Should thunderstorms be permitted to cross state borders?

One legislator says no way. Feels if storms continue to cross borders than states where the storm developed should pay for damages caused by the same storm in neighboring states.

Nearly one quarter of the lower forty-eight is currently experiencing severe drought conditions. One quarter! The record drought has rendered acres of crops--corn, soy beans, wheat, and corn soy, mostly in the heartland--virtually useless. At the same time, parts of the country have been battered, almost daily, by harsh, unforgiving thunderstorms. Purple, red, and yellow, like moving bruises on a map, have been familiar colors on local doppler radars indicating heavy rain, wind, and strong storms.

A storm popping up in Michigan may move south into Ohio, nip southwest Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia, before moving into Virginia and Maryland. The storms can quickly cover hundreds of miles before petering out far from its origin at what meteorologists refer to as the cul-de-sac of destruction.

One senator, whose state has seen its fair share of dark clouds and lightning asked: "Why do we let thunderstorms cross state borders?" It's a fair question, perhaps, one that should have been asked long ago.

"Severe thunderstorms cross state borders every day," says Senator Janice Trout, a republican from Indiana. "They inflict incalculable amounts of damage and in some cases can prove deadly. Let's prevent thunderstorms from crossing state borders."

The infuriated official made it clear that she did not want to be responsible for clean up by storms entering her home state from Illinois or Iowa or Wisconsin. Senate Bill 1209B-19, which Trout recently proposed, calls on states to close their borders to thunderstorms.

"Janice is frustrated," said Sen. Mike McCannon of Ohio, "and I don't blame her. Indiana has been hard hit. I think the country needs to rally around this bill. Prevent thunderstorm damage by closing your borders to these ... these ... these things. Hey, listen, I don't mind state money helping Ohioans--or is it Ohioites?--affected by storms that started in Ohio. But, it pains me to use state money for aid from damage caused by storms forming in another locale."

Mitt Romney and President Obama are set to square off on the controversial bill during the first presidential debate set for October 3, 2012. "It's a topic neither of us can avoid talking about. I have made my position clear," explained Romney. "Thunderstorms should not be able to run willy nilly all over the country over state lines, simple as that." Obama, on the other hand, has not taken a firm stance on the subject, but the President must do so by early October.