Great link Mike!
Ed, if your remark was aimed at the link Mike offered, I think you may be understandably reacting emotionally to the clear and present danger of the storm. But, taking offense at the economics of the issue may be ignoring the reality of the overall impact regarding the 'big picture'. One can't hardly separate the functionality of political decisions and their intersection with economic realities, particularly when decisions are demanded in crisis times. It is all part of what we do to evaluate how we believe our government and economy are being managed to serve 'we the people'. Evaluation of such, is why we vote locally, state, and nationally. There are plenty of lessons to be learned, both in the historical mistakes and successes of our political-economic policies in the lead up and aftermath of devastating events like this, as well as evaluating how you perceive things are going, as they unfold.
In my view, if our systems and institutions fail us at times like these, it is like loosing a war, or big battle. Also, in my own view, the article and these sort of events say to me, austerity can be penny wise and dollar foolish. And, administrative appointments to agencies that are charged to act in the rare but devastating events, based on cronyism vs competent and proven track records, are the show and tell exhibits that should guide our support for those we elect to run government and our economic institutions.
Please take no offense, Ed. I think all of us have a first and primary concern for those in harms way.