Sadly, you're probably not far off the mark. Sure, the hurricane was bad and people genuinely need help. However the government in PR has shown they're not very good at managing even in "good" times so it's not a stretch to see the reluctance to pour more money into it.

If they have the funding then FEMA have the power to go in to negotiate and run the contracts to restore clean water and electrical power; no involvement required from the PR government.
It is not a question of giving funding to the PR government.

Evacuate three and a half million people? Not practical, even if it was then where would you put them?

You would have to displace the existing population and then risk starting another Israel/Palestine situation.

"the next hurricane is going to level it again, regardless" No different from Texas or Florida or Louisiana?

Those are actual voters.

It's a bit like the oversea's ballot, I guess.
Just with less money involved. Much less.

Your guess is as good as mine as to how important that issue is to the typical American tax-payer...

If nothing else happens, ten years from now it will be a hell-hole like Haiti - just without the UN setting up shop....

As I've pointed out previously, Puerto Ricans who leave for mainland US can vote, where they are nearly all going to vote Democrat. Since the hurricane, enough have already arrived in Florida to make a significant difference to the next elections. So, yea, export them all to mainland US :-).

According to one of the articles I linked, FEMA hasn't even authorized full funds for reconstruction. And then there was this oddity: https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-...in-puerto-rico

Yes, that small company Whitefish Energy Holdings had their contract cancelled pretty quickly.

Comparisons with Haiti do not work too well. For example, life expectancy in PR is longer than in mainland US and very much longer than Haiti.

PR has a number of good hospitals although they are also struggling with lack of electricity and clean water. Diesel generators are available but it is a struggle to get enough fuel

The US ruling clique try to portray PR as a third world backwater which justifies them providing meagre support.
In fact on most measures PR looks OK, of course, it has a Democrat governor which disqualifies it for Trump. Trump has yet to take on board he is President of the whole of the US including Democrats and people of colour and even illegal immigrants

Let us not forget if Puerto Rico were a state, it would be the 30th most populous — with more people than Wyoming, Vermont, and Alaska combined.

The silly thing here is that it's not under Trump's control. He can call in Federal help for emergencies. But once that is expended, any money needed for reconstruction and infrastructure is an appropriate that Congress has to pass. So to attribute this to Trump is somewhat Fake News.

It is not like a US President can become an authoritarian dictator.

Great way to promote racism in the US though.... White People and Trump hate Puerto Ricans, or something like that. We see where this kind of garbage comes from.

Sigh. The president is (supposedly) a leader. Of his party and of the country. As such, when the citizens are suffering and need help, the president should be directing agencies such as FEMA to authorize funds. When that's exhausted, he should be pressuring Congress (which is controlled by his party) to allocate more funding. Instead, he's spent time tweeting about NFL players, playing golf, etc.

Get real - Trump is racist, and open about it.

YOU are perpetuating and promoting more racism than Trump himself. You may be doing it out of ignorance, out of immaturity, or out of malice. In any case, it is far off from reality, and is a fake story.

FEMA has already been deployed in its role as a first responder. HUD has also been deployed for damage assessment. There is a bill gong through congress to approve $81B for hurricane relief, and part of is for Puerto Rico rebuilding. Although they have not hit the Lotto and will not be realizing their dreams of luxury homes through this disaster.

Fortunately, not everyone is as susceptible to that level of stupidity, and it is losing its effect more and more. Keep it up, as it is getting more and more recognized for the useless nonsense that it is.

No, Trump is not directly responsible. His administration, which he leads is, however.

That administration is woefully understaffed, inexperienced and disorganized.

Definitely not winning.

Look, the Hurricane is responsible. Puerto Rico is ill equipped to handle finances. The issue is now running its course through legislation. And the ignorant rhetoric of idiots is responsible for the racism, not Trump.

Dreams of luxury homes? What an awful biased, untrue and cynical statement.
Over a third of the island no longer has electricity or clean water since the hurricane; they are only dreaming about the basic necessities of civilization.

There certainly is a bill going through congress to approve $81B but there is currently no date set for final approval. Most of the funding is intended for Texas, some for Florida and a tiny part for the islands.

True FEMA was deployed in its role as a first responder but you fail to mention very poorly.

After an earthquake shattered Haiti within two days, the Pentagon had 8,000 American troops en route. Within two weeks, 33 U.S. military ships and 22,000 troops had arrived. More than 300 military helicopters buzzed overhead, delivering millions of pounds of food and water.

Compare Puerto Rico, eight days after Hurricane Maria just 4,400 service members were participating plus about 1,000 Coast Guard members. About 40 U.S. military helicopters and 10 Coast Guard helicopter were helping to deliver food and water.

Your post is "out of ignorance, out of immaturity, or out of malice. In any case, it is far off from reality, and is a fake story."

Enough idiots to go around then. Several times.

FEMA assistance to permanently repair bridges, government buildings or water and power utilities is granted under the C-G categories of the Stafford Act. FEMA's decision to approve C-G assistance for Puerto Rico came 43 days after Hurricane Maria.

In Texas, affected by Hurricane Harvey, FEMA gave its endorsement to the C-G categories within 10 days; in the case of the state of Florida, hit by Hurricane Irma, the agency began authorizing C-G categories funds for permanent projects 11 days after the event.

Source

This is from a daily Puerto Rico newspaper.

Edit;-reading through the newspaper gives an interesting perspective of the status in PR.

From your source: <<On the other hand, government figures point out that between 4,000 and 5,000 businesses have closed their doors since the cyclone. Last October, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of people employed in Puerto Rico fell to 842,000, the lowest figure recorded in about 27 years.>>
Strange way to phrase unemployment, I thought, so I googled population and it's 3.411 million (2016)

Yes the island is very poor. It is estimated half of the island's population lives below the U.S. Federal poverty guidelines.

It became a US territory after the US invaded the island about 120 years ago.

The US Navy purchased two thirds of the island during World War II and presumably still own it?

It's such a mystery as to why everyone thinks Trump supporters are racist. Baffling I tell you.

Plenty of Trump supporters are not racist; they just get lumped in and we need to guard against over generalising. See: Basket of Deplorables. Most people are not politically aware and give politics little thought beyond elections. Better dialogue - bridge building, despite the effort - can only happen when we stop thinking us-vs-them.

I've met a few Trump fans over the holidays at other people's parties and they weren't rabid loons. They were open to discussion once reassured there was a greater good at stake. Reducing things to us-vs-them / Right or Wrong rarely generates trust.

It's not the common voter we should scrutinise but the special interest groups who happily stoke the fires of discontent. Divide and conquer by getting us to squabble among ourselves. Dialectics 101.