US Presidential Elections: Hurricane Sandy Blows-up Romney over FEMA Plan

Besides bringing vast devastation, SuperstormSandy managed to temporarily halt the US presidential campaign during its usually hottest peak, as both candidates have been forced to cancel rallies Obama was called back to his Presidential duties.

However Frankenstorm has also ruffled the race for the White House becoming the most important issue at stake seven days ahead of Election Day.

Republican candidate Mitt Romney has been the first to receive an indirect blow from Superstorm Sandy, as his plan to cut funds to the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), came under attack.

"In a storm like this, thank God for 'Big Government'. Romney believes when disaster hits, you don't need FEMA," tweeted Democrat supporter director Michael Moore.

Romney's plan was also criticized by the New York Times in an opinion piece.

"Most Americans have never heard of the [FEMA's] National Response Coordination Center, but they're lucky it exists on days of lethal winds and flood tides. Disaster coordination is one of the most vital functions of "big government," which is why Mitt Romney wants to eliminate it" the article read.

"Many [Republicans] don't like the idea of free aid for poor people, or they think people should pay for their bad decisions, which this week includes living on the East Coast," the article continued.

Romney disclosed his plan to break up the FEMA and redistribute its competences to the federal states and private companies in June 2011 at a Republican primary debate hosted by CNN.

"Every time you have an occasion to take something from the federal government and send it back to the states, that's the right direction. And if you can go even further and send it back to the private sector, that's even better. Instead of thinking, in the federal budget, what we should cut, we should ask the opposite question, what should we keep?" Romney said.

"We cannot -- we cannot afford to do those things without jeopardizing the future for our kids. It is simply immoral, in my view, for us to continue to rack up larger and larger debts and pass them on to our kids, knowing full well that we'll all be dead and gone before it's paid off," Romney responded. "It makes no sense at all."

However Romney's staff denied the former governor of Massachusetts intends to eliminate the FEMA once settled in the White House.

"Governor Romney believes that states should be in charge of emergency management in responding to storms and other natural disasters in their jurisdictions. As the first responders, states are in the best position to aid affected individuals and communities and to direct resources and assistance to where they are needed most. This includes help from the federal government and FEMA.," Republican campaign spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg said.

#RomneyStormTips

Romney's disaster-management policy also sparked a wave of mockery on Twitter.

A Twitter account collecting jokes about the republican candidate named RomneyStormTips was created and then shut down. However the hashtag #RomneyStormTips had already gone viral.

"'Everyone in the path of the hurricane should head to their second or third homes for safety,' #RomneyStormTips, Tweeted Alan Cox.

"Really Airlines, you can resume your scheduled flights...just tell your passengers to keep their windows rolled up," wrote Aliki T Grafft.

"Make sure you've moved all of your cars to the top floor of your car garage," tweeted Tara Dublin.

"Don't worry about evacuating. If it's a legitimate storm, your home has a way of shutting itself down to protect itself," wrote John Pettitt.

"We need a real leader in times like this. Obama is from Kenya. They don't have Hurricanes" - Mitt Romney," added Big Bird.