Barbara Doyle Schmid: Most Americans respond to need for disaster relief

Re: "Harris' stunning disconnect," Jan. 8

Tuesday's editorial was excellent. I was incensed that Rep. Paul Ryan voted "nay" to $9 billion to bring relief to the Northeast's dire situation caused by Sandy. But Ryan at least voted for $162 billion relief in 2008 to his flooded Midwest. Rep. Andy Harris thumbed his nose at jobless, homeless, heatless, waterless and powerless people in the Northeast and he refused to help with Crisfield's devastation and the depleted beaches in his own district.

In "Les Miserables," Hugo said needy people in distress seem "as though they were on a planet much ...