Usually leftists contend that when there’s a natural disaster, the result is more jobs for everyone.  But now New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is claiming that Superstorm Sandy caused 46,000 New Yorkers to lose their jobs.

Funny how leftists change gears. Back in 2004, after hurricanes decimated Florida, MSNBC decried the bump in new jobs by saying:

Some analysts were skeptical about the latest surge of hiring, pointing out that much of the unusually large jump in October stemmed from cleanup and rebuilding in Florida and other states that were ravaged by four hurricanes in August and September, the Labor Department said.

MSNBC later reiterated their belief that disasters create opportunity:

Economists, who have been burned over the past few months by reports that fell short of expectations, are once again looking for a solid report, partly because of an expected rebound after four hurricanes tore through Florida and other southern states in August …

Cuomo acknowledged that the superstorm hurt the job numbers:

That is a serious economic consequence. How long those people are unemployed, how many businesses that reflects, we don’t know. But it’s gong to be significant. This is a fiscal issue prompted by human suffering.

And then he got to the meat of the matter, saying that the “big question” is whether Washington will approve a supplemental appropriation to help reimburse New York for the $30 billion worth of economic damage Cuomo claims was caused by the storm.

The hypocrisy of the Left is staggering, but never more than when they reverse themselves so utterly when they’re looking for another government handout.