It’s been two weeks and what was supposed to be a state situation to handle isn’t anymore….
And it’s turned political…..
And Republican who campaign on less government are the first to attack if the Feds if State Government has issues…
Added to this is fact that Pete Buttigieg, as Transportation Sec., is an inviting political target for GOPer’s
The complaints have escalated in recent days amid uncertainty about the aftereffects of the train derailment: Local residents have complained of headaches, nausea and other symptoms, calling on the Biden administration to provide clarity about the toxic brew of chemicals that emanated from the crash scene. East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway told a community gathering this week it took nearly two weeks for anyone from the White House to contact him. Lawmakers from both parties have said the federal government has been slow to respond to the disaster and have called for a course correction.
Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) took issue with Buttigieg’s comments noting that the Trump administration had loosened train safety rules. “The Department of Transportation — your Department of Transportation — has things it can do,” Vance told reporters. “Stop blaming Donald Trump, a guy who hasn’t been president for three years, and use the powers of the federal government to do the things necessary to help people in this community.”
The dust up underscores the challenge the administration faces in mounting a response to a sprawling crisis that now involves multiple agencies and the prospect of months or even years of cleanup, recovery and restitution. The situation has grown from a transportation incident to a multipronged calamity including environmental, health care, legal and housing components, among others.
The crisis has a political dimension as well. Biden’s team prides itself on its competence, and a mishandling of the Ohio derailment could challenge that reputation, especially in the Midwest. For Buttigieg, a young Democratic star who’s shown an interest in higher office, the stakes may be especially high.