Santorum devised a bill that could've stopped hurricane warnings for many

[gatorboy]

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/news/epaper/2005/04/21/m1a_wx_0421.html

Do you want a seven-day weather forecast for your ZIP code? Or hour-by-hour predictions of the temperature, wind speed, humidity and chance of rain? Or weather data beamed to your cellphone?

That information is available for free from the National Weather Service.

But under a bill pending in the U.S. Senate, it might all disappear.

The bill, introduced last week by Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., would prohibit federal meteorologists from competing with companies such as AccuWeather and The Weather Channel, which offer their own forecasts through paid services and free ad-supported Web sites.
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More here from Rawstory also from April:

Senator aiming to nix federal weather forecasts enjoyed AccuWeather money

Some worry that bill is bad idea in wake of hurricanes

http://rawstory.com/exclusives/byrne/santorum_weather_ban_accuweather_421.htm

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I think it's safe to say where some of the Republicans have shifted their priorities when it comes to helping citizens and helping business.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

1. This should be heavily emphasized in his up coming re-election

bid. This is what privatization provides, no accountability what so ever.

[eleny]

2. I was wondering about that the other day

But I forgot the details and that it was Santorum's bill. Thanks so much for posting the details!

Wanna bet it gets deep-sixed? I can hear the shredders already.

As the other poster said - this is a keeper. Or maybe a "sender". Send it to whoever is running against Santorum.

[gatorboy]

4. More on the bill here:

http://thomas.loc.gov/

Bill info: Senate Bill S 786

[Matariki]

3. man, we need to have a national slap fest. and we need it soon.

[theHandpuppet]

5. Kicking

This is important.

[mb7588a]

6. unfortuantely...

not as damning as it looks.
It doesn't forbid warnings, only forecasts and other services that somebody else like accuweather could provide.

Things like a tornado or hurricane warning must be provided by the government because of intgernational marine and aviation laws.

[gatorboy]

11. But it would've put a squeeze

on a free public system to boast a paying service created by individuals that had made several contributions to him.

They want to privatize everything gov't-wise that doesn't support war or their salaries. Katrina has proven that.

[Dr Batsen D Belfry]

7. Santorum was just on 11PM WPXI in Pittsburgh

advocating strong penalties for those who stay during a hurricane, since they put rescuers in harms way. The fucker really has no heart and no clue.

He is the same asshole who was telling his own constituents they had no right to a government bailout after being absolutely crushed by flooding thanks to Hurricane Ivan last year.

He is the same asshole who was on TV screaming against gay rights I believe the very night nearly 500 of his constituents were sickened in the worst Hepatitis A outbreak in the U.S.

DBDB

[I_Make_Mistakes]

8. Is this for real? Any links? If so, he just sealed his fate!

[tedoll78]

9. He won't be re-elected anyway,

but we can and should use this to smear all Senate Repugs, given how he's one of their leaders and all..

[tkmorris]

10. I'd say that bill is now DOA

It was very controversial to begin with, and us weather weenies have been following it (and screaming about it) for some time now. In the current environment it is hard to picture someone rationalizing privatizing weather information of any kind. Before Katrina it had a chance, though a small one. Now, forget it.

Beware though, he will likely try to stick this in as a rider on some other bill. I doubt he'll get away with it, it's political suicide to support now, but he may try anyway just because he's about as clueless as they come.

[gatorboy]

12. I suggest we give it a boost to let people know it's out there

For old times sake! :P