The silver lining from the Hurricane Katrina disaster was that its major victim, New Orleans, eventually would come out of it a better place to live. We now know in fact that hope has faded away.
I was more optimistic in my review five years ago, where I concluded things were better both at the state and local, New Orleans, level despite a disaster that cost around 1,400 lives and, in inflation-adjusted terms two decades later, over $200 billion to sort out. In New Orleans, I noted how there had been positive change in terms of education and flood protection that came from overcoming political hurdles the dismantling of which became possible because of the widespread devastation that made revolutionary reforms possible.
The hope was the momentum would continue, for several reasons. With traditional populist-based political networks disrupted, perhaps candidates and organizations focused more on getting stuff done than dividing spoils among supporters would strengthen. Perhaps attitudes would shift to place greater emphasis on industriousness to benefit private sector activities that would include less government intrusiveness that catered to special interests and ideology. Corrupt activities would diminish and more attention would be given to sore spots such as crime fighting.