New Orleans used to be one of the most diverse cities in the USA and it had a larger-than-average amount of African-American home ownership. Then Katrina happened. The disastrous federal response (in the GWB administration) and years-long rebuilding took advantage of the disaster to get a smaller, whiter, New Orleans. New Orleans was key to keeping LA as a pinkish-swing state. After Katrina, with at least 15% of former black homeowners never returning, LA went from pinkish to hard right.
Now, Harvey has hit Houston, the 2nd most liberal city in Texas, with flooding that will take years to fix. How many rescued people have lost their homes forever? How many will have to begin their lives over someone else? How will voting be effected in the mid-terms?
Are these the most pressing questions for Houstonites right now? No, of course not. We are still in the rescue/save lives process. Recovery cannot even begin until, at minimum, the rain stops on Wednesday. But Democrats and progressives need to keep an eye on this. I don’t know how the GOP, the neo-Nazis and Drumpf plan to use this disaster to benefit themselves for decades into the future—but I know they are scheming even now. Watch them like hawks watching mice, folks.