A Reason Reading List on Hurricane-Related Public Policy

To the shock of no one, commentators are dipping their presidential politics into our historic hurricane.

To the shock of no one, commentators are dipping their presidential politics into our historic hurricane. "Whenever there's a major natural disaster, the federal government steps in to help," writes Slate's Matthew Yglesias. "But that wouldn't necessarily be the case if Mitt Romney got his way." David Frum rises to Romney's qualified defense.

It is obviously beyond the pale to speak skeptically about the federal government's role in post-hurricane cleanup and rebuilding, so instead let's link to past Reason articles that speak skeptically about the federal government's role in post-hurricane cleanup and rebuilding! A partial reading list, in chronological order:

* "Disastrous Relief," by Jacob Sullum, January 1990

* "Reaping the Whirlwind: Hurricane Andrew was a godsend for Politicians. The last thing they want is a premature recovery," by Glenn Garvin, January 1993

* "Gouge Away: Hurricanes and the politics of prices," by John Hood, December 1996

* "Confessions of a Welfare Queen: ," by John Stossel, March 2004

* "After the Storm: Hurricane Katrina and the failure of public policy," by Jacob Sullum, Jesse Walker, Ronald Bailey, Kerry Howley, Jeff Taylor & David B. Kopel; December 2005

* "Another Example of Government Failure: Coastal Living," by Ronald Bailey, September 2008

* "Disaster Utopianism: Looking for paradise in catastrophic places," by Jesse Walker, May 2010

* "Congress Votes to Continue Flood Insurance Folly," by Ronald Bailey, July 2011

* "After the Storm: How Joplin, Missouri, rebuilt following a devastating tornado by circumventing bureaucracy," by Tate Watkins, August 2012