is a pretty undisputed fact that a lot of that bill paid for things unrelated to Hurricane Sandy. It’s not spin to say that Graham has no problem with spending trillions of taxpayer dollars on wars of choice, and seems to want more wars of choice. He probably wouldn’t call them “wars of choice”, but considering that we’re still all standing here and going about our day without imminent fear of death by bombing or WMDs kinda refutes that, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/51 "2015-10-07T15:52:08Z")
> [@](#): > > it is a pretty undisputed fact that a lot of that bill paid for things unrelated to Hurricane Sandy. I didn’t say it wasn’t. I said the GOP plan didn’t actually address that issue. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/52 "2015-10-07T15:53:11Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > It’s not spin to say that Graham has no problem with spending trillions of taxpayer dollars on wars of choice, and seems to want more wars of choice. That’s a valid argument. Although there’s only one data point: Iraq. And it’s not like Obama doesn’t wage wars of choice. Libya wasn’t exactly a must, and we’re bombing Syria too. We’re doing it on the cheap, so yay for fiscal responsibility I guess. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/53 "2015-10-07T16:01:06Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Seems that you’re spinning. it is a pretty undisputed fact that a lot of that bill paid for things unrelated to Hurricane Sandy. [Written in Forbes.](http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/27/ted-cruz-demands-federal-money-texas-floods-blocking-hurricane-sandy-relief.html) (Quoted in Politicususa article) > [@](#): > > Furthermore, Rick Ungar, writing at Forbes, pointed out that the “pork” came from having to bribe red state Republicans — including Texas — in order to get the package passed over their filibuster, “However, as it turns out, the pork portions of the Senate bill were not earmarked to benefit Democratic members of the upper chamber of Congress… > > The answer can be found in a quick review of the states that are set to benefit from the Senate’s extra-special benevolence—states including Alabama, Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana.” ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/54 "2015-10-07T16:04:01Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > That’s a valid argument. Although there’s only one data point: Iraq. His advocacy of more military engagement with others in the region, including Iran, counts as further data points. > [@](#): > > And it’s not like Obama doesn’t wage wars of choice. Libya wasn’t exactly a must, and we’re bombing Syria too. We’re doing it on the cheap, so yay for fiscal responsibility I guess. I wish he’d stay out entirely, but at least he’s spending a lot less money and, more importantly, zero (or close to zero) American lives. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/55 "2015-10-07T17:03:01Z")
He’d be taking even more criticism for \*not \*doing what he’s been doing, of course. So you can discount that bickering down to about zero. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/56 "2015-10-08T03:36:09Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I wish he’d stay out entirely, but at least he’s spending a lot less money and, more importantly, zero (or close to zero) American lives. This is known as luck. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/57 "2015-10-08T03:51:54Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > This is known as luck. This is known as not being a fucking dipshit yahoo like Bush the second. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/58 "2015-10-08T04:38:38Z")
This thread came up and I just assumed I missed the announcement that he was suspending his campaign. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/59 "2015-10-08T04:40:57Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > This is known as not being a fucking dipshit yahoo like Bush the second. So you believe that going to war is intelligent as long as you don’t put boots on the ground? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913/60 "2015-10-08T11:47:06Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > So you believe that going to war is intelligent as long as you don’t put boots on the ground? Going to war without “boots on the ground” (in the MENA region) is far, far more intelligent (or, more accurately, far, far less dumb) than going to war with “boots on the ground”. There’s a vast chasm of wisdom between them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lindsey-graham-for-president-thread/721913.md?page=4)