Progressive Mayor of San Juan Turns Recovery Effort Political

By Rich Mitchell

The liberal mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Carmen Cruz, this week turned the massive recovery effort in her state into a political opportunity.

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Cruz said on Friday that she wanted to “make sure somebody is in charge that is up to the task of saving lives” after FEMA asked her to list her priorities so that they could properly direct aid. Her response is as expected from a progressive – a politically motivated, irresponsible display of someone with the inability to lead.

“Well, where have you been?” she exclaimed. “I have been very respectful of the FEMA employees. I have been patient but we have no time for patience anymore.” Although it is unclear how impatience helps considering the scope of the disaster due to the failure of local and state government to upgrade the infrastructure on the island in decades past.

President Donald Trump responded to Cruz, pointing out her lack of leadership.

“Such poor leadership ability by the Mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help,” he tweeted. The president pointed out that leaders like Cruz pound their desks and demand action instead of getting out into the community and encouraging it.

This kind of language has a negative effect on the community and the 10,000 federal and military members in the territory. It is important to encourage locals to get out and help with the recovery as many did when Hurricane Harvey submerged much of Houston, Texas. Vitriolic criticism is demoralizing and her comments are in direct opposition to the territory’s Governor who clearly understands that encouragement and hopefulness are more helpful than dramatic, desperate rants on television.

“We’re very pleased with the communication with the president, with the administration…we’re working as one team,” Governor Ricardo Rossello told CBS News.

The Trump administration’s latest action, waiving the Jones Act, came just hours after Puerto Rico’s governor requested it. While the waiver won’t improve the aid effort, it shows the responsiveness of the federal government to Puerto Rico’s needs.

The article Progressive Mayor of San Juan Turns Recovery Effort Political is original content from Conservative Daily News.

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