Obama's Disaster-Prone Presidency | Gene Healy | Cato Institute: Commentary

Obama's Disaster-Prone Presidency | Gene Healy | Cato Institute: Commentary: " "In the post-Stafford Act era," Reeves explains, "a competitive state is expected to receive over twice the number of disaster declarations as a noncompetitive state." What's more, the FEMA porkbarrel pays off politically: "Voters reward presidents for disaster declarations to the tune of over 1 percent at the ballot box."

After Congress expanded presidents' disaster relief powers in 1988, Reeves notes, they were, unsurprisingly, "more likely to grant [relief] in year four as the presidential election neared." "