It’s Federal Disaster Relief, Stupid: Could Matthew Affect the Vote in Florida?
As storm-ravaged states dig out from disaster, a provocative new book connects pain and politics.
A piece of the A1A, washed out by Hurricane Matthew in Flagler Beach, Florida, on October 9.
Photographer: Jewel Samada/AFP via Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Hillary Clinton is in Miami today to visit a state swept by Hurricane Matthew that is already feeling climate change on a regular basis. Her trip is part of a years-long trend of political leaders devoting more and more attention to weather disasters.
"It’s the economy, stupid"—probably the most often-cited political saw of the Clinton administration. Rightly or wrongly, leaders are routinely credited with or punished for economic trends they have little or no control over. Mostly punished. The idea is that voters’ sense of financial security and general well-being drives their decisions at the ballot box.