Crisis response

Editor, The Times:

According to the article in The Seattle Times, “Bachmann says crises message from God” [News, Politics Digest, Aug. 30], while giving a speech about the merits of small government and tea-party activism, Michele Bachmann said:

“I don’t know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians. We’ve had an earthquake; we’ve had a hurricane. He said, ‘Are you going to start listening to me here?’ [The American people] know government is on a morbid obesity diet and we’ve got to rein in the spending.”

Ms. Bachmann, if the federal government (and all of us) ought not to spend the money on the massive cleanup and recovery from these disasters caused by nature (not God), how do you, the tea party and your Republican friends suggest we respond to our neighbors and friends who face these overwhelming needs?

— Marvin Eckfeldt, Kent