Hurricane Sandy leaves behind trail of destruction, debate in US

By Philip Hamilton Source:Global Times Published: 2012-11-6 18:35:04

Illustration: Liu Rui
Illustration: Liu Rui

 

Hurricane Sandy arrived at the doorstep of the US lately, hardly unannounced, yet left in her wake an unanticipated whirlwind of discussion about preparedness, presidential politics, climate change, and popular discontent.

Massive flooding left millions in Manhattan without power or access to public transportation, prompting an outcry to update the power grid. "The grid […] is a marvel of engineering for the 20th century, but because of a lack of investment, it has been operating with diminished shock absorbers," said Professor Massoud Amin, a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

In New Jersey, amid property damage that left thousands homeless, Governor Chris Christie sought the political middle ground in an emerging debate between environmentalists and developers about the future of US coastal regions by promising to restore homes and businesses. But Christie elaborated that individual property owners would be given the option of rebuilding along the coastline, or selling their property to the state under a plan to encourage conservation.

Despite the halting of both campaigns during Sandy's sweep across eastern US, political pundits worked overtime, anxious to measure the effects of the storm on each candidate's chances for election, as well as the task of conducting the election itself.

US President Barack Obama was widely complimented for taking quick action amid a crisis that rekindled memories for many Americans of the slow and ultimately tragic federal response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a rising star of the Republican ranks, who had earlier this year given a speech at the Republican National Convention that was at once critical of Obama and notable in its lack of esteem for candidate Romney, spurred controversy with his effusive praise for Obama's leadership.

Such praise was more beneficial than any campaign advertisement the president might run in the last week of a tight race for office. Yet, some political observers wondered if Obama might suffer from the physical destruction of polling places along the heavily Democratic East Coast.

"[The hurricane] could affect the size of the overall popular vote, so you could end up with a situation [where Obama] wins the presidency but doesn't win the popular vote," said noted political science professor Thad Hall. Such a scenario would likely deny Obama a strong political mandate to govern the nation, should he be reelected. 

Environmental issues had not thus far been an issue in this year's presidential race, but Sandy's arrival prompted New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to endorse Obama for reelection, largely because of his work in reducing the nation's carbon consumption. Bloomberg further said: "Our climate is changing, and given this week's devastation, all elected leaders (should) take immediate action."

Whatever political gifts Bloomberg offered the president, he found his own public good standing jeopardized in his attempt to put the storm behind him by preparing for Sunday's scheduled New York City Marathon, an event expected to attract some 40,000 runners. 

Days of protest by those who wondered if the services of the police, and such supplies as bottled water wouldn't be better allocated to suffering New Yorkers than to thousands of visiting athletes, forced Bloomberg to reverse himself, and to cancel the contest.

Four days after Sandy came ashore, Lower Manhattan remained without power until the lights came back on Sunday morning, and long queues for gasoline spurred fistfights.

There will be no fast race to the future for New York or the rest of the US east coast this year, but merely the slow progression of a massive cleanup, and the spectacle of politicians running for the support of citizens amid darkened streets.



The author is a freelance writer and political observer living in Columbus, Ohio. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn



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